College students to get first-hand look at DNC

More than 100 college students from across the country will get a close-up look at a national political convention through a program at UNC Charlotte.

Students will take part in the Washington Center’s Democratic National Convention Academic Seminar, which is partnering with UNCC.  The program runs from Aug. 25 to Sept. 7. 

Students will hear lectures from political leaders and volunteer at the convention, which starts Sept. 4.

“The national convention, an integral part of the U.S. political process, is a piece of preserved history,” Mike Smith, president of The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, said in a statement. “Students learn from within, in the thick of it."

The first week of the seminar will focus on the history of presidential campaigns and conventions. The second week will take place at the convention itself. Students will get volunteer assignments, for example, even writing articles for papers like the Dallas Morning News.

“These students are going to seize a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn in an environment which epitomizes the American democratic process,” said UNC Charlotte Chancellor Philip L. Dubois. “They will emerge with new skills and insights that will shape their development as citizens for the rest of their lives.” Jim Morrill