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Hundreds Gather for Debate Week Kickoff, Watch Drawing of Names for Student Tickets |
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Written by Deborah Purnell
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09/21/2008 |
Chancellor Robert Khayat draws the first 10 names for chances at student tickets to the presidential debate. UM photo by Robert Jordan.
OXFORD, Miss. - The excitement that has been building for months at the
University of Mississippi officially kicked into high gear Sunday
evening, as more than 300 people gathered at the steps of the Lyceum
for the presidential debate week kickoff celebration.
The 6 p.m. event featured a welcome from ASB President Graham Purcell
as well as greetings from UM Chancellor Robert Khayat and Oxford Mayor
Richard Howorth. Purcell, a senior political science major from
Louisville, acted as master of ceremonies.
"What better way to kick off debate week than with a student-led celebration," Khayat said. "In fact, this week is a celebration of the hard work and generosity of hundreds of individuals like you to ensure Ole Miss is ready to host the world this Friday."
Most of the students were there for one reason: to discover if they'd won a chance to attend the country's most anticipated event - this year's first presidential debate, set for 8 p.m. Friday (Sept. 26) at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts.
Oxford Mayor Richard Howorth draws a name in the lottery for student tickets to the presidential debate. More than 300 people gathered for the debate week kickoff event Sunday evening in front of the Lyceum. UM photo by Robert Jordan.
More than 7,500 Passport to the Debate lottery entries were submitted, plus 150 leadership applications, said Ben Williams, assistant dean of students for Greek life and student organizations. From those, 300 lottery tickets were pulled at the Sunday event, with Khayat drawing the first 10 winners from the leadership applicants.
Having their names drawn Sunday night does not guarantee that students will receive debate tickets, but the chances are very good for the first several dozen drawn. The university will not learn what its ticket allotment is until workers finish configuring the Ford Center's main hall for the event. Tickets will be awarded in the order of the lottery drawing until all have been handed out.
UM senior Walker Agnew was among the first 10 names pulled. The Houston, Texas, native said that "he just felt he had a good chance to win a ticket" to the debate.
"Earlier today I felt pretty lucky, but I was still shocked when my named was called," said Agnew, a management major.
Still, Agnew's shock was nothing compared to that of sophomore Marie Wicks of Ocean Springs. Wicks' name was pulled from among the leadership lottery applicants and the Passport to the Debate lottery, giving her two chances to attend the debate.
"I've attended as many debate-related events as possible. I really wanted a chance to attend the debate because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said Wicks, an international studies and public policy leadership major. "I participated in the debate class. I attended the library presentation. I even went to see 'Capitol Steps.' I just can't believe my name was called - twice. I'm still in shock. I'm very fortunate."
While some students have won debate tickets outright in several campus competitions, others were offered two lottery options: to participate in the Passport to the Debate, which required attending several designated debate-related events and receiving a lottery ticket for each attendance; and to submit a leadership application to be considered in a competitive process.
A complete list of debate-related activities is available at http://www.olemiss.edu/debate/ .
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