Port Washington Student to Volunteer at Presidential Debate

The second presidential debate takes place Tuesday, at Hofstra University, from 9-10:30 p.m. While tickets for the debate are extremely limited, some Hofstra students and faculty will be on the premises. Patch caught up with Nicole Mouradian, a student volunteer from Port Washington, who shared her experience so far about debate fever on campus. 

Patch: Why did you want to volunteer to work at the debate?

Nicole Mouradian: As a Broadcast Journalism student at Hofstra, I chose to volunteer to work at the debate so that I could be part of the excitement on
campus as the university prepares itself to host such a monumental political event. I want to witness and experience first hand how the major media outlets organize themselves in a timely fashion and cover this live presidential debate.

Patch: Is there already excitement about the debate heating up on campus?

NM: The excitement about the debate has been in full swing at Hofstra University for weeks now. You can definitely feel the energy and excitement across campus. Certain areas are being closed off to students and sets are being constructed for the debate arena. Pre-debate meetings and discussions are happening daily and there is a wonderful "buzz" throughout campus that everyone – students, university workers, and professors – are all feeling. Hofstra has also had guests come and speak at on campus part of the "Signature Event Series" all pertaining to the debate and politics all around.

Patch: Have you seen or met any political "stars" yet?

NM: I have not seen any political stars yet.

Patch: What do you think your best takeaway from this experience will be?

NM: I am looking forward to working amidst the hustle and bustle of the media room the night of the debate. I am eager to offer my assistance to all network PR personnel, reporters, and anyone else seeking assistance in the media room that night. I am very excited to be able to represent Hofstra University and be able to cover this live event that will draw millions of viewers throughout the country. I am eager to see how the media transcribe and do live feeds as the debate is taking place. On the political side to it, as a young voter, I am very interested in seeing President Obama and Governor Romney present their positions in a way I can understand in order to make a smart decision with my vote. Overall I am super excited and grateful to have had this amazing opportunity to be a part of history!