Date: Feb 25, 2008

Hofstra Students to Study, Participate In Republican and Democratic Nominating Conventions

Four will witness 2008 presidential selection process

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY – Four Hofstra University students will study and work as interns at the two major political party nominating conventions this summer as part of Hofstra’s Educate ’08 initiative, giving them a unique look inside the 2008 presidential selection process.

Hofstra is sending two undergraduates to each convention to participate in the Campaign 2008 National Convention Seminars sponsored by The Washington Center, a non-profit organization that has hosted these courses at the conventions since 1984. The courses include academic study of the evolution of conventions in American politics as well as fieldwork assignments with convention participants. The seminar for the Democratic National Convention runs from August 17-29, 2008, in Denver, Colorado, and the seminar for the Republican National Convention runs from August 24-September 5, 2008, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The four Hofstra students are Melissa Calderone (sophomore) and Catherine Legnetti (junior), who will attend the course at the Democratic convention, and Leonard Beckerman-Rodau (senior) and Anthony Lucci (freshman) who will be at the Republican convention.

The internships were offered to students as part of Hofstra’s Educate '08 initiative, an unprecedented educational effort that engages not only students and faculty but also the public in a year-long series of conferences, events and lectures leading up to the final presidential debate at Hofstra on Oct. 15, 2008.

"The Washington Center's convention courses provide an unparalleled opportunity for students to witness history in the making," said Meena Bose, Ph.D., the Peter S. Kalikow Chair in Presidential Studies and director of the Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency. "They will study the presidential selection process and experience directly the energy and excitement of election politics as the major political parties rally around their presidential and vice-presidential candidates."

"While I have been involved in American politics through internships, volunteering and campaigning at local and state levels, the chance to experience and be involved in a political convention at the national level is unrivaled," said Leonard Beckerman-Rodau.

"This is such a valuable opportunity to see the highest levels of the American political process up close, to gain first-hand knowledge of the paths that my political science degree may someday lead me down, and merely to witness history as the Democrats nominate their 2008 presidential candidate," said Melissa Calderone.

"I'm still in disbelief that I have been chosen. It is an extraordinary honor and privilege to be attending this program,” said Anthony Lucci, adding that it was "the culmination of religiously following two years of election coverage!"

Catherine Legnetti said "I'm thrilled to have been chosen for this awesome opportunity. I think that the convention will provide me with a better understanding about the nomination process and the election as a whole."

To qualify for the program, the students had to have at least a 3.2 GPA and a history of involvement and leadership at Hofstra. The university is paying the students’ program fee (which includes housing) as well as additional expenses (travel, food). The students will be under the supervision of Dr. Bose, who will also serve as scholar-in-residence for the Republican Convention.

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students can choose from about 145 undergraduate and 155 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business, communication, education and allied human services, and honors studies, as well as a School of Law. With a student-faculty ratio of 14-to-1, our professors teach small classes averaging 22 students that emphasize interaction, critical thinking and analysis. Hofstra offers a faculty whose highest priority is teaching excellence, cutting edge technology, extensive library resources, internships and special educational programs that appeal to their interests and abilities.