Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush will be visiting Regent University in Virginia Beach this week, however it looks like student turnout is going to be pretty weak.
The university recently announced that it will be hosting “Presidential Candidate Forums” to introduce the 2016 presidential candidates and their platforms through discussions and Q&A sessions. Gov. Bush will be the first candidate to visit on Friday, Oct. 23 — the trouble is that Friday is also during the university’s fall break.
While it is a nice gesture that Regent is getting involved and helping inform students about the current field of candidates, it is unfortunate that the first candidate is coming at a time when many students will be at home or traveling elsewhere.
“As a student who is aiming towards a field in the political realm, I am so excited for the chance to have a presidential candidate come to our school and reach out to voters that are the most influential: college students,” said graduate student Sara Gainor.
“That being said, I do not believe it was well-planned for students since it is being hosted during the fall break. Most of the student body will be going to their homes in various locations, which will prohibit them from engaging with the candidate.”
Julia Porterfield, an undergraduate student at Regent also expressed some dissatisfaction in the scheduling of the first forum.
“I think Regent’s decision to host a presidential candidate’s forum at a time when the majority of students are home for fall break is very disappointing,” she said. “As we saw evidence of in both 2008 and 2012, millennials play a very big role in electing the next president. This event could’ve introduced the candidates (both Democrat and Republican) to students, and shown them first-hand what each of them has to offer. With big names like Jeb Bush, I think a lot of students would have attended the forum, but due to poor scheduling, a lot of us won’t have that opportunity.”
The forums are a part of Regent University’s Executive Leadership Series. All candidates are invited to participate in forums throughout the year. As of now, Gov. Bush is the only candidate scheduled to speak.
The university did not respond to questions about the selected date.
