CASE MAGAZINE

Collaborations

The Great Race

It was the “event” of a lifetime for Case and its constituents, shining the spotlight on the university and bringing together thousands of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community partners. It was the Race at Case, a series of events including and leading up to the Vice Presidential Debate 2004, which was held on campus October 5. One Associated Press article compared the scene on campus to a Lollapalooza concert, referring to the masses of people from on and off campus gathered in various spots to watch the debate; speak out on issues important to them in the “Free Speech Area”; be a part of the student-oriented music festival; and stage various “skits,” like one invented by a group of young Republicans jogging behind an emergency vehicle with signs that said “Edwards the Ambulance Chaser.”

• The Case Community Debate Watch, which included an opportunity to view the debate in a group setting as well as a faculty panel that discussed issues likely to be raised in the vice-presidential matchup;

• mtvU and Case Rock the Vote, a student-centered festival, featuring live performances, games, and big-screen TVs for viewing the big debate;

• Rally for Reform, joining physicians and the Case community to call on our nation’s leaders to address issues related to healthcare access, the uninsured, and the rising cost of healthcare;

• Two symposiums: one focusing on healthcare with Ceci Connolly, a national staff writer at the Washington Post, as moderator; the other, cosponsored with the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Western Reserve Historical Society, examining presidential biographers;

• The National Student Vice Presidential Debate, an event in which Case undergraduates and students from peer institutions such as Duke, MIT, and Stanford presented a national civics lesson for a lively debate preceding the Vice Presidential Debate.

Once the Commission on Presidential Debates chose Case as the host site, plans unfolded to involve and partner with as much of the community as possible—from the children and staff in the Cleveland Public Schools, to leaders from the city’s diverse civic organizations and corporations.

Off-campus venues took participants to the City Club of Cleveland, the Cleveland Museum of Art, Severance Hall, and other places for presentations, dialogue, and panel discussions.

What follows are quotes by members of the Case family who took part in the Race at Case.

Like most students here at Case, I was skeptical about whether the Race at Case would be worth all the hype and inconveniences. It wasn’t until the very end, when I saw the finished product, that I realized my little school had become a part of history. When I saw students rise with the sun to compete for the coveted tickets to the debate, rally in support of their favorite candidates, and enliven themselves over politics, I understood that the university’s goal to put Case on the map was a benefit to us now and in the future. Before the Race, there’s no way that the “Vote or Die” campaign [which visited Case on October 27] or MTV would have even considered us as a location to rally students around an election, and it’s those additional perks that will make this a memorable first election for students on our campus. –Laura Castro, editor in chief, the Observer

I noticed the excitement in the air when a massive crowd descended on Freiberger Field at 7 a.m. in hopes of getting a ticket to the debate. There was an overwhelming sense of togetherness during the debate that I had never seen before. –undergraduate Benjamin Chodroff

Before we even went into the Peter B. Lewis Building [for the Case Community Debate Watch], we walked around the campus and saw all the activities going on, the booths, and the overall friendly and happy atmosphere. We enjoyed the discussions before the debate even more than the debate itself. All the panelists were so knowledgeable and didn’t hesitate to share their thoughts and feelings. We found it to be very enlightening. –Case alumni Marty (ADL ’49) and Sheila Silverman

The events that were going on, the constant “rush” that was felt through campus, was really a great opportunity for all members of the Case community to get out and experience something so monumental, together. There were so many chances to participate, whether it be through volunteering, entering the lottery for seats, attending forums, debate watches, etc...that it was really a great chance for people all over campus to come together and get involved with the rest of their Case family. –Shelli Snyder, staff member, the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing.


ELLEN BROWN

Photography by Robert Muller