CHICAGO — A group of High Point University students has been closely following the historic 2024 election, witnessing it unfold firsthand.
The students were in Milwaukee last month for the Republican National Convention (RNC) and are now in Chicago for the Democratic National Convention (DNC). However, the RNC and DNC are anything but conventional this year.
"We have a situation where the standard bearer for the Democratic Party has stepped aside and his vice president stepped into the breach to be the new candidate," said Dr. Brandon Lenoir, a professor at High Point University. "So we are in uncharted territory. It's a great experience and the students are getting to experience something that we're gonna be talking about for years to come."
The conventions differ significantly in layout and procedure, but one constant remains: security.
“The area around the United Center looks like a demilitarized zone,” Lenoir said. “It has metal gating all the way around the perimeter. There are police on every corner. The protesters are starting to show up. So, if you’re trying to get through downtown Chicago, I would find a different path to get around because there are a lot of road closures and everything else.”
The significance of being part of these historical conventions is not lost on the students. They have been eagerly anticipating this experience for some time, and it’s one they will remember forever.
“It hasn’t really hit me yet,” said Kyle Brierley, a High Point University student. “This will definitely be a part of the history books that people are going to be learning about in high school, middle school, all that.
For some students, like Ani Markin, this is their first time attending a political convention.
“Excited is an understatement,” Markin said. “It’s definitely historic, and I’ve always had a love for history and politics. Almost like a pinch-me moment just even being here.”
Tonight, the students will hear from President Joe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
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