Students at Belmont University will soon be observers to history. The familiar faces roaming the campus will soon be replaced, temporarily, by new ones. Campaign managers, network news people and politicians from near and far will soon take over the campus for the final Presidential Debate of the campaign. It's an excitement that I experienced personally when I was a college student. My alma matter, Michigan State University was host to a Presidential Debate back in 1992.

Ross Perot, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton all took to the stage at the Wharton Center, the performing arts complex on campus. While I was intrigued by the politicians, I was just as, if not more interested in the reporters covering the process. Jim Lehrer of PBS was the moderator. Gene Gibbons of Reuters, Helen Thomas of UPI and CNN News Anchor Susan Rook were the panelists. I remember trying to get close to the debate site, just to sneak a peak.

While there were plenty of activities on campus, watching parties etc...from what I recall, students were kept far from the event. As is the case now at Belmont, only a small select group could attend the debate itself.

Yet despite these limitations, what happened during my sophomore year opened my eyes and further fueled my excitement of news and politics.

I hope the students at Belmont will feel the same.