Longwood University announced their schedule for the campus's main events leading up to hosting the 2016 vice presidential debate on Oct. 4.
On Tuesday, the 2016 vice presidential debate host Longwood University announced their preliminary schedule for main debate-related events building up to Oct. 4.
The university, located in Farmville, Va., stated their desire to include their students and the town in the experience surrounding the debate.
“From the moment nearly a year ago we learned we’d been chosen to host the debate, Longwood has been determined to make the most of this opportunity for our students, alumni and local community, and to advance our mission of shaping citizen leaders,” said Longwood President W. Taylor Reveley IV in the university’s press release. “The global attention on the event will be massive, but we’re not just interested in that. These and other events reflect our commitment to engaging our community in this experience.”
Longwood plans to host a mixture of entertaining and educational events in the five days leading to the vice presidential debate, airing at 9 p.m. on Oct. 4. These “Debate Week” festivities are set to begin on Sept. 30.
According to the press release, as part of their effort to include the community, the university will host a two-day Student Citizenship Summit for several hundred regional high school students focused on America’s history. The summit aims to teach students about civic education and the nation’s democratic process while tying in Farmville history.
On Oct. 2, the university will hold a lottery for a few students to potentially receive tickets to be inside the vice presidential debate hall followed by a concert held by pop duo MKTO to kick off Longwood’s “VP Jubilee.”
Longwood chose MKTO after looking for a group that would “appeal to students,” according to McWilliams.
“We are hoping to kick off the weekend with a lot of energy and make students want to come back to campus to enjoy three days of activities,” said McWilliams.
More musical acts are set to perform the next day, Oct. 3, in addition to debate-related booths and activities outside on Stubbs Mall from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. McWilliams didn’t believe the all of the details for student-led activities have been laid out yet.
The university will simultaneously host a series of outdoor educational talks by Longwood professors on Lancaster Mall from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and a picnic for credentialed media and visitors as well as Longwood students, faculty and staff from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The first night of Longwood’s VP Jubilee is set to end with a performance by comedy theater troupe The Second City, starting at 8 p.m.
On the day of the debate, the VP Jubilee continues with more outdoor musical acts, booths and talks from Longwood professors. Outside of the jubilee, the schedule highlights special debate day events, such as a morning Civil Rights Walking Tour led by the Moton Museum and a discussion panel of former advisers and secretaries to former vice presidents moderated by Politico journalist John Harris at 4 p.m.
“We want to pack a lot of stuff into Monday and Tuesday so there is something for everyone to do,” said McWilliams. “We have been working with people on campus to make sure there’s a wide variety of stuff to do.”
He said more events may be added to the schedule, and “there might even be a few surprises.
When the debate begins to air live at 9 p.m., Longwood will set up different viewing party locations for alumni and students followed by a late-night breakfast on Stubbs Mall after the debate ends.
The schedule includes at least 8 events prior to the week of the debate (Sept. 30-Oct. 4). The events include lectures from authors and journalists, LCVA exhibit openings, film screenings, a debate spirit week and a student-led mock presidential debate.
Longwood’s press release noted all event details are subject to change. Any changes will be updated on the university’s debate website: debates.longwood.edu.
