September 22, 2008

Student Center hosting election-related events

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The Southern Illinois University Carbondale Student Center is hosting a series of events related to this year’s historic election.

Kicking off the awareness activities is the showing of “Iron Jawed Angels” at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23, in the Student Center Auditorium. The HBO movie depicts the struggles turn-of-the-century American women encountered as they demanded the right to vote. Barbara Brown, SIUC political science lecturer and co-director of the SIUC Summer 2008 Study Institute for Student Leaders, will introduce the film and provide commentary and answer questions afterward.

“Eyes on the Prize,” a PBS documentary, will air at 7 p.m. Sept. 30 in the Student Center Auditorium. The film illustrates the struggles of African Americans seeking to vote, to experience justice and to have an identity in the mid-1960’s. Carl Ervin, coordinator of Student Development-Multicultural Programs and Services at SIUC, will introduce the film.

Representatives of Undergraduate Student Government will be on hand before and after each film to register voters.

The Student Center will host an Election Night Party starting at 6 p.m. Nov. 4 in Ballroom B. The festivities will continue until 11 p.m. and the campus community is welcome to watch history unfold on the big screen.

For more information about the Student Center’s election 2008 events, visit the Web site at www.siucstudentcenter.org or contact Student Center Special Programs and Center Events (SPACE) at 618/453-1142.