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September 18, 2008

OXFORD, Miss. - While mostly media will occupy the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts at the first 2008 presidential debate Sept. 26, a few lucky University of Mississippi students will also claim some of those much sought-after seats.

While some students have won tickets outright in several campus competitions, others have earned the opportunity to have their names placed in two lotteries. Winners will be decided Sunday (Sept. 21) when names of the lucky students will be drawn in front of the Lyceum during a special presidential debate kickoff. Planned by UM students, the free, public event begins at 6 p.m.

"This is an exciting time in the university's history," said Graham Purcell, Associated Student Body president. "We simply want to invite the university and Oxford community to come out and join in the excitement and celebrate with us this Sunday. Just having this historical debate at our university is exciting, but it's also a once-in-a-lifetime moment that we should all be proud to share in."

Purcell, a senior political science major from Louisville, will emcee the kickoff.

The short program will include a welcome and charge to UM students by Purcell and greetings from Chancellor Robert Khayat and Oxford Mayor Richard Howorth. Amber Gardner, a senior African-American Studies major from Aberdeen, will sing the national anthem, and Chris Cox, vice president of the Black Student Union, and Megan McRaney, vice president of the Associated Student Body, will recite the University Creed.

Drawings for presidential debate tickets will follow, with Chancellor Khayat pulling the first name. Refreshments will be served following the program.

Students were offered two options for lottery chances: participation in the Passport Event opportunity, by attending several designated presidential debate events and receiving a lottery ticket for each attendance; and by submitting a leadership application to be considered in a competitive process. The last chance for students to turn in their validated Passport Event tickets for the lottery is 1-5 p.m. Sunday, said Ben Williams, assistant dean of students for Greek Life and Student Organizations.

Students who qualify for lottery entries can contact Valeria Ross, assistant dean of students for multicultural programming and volunteer services, for more information.

"Our students are excited about the upcoming debate and the debate-related events the university has planned," Williams said. "We expect to receive up to 7,500 lottery entries, plus an additional 150 leadership applications."

The rain location for the kickoff is the Student Union Lobby.

A complete list of debate-related activities is available at http://www.olemiss.edu/debate/. For more information about the kickoff or for assistance related to a disability, call Ben Williams or Valeria Ross at 662-915-7247 or 915-7248.