On Wednesday, March 18, the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and the Museum held the 2009 Woodrow Wilson Forum at the Robert E. Plecker Center at Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave.  At the forum, entitled “Will My Vote Count?”, 130 Advanced Placement students from nine area high schools discussed the Electoral College and other presidential election issues in panel discussions and debates.  Prior to the student discussions, Dr. Mark Rush, the Head of the Department of Politics at Washington and Lee University, kicked off the forum with a keynote address entitled “Be Careful What You Wish For:  Reforming the Electoral College for the 21st Century.”

Students from nine high schools participated in the forum, including Robert E. Lee, Stuart Hall, and Grace Christian Schools in Staunton; Stuarts Draft, Riverheads, and Fort Defiance High Schools in Augusta County; Rockbridge County High School in Lexington; Parry McCluer High School in Buena Vista; and Eastern Mennonite High School in Harrisonburg.  After the keynote address, nine students presented research papers on different presidential elections. 

After lunch, the students prepared arguments on eight topics for debates that were held that afternoon. Joel Hodson, Director of Education at the WWPL, said, “Inspired by the legacy of Woodrow Wilson, we believe that inviting advanced students to discuss matters of national importance contributes to our nation’s civic health.  Addressing these issues helps these students understand the dilemmas that arise in a participatory democracy.” 

The keynote speaker, Mark Rush, is the Robert G. Brown Professor of Politics and Law and Head of the Department of Politics at Washington and Lee University, where he also directs the Program in International Commerce.  Professor Rush has written extensively on constitutional law, voting rights, and elections in the United States, Canada, and Europe.  He is a frequent guest on National Public Radio’s Evening Edition, and his op-ed pieces have appeared in the Christian Science Monitor, The Washington Post, The Richmond Times-Dispatch, and The Roanoke Times.

The Woodrow Wilson Student Forum has been held every other year since 1990.  The program is made possible through the generous support of the Frank R. Pancake Education Endowment.  Those interested in more information about the forum should contact Joel Hodson, Director of Education at the WWPL, at jhodson@woodrowwilson.org, or at (540) 885-0897, ext. 103.

For information about the 2007 Woodrow Wilson Forum, click here.