The national spotlight will shine brightly this fall on Wright State University when it hosts the first presidential debate on Sept. 26.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first one is special,\u201d said Donna Schlagheck, retired chair\u00a0of the Department of Political Science<\/a> who helped Wright State secure the debate. \u201cIt will be the American voters\u2019 first opportunity to take full measure \u2014 head to head \u2014 of the finalists for the most powerful position in the world. This really is groundbreaking for the university.\u201d<\/p>\n But perhaps more importantly, the debate will give Wright State students an up-close look at the candidates and a taste of democracy in action amid the blare of a media swarm.<\/p>\n The debate is already having an academic impact at Wright State.<\/p>\n The Department of Political Science is offering several new courses on political parties and campaigns, while the Department of History<\/a> is offering a class on Presidents and International Crises.<\/p>\n In addition, a campus film series on the American presidency is being organized, and Wright State is applying for a grant to work with K-12 teachers to educate their students about democracy and politics.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Donna Schlagheck, retired chair of political science, provides insight on how the presidential debate will impact Wright State’s curriculum. Continue reading