USD Magazine, Fall 1996

the organization that would feed the broadcast to the other major networks. While his first tasks were decidedly low-profile - running errands to Price Club and picking up television monitors - Zosa found himself at the center of attention when he stood in as Bob Dole during camera and lighting rehearsals the day before the debate. It was the perfect assignment for a political science major and communications minor. "It was taped just like the real debate was," Zosa says. "There were people in the audience. I practiced answering questions and walking around the stage. There were questions about the economy, foreign policy and character. The producers loved it. They said I did a better job than Bob Dole did." Not only does Zosa have a tape of his performance, but he walked away from the experience with a job offer from ABC News. He turned it down, intent on finishing law school, but plans to keep up the contacts he made with the networks. In the end, Zosa says the close encounters were most memorable for him. "It was incredible," he says. "I got to meet Sam Donald– son, Britt Hume, Mayor Golding and Governor Wilson. I was tak– ing pictures like a star-struck groupie. I figured I might as well take advantage while I'm young and dumb." For political science professor Del Dickson, having the debate and media on campus was an unbeatable opportunity to examine the nation's electoral process up close with his students and to show– case the university to the nation. Dickson co-chaired an academic committee that developed a slate of classes, seminars and speakers to give students the tools to ana– lyze the debate and the

George Stephanapaulas put his spin an the debate far President Clinton.

senior Joey Santos, editor of the Vista, USD's student newspaper. With offices in the basement of Hahn University Center, his job would appear to have been a shoo-in. But because the U.C. Forum was converted to the media filing center, it became a secured building and anyone working the week of the debate had to have credentials to gain entrance. Santos was able to get credentials approved for only 12 of his staff. The rest had to finish their work the weekend before the building closed to the public. Inconveniences aside, Santos was

nation's politics. For stu– dents, the combination of having those tools and being able to talk to the political and media experts in their midst was powerful enough to prompt action. "The students I've talked to are more inter– ested in the political process," Dickson con– firms. "I talked to a half

quite pleased with the learning opportu– nities the national event presented for his staff. "It was a highlight for me to see (reporter) Jamie Hewitt's face when I told her she got a seat in the theater," Santos recalls, "and Elizabeth Himchak's face when I said she could interview Sam Donaldson and then Elizabeth Dole. That makes all the work worthwhile." Santos himself had a memorable encounter from his seat inside the theater when he met and chatted with author Norman Mailer. "It was excel– lent," he says simply.

dozen students who weren't going to vote

As the debate audience filed in, the media taped their reports from a platform across the street.

until they saw the debate here. The inspirational

Though Santos tried to remain objec– tive as he viewed the debate live, the self-described avid liberal says seeing the president of the United States was a personally inspira– tional moment. He hopes other students were as touched by the event and believes the political process needs to be more accessible for Americans, especially young Americans. "It's very important for events like this to take place in acade– mia," Santos says. "We have young minds here. To have this type of dialogue in your living room is a profound experience."

quality of the debate has outstripped all expectations." Dickson went before the camera himself to educate others in the nation. He and three other USD professors participated with media and political analysts in panel discussions that CNN broadcast to 500,000 high school students, an exercise that Dickson hopes will spread the name of the university to teachers, parents and prospec– tive students across the country. While many media reps traveled thousands of miles to report on the debate, the rep with the shortest commute had to be USD

- Trisha J. Ratledge

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