Rock Hill, are you ready for your close-up? Democratic presidential forum is Friday

The tests loom and the professors demand, but even with the pressure of college life at Winthrop University, the excitement for students is front and center leading up to Friday night’s Democratic presidential forum.

The live MSNBC event might be the biggest thing to hit the school since Starbucks opened on campus in 2010.

So, at the jammed campus Starbucks on Thursday, many students talked of how Winthrop – soon to be featured on a national television stage, with coverage by news outlets and social media – will be the focus of America’s politics.

Even if it is just for a few hours.

Like most students, Jennifer Urban, 21, a Web applications major, did not get a ticket for Friday’s forum. But she is still excited, and she will be in a mass of students in front of the cameras.

She described the event as only a young, smart person can: “Huge.”

Urban is a Bernie Sanders supporter, but she said Winthrop has many Hillary Clinton backers, and the school has many Republicans, too.

The event is the big thing, Urban said. When she was a freshman, few people she knew had heard of Winthrop, but this gives the school a double shot of publicity.

“I’m excited, and many people on campus are too,” she said.

Only 3,400 people – many from other parts of South Carolina and some with political connections from around the country – can get into Byrnes Auditorium where former Secretary of State Clinton, Vermont Sen. Sanders and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley will be interviewed by MSNBC commentator Rachel Maddow on Friday.

Sydney Hankinson, a Republican Winthrop student, said she will volunteer at the forum and attend a GOP political event earlier in the day on campus. She says being active and involved in the political process is important.

The Democratic candidates are hoping to reach a massive group of young voters who, in 2016, will cast their first vote for president.

Brandon Hare and Destiny Hansen, both 18, are two of those new voters who did not get a ticket to Friday’s forum. Hansen, a Winthrop student from York, says the national exposure for Winthrop is “a big deal.”

Hare plans to be part of the crowd outside the auditorium – for the experience and to be a part of the political process.

“It’s a good experience for college kids to get to learn the candidates,” he said.

Students Ducky Jones, 21, and Kitty Nix, 20, both said Thursday they back “Bernie” because of his commitment to equality for all people including minorities. Both women said they know many students who tried to get tickets and only a few got passes.

But, even without tickets, Jones and Nix plan to be part of the pre-forum mosh pit in front of the auditorium and around the campus student center.

Nix, who knows several people who will get in, said those lucky ones are “thrilled and excited.”

Clara Kress, 20, is one of the Winthrop students who seemed to work Internet magic on Oct. 16 to get a free forum ticket.

She is “super excited” to see Bernie Sanders – who drew 3,000 people in September to the same venue for a campaign rally – but she wants to see and hear Clinton, too.

“It is really good publicity for Winthrop,” Kress said.

And it does not hurt that the event will be on television. Kress told friends and family to watch and look for her.

Guillerme Avelar, a student from Brazil, didn’t get a ticket, so he will watch the forum on television, just like his parents in Sao Paolo. The American election and who becomes president is important not only in this country, he said.

“It has an effect here and back home,” Avelar said.

Clinton leads in polls by a huge margin, but younger college students make up a huge likely voting block for Sanders.

Avelar said he has heard of the former first lady, but Bernie Sanders? “Not really.” O’Malley? “No.”

Some students did say Thursday that the event will essentially shut down campus Friday afternoon and evening because of the security, crowds and media glut. Amber Hartfield, 18, is excited her friends are coming to visit Winthrop this week – not for the forum.

But, for the most part, the students on campus seem ready to be part of America’s election – this time right up front.

This story was originally published November 5, 2015 at 12:46 PM with the headline "Rock Hill, are you ready for your close-up? Democratic presidential forum is Friday."