Students seek primary education

Budding political scientists from USF are going to New Hampshire to study campaigns as part of a unique class.

ST. PETERSBURG - Alexandra Yorra is no fan of presidential candidate Howard Dean.

"Dean is trying to hide everything," she said.

"A lot of governors do," Julie Ann Petrick responded.

"The part that frustrates me," Yorra said, "is he said, "If Bush will open his (records), I'll open mine.' Well, it seems to me those should be public records."

Political analysts? Not exactly.

Yorra, 21, and Petrick, 22, are students at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, where they are earning grades for speaking their minds.

They are among 21 USF students who will pack up their books today and fly to New Hampshire, site of the nation's first primary. They will spend 10 days there volunteering for presidential campaigns.

At least one student will work for each candidate, with the exception of the Rev. Al Sharpton, who doesn't have headquarters in the state, and U.S. Rep. Dick Gephardt, who didn't draw any interest from students.

The students will do whatever they are told. They expect to trudge through snow, knock on doors and answer phones 16 to 20 hours a day.

"Sleeping - I can catch up on that later," Yorra said.

It's all part of an unusual course titled "The Road to the White House," created by USF political science professor Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan.

The course, the only one of its kind in the nation, will provide students with an intimate view of "retail politics," she said

It also will give them a chance to freeze. Last week, Scourfield McLauchlan handed out green and gold gloves, hats and long-sleeve T-shirts to the students, who were well aware of the subzero temperatures shutting down much of the Northeast.

Most of the students are professed Democrats. Only three chose to campaign for President Bush's re-election.

But all are looking forward to the hurly burly of the political process, as is their professor, who has worked three presidential primaries in New Hampshire, including the Gore 2000 campaign.

Scourfield McLauchlan is certain they will find an engaged audience.

"The people up there are remarkably sophisticated and remarkably in tune," she said.

The course isn't cheap. Each student paid $525 for accommodations and transportation plus $200 for airfare to New Hampshire. USF contributed $3,000 in grants to help with expenses, including meals.

The students say the cost is worth it. The 10-day experience could earn each of them three hours of college credit. An accompanying seminar is worth another three credits.

Petrick said she signed up for the course because she is undecided about which candidate to support. She has decided to work for Dean.

"You can tell a lot about a person by getting to know their team," Petrick said.

Some of her classmates are thinking about jobs.

Yorra wants to be a press secretary. Ashley Hendrickson, 21, has dreams of being a political researcher. Ada Capellan, 45, would like to be a campaign manager.

All three said the opportunity the course presents for networking will put them one step closer to their goals.

"I know in the long run it's going to be beneficial and I'm going to get more than what I'm paying," Capellan said.

While in New Hampshire, the group will sit down each morning for breakfast and hash out the previous day's events before fanning out to their respective candidate headquarters.

If class discussion is any guide, the conversation will require them to be paying attention as they fulfill their campaign duties.

"I know I'm going to be attacked by other students because I'm a Bush supporter," Hendrickson said. "No one wants to be asked a question and not know the answer."

The students plan to chronicle their experience in a DVD and Web log. They also hope to self-publish a book. To follow the students in New Hampshire, visit www.stpt.usf.edu/whitehouse

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