 "Photo: Olivier Douliery / Abaca Press / MCT")
First lady Michelle Obama will be on the UCF campus to speak at a campaign rally hosted by the College Democrats on Tuesday. The rally, which will be held in The Venue, begins at 5:30 p.m., but doors will be open at 3 p.m. Tickets to the event were distributed in four locations over the weekend on a first-come, first-served basis for people who registered on the Barack Obama campaign page.
“It’s a really special event planned to get [students] involved,” said Aubrey Marks, president of College Democrats.
Marks hopes to get everyone on campus involved because she believes UCF is extremely important in the entire scheme of elections.
“If you win UCF, you win Florida, and if you win Florida, then you win the White House,” Marks said. “When you vote here as a student, your voice gets amplified by other students as well so it’s really important for everyone here to get involved.”
Obama is expected to discuss issues relevant to the student vote including education, health care reform and student loan debt.
“Congress finally came together, and they were able to stop interest rates from doubling to 6.8 percent from 3.4 percent. He [President Barack Obama] has doubled Pell grants twice and gave students an opportunity to stay here and get an education when they may not have been able to otherwise,” Marks said.
Marks believes the 2012 election will be the most important election of UCF students’ lifetimes.
“Everyone always says this but it really is because nothing can be more at stake than the policies that are affecting us as students, and those issues are going to stick with us throughout our lives,” Marks said.
Although the College Democrats are hosting the rally, it is meant to bring together all students regardless of political affiliations, Marks said.
“She’s the first lady,” Marks said. “She’s such a wonderful, powerful figure and a very powerful woman and definitely an inspiration. Maybe you’re not into politics yet or you’re not sure if you are going to vote or not. … I think she can get you motivated.”
The College Democrats worked with Organizing for America, President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign, to host this event. It is the second Florida campaign stop for Michelle Obama; her first stop will be in Miami.
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