Missouri governor discusses trade with students in Beijing
Missouri Gov. Bob Holden discussed trade issues and politics with AU Abroad students attending Peking University in Beijing last week.
Holden spoke specifically regarding the state of Missouri and globalization of the world economy, according to Dr. Youli Sun, AU Abroad's Beijing program director.
Eric Morley, a senior in the School of International Service and last year's KPU director, who is studying in Beijing, learned that the governor was heading a trade mission to China and told Sun, who invited the governor to speak to AU students and other Chinese students attending the school.
Sun said the event was well-attended, even though most students on campus were away to celebrate the Moon Festival, a mid-autumn Chinese holiday.
"The 250-person lecture room was jam-packed with about 40 people standing in the aisles," Sun said.
Spencer Lewis, a junior in SIS who is studying in Beijing, attended the event.
"The speech was pretty unimpressive," he said. "It was a cross between a sales pitch for Missouri, a retirement speech for his governorship and an urging of young people to get involved with politics."
After his speech the governor held a question-and-answer session, which Lewis says was an improvement over the speech.
"He was very personal and personable," Lewis said. "The Chinese students were really grateful and impressed with him. ... Overall, he was an effective political ambassador and left a good impression with the students, both with his answers and with his style of presentation."
Both Chinese and American students raised interesting questions about the upcoming presidential election, education and trade, according to Sun.
Holden's visit was made in collaboration with Peking University's History Department and School of International Studies.
- JEANNETTE KIMMEL
Students to vote for SC spots
AU's Student Confederation is holding its annual fall elections this week in the University Club.
Voting will take place Tuesday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m., and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
"It seems like it's been a pretty good turnout this year," said Jamie Rea, SC secretary. "We had 75 people attend our information sessions, and every open seat has people running for them, including a couple contested seats."
Douglass Reale is running for the Class of 2008 president. "I was active in high school leadership roles, and I'd like to continue doing so in college," Reale said.
Like Reale, Sara Colette Woods, who is running for Class of 2008 treasurer, was very active in high school. According to Woods, her friends at AU who are in the SC inspired her to run for a position because they make the SC seem very interesting.
"I would love to get involved with the Class of 2008 because they are my peers," said Danielle Nash, who is running for the Class of 2008 vice president. "I love organizing and fund-raising events as well."
Katie Myers wanted a broader role in AU student politics, so she chose to run for a Class of 2008 General Assembly seat. "It's a good way to be active in the entire student government," Myers said.
Due to time constraints, the SC was unable to use computers for elections this fall, according to Rea, "We will be back using computers this spring," Rea said.
In addition to Class of 2008 council and GA seats, there will be voting for representatives for each of the six halls, as well as Tenley and off-campus seats.
Polls close at 5 p.m. Thursday. Marc Malon, Board of Elections chair, hopes to have election results out between 10 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. that night.
- KATE OCZYPOK
