Obama to visit BankUnited Center for rally Thursday

File Photo
File Photo

Thursday will mark President Barack Obama’s second visit to the University of Miami within 21 days.

Obama, at this grassroots campaign event,  will address voters on his vision for an economy that will grow from the bottom-up, and about his plan to restore middle-class economic security, through the creation of jobs.

The event, which was organized by the Obama campaign, will take place at approximately 3:25 p.m. in the BankUnited Center (BUC). Doors will open at 1 p.m. Tickets are free, but are required for entry and are non-transferrable. Students with identification on the Coral Gables campus will be able to pick up their tickets between 5 and 8 p.m. Monday at the BUC Box Office. Distribution will continue between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. Tuesday, while supplies last.

Junior Emily Young, the campus team leader of Canes for Obama, hopes the rally will garner student support.

“Florida is one of the biggest states of concern for this election and the campaign has told us numerous times that they are counting on the University of Miami to pull through,” she said. “They would love for us to go 80 percent blue.”

Obama was last on campus on Sept. 20 as part of an Univision broadcast, and approximately 375 students attended the event.

Sophomore Dave Capelli, the data analyst specialist for Canes for Obama, anticipates that the rally on Thursday will be louder and less intimate than Obama’s last visit.

“The fact that he’s coming back to our campus is something most schools can’t really boast or brag about,” Capelli said. “This time it’s through our organization – it’s through the school – so we’re going to have much more access to resources and media. It’s going to be our event.”

Junior Nick Penny is surprised that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has not yet announced another visit to campus.

“I’m a little disappointed that he’s not competing to address his constituency,” he said. “Obama will be here for the third time, and Romney is not representing himself well.”

Capelli believes students have a civic duty to attend the event, in order to become more educated this election season.

“I expect Republicans and Democrats to go to it, and I expect every single student to attend it – and I do not care what class you have,” he said. “When people say, ‘I have class to go to,’ I say, ‘This is Miami. I know people skip classes. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – get over it.”

Students will have several opportunities to volunteer during the event. According to Young, volunteers will have their names entered into a raffle every time they complete a volunteer shift, and winners will be able to take their photo with Obama.

To volunteer for the event, email Young at canes4obama12@gmail.com.

All attendees will be required to go through stringent security, and no large bags or signs will be permitted.

 

Ticket distribution schedule:

  • Coral Gables campus undergraduate students: The BUC Box Office located at 1245 Dauer Drive between 5 and 8 p.m. Monday, and again beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday
  • Miller School of Medicine medical students: The Office of Student Activities (room 2019) in the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building beginning at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday
  • Miller School of Medicine graduate students: The Office of Graduate Studies (room 650) located at 1120 N.W. 14th St. beginning at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday
  • Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric students: The Graduate Studies Office (SLAB 132) located at 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway beginning at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday