About

 

This web site is the collaborative efforts of 12 students enrolled in a Blogging, Media and Politics class at the University of Washington, Seattle Campus. They are being advised and mentored by Professor Kathy Gill.

Our goal is to provide an in depth source of information regarding 2008 presidential candidates. We hope to accomplish this through extensive research, weekly blogging and discussion, as well as a survey.

 

What we are doing

• Each student is examining two candidates, writing a biography for each that includes background information, qualifications/experience, online presence and financial campaign information
• The candidates’ positions on five main issues will also be examined by students: the economy, energy, health care, immigration and the Iraq War/War on Terror .
• Each week all students will post to the main blog articles or interesting tidbits regarding any of the presidential candidates

 

In addition several students are contributing lengthy articles regarding:

• First Ladies: History and Influence
• How Blogging Has Changed Campaign Financing
• Minorities and Political Power
• The Presidency and Persons of Color
• White Houses at War

Student Bios

Ashley is a graduating editorial journalism major at the University of Washington. She currently works at a Seattle law firm and has completed editorial internships with Citysearch, an operating business of IAC/InterActiveCorp and Greekmovement.com. She has also served as the UW Panhellenic Association VP of Public Relations. In July 2007, she will begin traveling for Zeta Tau Alpha as a leadership consultant. Her addictions include: Starbucks, steak and Lord of the Rings.

Ben Garrison is a senior at the University of Washington set to graduate in June with a degree in economics and a degree in journalism. He has interned for the International Examiner Newspaper and is currently interning with Citysearch.com. He is interested in politics, especially in regards to health care, energy policy and foreign policy. Although he enjoys Seattle summers, he is eagerly anticipating the first snow at Snoqualmie Pass next winter so he can go snowboarding again.

 

Blythe Lawrence is a UW senior majoring in journalism and history. She completed a legislative reporting internship in 2006 in Olympia, Washington and has past experience as a general assignment news reporter and editor. She is interested in the way history has shaped, and continues to shape, political elections. And there’s no bigger political election than the Presidency.

Colleen Horne is a senior at the UW majoring in communications and women’s studies. She is active in news as a reporter and anchor at a radio station. Her interests include, well, everything. For the sake of this website though, Colleen enjoys discussions involving politics, specifically discussions surrounding social issues and policy.

 

Justin Chartrey is a senior at the UW and graduating with a degree in journalism. He is in his third year as a sports reporter for the Daily and is currently the sports editor. He is an avid fan of UW athletics and has been a supporter of the Huskies as a four year Dawg Pack member. After graduation, Justin plans to seek a job in sports reporting for newspapers or magazines.

 

 

Katie Silva is a sophomore and a communications major at the University of Washington in Seattle. She is working to focus her degree in public relations as well as society and technology. At UW, she is an officer of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority as well as a marketing intern for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. She hopes to gather ample research on the candidates and to observe how the internet will change presidential campaigns as we know them.

Ken is a Master’s student in his final year at the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs. His degree project is on the use and implications of journalist blogs on mainstream newspapers and democracy. He is also a news intern at The Seattle Channel.

 

Lisa is a communication-journalism major in her last quarter at the University of Washington. She has had experience in communications through her internship at KBCS 91.3 where she was involved with gathering news material for the radio show “One World Report.” She just got accepted to the Health Information Management program for next year where she will receive her post-bachelor’s degree. She is very excited to begin her summer internship in London, working in health administration.

Matt is a junior at the University of Washington working towards a degree in journalism. He is a filmmaker in both fictional and documentary films with a love of history. His interest in the political realm is as a voter and a student in a political journalism class.

 

Sean Abadilla is a senior at UW in political science and communications with a focus on international relations. He has experience in communication through an internship working for the production department at Comcast cable in Seattle. Currently he works at a theater as a manager and looks forward to bringing up information about each candidate from every side of the political spectrum.

 

Young is a UW junior studying communications. Being a non US citizen student from South Korea, Young took an interest in immigration and politics in order to figure out his situation as a resident alien. Young works at an apparel design company as an assistant designer and marketing director.