Centre News

Representatives of causes or organizations can sign up to talk at
Speakers Park, an enclosed area on Centre’s campus that will
have a stage and public address system to allow those interested
to discuss important issues.

The Vice Presidential Debate will take place on Oct. 11 in Centre College’s Norton Center for the Arts—but people other than the candidates will also have the chance to discuss important issues that day at Speakers Park.

Representatives of a cause or organization can sign up to talk at Speakers Park, an enclosed area on Centre’s campus that will have a stage and public address system. The venue will be open on Oct. 11, the day of the Vice Presidential Debate.

Speakers Park was highly popular during the Vice Presidential Debate at Centre in 2000, with various groups coming together to voice their opinions and concerns on the day of the debate.

“As one of the nation’s premier liberal arts colleges, Centre is dedicated to the free exchange of ideas. When we hosted the debate in 2000, we created Speakers Park in that spirit, and we are pleased that the provision of such a venue is now required of debate host sites,” says Clarence Wyatt, professor of history and co-chair of the Debate Committee on campus. “The ability to voice one’s opinion and to advocate for a cause is one of the great rights and privileges of being an American. Centre is glad to do its part, both through hosting the Vice Presidential debate and through Speakers Park.”

Watching the debate itself will be possible from Speakers Park, which will feature a large screen with a live feed of the debate. Concessions will also be available for purchase.

Those interested can register for a fifteen-minute time slot at Speakers Park by filling out this online registration form.

For more about the upcoming vice presidential debate, visit Centre’s debate website.

Have comments, suggestions, or story ideas? E-mail elizabeth.trollinger@centre.edu with your feedback.

Centre College, founded in 1819 and chosen to host its second Vice Presidential Debate in 2012, is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges, at 42nd in the nation, and ranks 27th for best value among national liberal arts colleges. Forbes magazine ranks Centre 34th among all the nation’s colleges and universities and has named Centre in the top five among all institutions of higher education in the South for three years in a row. Centre is also ranked fourth in the nation by U.S. News for its study abroad program. For more, click here.