BOONE—Appalachian State University will host a public viewing and discussion of the U.S. Presidential debate in Room 420 (Parkway Ballroom) of the Plemmons Student Union on Sept. 26.

The event will begin at 8:30 p.m., with remarks by Dr. Kevin Mullinix, assistant professor in the Department of Government and Justice Studies, and Newly Paul, assistant professor in the Department of Communication. The faculty members will present information about the impact of presidential debates on viewers, and highlight issues to be discussed by the presidential candidates. Dr. William Hicks, assistant professor in the Department of Government and Justice Studies, will facilitate a short Q&A session.

A viewing of the presidential debate, which will air from 9 – 10:30 p.m. without commercial interruption, will follow the discussion.

The presidential debate will be moderated by NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt and broadcast live from Hofstra University (Hempstead, New York). According to the Commission on Presidential Debates, the debate topics will be “America’s Direction,” “Achieving Prosperity” and “Securing America.”

The presidential debate format will be six timed segments of approximately 15 minutes each. The moderator will open each segment with a question, after which each candidate will have two minutes to respond. Candidates will then have an opportunity to respond to each other, and the moderator will use the balance of the time in the segment for a deeper discussion of the topic.

The viewing and discussion event is presented by the university’s Department of Government and Justice Studies, Student Government Association, College Republicans, and College Democrats, in partnership with the College Democrats of Watauga County and Fox News.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

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