Congress to Campus, a non-profit organization made up of former congress members, held a webinar to garner democratic participation from students on Monday, Sept. 29, at the Teleconference Center.
Congress to Campus is a programmed organized by The United States Association of Former Member of Congress.
The webinar was dedicated to community colleges. It is a pilot program that Congress to Campus is currently trying out, making Cerritos College one of the first campuses to participate.
The focus of it included many topics, such as economy, jobs, student debt and income inequality.
The panelists talked about using different kinds of energy sources and tax reforms to create discussion on how to stimulate the economy.
The panel included former congress members and house representatives Phil English, Bob Walker, John LaFalce and Barbara Kennelly.
Anyone from the audience was allowed to ask questions after the initial part of the webinar.
Students asked questions regarding military spending and about how the United States government can ensure the public about its abilities to get things done.
Congress to Campus arranges forums and seminars like these with different universities across the nation.
Professor Sunday Obazuaye, one of the faculty at Cerritos College who organized the webinar, made a plea to students that they should participate in the democratic process.
Obazuaye said that students should not complain about certain issues regarding the U.S. if they don’t speak out or vote.
He said that the purpose of the webinar was to bring congress to the students and bring an awareness as to what congress does.
Congress to Campus used former congress members and house representatives to provide insight on issues regarding the government.
Congress to Campus brought a bi-partisan panel so that students can hear different views and opinions on the topics that were discussed.
Professor Terrance Mullins thought that Cerritos College students dominated the Q&A; portion of the webinar, even though there were other community colleges in attendance.
“They’re trying to figure out a way, these members of congress, of moving the economy forward into a more future way of expending the economy,” Mullins said.
Congress to Campus is planning to have another scheduled webinar on Oct. 21; there will be different speakers and a different topic will be discussed.
