MTV's 'Rock the Vote' to visit Philly

Part of an event co-sponsoredPart of an event co-sponsoredby Penn and Drexel MTV's "Choose or Lose" van will be making a stop in West Philadelphia this September. As part of a joint Drexel University and Penn "Rock the Vote" event, presidential candidates and celebrities might be joining the festivities that will emphasize the importance of voter registration. Several parking lots and 33rd Street from Market Street to Chestnut Street will be closed September 30 for a block party from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Special Events Board Chairperson Jim Maloney, a junior at Drexel, said he is trying to organize a major band, food booths and several rides and games to produce a carnival atmosphere for the event. "I think many Penn students will become involved in this event because the campus is pretty opinionated," said Penn's Social Planning and Events Committee Treasurer Gil Beverly, who is a Wharton senior. "The many political groups here are going to have a big surprise in the fall. I'll just jump on them." The Penn and Drexel "Rock the Vote" program was a late addition to MTV's tour, which was previously scheduled to only visit sites on the West Coast. Because of the last minute planning, it is not definite which politicians and celebrities will attend the event. From September 19 to 30, major voter registration drives are being planned to precede the co-sponsored "Rock the Vote" program. MTV will be broadcasting from the site of the block party. Adam Goldstein, director of Student Activities at Drexel, said it is probable that presidential candidates would attend, ruling out last minute campaign emergencies. "We want to make this event a fun experience for everyone," Maloney said. "The day can't consist of people wandering around with a few booths and MTV's Winnebago." An organizational meeting was held Tuesday night in the Office of the President at Drexel to coordinate the voter registration campaign. Approximately 20 people attended the gathering -- including Beverly and Assistant Director of Student Life Kim Allen, representing the University. During the meeting, Drexel representatives outlined their plan to increase student, faculty and community awareness in the voting process. Drexel junior Dan Bahar, one of the event planners, presented an idea to attract voters with a slogan targeting apathy in "Generation X." Bahar suggested that the plan could easily be adjusted to fit the needs of the Penn community. One of the main emphases of the meeting was how Penn and Drexel will cooperate, especially to fund the day. Assistant Vice President for Government Relations Joseph Cascerceri requested that Beverly and Maloney work on ways to raise the $50,000 necessary to fund "Rock the Vote." Beverly said he is planning on speaking to University President Judith Rodin about receiving funds for the event during the following two weeks. Allen explained that Penn is definitely committed to the event, but funding has not been discussed to this point. "Because there are so many workers and over 50,000 in a ten block radius, we can obtain a great amount of leverage from this event," Cascerceri said. "If every group donates a small amount of money, both schools will become more powerful in the eyes of politicians." Another point discussed was the possibility of rain. Since the site has already been approved with MTV, Goldstein said he would "pray for sunshine" and look into the prices of tents. Towards the end of the meeting, discussion moved towards the upcoming work that will take place during the next two months. Anyone interested in volunteering for the "Rock the Vote" event should contact Goldstein at Drexel. "Everything has been going great so far, but it is now time to turn the event over to the student leaders at Drexel and Penn," Goldstein explained. "This has the potential to be a very large and fun event." MTV's "Choose or Lose" van will have only one week to travel from the West Coast to Philadelphia. Allen reported that the Director of Student Life Activities Francine Walker said "Rock the Vote" visited Penn in 1992 and brought actress Elizabeth Shue. "I think this is going to be a really cool event ," said College junior Josh Rockoff, an Undergraduate Assembly representative. "I am sure Penn is going to get so psyched."