MTV to bring music, education

"Choose ot Lose' bus hits campus next week for first East Coast stop The MTV circus is coming to town. When the network's "Choose or Loose" voter registration campaign hits University City next week, the campus will become a carnival, student organizers said. The registration effort will begin Monday, September 23 and culminate with a block party September 30. Alternative rock band Gravity Kills will perform, radio station Q-102 will broadcast live and national candidates have been invited to attend, according to Social Planning and Events Committee Treasurer Gil Beverly, a Wharton senior. The Clinton, Dole and Perot campaigns have all been contacted, but no candidates have committed to the event, Beverly said, adding that attracting a national candidate is a "long shot." "We're keeping our fingers crossed," Beverly added. Despite Beverly's doubts, Drexel Student Activities Director Adam Goldstein said the event may easily attract a national candidate, because there are 50,000 students within a 10-block radius in University City. Local politicians, including U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.), who serves West Philadelphia, have also been contacted, but have not responded, Beverly said. MTV's stop in Philadelphia will be its first on the East Coast. The tour will bring with it registration and promotional materials and possibly a well-known MTV personality, Beverly said. But Goldstein noted that MTV has been "non-committal," about specific plans. He speculated MTV would support the event more if a national candidate appears. While registering voters is the event's primary focus, Goldstein said entertainment, including virtual reality games like a surfing simulator and a FunFlicks booth where students can make take-home MTV videos, will make the event more enjoyable. Student groups will also have the opportunity to distribute materials at the event, Beverly said. Between September 23 and 30, Beverly said various Penn student groups, such as the College Democrats, College Republicans and Undergraduate Assembly, will sponsor voter registration on Locust Walk. The College Democrats and College Republicans will also conduct an issue-oriented debate on September 25, which will be televised on UTV13. MTV is coming to the area through the efforts of Drexel students and administrators, who contacted the network requesting support with the university's voter registration drive. Drexel then approached Penn to help bring MTV to University City. "When Drexel and Penn work together, we can attract bigger, better names than we could get on our own," Goldstein said. Drexel's Campus Activities Board, its president's office and SPEC will each cover one-third of event's cost, which is as of yet undetermined. Although Beverly said communication between Drexel and Penn has been "excellent," Assistant Director of University Life Kim Allen noted that coordinating the event has been complicated by the conflicting schedules of the two universities. Drexel was in session until August, while Penn students were on vacation. And now, Drexel students will not return to campus until Thursday.

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