For release: March 1, 2012
For press information, contact Curt Guenther, 901-678-2843

The U.S. Congress will come to the U of M campus March 19 and 20. Rather the program, “Congress to Campus,” will sponsor a U of M campus visit by two former U.S. Congressmen to offer students first-hand insights into the highest levels of the nation’s political process.

Presenting the program at the University of Memphis will be former Democratic Rep. Jerry Patterson of California and former Republican Rep. Mickey Edwards of Oklahoma. Patterson served in Congress for five terms, representing Orange County, California’s 38^th District. Edwards served eight terms, was on the Appropriations and Budget committees, and was the ranking member of the House Subcommittee on Foreign Operations.

Edwards and Patterson will conduct classes in honors courses and political science courses, will meet with the Student Bar Association and the Public Action Law Society, and will meet informally with other politically oriented student groups.

The U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress created “Congress to Campus” to improve college students’ understanding of American government, politics, and public affairs, and to inspire students to consider careers in public service. The program sends bipartisan pairs of former members of Congress to college campuses around the country to meet with students and give them the opportunity to talk face-to-face with former national leaders.

Over the past month, “Congress to Campus” visits were held at Dartmouth College, Texas Christian University, and the University of Oklahoma. Later visits this spring will be to the U.S. Naval Academy, Denison University, and Oklahoma State University.

The University of Memphis visit is sponsored by the Helen Hardin Honors Program, the Political Science Department, and the Emerging Leaders Program.

More information about the U of M visit is available from Dr. Melinda Jones at 901-678-2680.

More information about the “Congress to Campus” program is available online at www.stennis.gov/programs/congress-to-campus