Brunch with the Delegates

Along with four other Journalism students from Kennesaw State University, I have the pleasure of attending and reporting the Republican National Convention as a guest of the delegation. This week is already off to a great start, as we were welcomed this morning by the Georgia Delegation at a Brunch held at the Grand Hyatt in Tampa Florida.
The brunch was held for delegates, alternates, guests and partially in honor of the retirement of National Committeeman Alec Poitevint. The featured speakers of the brunch included Governor Nathan Deal, Chairman Sue P. Everhart, National Committeewoman Linda Herren, and National Committeeman-Elect Randy Evans. Each speaker was knowledgeable about the assumed Republican Party Nominees, and to the audience sparked a sense of pride and commitment to and of the GOP. The food was delectable and interacting with the guests, alternatives, and delegates was an encouraging experience I will never forget. As a lowly student, it can be rather intimidating to walk up to elected officials and introduce yourself, hoping to gain an interview for a feature story or even just a political connection. Nevertheless, because Chairman Sue P. Everhart introduced our class to the attendees, they were aware of our status, and were therefore more receptive to our requests.
On average, each student in our group was able to hold in-depth conversations with 10 attendees throughout the four hours we were at the brunch, which helped spark interviews and connections.
All in all, the Georgia Delegation was more than welcoming to us as a group, and helped encourage the group in our journalism efforts.