Student-Centered Conference at Cazenovia College Features Students and Alumni

CAZENOVIA, NY (09/17/2010)(readMedia)-- Cazenovia College's ninth Annual Wheler Family Conference on World Affairs, Monday, Sept. 27, opens at 9 a.m. in the Catherine Cummings Theatre, 16 Lincklaen St. Conference sessions, which are free and open to the public, focus on different aspects of advocacy in many walks of life. 

The complete schedule is on the Net: www.cazenovia.edu/wheler.

Keynote speakers are Jordan A. Brooks, a Cazenovia native, now of Washington, D.C., and Lindsay P. Bednarczyk of Syracuse, N.Y., a Cazenovia College alumna. These two professionals in the national and local political field will discuss their experiences and how they use the political system to advocate for their values and policies. Breakout panels feature both students and alumni.

Brooks graduated from Cazenovia High School, and from University of Notre Dame in 2008 with a bachelor of arts degree in political science. Brooks worked as a field organizer for the Obama campaign in southwestern Virginia. Following the election she moved to Washington, D.C., where she interned in Vice President Joseph Biden's office. She is now a photo editor and communications assistant in the Vice President's office, and assists the White House adviser on violence against women.

Bednarczyk, originally from Marcellus, N.Y., earned a bachelor of science degree in social science from Cazenovia College in 2003, and is now a legislative aide for the New York State Assmeblyman William A. Barclay, of the 124thh Assembly District covering portions on Onondaga and Oswego County. She was a campaign coordinator for Assemblyman Barclay's campaign and currently a volunteer on Ken Blankenbush's campaign as he seeks the 122nd Assembly District in Northern New York.

Moderators are Breanna Staffon, of Newburgh, N.Y., a Cazenovia College sophomore majoring in social science, and Dr. John Robert Greene, Paul J. Schupf Professor of History and Humanities at Cazenovia College, who is also the conference coordinator.

The Wheler Family Conference is made possible through the support and efforts of the Wheler Family, in particular Barbara and A. Gordon Wheler, former trustees of the College. The conference is a U.S. Constitution Day event (http://constitutioncenter.org/constitutionday).

Cazenovia College, named one of "America's Best Colleges" by US News & World Report, is an independent, co-educational, baccalaureate college, located near Syracuse, N.Y. Cazenovia College offers a comprehensive liberal arts education in an exceptional community environment, with academic and co-curricular programs devoted to developing leaders in their professional fields. For more information, visit www.cazenovia.edu.

# # #