A UA student is a semifinalist in an online contest to interview two presidential candidates, but she needs students' votes to win.
Farrah Green, a Judaic studies senior, is in third place in the polls and hopes to reach first by Friday. The only way she'll move to first is if people vote for her online.
"I am asking for the UA's support to go out and vote for this," she said. "I would love support from the entire university because the government affects everyone, and this is their chance to be heard."
The competition began for Green in February when she was asked to participate in the Yahoo Declare Yourself on Video Challenge.
She competed against thousands of students from 18 colleges and universities across the nation for the grand prize of interviewing two presidential candidates.
Green was chosen as one of 10 semifinalists whose video applications were edited to one minute and are available for voters to view online
"I didn't even know it was a contest; they just told me to jump in front of the camera," she said.
If she is chosen, she will ask the presidential candidates five questions picked by online voters.
But she hopes that she will be able to ask her own questions and questions inspired by her peers.
"I will ask what students can do to get more involved," she said. "I want to know how students can influence them and what politicians will listen to."
Green is active on campus as a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority and Alpha Phi Omega co-ed service fraternity.
She is also active with the Hillel Foundation and various other groups on campus.
Green said she has learned a lot about the presidential process by participating in this contest and through involvement with voter registration.
"If you aren't registered to vote, Congress people won't contact you," she said. " It seems like they are so far away, out in D.C. in their little offices, they don't care about us. · But they actually do care about what we have to say; we just don't say it enough," she said.
Vanessa Eaton, a civil engineering freshman and friend of Green's, said she thinks that Green will make a good interviewer and hopes she wins the contest.
"She is very professional in everything she does," she said. "She has the right attitude and motivation to ask the candidates about issues very important to young people."
Nancy Leptuch, a history senior and co-worker of Green's, said Green will ask great questions.
"I think Farrah is very outspoken and will have a lot to talk about," she said. "She is very educated on world politics and I'm sure she will ask a lot of educated questions."
Students can go online to vote at: promotions.yahoo.com/declareyourself.