News > April 14, 2008

By Kevin Koehler | Contributing editor

Sen. Hillary Clinton will come to the university to speak at 5:30 p.m. Apr. 18 in Wait Chapel, according to sophomore Zahir Rahman, president of the Wake Forest College Democrats.

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Sen. Hillary Clinton is expected to speak on campus Friday. (Photo courtesy Roger H. Goun)

Rahman first announced the visit in an e-mail message this evening to the College Dems' listserv.

"It brings me great pleasure, on behalf of the Wake Forest College Democrats and the Hillary for President Campaign, to announce that this Friday ... Democratic Presidential nominee Senator Hillary Clinton will be speaking in Wait Chapel," he wrote.

However, reached for comment, Clinton's presidential campaign offices in Winston-Salem, Raleigh and the national office in Fairfax, Va., declined to verify that Clinton will be at Wake Forest on Friday. They said the former first lady's plans have not been finalized at this point.

"I can't confirm that yet," said a staffer at the national office. "We don't have her schedule all ironed out." The campaign released no further information.

"Wake Forest has been in contact with the Hillary Clinton campaign," wrote Kevin Cox, assistant vice president for university affairs, in an e-mail to the Old Gold & Black. "We expect the campaign to announce that Senator Clinton will speak at Wake Forest on Friday."

He continued, "President Hatch extended an invitation to all presidential candidates in 2007. Senator Clinton's anticipated appearance results from that invitation."

"Wake Forest College Democrats and the Clinton campaign of Forsyth County are more or less working together on this event," Rahman said.

According to him, the format and some details are yet to be determined, but the College Democrats will distribute a limited number of tickets to students and faculty. Seats will be open to the public, likely on a first-come, first-serve basis.