Debate volunteer requirement: good running shoes

Students who volunteered to work for the debate have a leg up on their classmates for actually getting a glimpse at the candidates – or anyone else on campus, for that matter.

But some of them will have to make sure those legs are well-toned, because they’ll be expected to hustle back and forth between the debate and the media tent to deliver transcripts to reporters.

In an e-mail request for student volunteers, the position of “transcript runner” is described as the following: “Runners will make and distribute copies of the debate transcriptions to the press corps as they become available throughout the debate and immediately after. They will require fast running, quick thinking and good teamwork ability.”

Good teamwork ability? Does that mean they’ll have to practice their baton handoffs, too?

Belmont junior Julie Kenny, who was notified she would be one such runner, says she’s already training for debate night. If a bigwig anchor needs a quote (hey, what about us?), she’s wants to make sure she’s ready.

“I got some tennis shoes to start training,” Kenny said. “I’m hoping the adrenaline from the whole night will kick in, because I don’t like exercise.”

Other student volunteer positions — which, like Kenny’s, have already been filled — include a television production runner (oddly, no mention of required speed), ushers, program distributors, credentialing assistants, and the noblest position of all: a job in the press office.