Jehmu Greene and Maria Echaveste believe this election is one of the most important elections of all time.
As friends of Hillary Clinton, they stopped at SOU Wednesday to discuss with students and community members the importance of voting in this election and to talk about their personal experience with the presidential hopeful.
"There are so many issues compelling this generation to vote," said Greene, political and pop culture commentator and former president of Rock the Vote. "College tuition has been raised 40 percent in the last seven years. Your peers are fighting and dying on the front lines in Iraq."
"I applaud this generation in this election," Greene said, referring to the record-breaking numbers of youth voter turnouts in the state primary elections. "The media has opened up to the youth vote."
Echaveste has known Clinton for more than 25 years and got to know her more personally when as a corporate lawyer in New York City, she decided to volunteer to help with Bill Clinton's presidential campaign.
"I chose Bill's campaign because I knew Hillary," said Echaveste. "I thought, 'I really know her, I respect her, and he's okay.'"
After Bill Clinton won the presidency, Echaveste worked in the department of labor and then as the deputy chief of staff under the Clinton administration for two and a half years.
Echaveste dejected several claims made recently that Clinton does not have much governmental experience.
"Don't underestimate the experience of being First Lady," Echaveste said. "You are briefed on the same things the president is."
"When you become president, its not just of the U.S. "you actually matter to the entire planet," said Echaveste. "Clinton has what it takes. She has proven experience, knows how to ticket and knows how to defend herself."
Greene added that she thought the media has done an "absolute disservice to this woman," commenting on Clinton's controversial show of emotion during a few moments on the campaign trail.
"The kind of woman she has had to become "she's had to cover her femininity," said Echaveste. "She has been married to a public figure for 20 to 30 years and had to build up an armor. Why? Because she has been burned so many times [by the media]."
"Her level of compassion is something we have never seen in the White House," said Greene. "Isn't it about time?"
Greene and Echaveste encouraged the crowd to talk with their peers about voting for Clinton.
"Tell her personal story. Tell her stance on issues important to you. Become Hillary's voice for everyone you know," said Greene. "It's creating a surround sound of 'I love Hillary.'"
When the floor opened up for questions and comments, several stood to voice their support for Clinton, and others asked questions on how they can convince their friends that she is the right person to vote for.
Casey Levy, a pre-nursing and psychology major, is also a Clinton supporter because of her stance on stem cell research.
"I was watching her live, and she was talking about stem cell research. President Bush vetoed two bills on the research, and Hillary said that she would sign the bill on her first day in office," Levy said. "She will keep funding for health and sciences."
In addition, Levy believes that Clinton will help end the war in Iraq.
"I loved President Bill Clinton. I think he is the best president in my lifetime," Levy said. "He was so close to achieving peace in the Middle East. I think that Hillary will help end the war."
This event was coordinated by Heidi Hess, who works in the Women's Resource Center. However, this event was not endorsed by the WRC or the Associated Students of Southern Oregon University.
"I was contacted by the Clinton campaign to have these women come speak," Hess said.
Hess hopes to have representatives from Barack Obama's and John McCain's campaigns speak at SOU in the near future, but no dates have been set.
"We are a campus of action "we fight for what we believe in," Hess said. "We need to make the right decision, and that is whatever is right for you [preference of presidential candidates]."