Roanoke College senior one of three Virginia students at national town hall event

A Roanoke College senior is one of approximately 150 student delegates — including three from Virginia — who will participate in a political forum this week that may shape questions and topics presented during the U.S. presidential debates this fall.

Bridget Rose, who is majoring in political science and philosophy at Roanoke, is a delegate for College Debate 2016, a first-time initiative created by Dominican University of California. The event seeks to give students a voice in discussing issues facing the country.

The delegates, spanning all 50 U.S. states, are gathering for a convention and Town Hall event at Dominican's San Rafael, California, campus today and Wednesday, Sept. 7.

A 90-minute moderated Town Hall will be held on Wednesday at 5 p.m. (PDT).

During the Town Hall, students will determine the questions that they want presidential candidates to address in the 2016 presidential debates. These questions will be sent to the debate moderators. Dominican is a voter education partner for the Commission on Presidential Debates.

"The goal is to really get college students involved," said Rose of Massachusetts, who said she does not endorse either of the major political parties. Rose applied for a delegate spot last March.

The delegates, who attended a training in June, are encouraged to use social media and to organize issue-focused events and outreach on their own campuses. Rose hasn't yet organized a Roanoke event, but she said she plans to gain ideas this week.

Rose said the issues in which she is most interested are social justice, women's issues, immigration, education, health care, race and foreign policy. 

"I try to vote based on what stances I believe are going to uphold the human dignity of all American citizens," she states in her profile on the College Debate 2016 website.

Rose said she wants to eventually work for a non-profit organization that focuses on human rights.

Rose received a firsthand view of the world of politics last semester when she interned in the White House's correspondence office as part of Roanoke's Lutheran College Washington Semester program. The office processes gifts and other items that are sent to President Barack Obama.

Rose said she's interested in politics and human rights issues in particular because she believes that "individuals make a difference."

"The ultimate goal of politics is to help people," she said.