Thirteen students are at the Democratic National Convention in Denver through Aug. 29, and three students will travel to the Republican National Convention Aug. 24-Sept. 5 in Minneapolis.

"Interest on campus was extraordinarily high this year," said Scott McLean, a professor of political science who has led the internship program since the 2000 conventions.

The Quinnipiac students are among a record 474 students nationwide attending this year's conventions through The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars in Washington, D.C. The students represent 135 colleges and universities, hail from 46 states and the District of Columbia and 11 foreign countries.

Students take an intensive seminar on the U.S. election system and the party conventions, and engage in around 30 to 40 hours of fieldwork at the convention in a variety of organizations: media, state party delegations, city host committees or the national party. These fieldwork assignments afford students unique access to the events and speakers during the conventions. The DNC and RNC convention organizers, as well as the host committees, support students by offering them unique behind-the-scenes opportunities for their assignments, and media organizations such as CNN, Fox News, Univision, Newsweek, and many others are giving some of the students some serious reporting and support duties.

The two-week internships begin a week before the start of each convention, during which the students help set up media offices, decorate the convention hall and perform other tasks that get them involved. They will also attend guest lectures, take tours and receive formal instruction. After the convention, they will write papers to receive a grade and class credits.

"The students get a chance to see from the inside what most of the country just sees from the outside," McLean said. "They will get into meetings with party leaders and have a chance to ask questions. They will get a chance to speak with important people in politics and the media."

McLean says this year promises to be especially memorable. "An African-American is being nominated for the first time, and that is a very historic thing. It's also the first time a woman is being nominated at a convention," he said.

Derek Stanley, 19, a sophomore from Nashua, N.H., said he hopes to meet Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention. He also said he wants to spend time with the delegates from his home state. During the convention, Stanley will be working with security at the Denver Convention Center, which will afford him a vantage point to take part in DNC caucus meetings.

"I've always wanted to run for public office at some point, and I want to see what my state is doing out here," said Stanley, who is a biology major. "Just being here and seeing how everything operates firsthand is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

As president of the Quinnipiac University Republicans student group, Katelyn Bermudez will travel to the Republican National Convention. The 19-year-old sophomore from Maine is a communications major who believes people should be politically active.

"I think it's very important for students to be involved and try to evoke change," she said. "I will get to see the candidate firsthand, and I will get to hear opinions that will help shape my own beliefs."

Lindsay Dillon, 20, a junior from Hamilton, N.J., traveled to the Democratic convention because she's a political science major who hopes to work in politics one day, perhaps managing campaigns or working for the Democratic Party .

"I've always been really interested in politics, and I want to see a different view from what you see on TV," she said.

Todd Williams, 20, a junior from Carmel, N.Y., will go to the GOP convention as a political science major and member of the Quinnipiac University Republicans.

"It's a great opportunity," he said. "I want to gain a better understanding of how the selection process works."

All of the interns will be housed at either Regis University in Denver or Augsburg College in Minneapolis.