Sept. 19, 2012
For Immediate Release

 

By Lucas Pennington, student news writer

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — Campbellsville University will host Jeffery Scott Jennings, Colmon Elridge III, and Trey Grayson in the first KHIPP (Kentucky Heartland Institute on Public Policy) event of the fall semester Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 5 p.m. in the Banquet Hall of the Badgett Academic Support Center, located on CU's campus at 110 University Drive, Campbellsville.

The event is free and open to the public, and featured speakers will discuss the 2012 presidential election.

John Chowning, founder of KHIPP who serves as vice president for church and external relations and executive assistant to the president, said KHIPP focuses its attention on “facilitating public policy study and issues debate, while encouraging the involvement of Christian leaders in the public and civic arenas.”

Chowning said, “We have three excellent speakers lined up for our presidential election forum. Each of them brings vast knowledge of the issues, politics in general, and the 2012 election cycle in particular.

“The 2012 presidential election, as well as races for other offices, promises to be one of intensity and some classic dialogue on the role of government and the economy. Every indication is that we will have a very close election with the outcome unclear down to the wire. We encourage our campus community and the community at large to come and participate in this discussion by Trey Grayson, Colmon Eldridge III and Scott Jennings. No three people - other than the candidates themselves - will provide a more challenging and insightful presentation this year.”

He said KHIPP is committed to preparing Christian civic and political leaders for the 21st century.

“KHIPP invites you, the concerned citizen and student of the American political process, to attend one or more events to be presented this fall on the campus of Campbellsville University,” he said.

Jennings is the director of strategic development and senior strategist for Peritus Public Relations in Louisville, Ky. In 2005, Jennings was appointed as special assistant to the president and deputy of public affairs during George W. Bush's administration.

Jennings has worked in many campaigns. He served as the political director for President Bush's 2000 Kentucky campaign, Sen. Mitch McConnell in his 2002 re-election campaign, Gov. Ernie Fletcher in his 2003 campaign, and also managed President Bush's campaign in New Mexico.

Jennings is a native of Dawson Springs, Ky. He received a bachelor's degree at the University of Louisville in 2000, where he was a McConnell Scholar.

Jennings is often quoted by media outlets as a political analyst.

Colmon Elridge III

Elridge was appointed in 2007 as executive assistant to Gov. Steve Beshear. In 2008, he was the youngest in the nation to be appointed director of the state White House Faith Based Initiatives. He is also executive vice president for the Young Democrats of America.

Elridge is a native of Harrison County. He attended Transylvania University, and also earned a graduate degree from Eastern Kentucky University. While attending Eastern Kentucky University, Elridge served as the executive vice president for the EKU student government association, president of EKU College Democrats, and vice president of Madison County Young Democrats.

Grayson is director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University. He is praised as one of the nation's top new political leaders. He was first elected as Kentucky State Secretary in 2003, and then was re-elected in 2007.

Trey Grayson

Grayson has established programs that are nationally acclaimed in in elections, civic education, business services, and government innovation. Before Grayson served in public office he was an attorney in Kentucky and Ohio.

Grayson earned an undergraduate degree from Harvard College in 1994, and then earned a law degree and a Master in Business Administration from the University of Kentucky in 1998.

Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 3,500 students offering 63 undergraduate options, 17 master's degrees, five postgraduate areas and eight pre-professional programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.