MACON, Ga. — Over a dozen Mercer journalism students spent four days in Iowa for the Democratic caucus.
"Candidates walk in, and people are clapping and yelling, and they're chanting," Mercer sophomore student Reilly Moncrief said.
Students got the chance to meet several Democratic presidential candidates — including Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg.
Moncrief met Buttigieg.
"Such a genuine guy. I mean, he shook our hands and said, 'Thank you so much for being here. I really appreciate it.' It's just communities coming together, and rallying," she said.
Mercer student Camryn Bierria says her favorite her favorite part was getting a selfie with Elizabeth Warren.
The college students got hands-on experience, during the first nominating contest of the 2020 election cycle.
"This is my first time voting. So, I thought that was such a cool thing because I got to hands-on see the candidates," Bierria said.
"It really taught me that there is so much more going on outside of my own little college world," Moncrief said.
Jay Black, Chair of Journalism Media Studies Department at Mercer, brought the students to Iowa.
"It was convoluted. It's not like you're just walking into a voting booth. There's a whole process, and this time in Iowa it was crazy because they didn't have the returns on in time," Black said.
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