The School of Communication is getting ready to talk about politics.

The school is hosting its first big conference, Summit 2003 Symposium: Politics and Communication. The conference runs Feb. 19-21.

The three day event will consist of several workshops, panels and speeches. Keynote speakers who are scheduled to appear include: Brian Lamb, founder and CEO of C-SPAN; Patricia Schroeder, former member of U.S. House of Representatives from Colorado; Joe Rogers, former Colorado lieutenant governor.

The event kicks off with Lamb delivering the Hathorne keynote address at the Cable Center Feb. 19 at 6 p.m.

On Thursday, Feb. 20, local journalists will address several issues that focus on communication and politics. Workshops include discussions on sports media politics, running political campaigns, alternative and new media.

The event continues on Friday with the gathering of alumni at different luncheons and receptions. The conference ends with the DU hockey team facing off with Michigan Tech at the Magness Arena at 7:30 p.m.

The idea for the symposium had been in the works for sometime, Mike Wirth, director of the School of Communication, said. But without funding the event could not take place.

Thanks to an endowment made by alum Robert Hathorne, the conference was made possible.

The idea behind the conference was to introduce the DU community to the School of Communication.

We want people to know all the good things that are happening at the school and all the good things that can happen,” Wirth said.

The theme of politics and communication was developed because the school was able to book Lamb as the Hathorne Keynote speaker. Wirth also said that the theme is relevant because politics in compass all ranges of communication.

For a full schedule of events visit http://soc.du.edu/summit/schedule.htm.