West Virginia University students have an opportunity to play an important role in determining the direction of state politics while learning more about the electoral process.

The Center for Civic Engagement is offering a spring semester course that allows students to experience a political campaign firsthand and earn one service-learning credit hour in eight weeks.

Multidisciplinary Studies 493 Service-learning Study pairs WVU students with candidates from north-central West Virginia running for the state House of Delegates and Senate.

The center matches students with candidates based on their political interests,said Franchesca Nestor, service-learning coordinator.

Students will attend campaign events, construct campaign Web sites, go door-to-door to promote candidates, strategize with candidates, research platform issues, compile voter histories, rally student voters and more.

Limited reading and a reflection journal are also required, Nestor added.

For course registration information, e-mail Franchesca.Nestor@mail.wvu.edu . The deadline to sign up is Wednesday, April 5.