With the 55th U.S. presidential election on the horizon, the TCU Democrats hope to encourage student activism across campus.Wednesday evening, the TCU Democrats hosted its first Democratic Awareness Rally in the Reed-Sadler Mall. The group offered free food and information to students regarding political issues affecting college students.

The purpose of the event was to “raise awareness of democratic ideals such as fair wages, support of the middle class and issues more obtainable to college students such as college affordability, recycling, global warming and climate change,” said James Michael Russell, one of the event’s coordinators.

The rally happened at the same time Republican presidential candidate Duncan Hunter met with students at the Brown-Lupton Student Center. Originally, students planned a protest that was canceled hours before due to a lack of interest, said Russell, a sophomore English, art history and religion major.

“We are here so that Democrats that do not want to listen know that there is a place they can bring support for Democratic candidates,” TCU alumnus Rob Grebel said.

Russell said he hopes the rally will become an annual event. In the future, he said he hopes future events will include Student Development Services, the Center for Civic Literacy and all other independent student political organizations.

“A lot of people have lost faith in the political process,” said Mark Greene, a representative from Tarrant for Obama. “If you make it a point to get involved, you find that you can make a difference.”

During the three-hour rally, students received information and instruction on how to get involved with the TCU Democrats, the Peace Action, the Living Wage and the Gay-Straight Alliance.

“Due to a lack of civic engagement that’s not instilled in the areas that they come from, there is more of a level of apathy,” Russell said. “I hope to get students pumped to do something.