NEW YORK STATE -- As crews continue to put the finishing touches on the stage at the David Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex at Hofstra, some of the student volunteers on hand to help make sure the final presidential debate of 2008 goes smoothly are soaking up the moment.

“Very, very exciting,” said student volunteer Colin Sullivan.

“It's just a great thing for the university and all the students,” said Shanna Brownlee, another student volunteer.

Hofstra has about 12,500 students. The school says hundreds volunteered to help out and about 200 of them won a lottery for tickets to the debate. The University says about a thousand people in all will see Barack Obama and John McCain square off against each other.

“I know it's going to be marked down in history, so it just really makes you feel good to be there,” student Ella Aniebonam said.

Some faculty members say the debate has brought a new political awareness to the campus.

“I have never seen this degree of mobilization in my career and I have been teaching for more than 25 years,” said Rosanna Perotti, Chairman of political science at Hofstra University.

“I want to know what they are saying and what they are going to do,” said Brandon Walus, a student at Hofstra.

And the candidates are not the only ones who will be shining during the debate so is the university. In fact, the school is already getting a lot of attention.

“It's the best kind of publicity because it's associating the university with an important national event,” said Vice President of University Relations, Melissa Connolly.

Hofstra officials say they have spent months preparing months for the debate and the more than 3,000 members of the media who are expected to descend on the university. The cost so far has been nearly $3.5 million and that is money well spent according to the university's president.

“We have already hired more admission staff because applicant inquiries are up 50 percent,” said Stuart Rabinowitz, President of Hofstra University.

And as for predictions about the debate, the students and faculty here say their University is clearly the winner.