On Feb. 29, Bernie Sanders hosted a campaign rally at Virginia Wesleyan University in preparation for Super Tuesday primary voting in Virginia. It was his first Hampton Roads rally of this election cycle.

Juniors Reena Assassa and Basma Bedawi appeared on live television as audience members selected to stand directly behind Sanders.

“We were asked if we wanted to go on stage…of course we accepted. We were asked to be very pumped and then were escorted on stage,” said Reena. “The experience was beyond surreal and truly once in a lifetime. I was so happy to get to listen to his ideas while watching the roaring crowd unite together to support him.”

For Reena, a supporter of Sanders since his 2016 presidential campaign, the rally was the first she had attended.

“Sanders encompasses just about every change I want to see in America in the future,” said Reena. “I was behind him since 2016 and still feel sad when thinking about the possibilities that we could’ve seen if he was elected.”

On Super Tuesday, Sanders came in second in Virginia after former Vice President Joe Biden. Sanders looks to come back this week after voting for six more states concludes on March 10.

“Let us go forward together. Let’s win the democratic nomination. Let us defeat Trump. Let us transform this country,” said Sanders.