With election day rapidly approaching, students may find themselves confused, or even intimidated, by the vast amount of information that is circulating.
As a result, the school has opted to put on several events, all of which are to be held on Wednesday, Sept. 25, to educate the student body on all the proceedings. This is to be hosted by the Division for Access, Equity and Belonging, but also involves many other on-campus organizations.
The first event, titled “The U.S. Electoral Process,” will walk the audience through an overview of our nation’s voting and election process. Here, we will see Rolfe Peterson, associate professor of political science, and Dr. Nicholas Clark, who is the director of innovation and public policy. This will run from 9-9:50 a.m. in Stretanksy Concert Hall.
During the same time, Associate Professor of Sociology Aisha Upton-Azzam will host a lecture on protest. The lecture, “Protesting 101,” will educate students on the legality of protests and one’s amended rights. This is to be held in Isaacs Auditorium, located in Siebert Hall.
Directly after Peterson’s discussion on the electoral process, he will host “Voting 101: Snyder County Edition.” This talk, which is also in Stretanksy Hall, will outline the process of voting in Snyder County, where the University is located. This is to end promptly at 10:50 a.m.
At 10 a.m., students can also see the start of Assistant Director of Admission Ann Czeponis’s “Beginner’s Guide to Advocacy.” Lucia Garabo, who is also an assistant director of admission, will also be speaking. It is here that we will learn the basics of self-advocacy, specifically in the political realm. This is also to also end at 10:50 a.m. and is located in Isaac’s.
Following this, Senior Director of Leadership Gifts and Senior Advancement Officer Chris Markle will take Isaac’s stage at 11:15 a.m. Their discussion, dubbed “Beyond Campus: Your Community and You,” will walk listeners through community strife and involvement during the electoral season. This is slotted to end at five after noon and is the final Isaac’s event of the day.
Also during the same time slot, Assistant Professor of Political Science Alison Merrill will host “On Polarization.” This oration, which is to be conducted in unison with Dr. Clark, will detail the ins and outs of polarization, a highly discussed topic in politics. According to the Scholarly Community Encyclopedia, in essence, polarization is when “an individual’s stance on a given issue, policy or person is more likely to be strictly defined by their identification with a particular political party or ideology.” This event will be held in Stretanksy as well.
Remember to stay up to date with on-campus happenings by regularly checking campus socials, MyNest, and your student email.