With the 2024 presidential election just around the corner, politics is at the forefront of students’ minds. There are a large number of issues that Stevens students care deeply about, whether these are issues that affect them personally, broader concerns about the economy, or even geopolitical conflicts. By and large, Stevens students tend to care most about civil rights, economic issues, and global political issues, followed closely behind by healthcare, the state of public education, and the environment.
The results were obtained by conducting interviews with students in public places around campus. We asked 20 students in the community to name their top three issues along with their graduation year and major.
Of all the students who answered, there were ten engineering majors, five computer science majors, one chem-bio major, two business majors, one School of Engineering and Sciences student, and one student from the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. Of these students, about 12 were in their first year, five were in their second year, and the remaining three were in their fourth and final year. The reason for this strong prevalence of underclassmen may come from the fact that many of them live on campus and are more likely to be in areas where students communally gather on campus, such as the University Center Complex. Anecdotally, upperclassmen tend to have their own off-campus apartments and, therefore, spend much of their time on campus either in classes or studying in the library.
The most commonly listed issue type among all students was civil rights in a variety of forms. Understandably, one of the most commonly listed concerns was over abortion rights and women’s rights, particularly as many states have enacted more restrictive measures following the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. This issue resonates strongly with many women on campus, but many men have identified it as a top concern as will. Abortion remains a crucial and contentious topic in this election; Three of the justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade were appointed by Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president. Given the impact of this decision, it is anticipated to mobilize high voter turnout among women, especially in swing states like Florida, where abortion will be a key issue on the ballot.
Other civil rights issues that students have identified involve concerns over racism. Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate for President, is a Black Indian woman who has been the subject of significant discourse from former President Donald Trump, who accused her of ‘becoming Black’ for political clout. This is a contentious position, and the Republican party has generally refrained from adopting this line of attack. Recent tensions have been exacerbated by negative rhetoric aimed at Haitian immigrants, including harmful stereotypes saying they are eating dogs or sacrificing them to practice voodoo. Given the current political climate, which often involves discussions around race and identity, it is understandable that this issue raises concerns among Stevens students.
Beyond civil rights issues, Stevens students are deeply concerned about the economy and related issues. Out of the 20 students polled, 15 have concerns over some state of the economy. Whether that is the economy as a whole, housing and student loan prices, or the price of gas and groceries, most students say they are aware of how the economy affects them now and in the future. Even though degrees from Stevens have a great return on the initial investment, the price tag is still incredibly steep. With the cost of living rising and wages not keeping up with it, there is intense anxiety over whether or not markers of financial stability like home ownership will even be possible for most.
The responses received by The Stute carried some common themes. Across the student body, there is a huge variation of thought on what is most important to us as individuals, as a community, and as a nation. No one believes that we are perfect, or have been perfect in the past. And although there may be disagreement on what is the most important issue currently, or what the most effective solution to those problems are, ultimately, all the students interviewed want to make our nation a better place for us and those that follow.
