By Andrew Mollenauer

Freshmen’s First Election:

For some freshmen, this election was a rite of passage, their first opportunity to do their civic duty. 

President-elect Donald Trump emerged victorious last Tuesday in a highly anticipated race regarded by many as the most notable in modern history. Our reporter, Rebecca Parnass, spoke with people on campus last week to hear their thoughts on freshmen’s civic engagement this election cycle. 

“I would only encourage freshman students to vote if they have done their research and are confident in who they are voting for,” sophomore animal sciences major Alyssa Dimitrievski told Parnass. “I would encourage students not to just rely on TikTok for their information.”

But Parnass didn’t just get students’ takes; she ran into a recent graduate whose perspective reflects how, for many, election anxiety hits close to home. 

“I have a little sister, and I want new students to know that they are eligible to vote and make their voices heard, no matter your opinions,” Dani Weinstein, a UMD alumna, told Parnass. 

For freshman accounting major Louis Mancuso, Election Day came in impeccable timing: He had turned 18 just three days earlier. 

The university had encouraged students’ participation in the democratic process with resources like the VOTE (Fearlessly)! mobile pop-up designed to assist students with voter registration and provide information ahead of the election. 

“It’s cool that Maryland has so many resources to learn about the election,” Mancuso said. 

Career Fairs for Underclassmen?

Last week, our reporter, Mackenzie Prince set out to hear underclassmen’s thoughts on whether career fairs are useful to them. Turns out, some reported finding them counterproductive this early in their college careers. 

“Not many people were looking for my age range or skill range in their industry,” Ava Bond, a sophomore finance major, told Prince. “I was able to talk to one of the recruiters from TD Bank and we connected on LinkedIn, which was helpful.”

According to Karen Denny, Philip Merrill College’s director of internships and career services, the events are low-stakes for underclassmen, who are simply advised to go in with an open mind and make note of what’s to come as they approach graduation. 

“It’s great to go when you’re in your first year because next time, you know what to expect,” Denny told Prince. “It’s an opportunity for them to experience [a professional environment] without a lot of pressure.”

Sophomore marketing major Claire Ryan said her recent experience attending a career fair was daunting due to the sheer volume of students.

“I know everyone has different schedules, but maybe it can be organized in a way where upperclassmen and underclassmen go at separate times,” Ryan said. 

According to Denny, career fairs are great opportunities for students, as employers are eager to speak with any students, regardless of age, if they are competitive. 

“The recruiters are there to talk to everybody,” Denny said. “They want to get the best people one day, and sometimes, that means speaking with underclassmen and building [relationships].” 

Reorganize On-Campus Voting?

Students voted last Tuesday for the much-anticipated 2024 presidential election, highlighting a zealous desire among the community for civic engagement. That turnout was a double-edged sword, according to students whom our reporter, Anastasia Merkulova, spoke to. 

With only a few main voting locations in the vicinity — such as Adele H. Stamp Student Union and College Park City Hall — students were in close quarters and waited hours to cast their ballots. 

“There’s several places where election voting could have happened [and] it didn’t have to be necessarily in the one room,” Eric Rudo, a junior information science major, told Merkulova. “Or, even having more options on campus that’s easily accessible for students.”

Rudo said he waited in line for more than two hours. 

Sarah Ghazali, a sophomore majoring in government in politics, said there was a gaffe in communication on the university’s part regarding assigned polling locations for students — a mishap she said  caused difficulties on Election Day.

Ghazali waited in line for two hours at Stamp, only to find out that she, as an off-campus resident, was actually assigned a different polling location.

“I know a lot of people who were at the information desk and thought they could vote, but they couldn’t because they technically live off-campus,” Ghazali told Merkulova. 

Students can alleviate this stress in the future, though, by volunteering at the polls, according to Courtney Holder, assistant director of Stamp Leadership and Community Service Learning. 

“Students actually can sign up to be poll workers in the state of Maryland, which is an incredible role of service,” Holder said. “The more poll workers that we have across the country, then the more support there is at polling locations.”