By Ana Zeikidze, Staff Writer
Many college-age students are eligible for the first time this year to vote in a presidential election, and at Newman, students will also have the chance to get together, watch the election results roll in and experience a moment in history together.
On Tuesday, Newman University will put on a presidential election watch party from 7 to 10 p.m. in the Alumni Conference Room. The event, planned by Valerie Hennings, Newman’s director of Institutional Assessment and Research, and associate professor of criminal justice Kristi Edwards along with junior Gabriel Trevino, will provide students an opportunity to gather for an interactive experience centered on the 2024 presidential election, during which the country will choose between vice president Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump.
“It’s a chance to provide support in terms of understanding the process as well as seeing what the historical moment will look like for the country,” Hennings said.
The watch party is open to all students and will offer a variety of activities Attendees can enjoy pizza, drinks and a live stream of election results on multiple television networks as polls close across the country. The event will also include election-themed games.
“There’s a myth that younger voters, newer voters don’t care about politics, and that is clearly false,” Hennings said. “Students care about their futures, their families and the wider community.”
Hennings said that she hopes students new to politics can get their questions answered at the event.
“It will provide a sense of community, and watching the results together is important,” she said. “Kristi and I both have a passion for politics, which is also a part of our work and research. If students have questions about what’s going on, the process is really complicated, and elections are not always straightforward. We want to provide some background and expertise for students who might have questions about the process and results.”
Junior Eliana Gaytan said she liked the idea of the watch party.
“It gives students a real-time look at what’s happening and a space to react together,” she said. “I am especially glad that they did this in conjunction with voter registration and other events along the way, just so that students are aware of what’s happening in the nation.”
PHOTO: Dannicka McGrath, Photographer
