The 55-day countdown to the election began hours after the presidential debate on Tuesday, Sept. 10. The Mirror checked in with Fairfield students, from first-years living on The Quad to seniors commuting from the beach, to gauge college students’ responses to this election season.
The proceedings of the debate and anticipation of the election elicited a full spectrum of student responses, ranging from inspiration to neutrality.
Molly Sundstrom ‘28 and Julianna Fiumidinisi ‘28 attended the debate watch party hosted by the DiMenna-Nyselius Library in their auditorium.
For Sundstrom, the debate did not sway her vote. “I feel the same as before. Both sides have their wrongs. Right now, it’s a scary situation in our country. Too much at stake,” she said.
On September 11, The Rearview published an article highlighting the low attendance at the library’s watch party. Primarily, the article attributed the small student numbers to the lack of marketing for the event. However, reflections from other students demonstrate that the limited advertising was not the sole reason for the small crowd.
Sophomore Emily Lamoureux opted not to attend the watch party because of the tense nature of the presidential debate. “It’s a tense issue which could potentially lead to conflict, so I felt like I wanted to watch it in my room.”
Lamoureux appreciated the ability to watch the debate from the safety of her residence hall, stating “I wanted to watch with people I know in a comfortable space.”
In such a volatile election season, marred by an assassination attempt and racist remarks, students are choosing to prioritize their mental health and safety over attendance at such events. Additionally, low student turnout is also rooted in students’ avoidance of the political sphere altogether.
“I didn’t watch the debate. The political environment stresses me out because I feel that I have no control over it, so why engage with it if I have no control over it,” remarked Delaney Whieldon ‘26.
Stags Vote was created to allow Fairfield University students to confidently engage in the democratic process. Their site provides detailed information about early voting and emphasizes their commitment “to fostering civic engagement and the development of the whole person.” By highlighting upcoming Open VISIONS Forums, Stags Vote attempts to educate students on their civil duties.
For students who watched the debate, Claire Demarco ‘25 offered one word to describe each candidate’s performance, describing Vice President Kamala Harris as “inspiring” and former President Trump as “incoherent.”
“It’s both exciting and refreshing to see Kamala Harris, a candidate who is not afraid to stand up to the bigotry and bullying of the former president,” she said.
DeMarco candidly described her view of both presidential candidates’ performances at the debate: “While he spewed lies sandwiched between nonsense, the vice president was able to intelligently articulate her plan to strengthen this nation—and specifically protect the rights of women in it—which is why I am so excited to vote for her this November.”
While Demarco endorses Harris and is passionate about the election, other students appear withdrawn and wary of the candidates.
After watching the debate live at the library, Fiumidinisi offers a critical lens of both candidates and the political realm in general.
“I’m still concerned, mentally worried. I’m nervous about what’s going to happen,” Fiumidinisi revealed.
She continued, “You never know if either side is telling the truth. You don’t know if either side is telling the truth about each other. We don’t know what we’re masked from.”
Fiumidinisi’s concerns are aligned with research presented by multiple news sources including NPR, NYT, CBS and BBC. The spread misinfotatron has been a significant issue, as it has been determined that both presidential candidates offered statements that were either false, misleading or missing context.
Other students interviewed for this article refused to comment, citing fears about judgment from their peers. Specifically, individuals holding leadership roles within campus organizations are afraid they may be isolated due to their political affiliation. For example, New Student Leaders interviewed for this article declined to comment because they did not want their First Year Experience students to know their political views.
The Fairfield Mirror is looking for students to join a focus group for the upcoming election, where we will check in with students on a bi-weekly basis to record updates on students’ voting choices and their emotions about the election. If interested, please email info@fairfieldmirror.com.
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