Pacific Index

Processing Sugar and the Election 

   The day after the election left Pacific students and staff tense. There were mixed emotions all around, which is exactly why Pacific’s McCall Center for Civic Engagement planned a post-election event. The “Donuts and Democracy” event was designed as a drop-in space for students to come and share their thoughts and feelings about the election results. Morgan Knapp, the program manager of applied and experiential learning here at Pacific, manned the event, offering students hugs, donuts, and distractions. 

   “We gave away nine dozen donuts,” Knapp said with some humor, estimating that over a hundred students stopped by the event throughout the day. “Over the last couple of years, we’ve been working with a lot of national organizations that work to encourage student voting.” Knapp feels that the university’s efforts have been very effective and commends the students for their participation in voting- but the election doesn’t end with shipping off ballots. “Our campus, like the nation, has people that are of both opinions, so we knew there were going to be some students no matter what that were going to be in need of support.” Donuts and Democracy was created with the realization in mind that the presidential election makes waves long after a name is drawn. 

   Some students stopped by for a tearful hug from Knapp, others came by to distract themselves with Legos, drawing, and origami, and some just came to get their fill of donuts. “I would say scared and angry are the two emotions we’re seeing from most students right now,” Knapp shared disheartened. One student who popped in described the day as “heavy.” “The UC is heavy and very tense,” she said downcast. Knapp echoed the student’s sentiment but added, “I’m really glad to be having this space. I have given and received a lot of hugs today and I’m hoping that everybody’s able to find those connections in the coming days.” 

   Many students have voiced fears of how the election results will impact their lives. “The other thing that’s come up a lot is thinking about Thanksgiving being right around the corner and knowing that they have family members that voted in different ways than they did and starting to think about how they can prepare for those conversations,” explained Knapp. Holiday’s can be uncomfortable for a number of reasons, but political disputes take “uncomfortable” to a whole new level. Knapp offered some advice on the topic and assured that students will be receiving even more guidance in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. 

   The basic advice for dealing with these tough conversations is to start by being open to listening, and acknowledging when either party is not. Sitting out for political discussions or switching the topic isn’t a bad thing if the discussion seems to be crossing a line. Remaining open-minded and conscious of all emotions involved is a good start to avoiding disagreements over Thanksgiving dinner. Any students who worry about a scenario like this should rest assured that the McCall Center is working on providing more material to help.

   “Setting aside national results,” Knapp started. “I’m extremely proud of the work that I was involved in here on-campus helping run Pacific Votes and getting to work alongside amazing students who are passionate about politics.” Despite the overall downcast mood of the students and staff who visited the event, Pacific students have been incredibly engaged in this election. “The Pacific students really have become engaged in this election in a way that makes me feel proud,” she said with a teary-eyed smile. “That’s something I really want to hold on to.”