By Celina Steinberg PZ ’27

Across the nation, the season of the 2024 United States Presidential Election threw everyday life into a whirlwind of passion, emotion, and political anxiety. Tensions surrounding political polarization continue to rise as Trump appoints his cabinet, and the Pitzer community is no stranger to this collective sentiment.

At Pitzer, we are lucky to be cheered on by Kathy and Ren in the mailroom when we turn in our absentee ballots. However, being away from home — which for most Pitzer students means being in an entirely different county or even state — means voting by mail is their only option.

Some admitted to finding this experience rather underwhelming. Matthew Leung PZ ’26 described the disconnect he felt from his community as a college voter. 

“I feel like I wasn’t able to talk as much with my family … because I’m all the way out here,” Leung said.

Leung discussed his frustration at receiving his mail-in ballot at his home address instead of at Pitzer, causing him to send in his ballot later than some.

Amongst politically engaged students, some found relief in communities of equally interested and invested peers. Muskaan Chawla PZ ’27, an Indian international student at Pitzer, commented on campus events surrounding the election. 

“There was an election watch party [at Pitzer], which is not something that’s very common in India,” Chawla said, sharing that “people abandoned all of their work, sat down throughout the night and watched [the election].”

Chawla described the high emotions on campus that she saw her peers express regarding the impact that the election results could have. 

“A lot of my friends are international, are of different ethnicities, or are women who are very scared about the election,” Chawla said, adding that after the election, “professors were very accommodating … I think the way it was handled by the Pitzer faculty was sensitive, and I appreciate that.”

Moving forward, Chawla emphasized the importance of what she believes to be a vital role of the college—to educate future leaders of the world.

“I feel like there is a moral responsibility on behalf of the education system we’re a part of to educate the youth on how voting works,” she said. 

Politics doesn’t end with the ballot box, though. Robinson Lee PZ ’26 plans to focus on other aspects of political engagement in his life. 

“Politics is more than just electoral politics,” Lee said. “It’s the practice of deliberation. It is debate, it is discussion, and it is human decision making.”

Leung expressed his hope for people to become more involved in initiatives surrounding the issues important to them.

“My only hope is that people get more into [state and local organizing] … and get things done instead of just sitting there,” Leung said.

Now that elections are over, Lee hopes to continue engaging in both local government in California and the Asian American community in Los Angeles. 

“I can focus on things which are much more important like helping the communities around me,” Lee said.