Colleges offering resources to students following presidential election

HOLYOKE, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - Holyoke Community College is using their resources for staff, faculty, and students to connect with one another as they continue to digest the 2024 presidential election results.

“Be emotional, react, I’m reacting to, but I’m not going to stop voting because my turn will be next go around,” said Dr. Marlowe Washington, vice president of people, culture, and equity at HCC.

The results of the presidential election are not going to be liked by everyone. For some college students, it was going from the excitement of voting for the first time to feeling a sense of discouragement as the results came in. HCC is offering open discussions for staff, faculty, and students after the 2024 presidential race. Washington said they planned these sessions in advance no matter the outcome of the election.

“To some, this was going to be good news. To others, this would be bad news, but we wanted to be prepared and proactive in our approach to handle whatever the news is,” Washington explained.

These open group discussions allow attendees to come together in a supported environment in a time of uncertainty for some. “For many, there is glimpse of lack of hope, so we need to provide these venues to reassert and renew that culture of hope,” Washington added.

While Holyoke Community College aims to educate their students, they also work to inspire and connect with the greater community. Washington said he will continue to encourage young voters on-campus to use their voice in future elections. “You will win some and you will lose some, but the understandings of the power of the election is that have been given a wonderful privilege to vote and you need to use that as a privilege to never get rid of that just because you didn’t get your way,” he noted.

Holyoke Community College told us that they hope through these group discussions, which they plan to host for the next several days and weeks, that they can re-inspire discouraged students.