By Gretchen Butwid
Five months into President Donald Trump’s second term, Texas State University students have observed executive orders and heard promises that impact them, for better or worse.
Topics ranging from environmental consequences to free speech and religion concern students depending on their social and political beliefs.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES
One concern shared by some students is how the Trump administration’s policies affect the environment in the midst of climate change, which is accelerated by human activities.
Soledad Favela, the education coordinator of Texas State’s Environmental Conservation Organization (ECO), worries about students securing conservation-type jobs after college, as the new administration has cut funding for national parks, resulting in about 1,000 employees losing their jobs. The U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) environmental research included climate risk screening and reducing greenhouse gas emissions and is now among the climate research organizations that have lost funding and jobs.
“We graduate during an administration that doesn’t take our jobs as environmental protectors seriously,” Favela said. “We’re basically backtracking years of progress that we’ve made toward a more sustainable future.”
Favela believes the Trump administration displays little regard for environmental protection by pushing initiatives such as drilling, which has various harmful consequences on the planet. Damage to water sources from oil leaks and harm to wildlife are just a few potential dangers of drilling.
FREE SPEECH
Some students feel more at ease with the new president, saying they can now speak freely as their views are reflected in the new administration.
Austin Quintana, president of Texas State College Republicans, feels more comfortable speaking his mind during the Trump administration than he did during the Biden administration.
“Beforehand, I felt a little more scared to talk about my beliefs,” Quintana said. “Now I feel that it’s a little bit safer to just share that with people.”
Quintana supports Trump’s “America First” approach and believes that the administration will create more jobs, which will benefit graduating students.
Texas State encourages free speech, with designated free speech areas like the Fighting Stallions statue. The area surrounding the statue permits protests and other forms of expression.
Despite this, students may feel uncomfortable sharing personal beliefs on politics with others out of fear of disagreement.
RELIGION AND POLITICS
Many students agree that there should not be overlap between religion and politics; however, the influence faith has on people’s political choices is inevitable.
“I think there is a lot of overlap,” said Devin Davis, a student ministry intern at the United Campus Ministry. “It makes stuff all muddy and really confusing.”
Davis said her peers are often surprised by her political stance after discovering she is part of the United Methodist Church. She believes Texas State students are very opinionated and this can create complications in friendships and with other students.
According to their website, the United Campus Ministry “helps students grow spiritually in the love of Jesus, form authentic friendships and discover God’s purpose in their lives.” Religion can be a place for like-minded students to find each other on campus and form a community.
Quintana has a similar view on the crossover between religion and politics, stating that his Republican beliefs are strongly influenced by his Christianity; he believes that many other students experience this as well.
PROTESTS
Early on the morning of March 20, several Texas State buildings were vandalized with messages that criticized Trump and his actions. The messages expressed anti-Trump, “stop deportation” and “free Palestine” sentiments, which were condemned by the university and removed immediately.
Students took to social media to show support for and against the defacement, some seeing it as a form of necessary protest, and others seeing it as extreme and antisemitic.
“I feel like there could’ve been a better way to go about that instead of graffiti,” Quintana said. “I’m not going to shut down their ideas and beliefs and what they were putting out there, but I feel like they could’ve done a way better job of showing that.”
In addition to this, various forms of political discourse take place frequently on the Quad in the free speech areas. Demonstrators and activists often open discussion for students to debate topics such as abortion and religion. In some cases, counterprotests have taken place when things get heated.
Texas State is a diverse campus, with students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries. The Trump administration has a different impact on each student based on their interests and identity.
United Campus Ministry provides students a space to connect with like-minded students and practice their faith on campus. (Photo credit: Gretchen Butwid)
