BALTIMORE — After a summer of watching history book-making events unfold, political science professors were antsy to get back in the classroom.
Dr. Kaye Wise Whitehead started receiving emails from her students at Loyola University Maryland before they even returned to campus, wondering about the plans for the semester. She is a professor and the founding executive director of The Karson Institute for Race, Peace, & Social Justice.
"In an election year, I tend to be zero-focused on what is happening," she told WMAR-2 News in a recent interview.
But focusing on current political candidates and issues, rather than ones from the past, is sure to elicit strong feelings during a divisive election year. Dr. Wise Whitehead doesn't shy away from those conversations.
"Now, I personally do not debate the students. What I do is I look for students who have different views and allow them to debate each other. I don't think it's fair as a professor to get into an open debate with a student, because it's about power differentials, it's about who is ultimately giving the grade," she said.
But she does tell her students they can challenge her on anything. As an opinion radio host, her personal political views are public.
"So it's different when I walk in the classroom, they already know where I stand. But they also know I have one solid belief - that all voices are included at the table."
Michael Hamner, who works in the department of government & politics at the University of Maryland tries not to let his personal beliefs come through in the classroom. But he does encourage his students to challenge each other and themselves, and in his decades of teaching, he's noticed those debates become more personal.
"It's not just - I disagree with those policies. It's - I disagree with those people," he told WMAR-2 News.
It seems clear that younger voters are becoming increasingly politically engaged, in large part thanks to social media. But professor Hamner wonders if Gen Z'ers are choosing who they're voting for based off a funny clip or a meme, or if they're even voting at all.
"There can be this tendency to engage on social media, and think of that as a viable replacement," Hamner said.
Dr. Wise Whitehead is optimistic that they'll show up at the polls. She's hosting an election night watch party on campus, and will have cupcakes to celebrate whichever candidate wins.
"And no matter who wins, it's about working to make this nation better," she said. "And I think that's how we teach students; we model for students how to have open conversation. Can we disagree without being disagreeable?"
Both professors we talked to agreed - a college campus is an undeniably exciting place to be during an election cycle.
"Even at times where it seems like the country is struggling through various issues, when you're on a college campus and you see the ideas that people are bringing and the real commitment to trying to provide solutions, it's really hard to not be excited about the future," Hamner said.
