Howard Students, Faculty Watch Presidential Debate Featuring Harris, Trump

Hundreds of students, faculty and staff poured into the Armour J. Blackburn University Center ballroom last week to watch the debate between presidential candidates, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

Popcorn in hand, the frenzied energy in the room was palpable. Students from across the country and of varying political values sat together to witness the first presidential debate between the two candidates.

The Sept. 10 event, hosted by HUSA and the Graduate Student Assembly (Howard GSA) was a nonpartisan effort to provide students and faculty a space to have important dialogue while the debate was happening. 

Once the debate began, the room went silent, but occasional remarks from the candidates elicited sudden reactions from the crowd.  

When Trump brought up Haitian immigrants eating cats and dogs in Springfield, Ohio, or when he denied having knowledge of the Jan. 6 riots, the crowd erupted in boos. When Harris asserted Trump was ‘running against her, not Biden’ and when she said that Trump was ‘exchanging love letters with Kim Jong Un’ the crowd cheered.

Sophomore Joel Taylor spoke on how he felt the two candidates performed in the debate.

“Kamala Harris definitely over delivered. When she was first given candidacy, I was a little skeptical about what she’d be able to accomplish, but today she came with receipts,” he said. “I trust my hand in Kamala a lot more than I do in Donald Trump.” 

Taylor adopted a standpoint quite popular amongst Howard students, with the majority of students backing Harris. 

However, some students expressed uncertainty about her stance on the Hamas-Israel conflict, student loan forgiveness and her plans for the economy. Topics such as immigration weren’t as much of a concern amongst Howard students.

“I would love to hear Harris speak on current issues such as the war happening in Palestine,” Ramiyah Davis, a sophomore international business major said. “I want to know how she’s going to move forward with that, since as vice president she has the lowest credentials of anyone given candidacy.”

Davis continued, expressing concern with Harris’ authenticity and representation.

“I don’t think she represents us [Howard University] well. She is definitely utilizing her platform, especially with Howard and within her sorority, but she hasn’t done as much work for us as she could have. She’s kind of forgotten who put her in the position she’s in,” she said.

As students piled out of the ballroom, distant chatter on how the debate unfolded filled the air as the young voters prepared to begin their political voting journey.

Jokim Braynt, a senior political science and community development double major, spoke on how it felt to watch the debate alongside his peers.

“As a student at Howard University, in Washington D.C., collectively hearing how people feel, their reactions, what concerns them—it allows us to not only have an understanding of what’s happening now but to gauge what we’ll need in the future,” he said.

Howard’s executive director of Campus Life Walter Servance spoke about the importance of hosting a space that welcomes all students.

“This is a nonpartisan space. No matter who you intend to vote for, we want students to engage with their peers and have important dialogue while the debate is happening,” Servance said. “For a lot of students, this is their first time voting. They should try to understand the views of both candidates.”

Roland Reynolds, the program coordinator for the graduate experience and advisor for all graduate counsels and organizations at Howard, had a few words of advice for students voting for the first time.

“Make sure you’re aware of policies, procedures, and regulations that each candidate has endorsed or approved,” he said. “Make an educated decision, not one based on someone else. Do your own research and make sure that you’re able to stand on your decision for the next four years. Your voice matters.” 

Copy edited by Camiryn Stepteau