A new webpage called Navigating AI @ UMN gives University students and faculty tools to navigate artificial intelligence in research and classroom settings. 

The webpage, created by the University’s Office of Internet Technology, lists approved AI tools for student and faculty use. The web page also has other resources, including lists of groups and events University community members can participate in to learn how to be aware of and use AI.  

The Artificial Intelligence Society (AIS) is one of several student organizations listed on the webpage. 

According to the club’s Gopherlink page, its mission is “to empower AI enthusiasts with the technical expertise, leadership skills, and business insights to solve real-world problems and drive innovation.”  

AIS President Darsh Garg said the society has seen the scope of what AI can do through technical workshops, teaching the intricacies of AI and general meetings. 

“We think that it really has the potential to make a tremendous impact on society,” Garg said. “It’s interesting from a technical standpoint, but also its potential is really large as well. We want to tap into that.”

Garg said knowing how AI programs function can be beneficial for students. 

“The market is changing, the industry jobs are changing,” Garg said. “So knowing how to use AI in an ever-evolving job market is really essential.”

Another resource on the AI web page is the AI Makerspace, which is run through the Data Science Initiative (DSI). DSI aims to promote data science research by enabling “the development of new methods, data sets and software that are used to address grand challenges facing our state, nation and the world,” according to its website.

“Anyone can come who wants to learn more about how to program AI,” Hayley Borck, managing director of the DSI, said. “How to ask questions about what it can do for you, and how to see if it’s appropriate for use in the research that you’re doing.” 

Borck said Makerspace is sort of office hours for AI-related questions, getting help with a class problem or even just having fun with AI. There are also experts from the Minnesota Supercomputing Institute there to help. 

According to Borck, the AI Makerspace is modeled after a similar program at Georgia Tech. 

As someone with a background in computer science and AI, Borck said she understands the limits and capabilities of AI tools but can see that many people do not. 

“Because we’re moving so fast, these tools are coming at us in every aspect of our lives,” Borck said. “It’s going to be very important to understand exactly what these tools are doing in order to make better decisions in our daily lives.” 

The use of AI programs in classrooms is a big topic in higher education, Teaching with AI Book Club leader Mary Jetter said. The book club is open to faculty across all University of Minnesota system campuses. 

The book “Teaching with AI” highlights some of the problems AI presents in classrooms, such as how to detect AI in assignments and how faculty can make lesson plans using it. 

The book club discusses these problems and how faculty can be aware of AI’s presence, Jetter said. 

“My belief is that every course should have an AI policy,” Jetter said. “Because one of the things I’ve heard from faculty and students is that their instructors aren’t talking to them enough about AI and talking about it repeatedly.” 

With less than 30 days until the election, politics has become a popular topic of conversation among students. For students in the Bipartisan Issues Group at the University of Minnesota, however, politics is always a popular topic.

The Minnesota Bipartisan Issues Group (BIG) welcomes students of any political ideology, and meetings consist of discussions about issues and policies in government, giving students a chance to have informal debates with each other.

BIG President Cori Stockard said he knew he wanted to go into politics from an early age. 

“Learning how to sort of stay organized and get tasks done in a sort of quarterly and efficient manner is very important,” Stockard said. “I like to think about the sort of analogy of juggling. You’re trying not to draw all of these moving pieces. And so those are the two skills that I think are just most useful going forward.”

BIG Vice President Conner Pernice said by being involved with the group and the University’s Model United Nations, he hopes to be ready for an internship or job focused on politics.   

Pernice said joining BIG helped him feel he made a difference as a college student. Through group dialogue about political issues, BIG is how Pernice politically contributes to his community.

“I think that as citizens our greatest contribution to this democracy, to this country, is to be able to make reasonable, logical decisions and what we support and who we support for political office,” Pernice said.

As a student interested in politics, Stockard said the most important thing he can do to get other students involved and interested in politics is to get them to vote. 

“The core thing about a democracy is that people vote,” Stockard said.

College-age students, despite being legally allowed to vote, are one of the least consistent voting demographics, according to Stockard, which leads to a lot of frustration.

BIG offers students a chance to engage in discourse with people with different political ideations, Stockard added.  

“You need a public debate and conversation about issues,” Stockard said. “That is simply a crucial thing for democracy to function. So I think the bipartisan issues group is important because we try to foster a sense of effective and sort of responsible communication between our members, even when we disagree deeply about any sort of manner of issues.”

Pernice had similar ideas about BIG. A senior at the University, he said he has started thinking about what his legacy at the University and BIG will be. 

Pernice said he hopes to leave the group in the same way he found it as a freshman — a place where people can have educational and fun experiences.   

“I hope my time in BIG does make a difference to the people who I’ve met through that organization,” Pernice said. “I know several individuals who were not really interested in politics whatsoever that ended up four years later being fairly well-educated and well-versed in their own right.”

Pernice said he thinks BIG is helpful for students because it allows them to talk to others interested in politics. Students do not need much experience with government or politics, but they can learn. 

“I think that it serves as a solid place for genuine and reasonable dialog that people can go into completely having never heard of anything about the issue, and walk out with a reasonable opinion of their own choosing,” Pernice said.

Since 2007, Gopher Chauffeur, a student-run safe ride-home program through Boynton Health, employed student drivers to ensure a safe community and connection with their peers. But all this could change in the next semester. 

In early September, student driver Val Lopez was told by her supervisor that she and her coworkers would no longer be student employees of Boynton Health, which currently runs the program, by next semester. 

Lopez said according to her supervisor, the University’s Department of Public Safety would be taking over the program. 

“From my understanding, it sounds like there was ongoing conversation all summer long about some of the capacities of Boynton Health and Gopher Chauffeur,” Lopez said. “Boynton Health is an eight to four o’clock service, and it’s kind of difficult to have supervisors that are there.” 

Student driver Isabelle Frisch started a petition on Sept. 24 to get more people involved and aware of this change. 

“I started as a freshman, and it really helped me feel comfortable on campus, just driving around, driving around Dinkytown, seeing what’s going on,” Frisch said. “It’s very sad making all these changes.”

Frisch said although there may be changes to takeover plans, drivers were told the program should be handed to a different department for safety reasons. 

“I think a part of it was the new president,” Frisch said. “The Department of Public Safety was kind of pushing for it when the old president was leaving, and then when the new president was up, they kind of just pushed it right away.”  

For Frisch, safety was not an issue, and working with students has been Gopher Chauffeur’s mission since 2007, Frisch said. 

Once their contracts are terminated in December, student drivers will have the option of reapplying. Although the Department of Public Safety said former drivers may retain their positions after reapplication, there will be new rules and added responsibilities that many of the drivers do not want to change. 

“Once we do get handed over, I feel like students will definitely be less likely to use the service just with all the additions,” Frisch said. “None of the staff are very happy with it.”

Frisch said that, although riders will not be affected by the changes, the new rules for drivers might make rides less fun. 

New additions include having one driver in the car instead of two, meaning drivers can not take turns driving; a camera in each car, which Frisch said could make riders uncomfortable and less inclined to use the service; and more supervision in cars.

Frisch said these changes may sound good, but the current system has had no issues with safety whatsoever. 

“It’s just a big change all at once, which none of us really felt was necessary,” Frisch said. “And none of us really want to deal with any of that.”

Lopez, who already quit her Gopher Chauffeur job, told her supervisor she was upset with the lack of student employee input in the change.  

“It was disappointing,” Lopez said. “It was kind of sad too, because I think that student input is really important for things on campus, especially for a resource that is run by students.”

Founded in spring 2024, the Minnesota Shakespeare Society aims to make Shakespeare more relatable and understandable to students through games and discussion. 

The club, which was started after a group of students took a Shakespeare class taught by professor Katherine Scheil, meets twice a month. One meeting is for discussion while the other is to watch an adaptation of the play they discuss. 

Club President Bernadette Rechek said that before taking Scheil’s class, most of the club’s founding officers did not have much of a connection to Shakespeare. But by the end of the class, they enjoyed reading his work. 

The club’s six founding members — one of which being Minnesota Daily Campus Administration Editor Olivia Hines — wanted to find a way to stay in touch and keep learning about Shakespeare, which led to the club’s founding, Rechek said. Finding people who are also excited about discussing Shakespeare’s plays has been really helpful, she added.  

“It’s definitely a collective effort, and it really helps that they’re also just as excited,” Rechek said. “We’re all really hyped about it, so that really it’s been a communal effort, getting the club moving.” 

Social Media Coordinator Lucia Nortwen said when they first started the club there was a small turnout, though it has grown since then. 

“When we started it, I kind of expected it to be a small thing,” Nortwen said. “But people have been really coming and enjoying it, and it’s super fun. I was very shocked by our turnout, especially this semester, so it’s been really fun to see it grow.”

Club Vice President Ai Xing, said she was not very interested in Shakespeare before taking Scheil’s class. After learning more about the professor’s research into female Shakespearian characters and the playwright’s wife, she said that element adds another layer of meaning and analysis to the characters, which intrigued her. 

As a student minoring in English, Xing said she likes the social aspect of meeting other people studying English. 

“What’s also super important is having a community of people who are English majors, because I don’t really have that,” Xing said. “It’s just fun because anybody can like Shakespeare, it doesn’t have to be for literary critics.”

The club keeps discussions fun by breaking down the plots of plays via memes, as well as acting out parts of the play. Rechek hopes students who attend the club see Shakespeare in a new light. 

“I hope people leave the meetings kind of getting to know (the plays) a little bit more, and get to share their own opinions about Shakespeare too,” Rechek said. “It’s not a Shakespeare-only fan club.”

Rechek said she is extremely grateful to have a community of people who also enjoy working with Shakespeare. Discussing his work in groups and playing fun games that help make sense of the characters and language can make Shakespeare more fun.  

“I think the vision that a lot of people have in their heads of Shakespeare is, like, really old, kind of stuffy, and difficult,” Rechek said. “When I actually had a good discussion, we finally got what he was trying to say. We all had the same, ‘Oh, this is actually, this is really fun.’”

The University of Minnesota’s Brains and Brawn club was created in fall 2023 to bring new people into the gym and form a weightlifting community on campus. 

Created by President Kyle Cingi and Vice President Sam Gundlach, the club started small with only a few members. Thanks to workouts on Mondays and Wednesdays, the club saw growth last semester with 15 to 20 new members, according to Gundlach. 

The club now has a team of officers who lead weekly meetings, held at the University’s Recreation and Wellness Center, Cingi said. By having officers lead the weekly meetings at the RecWell, the club is able to get a variety of workouts in and connect with each other. 

“It’s definitely a good way to create these new experiences for the members, ourselves and also experienced lifters,” Cingi said. “We share tips with each other and share experiences, but at the end of the day, it’s really a social club and we’re pretty (much) meant to form connections between different groups of people that go to the gym and want to join.” 

Club Treasurer Alex Gherciuc said that as college students, balancing class with extracurriculars and a social life can be stressful, but working out can be a way to help mental health.

“Kyle and I, we commute, so sometimes it can get really lonely,” Gherciuc said. “Having an outlet where I could work out but also connect with people is very enriching. Honestly, I come to the meetings very tired from classes and then I come out like a new person, rejuvenated.”

Gherciuc said the club often sees complete beginners attend the club and being able to help them through the workouts is “a powerful position to be in.” 

When he joined the club, Gherciuc said he did not have much experience lifting weights. He said facilitating the club’s mission to other new members is rewarding. 

“When Kyle told me about his club, I joined right away, and I started seeing the impact it had on myself and others, and then I progressed into a leadership role,” Gherciuc said. “So now I help to facilitate our mission to new members.” 

Although much of their time is spent in the gym, club officers hope to do more than just lift this year. 

At the beginning of the semester, the club held a meet and greet where they offered free Chipotle. The club is planning to hold an event with local gym Los Campeones in the winter. The event will feature an educational seminar with bodybuilder and gym owner Benjamin Loehrer. 

Cingi said the event will be a chance for members to explore weightlifting outside of the RecWell and make connections with other local gyms. He said it will be an educational experience.

Having a community of people who want to meet each week and work out has been extremely beneficial for Gundlach. He said it eases some of the stress of going to the gym and having a community and a workout led by an officer makes the time more enjoyable.  

“When I was first starting, I realized how nerve-wracking it can be kind of going in there,” Gundlach said. “Because the gym gave me a lot of enjoyment and made me really happy, I wanted to give that option to other people and kind of ease their mind when going into it.”

The University of Minnesota’s Graduate Labor Union (GLU) picketing efforts on East and West Bank campuses on Sept. 13 garnered support and increased awareness among the University community.  

Since September 2023, GLU has made efforts to bargain for changes, including better pay, protections against abuse of authority and recognition of graduate fellows. The Board of Regents recently presented a contract with proposals on these issues, though GLU said it does not meet their proposed contract. 

Sam Boland, a GLU bargaining committee representative, said the pickets engaged non-graduate students and the greater community. This engagement helped gain an awareness of GLU’s requests. 

Boland said pickets have helped GLU facilitate bargains in the past, namely with GLU’s picket in July, which concerned workplace harassment.  

“After our picket around that issue, the very next bargaining session, the Board of Regents came to the table with a full offer, and we were able to look that over and are close to reaching an agreement,” Boland said. “So we’ve seen in the past that these kinds of things work and that was really the rationale behind doing it again.”

Boland said fair pay is one of the big issues GLU is focusing on. The University is offering to set minimum pay to $25.50 per hour for pre-PhD candidates and pre-advanced masters, and $26.25 per hour for PhD and advanced masters students. Currently, the lowest-paid worker earns $22.17. Summer appointments are not included in pay. 

David DeMark, a graduate student and union member, said the proposed minimum wage increase is not fantastic. For international students, the situation is even worse as visas do not allow them to work outside of the University. 

“If an international student is, say, unable to get summer funding, which in many departments, is not a guarantee, and often does not happen, if they’re being paid at the proposed minimum pay rate, that is a maximum of around $21,000 in a year, which is basically unlivable,” DeMark said.

Another issue GLU members are focusing on is fee payment coverage, Boland said. 

Depending on how much work graduate student workers are appointed to do, Boland said parts of their tuition is covered, though student fees for things like equipment and course materials are not. These costs vary depending on the program, and especially for international students, the fees can be pricey, from around $1,100 to $1,200. 

Another issue GLU is bargaining for is the inclusion of graduate fellows. Graduate fellows are students who do research and lab work for the University as well as assist with teaching. Graduate fellows are not considered employees of the University and do not have any protections against abuse of teaching authority, among other things. 

Graduate fellow and PhD candidate Kristine Loh said she has been doing the same work as someone who would be considered a teaching assistant but does not have the same rights.   

“It’s really frustrating for me to have been recruited by the University with a fellowship, to be encouraged by the University to apply for more fellowships, for them to benefit from my grant money and then for them to say, ‘look at how many prestigious fellows that we have,’” Loh said. “And then for them to tell me I don’t deserve the same rights as the fellow grad worker next to me in the same lab.”

GLU member Noah Wexler said GLU is encouraging people to vote against the Board’s recent proposal as it does not meet what GLU is asking for. He said student workers want to stay working, but there is potential for a strike. 

“Not many people around the Twin Cities necessarily know that a huge amount of the research and teaching labor at this university is done by grad workers, and spreading that knowledge is important for people to understand, especially around campus,” Wexler said. “If it weren’t for grad workers, if grad workers stopped working, the University would have a really big crisis on the campus.”

DeMark said GLU would not go on strike unless absolutely crucial. If undergraduates feel they could be negatively affected by a strike, DeMark said now is the time to tell the University to give GLU a fair contract.    

“Like many instructors around the University, I’m really passionate about my instruction,” DeMark said. “I care about my students. I care about their educational outcomes. I care about them having a substantive and productive undergraduate experience and coming out with a degree that really means something. We are all here because we are passionate about what we do, and the fact that it’s come to the potential of striking indicates how drastic the situation is.”

Though urban campuses like the University of Minnesota may offer fewer opportunities for students to enjoy nature, the University’s Outdoors Club offers a diverse range of events for students to get outside. 

Established in 2012, the club hosts all types of outdoor activities, including an upcoming Monster Mash Family 5k on Oct. 5, to raise money for University students to go on day trips to state parks and backpacking trips. These events, as well as the monthly club meetings, are led by the Outdoors Club’s officers. 

Liz Kangas, an officer for the club, said along with leading events and meetings, officers also each have responsibilities like keeping track of backpacking gear, running the club’s social media, and more. 

Kangas transferred from the University of Minnesota Duluth after her freshman year and was a part of the club’s chapter there. She decided to join the club on the Twin Cities campus last fall. 

“I went to one meeting and that first meeting that I was at was when they were doing recruitment for officers, and so I kind of just thought, ‘What the heck?’” Kangas said. “I didn’t think I would get it, but I kind of made myself do it. I was like, I have to branch out.” 

Since joining the club and becoming an officer, Kangas said she was surprised at how well she has gotten to know the other members so quickly after only being in the group for a short time. 

“That was really exciting to me that all these friends who are officers, and people through the club that have similar interests,” Kangas said. “And just share that love of being outside and playing.”

Like Kangas, fellow club officer Abi Addink was excited to find people who shared her interest in the outdoors. She added the club has a big emphasis on making the outdoors accessible. 

“I remember being really nervous about going to a campus that was more urban because I wasn’t sure if there were going to be outdoorsy people there,” Addink said. “I quickly realized that I was not by myself.”

Addink said many people with little experience in outdoor activities show up to the club’s events. So, while planning events and trips can sometimes be challenging because of different skill levels, overall it is rewarding. 

As an officer, Addink said there can be some challenges, but it is hard not to enjoy being in nature. 

Meg Rettler, another officer for the club, said she has bonded with everyone on the trips, especially at bonfires while camping. 

“Whenever there’s a trip, it’s almost inevitable that there’s gonna be some sort of campfire,” Rettler said. “It’s really fun because everyone kind of opens up around the campfire. Maybe the start of the day was a little bit awkward, but then the second we have that fire it really breaks the barriers, which is super fun.” 

Auditions for many of the University of Minnesota’s a cappella groups started this week, in preparation for upcoming concerts and competitions. 

For all a cappella groups on campus, one of the biggest competitions is the International Championship of Collegiate Acapella (ICCA) in January, a competition made popular by the movie “Pitch Perfect.” 

Sophie Beyer, president of gender-inclusive a cappella group Urban Sound, said competing at the ICCAs ranks among her favorite memories throughout her time in the group, specifically when it was announced that Urban Sound had moved on to the semifinals last year. 

“All of us just started crying and screaming and celebrating and it was such an amazing high moment,” Beyer said. “I’ll remember that forever because that was just an amazing night.” 

To get to that high moment of performing at the ICCAs, some groups like Basses Wild, the University’s only tenor and bass group, increased their number of rehearsals from the standard of two per week. In addition to learning songs, the groups also need to learn their own choreography for ICCAs. 

For Ivy Broder, a member of the Enchantments, a gender-inclusive a cappella group on campus, rehearsals are more than just time to practice their music. Broder said it feels like a big hangout, with the added work of learning music. Usually, the group works on two to three songs per rehearsal, running through different measures of the music. 

Broder said since joining the Enchantments, it has been a creative outlet as a STEM major. As someone who loves the arts, it was something they were missing.  

“It’s so nice to just go somewhere and get to do what I love with people I really like,” Broder said. “It’s just been a huge creative outlet for me. It’s honestly been a breath of fresh air when I’m dealing with all of these other classes like dealing with chemistry.”  

Getting to compete at the ICCAs was a great experience, Broder said. They added that getting to bond as a group, as well as meeting other a cappella groups and hearing the music they were working on was special. 

“I think, honestly, the best part is hearing what the other groups have been working on because everyone is so different,” Broder said. “But also, last year, almost every group did a song from Hozier, which was wonderful. It was a whole Hozier concert.” 

Gavin Browning, president of Basses Wild, started in the group his freshman year. To Browning, being a part of the group and making music with people is a great way to bond with each other as well as relax outside of schoolwork. 

Browning added that Basses Wild taught him independence and how to read music. 

For Beyer, joining Urban Sound was a turning point in her college experience, and the friends she has made through Urban Sound have been there for her through everything. 

“I don’t even know if I would still be in college if it wasn’t for Urban Sound,” Beyer said. “I feel so supported and happy, and it’s just something I can put my energy into when I’m sick of doing homework and everything. I’m really grateful for Urban Sound.”

The upcoming presidential election is a popular topic this year, especially among students who will be voting for the first time. 

Any election is important, but with candidates pushing policies based on immigration, reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights, many students said they need their voices to be heard. 

Choices like voting absentee or in person, when to go to the polls and how to navigate the ballot can make any student overwhelmed, especially first-time voters.

For first-year University of Minnesota student Megan Hames, her high school classes helped her prepare to vote for the first time and better understand what is on the line for this election. 

“I’ve come to understand the policies that are trying to be passed right now,” Hames said. “Or that are on the agenda for each candidate.”  

Hames said as citizens of the U.S., it is important to exercise the freedom to vote, even if someone does not have strong opinions on politics. 

Isabelle Fuhr, another first-year student, shared the same sentiment, saying many might feel like their voice does not matter, but it is still important. 

“A lot of people talk about, ‘Voting is useless, and there’s no point in voting because there’s so many people in this country,’” Fuhr said. “I feel like it’s important to participate in democracy because that’s why it’s there. And if you have thoughts and you have a way to share them, why would you not share them?” 

As college students, both Hames and Fuhr said given the ages of presidential candidates, it can feel like it is difficult for their voices to be heard as young people. Although Fuhr said some politicians may try to appeal to younger voters, she does not think it has been very successful, and Hames agreed. 

“I think I’m hopeful that in the future, there will be candidates that better represent the wants of the younger generation,” Hames said. “But at this point, not many candidates do that.” 

University student Ewan Kahnke said people need to contribute to political discourse now more than ever. 

Kahnke said seeing how the country was affected by COVID-19 and George Floyd’s death since 2016 was a motivator in this election for him and made voting important to him. 

Kahnke added his family members have always been active voters, regardless of what political views they held. 

“Growing up seeing different political views just made me feel like it’s important to vote, and obviously the presidential (election) is big, but one vote for the presidential election means a whole lot less than one vote for all the local stuff,” Kahnke said. 

Kahnke said he plans to go in person to the polls, though this election is only one race.  

Regardless of who someone is voting for, Kahnke said it is still important to vote and have your voice heard. Khanke, Hames and Fuhr all said they are voting for Kamala Harris. 

Khanke said he feels like many people say they are not going to vote because they are not informed enough to cast a valid and reasonable vote.  

“If you go online for 20 minutes and look at the candidates, look at what they stand for, and look at what they’re saying they are going to do, it’s pretty easy to quickly form enough of an opinion to cast a vote,” Kahnke said. “It often feels like the people who complain the loudest are the ones who say they’re not going to vote.”

Amidst a flurry of Welcome Week events, the University of Minnesota’s Undergraduate Student Government (USG) registered over one hundred new voters and gained more than 500 pledges from students, according to USG leadership, to vote as part of its Row the Vote campaign. 

The campaign started as the Row the Vote Initiative in 2020 and was taken over by USG in 2022. Following a successful run in 2022, Row the Vote is back for the upcoming presidential election. 

Row the Vote is a nonpartisan campaign focusing on educating University students on their right to vote. During Welcome Week, USG held tabling events at the Campus Exploration Fair on Friday and Explore U at Huntington Bank Stadium on Saturday. 

Joslyn Blass, USG executive director of government and legislative affairs, said that although USG has several big events planned, its focus this election season was class visits and tabling at campus events. 

“We find that things like class visits are the most effective way to engage with a large and diverse group of students,” Blass said. “That’s why we are prioritizing the class visits.” 

According to Blass, USG’s goal for this year’s campaign is to register at least 3,000 students to vote and to get 7,000 pledges. Additionally, USG is aiming for a campus-wide 60% voter turnout. 

Blass said the USG Government and Legislative Affairs Team often find students are already registered to vote. Asking them to pledge is a way to remind students of their role in the election.  

“Pledging to vote via physical forms has multiple benefits for voters,” Blass said. “First off, studies show that once someone pledges to vote, they are more likely to actually follow through. Additionally, through these pledge forms, our campaign is able to follow up with students to remind them about different ways to vote and support them in navigating their plans to vote.”

Riley Hetland, USG director of civic engagement, is responsible for registering as many voters as possible by planning Row the Vote events in the months leading up to the election and educating student voters. According to Hetland, USG’s most important event falls on Sept. 17, National Voter Registration Day. 

“We’ve been planning that for quite some time,” Hetland said. “We’re trying to get as many policymakers to come to campus as possible, touring them around, putting them in front of classes and just explaining how important it is to vote, whoever you vote.” 

As an immigrant, Clara Jünemann, USG vice president, said she did not initially have the right to vote. She said since becoming a citizen it has been important to her to be engaged in elections. 

Jünemann said not having the right to vote right away made her want to have a voice even more. Additionally, she said it made her want to help students and her community become more informed and involved.

“It’s really beautiful to see how many students on this campus are interested and who show up on election day, and it just makes me excited every time,” Jünemann said. “I’m very excited to see how many people we’ll reach this year, and hopefully it will have a big impact.”

Similarly, Hetland hopes that Row the Vote efforts leave students feeling empowered in their right to vote. She said she believes many young people think their voice does not matter in elections.   

“No matter who you vote for, you deserve to get your voice heard,” Hetland said. “It’s critical that young people vote, because we’re granted this opportunity to take part in our government, and this is how we can make our voices heard.”