On Wednesday, Nov. 6, an open forum known as ISU in Conversation was held to discuss the emotions and thoughts of the 2024 presidential election results. Interim Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer Professor Byron Craig led the discussion at 4:30 p.m. For some individuals, Donald Trump winning the election felt like a victory. However, in this discussion, the results of the election brought forth a tremendous amount of fear and anxiety for the future. Craig encouraged students to allow themselves space for grief. “I’ve been on social media today going back and forth with people that are saying it’s all going to be okay, and I don’t think we’re at that point yet…have your grief moments because it’s a real scary situation,” Craig said. Interim Associate Dean of Academics Susan Hildebrandt attended the discussion. She encouraged students to do something to fill their time, after they have had time to grieve. “I recommend that, it may be hard, but do something that fills your cup,” Hildebrandt said. “Find community, find those connections, warm your heart.” One student, a member of a fraternity on ISU’s campus, asked how he could be a better activist in his fraternity. He explained how his fraternity held sessions to review election misinformation, and he said he wished he participated more in those. Craig responded that he should look into the activist movements the ancestors of his fraternity had participated in. He encouraged the student to try to encourage his brothers to investigate those running in local elections as they are just as important as national elections. “I think we don’t think enough about local politics and what it means for us,” Craig said. On the discussion of being informed about the election, another student discussed how they felt they didn’t take enough time to become fully informed about the race. “I feel like I’m on the outside looking in. I plan to become more informed, especially for the next election,” the student said. Craig told the students to learn and understand both sides of the political landscape. Craig said that as times change, there will continue to be lots of shifts. Craig’s biggest encouragement was to keep learning. “You should read what you’re assigned to read, and then read more,” Craig said. One student discussed how she felt traumatized by the election. She had woken up early in the morning to hear her roommates crying as they learned that democratic candidate Kamala Harris had lost the election. A few of the young Black students said they felt such a shift in the air. Many mentioned how they felt people looked at them differently as if they expected them to react. “[Regarding the election results] It just feels like people don’t want us around,” another student said. The results of the election led students to feel that their wings, which once kept them soaring, had been clipped. The students agreed that they felt they have hit the ground. “It’s a f***** up world we live in, truly,” a student said. An education major said she felt at a disadvantage because of belonging to multiple marginalized communities. “It may be hard to believe, but I just want to teach kids algebra,” she said. An international graduate student said that what drove him insane was how a criminal was elected as president, and he was saddened for everyone. “If I had a choice between a criminal and a kid fresh out of college, I would choose the kid,” he said. Students agreed that one good thing that derived from the election was that the mask had been ripped off America, there would be no way to hide the façade of a perfect country any longer. As much as the students felt like taking time off, some mentioned that it can feel incredibly difficult. Missing class as a college student is difficult as it is a critical time in the semester. “It’s just draining to have to go all the time no matter what,” a student said. The students were encouraged by Craig and other attending members to treat a mental health day just as they would if they were physically sick. It was repeated that no work could be done if you are unwell mentally as much as physically. At the end of the forum, Byron encouraged the students in attendance to learn and take what was learned and apply it to thinking about change. “Where we are now in order to move away from that, it takes change,” Craig said. A second conversation took place Thursday night at which several faculty and staff members gathered on the second floor of Fell Hall to discuss their post-election thoughts. “[The conversations] give us a chance to build community,” Hildebrandt said. “Especially during trying times. We’re reminding folks to take care of themselves and to take care of one another.” Those in attendance had exclusively voted for democrat Kamala Harris. Craig said that everyone had been welcome to join. “People who voted differently—they were welcomed also,” Craig said. “This is an open atmosphere. This wasn’t an attempt to keep anyone out who voted differently.” “What can we do at the university level to start thinking about concerns,” Craig said, posing a question. Conversations revolved around education workers’ next steps, what the university’s next steps could be and dangers of the internet and the spread of false information.