Polling locations across Pittsburgh shut their doors as ballots are being tallied. Chatham University’s Shadyside campus is dark but not quiet as students tune into the ongoing news coverage.
“I’m watching the news and getting the updates as they come in so that I know first and I will not be caught off guard,” Kenny Battistelli ‘27 said.
As far as the results go, the two candidates are neck-and-neck with an unpredictable outcome. Some Chatham community members can be found in their usual spots around the Shadyside campus including Cafe Rachel, Jennie King Mellon Library (JKM), the Athletic & Fitness Center and Anderson Dining Hall.
Cafe Rachel Supervisor Ryder Ezatoff expressed general feelings of anxiety and hope as they watched the results unfold, stressing the importance of voting on behalf of their rights.
“I’m voting to protect my rights as a gay trans woman. For me, I am worried about it. There’s one person who wants to take away all my rights, and that’s Trump. F— him,” Ezatoff said.
Many women and femme-aligned people have found themselves considering their bodily autonomy and access to healthcare when reflecting on the election.
“I have a lot of friends who have had reproductive issues in the last couple years and they would have died if they didn’t have access to healthcare,” JKM Reference Associate Anne St. Jean said. “I think that as a woman, it feels like my ancestors didn’t go through all of that so I could sit at home and not participate in democracy. I also know there are a lot of people in this country who can’t vote, and my vote affects their lives, so I feel like it’s important for that reason.”
Shaeden Berkson ‘28 expressed gratitude toward the Welker Room, acting as a convenient place for her to cast her vote.
“I live in California but I changed my vote to here because it matters more here.”
While some students wish they could have done more, others feel as though all that could be done was cast a vote and convince others to do the same.
“Now as the polls close, it really eases on you of how much you could’ve done, called another person or knocked on another door. It makes me a little bit anxious to see the results at the end of the night, but it makes the work well worth the while,” said Eli Majocha ‘27.
These anxieties are not entirely universal on campus, though. An additional student shared his experiences being less involved in the election.
“I’m sort of indifferent. I’m unaware of what is happening. I just don’t pay any attention. It doesn’t really concern me either. The only news I get is through YouTube,” Ethan Derstine ‘25 said.
