SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News)– The upcoming election could help shape how graduating college students handle their job searches and student loan payments.
The implications of the election on Syracuse University students could be significant.
Whether it’s through the mail or in-person at Huntington Hall, thousands of these students will cast votes with student debt and job availability in their minds.
Owen Mulroney knows all about the cost of higher education. As a graduating senior at Syracuse, his tuition exceeded $50,000 a year.
He said the election can determine how his student loan debt will be handled.
“It kind of just depends on what the government’s response is going to be. Are we going to try and say higher education is necessary and it’s something that’s going to be subsidized by the government or is it sort of an individualistic approach?” Mulroney said.
While student loan debt stands at an average of $29,000 per person, SU political science professor Mark Brockway said this question may not be answered quite yet.
“Maybe the next president after Biden or Trump might take it up but I’m disappointed that it didn’t make it from the democratic primary to being an issue that the candidates are really hitting on in the national election,” Brockway said.
A more immediate need for Seth Golden is finding a job after he graduates, but he’s optimistic regardless of what happens.
“My two things are advertising and sports which are going to be around no matter what and don’t really get affected too much by politics,” Golden said.
According to a survey of 2019 Syracuse University graduates, 87% were fully or part time employed, interning, serving in the military or attending grad school.
