Last Saturday, J.D. Vance, the current Republican nominee for vice president, held a rally to gather support for the general election in Behrend’s Erie hall. We interviewed Aarick Zook, a junior here at Behrend who attended the event, to gain some insight into the student perspective regarding the rally. 

Why did you want to attend the rally?

I attended the rally because I wanted to see a vice-presidential candidate in person! Politics aside, it was interesting to experience a political rally firsthand.

Were there many students at the rally?

I saw a good number of students at the rally, but it looked like most of the people there were not students.

 How did you feel about the fact that the rally was held on campus?

 I liked the fact that the rally was on campus. One of the main reasons that I went to the rally was because it was so close, and a lot of students were talking about it.

Is there anything else about this experience that you’d like to  share?

The event didn’t go as I expected. My friend and I showed up just before the event started, thinking we would need to stand in the back. But one of the event organizers approached us and asked if we would like to sit all the way in the front, to Senator Vance’s left. So, we got a great view of the rally without needing to wait a long time in line.

Would you like to have political rallies like this on campus in the future?

Yes, I would! Regardless of political affiliation, rallies at Behrend are a unique chance for students to hear from candidates in person. Students who aren’t interested can opt out, but for students who enjoy learning about the political process, it’s a great opportunity. I appreciate Penn State Behrend’s position to welcome many different speakers to campus without endorsing them. It positions Behrend as a place where students can learn outside of the classroom and engage in real-world conversations.