International Student Voice Magazine Fall 2016 by ISV Magazine

FALL 2 0 1 6

PRESIDENTIAL

ELECTION 2016 Understand how the U.S. Presidential election works and how international students are getting involved

ALSO INSIDE: Microscholarship Winners I Won a Trip Around the World

WELCOME!

from the ISV Magazine Team INTERNATIONAL STUDENT VOICE (ISV) MAGAZINE is for students, by students. If you’re an international student studying in the U.S. or an American student studying abroad, this magazine is for you. You share the experiences and we provide scholarships, news, and resources important to you. Find stories and more on our website and in each fall and spring issue of ISV Magazine! Questions? Contact us at info@internationalstudentvoice.org

Did you

know

More than 1.1 Million International Students study in the United States According to the quarterly SEVIS by the Numbers report released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as of July 2016 there were more than 1.1 million F-1 and J-1 students in the U.S.

Some other

Social Media

FUN statistics

Like us on Facebook Facebook.com/internationalstudentvoice Follow us on twitter Twitter.com/ISVMagazine Follow us on Instagram Instagram.com/ISVMagazine Watch us on YouTube YouTube.com/ISVMagazine Pin with us on Pintrest Pintrest.com/ISVMagazine

International Student Voice Magazine

• 77% of all F&M students come from Asia • China, India, and South Korea sent the most international students to the U.S. • 57% of F&M students from Europe come from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Russia, and Italy

• California, New York, and Texas host the most F&M students • 467,000

international

students study a STEM field

TABLE OF CONTENTS 2

Welcome

Presidential Election Year in the United States

Table of Contents

How my Perception Changed About the United States

How the President is Elected

Who can be President

America v. Russia: How Dating is Different

Who can Vote for President

Aspiring Optometrist, International Student, Volunteer

Program Allows International Students to Volunteer for Presidential Campaigns

Looking Back: Studying Abroad in Argentina, Costa Rica, & South Korea

Our Supporters

We Won a Trip Around the World… and I’m Freaking Out

20 Despite not being able to Vote, International Student Volunteers for Presidential Campaign 21

International Student Observations about the U.S. Election

WHY STUDENTS

ENJOY

international student

voice magazine Testimonial by: Adila Wahdat Eastern Mennonite University | Winner of a $500 scholarship

“This scholarship means so much to me. I have no words to express my happiness right now. It is a great honor to be the winner off this scholarship and I feel extremely happy and excited. It takes some financial burden off my and my family’s shoulders. Once again, thank you so much for your generous scholarship.”

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HOW MY

PERCEPTIONS CHANGED

ABOUT THE UNITED STATES

By: Sheraine Peart Jamaica | Nassau Community College

“I was worried about discrimination.” After hearing this phrase most Americans jump to the defense of their country, I rarely get a chance to expand on the point. New Yorkers are really poor listeners but it makes me smile. I smile because of all my fears about coming to this country, only that one turned out to be true. I had always perceived the United States as being unwelcoming to others. Television broadcasts, of red-faced politicians shouting at each other about immigrants, immigrants who came to steal American jobs and were not “REAL” Americans. Unless, of course, it was election season and then they became the minority vote. I felt that in America, people like me; people who had come to follow our dreams or to make a better life for ourselves were seen as a sort of flesh eating parasite.

The ISV Magazine Microscholarship Program awards $100 scholarships to international students. To learn more please visit www.isvmag.com/ scholarships

I imagined a country filled with those who would see my presence there as taking opportunities from others rather than as working hard to achieve my dreams. It made me sad because I had also seen speeches which spoke of the United States being diverse and accepting land, the land of opportunity. So which one was real? The answer is both. Two months into my studies I realized that I had done to this country what so many people here do to mine; reduce it down to only one aspect of itself. Just as Jamaica is not just reggae and beaches, the United States is far more than its pockets of discriminators. Although a bit brusque (I live in New York) the people here look out for one another. I met two girls in my first semester that treat me like family and they are not the exception to the rule. I shared with them, everything from my first time on a rollercoaster to my first snow. I had a teacher, who helped me buy lunch when I needed it and made friends with store owners in my community, who encourage me as an artist. In this country, if you reach out to people as long as they can they will help. Furthermore, there is so much diversity here, with each nation contributing their culture to the way of life. My friends come from all over, from America to Zimbabwe. Imagine having kimchi (Korean spicy cabbage) with Norwegian rice soup, while your friends argue in Spanish about everything and nothing. Americans live life to the fullest, in the craziest most unexpected way.

So if anything changed about my perception of this country, it is that for all the bad that happens here there is an equal amount of amazingly good people to help you through it, but, like in all countries, you have to reach out for them.

Building relationships in this country takes a lot of work, but it is something I have never regretted doing. It is your chance at a new life; do not let anyone stop you from enjoying it, especially not yourself.

AMERICA VS RUSSIA:

HOW DATING is DIFFERENT By: Polina Durneva Russia | Cornell College

“All we need is love” is what the Beatles were trying to convey to us over many years through their most famous song. Despite the fact that love does have a controlling power over our lives and decisions, this state of mind is not that easy to achieve; but those who do, can enjoy the beauty of sharing their live with a significant other. But, let’s step away from those philosophical talks full of nonsense and truth, and look at the dating culture in the great lands of America. But before I share how drastically different American dating scene is for me, let me tell you a little bit about myself. I come from Moscow, Russia, and this is my third year in the United States. I was an exchange student in Colorado, where I got a chance to graduate from high school, and this year I am starting my junior year at Cornell College in Iowa.

Russia has been holding the stereotypes of highly conservative country, and to be honest I could not agree more. Even if Russian girls might be super obsessed with their looks and clothes, the dating scene is very conservative.

Pursue of serious relationships in Russia starts before you hit your 20’s, and by the age of 25 most of your Russian friends will be already married and probably have kids. My parents started dating when my mother was 16 and my father was 19, and after 3 years they got married. Also, it is important to notice that most (and here, I mean 90%) of credible and lasting relationships are built on the foundation of solid friendship between a man and a woman. So, if you meet someone, you got to be friends with them for at least 3 months before you get intimate. When it comes to the USA, the dating and relationships here are completely of a different mentality. It was of a surprise for me that you can start dating someone a day after you met them, as long as there was a “click” between you both. Americans don’t like wasting their time, and if they see that someone is a good match for them, they don’t hesitate to ask that someone out. Well, obviously, it does not happen all the time, but this was the first impression I got when I was in high school.

In college, dating scene is slightly different from that of high school. How? Well, here the idea of a “hookup culture” is prevalent. I would say that around 70% of my college population is not looking for anything serious, and the actual dating is really rare. Especially when it comes to fraternities and sororities, casual sexual encounters are highly encouraged. Of course, there are people who are dating, but they just found what they were looking for and are completely satisfied with their relationships. Well, college years is the time of your life when you are trying to find yourself and reveal your potential, and the main thing about the hookup culture is that you are trying to find someone who would be the best option for you. It is different in Russia, because there most people just settle for what is available instead of exploring different options. But as one of my American friends said, “In America, people start thinking about marriage and children only after 27 years old.” Furthermore, Internet dating is real in America. In Russia, it is very vague and most people don’t trust it. Young people honestly despise it, and only those who are older than 40 years old may turn to this in a hopeless search for their significant other. Mobile apps such as Tinder is quite popular in the States, and it’s totally normal to meet someone from the Internet. Open-minded and friendly American are not afraid of meeting new people, while in Russia internet dating is not really acceptable. Finally, in Russia people mainly date for the sake of creating a family and having children (this is one of the main priorities of the Russian mentality), while in America you don’t necessarily have to date to get married or have children. It is more democratic and open-minded.

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YANCHI GUO: Aspiring Optometrist, International Student, & Volunteer. By: Medina Tohti Journalism Student at George Fox University

ehind her glasses her attentive eyes and her sunshiny, smiley face is the first impression she gives to everyone. Yanchi Guo, from Shanghai China, is a senior Biology (pre-optometry) student studying at Ohio Northern University (ONU). She came to the states in 2012 and started her American journey as an exchange student at Hillsdale High School in Jeromesville, Ohio. It’s almost been five years living in the States for Yanchi and during these five years, she is not only a diligent student but she has also participated in a variety of activities on and off campus to make her time abroad more meaningful and valuable. During the school years she was honored different types of awards and scholarships: Dean’s list, Shuhaibar Scholarship, ONU Bridging Scholarship, ONU International Visionary, ONU International Scholarship, the Bruce Burton Involvement Award, and the Excellent Exchange Student of the Year. It is not easy for an international student to study Biology here in America, but wanting to be a doctor in the future gives her passion no matter how hard the challenges. “I can’t handle blood, but I want to be a doctor,” Yanchi laughed. “So I thought maybe there won’t be too much blood for being an eye doctor.” Besides being an excellent student based on her grades, Yanchi applied her knowledge she learned from school to help and benefit others. During spring semester 2016, as a Physics Laboratory Assistant, she helped students who had questions about the lab and helped collect and check lab reports. “Being an assistant was a great experience for me during college life,” Yanchi shared. “I learned more than I thought I would.”

International Student Voice Magazine

She also gained internship experience at EYE & ENT Hospital when she visited China during summer vacation. In addition, she volunteered at the St. Rita’s Medical Center as a member of Society of Medical Professionals. As an international student, Yanchi played an important role advocating her Chinese culture and helping new international students accommodate to the campus environment. The first year of her college life she and a Chinese teacher founded the Chinese Culture Organization at ONU. Through this platform she provided opportunities for students and teachers who were interested in Chinese culture to get together by having all kinds of events, such as movie nights and Chinese New Year celebrations. Summer of 2014, Yanchi volunteered to be an international student greeter during orientation. She helped greet new students at the airport and helped them in various settling-in tasks, such as opening a bank account and shopping for groceries. When I asked her why she spends so much time and energy organizing and helping international students even under the stress of enormous school work she replied, “I never want to be a leader and bossing around the students. I am only a server and this is how I see myself.” All these events she has done is just a part of her life in America, but more importantly to know is how much she loves life and the importance of having positive attitude toward everything. “My friend said she never saw me get angry,” she laughed. Yanchi had her fair share of unpleasant experiences. When she first came to the States, she went through a very hard situation. Her first host-family treated her

very badly in some ways that made her very upset. But the whole time she still reacted respectfully and tried her best to stay strong. “Every time when I think of it I still feel a little sad, but I have to say thanks to them, otherwise I wouldn’t have met my second host-family,” Yanchi explained. “They are very nice to me and we still keep in touch.” Yanchi Guo, a twenty-year-old Chinese girl, living positively in all aspects of her life. She said she wants to be a simple person, but what she has contributed to herself and to others in these years living alone so far away from home is not simple at all.

LOOKING

BACK: STUDYING ABROAD IN ARGENTINA, COSTA RICA, & SOUTH KOREA By: Medina Tohti Journalism Student at George Fox University

ngela Chu is finishing up her last year in college at Ohio Northern University and is ready to pursue a career with her doctorate degree in pharmacy and a bachelor’s degree in Spanish. Looking back to her college life, the most unforgettable experience she had certainly was studying abroad in several different countries. She has been to Argentina to study intensive Spanish, Costa Rica to study medical Spanish, and South Korea to study adulthood aging and health. She studied in each country during the summertime. Majoring in Spanish was the reason why she started her study abroad journey at first place. “It’s scary at first, definitely, because you don’t know the language very well, even I studied the language for five years before I left,” Angela explained. The trip to Argentina ended up being her favorite because she fell in love with the romantic cities, the art, the music and ubiquitous cafés. In addition to the environment that she loved so much, the most important part was that in Argentina she met one of her best friends. She only lives an hour and a half away from Angela back in Ohio, but they wouldn’t have met if it wasn’t for studying abroad together. “We were trying to find this dessert, we went all over the city but couldn’t find it,” Angela started. “We spent four hours looking for it, but we got lost and couldn’t figure out how to get home. It was scary, but it’s one of the most memorable experiences we have.” In Costa Rica, Angela had a unique experience zip lining while monkeys were swinging through the trees next to her. In South Korea her favorite time was the mud festival on the beach.

“It’s addicting, once you travel one time you keep wanting to go out more and more to different countries,” Angela shared. “It also helps you grow a lot; it’s a lot of problem solving. Traveling is different because people tell you what to do, but studying abroad you have to live the life [there].” Having a host family, Angela suggested, is the best way to learn the culture and make friends from the host country. She had the chance to eat the homemade food and practice her Spanish by talking to their kids. “My family in Costa Rica, they treated me like one of their own and all of them still Facebook me,” Angela explained. “They even invited me to their son’s wedding. We are still very close, even though it has been two years since I was there.” When Angela came back from studying abroad she found herself more open-minded. She is more aware of how other people think, how other governments are run and how to communicate with people from different cultures. Because of liking the experiences she had in these courtiers so much, Angela ended up working for the company that she studied abroad for. She helps students at her university find their own way to study abroad. “This is such a life changing experience and you can only do it in college,” Angela shared. “And it’s a lot different from traveling by yourself. Try it one time, it challenges you and makes you a better person mentally and emotionally!”

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WE WON A TRIP

AROUND THE WORLD... & I’M FREAKING OUT!

A single mom shares on her and her daughter won a trip to live in four countries around the world for an entire year. By: Lynda Barnett

s I look at the huge piles of stuff on my floor, everything starts to merge into one giant pile of stuff. I’m trying to remember which was the “keep” pile and which was the “give away” pile. Moving is always a task, isn’t it? It can be fun and exciting! But, still – it’s such. a. task. This recent task, however, is quite the beast. My 8-year-old daughter and I are going to be moving out of our home and into the unknown. We’re traveling the world together for one year. The world meaning four different countries – Czech Republic, Thailand, South Africa, and Panama. Ok, so…maybe not the ENTIRE world, but you get the idea. So, this is sort of unprecedented, right? I’ve gotten responses from people that can be easily summed up into this: “OHMYGOD, OHMYGOD, OHMYGOD THAT’S AMAZING! Wait! How, what, huh?!”. And, trust me, I know how you feel, because I feel the same way. But, like, tenfold and then some. But, let me backtrack a bit.

March 13th

March 20th

{ } HOW

did we win this contest? Well, I’m going to blame my mom. Yup. This is TOTALLY my mom’s doing.

Before this date, I decided to join a little group that I discovered on Facebook called “Wandering Moms”. It was so cool and very inspirational. It consists of moms from all over the globe who want to give their children the world by providing them with enriching travel experiences. All of the moms share their travel tips and tricks, travel deals, etc. I briefly remember one of the founding ladies of the group, Libryia, mention that she has an organization called My Wander Year. So, I hopped on over to the website to see what it was all about. The first thing I see is, “We are cultivating a community of 30 – 50 individuals who will travel the globe for one year. We will learn new things, gather new experiences, and make lifelong connections.” Nice, nice. I do more digging around to look up the cost. The price is seriously a steal for everything that’s provided – round trip airfare, apartments in each country, wifi, monthly guided excursions, sim cards, work space, and more – but, I personally knew that this wasn’t something I could realistically afford or take a gamble on. So, I walked away from the site a bit disappointed. So, where was I? Right. March 13th. My mom calls me in the afternoon to frantically tell me that, “the My Wander people are doing some type of live video announcement tonight at 8 p.m.” I asked, “What kind of announcement?” “I don’t know. But, it seemed really important.” “Haha, okay mom.” I think after hanging up I laughed and rolled my eyes a little. Because I’m still my mother’s child. But she seemed so excited by it so I made a mental note to just watch whatever this announcement was. So, at 8 p.m., there I was, watching this live video announcement. The announcement was that My Wander Year decided to hold a contest to sponsor a single mom to come on the trip with them for the entire year.

The deadline to enter into the contest. Among the requirements to enter was that we had to create a 90 second video that explained “who you and your child(ren) will be after returning from this journey. Now, 90 seconds is not long at all. However, I knew that I had to do something to stand out from the crowd. The wheels started spinning in my head and the video I wanted to create was going to take some work. Work…and a lot of time. For a week, in addition to the usual, busy, evening routine, I went about the task of creating this video: filming snippets of our lives with my smartphone, writing a script, recording voice overs, downloading music, downloading audio/video editing apps, googling how to actually use said apps, getting frustrated, taking breaks from the frustration, and then coming back to it. You get the picture. On March 20th, I uploaded our video to YouTube to complete the final portion of the contest entry. I was very proud of the work that we did. But all I could do after entering was wait. So I waited, But I didn’t wait long because there was another announcement 3 days later.

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}

March 23rd

My Wander Year announces that they decided to extend the contest until March 31st.

March 23rd to March 31st

FREAK.OUT.

March 31st

The contest ends (again) and then the real waiting began. So, I just…waited. And waited and waited. I waited until April 21st.

April 21st

April 21st to April 30th

May 1st to May 7th

May 8th

I get an e-mail from the My Wander Year Team informing me that we were chosen as one of four finalists and that the winner would be announced on Sunday, May 8th – Mother’s Day. The winner would be chosen based on a combination of internal judging and online votes from the public. We were one of the top 4 finalists in a contest. And not just any contest. A contest for a trip AROUND THE WORLD! It was a weekday and I saw the e-mail right before leaving the house to go to work. A mad race to the finish line commences. And BOY, did it commence. In the form of voting. That voting period was absolutely insane. I knew I had to think outside of the box because the competition was so fierce. Like, crazy fierce. Our video was good, but so were the others. Outside of reaching out to family and friends on social media, I contacted my daughter’s school district and dance studio and asked them to spread the word. I also reached out to as many media people/platforms. No one really took the bait, but I didn’t quit. We made fliers with a QR code that people could scan with their smartphones which would then lead them directly to the website to vote for us. And we would leave them in random places. We left them everywhere. I even went so far as to reach out to a best-selling author who happened to write…err…steamy adult novels. And she posted the e-mail that I sent her on her social media page. So, that was something, right? After a very long week of a rollercoaster of voting results – going from first place, to second place, to last place, to 2nd place, to first, to second, and back again – voting finally ended. The only thing I wanted to do after voting ended at 11:59:59pm on April 30th, was sleep. And. I. Slept. The Wait. The waiting definitely wasn’t as hard as the video-making and voting period. But, it was still difficult. I didn’t know the outcome of anything but was trying to stay optimistic and just thankful to even be in that position. I WAS thankful; but, man, that wait! I was on pins and needles and STILL barely sleeping because I’m just anxious to know the results. I get an e-mail from Libryia asking if she can skype with me to ask me a few more questions about my application and to verify some information before they make a final decision. Now, listen. You already know the ending to this story. So, in hindsight, I suppose that e-mail should have been an obvious ruse to me. A dupe. A scam. A sham. Trickery in its purest form. But, I didn’t catch on and I eagerly responded to the e-mail like, “OMGOMG Yes, anything you want. Ask me anything, ask me all the questions. I will happily and eagerly respond to whatever. As long as it speeds up the WAITIIIING! Eeeeeeek.” Maybe I didn’t literally say that, but it probably came across that way. Can you blame me? So, we skype. Initially there were technical difficulties. My sound wasn’t working. I was screaming internally. I was shaking. Like, what. On. EARTH. Else. Could. She. Want. To. know?! So, things start working and she asks questions while I have mind blanks and ramble. And half way through my rambling, she interrupts me and tells me that we won the contest.

I scream.

I scream for Rae to come over and scream at her that we won. She’s in shock, but super excited because this is all we had been eating, sleeping, breathing, and thinking about for weeks. And the unknowing was finally over. More importantly, all of our hard work paid off and we won.

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The presidential election in the United States is coming up in November 2016. In this issue we’re explaining how the U.S. presidential election works, what you need to know about the two major candidates, and even though international students in the U.S. can’t vote, we’re looking at how some are still getting involved with the election.

Donald Trump

Campaign Slogan: Make America Great Again EDUCATION: • Bachelor’s in Economics, University of Pennsylvania BACKGROUND: • Took over the family business, the Trump Organization in 1971 after graduating college and became one of the most well-known real estate developers in New York. • Trump became more well-known after starring in the hit NBC series The Apprentice and The Celebrity Apprentice. what supporters say about TRUMP: • He has an “I don’t care” attitude, says what he wants, and appears that he can’t be “bought” since he has his own money. • He has a strong, hardline stance on immigration reform. • He is not the typical politician and he appears confident. what OPPOSERS say about TRUMP: • He does not have the temperament to be President of the U.S. • He encourages a division within the country with statements regarding Muslims, African Americans, and Mexican citizens and immigrants. • He does not have the experience to be President. 12 International Student Voice Magazine

REPUBLICAN

PRESIDENTIAL E

ELECTION YEAR DEMOCRAT

Hilary Rodham Clinton

Campaign Slogan: Stronger Together EDUCATION: • Bachelor of Arts, Wellesley College • Juris Doctor, Yale University BACKGROUND: • First Lady of the United States from 1993-2001 • U.S. Senator for New York 2001-2009 • Ran for U.S. President in 2007, but lost the Democrat party nomination to Barack Obama • Appointed Secretary of State by President Obama and served from 2009-2013 • Became the first woman in U.S. history to become the presidential nominee of a major political party what supporters say about clinton: • Her experience and background, especially in foreign policy, make her the most qualified candidate. • She is a firm believer in women’s rights. • If elected, she would be the first woman to be president of the U.S. what OPPOSERS say about clinton: • She’s had too many scandals, from the 2012 attacks in Benghazi that led to the death of the U.S. Ambassador and an Information Management Officer, to being investigated by the FBI for using her family’s private email server for official communications rather than official State Department email accounts maintained on federal servers while she was Secretary of State. • She has lied too much and can’t be trusted. • Opposers feel Clinton will reduce gun rights.

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HOW THE

PRESIDENT

OF THE

UNITED STATES is ELECTED By: Robert Alexander Professor and Chair of the Department of History, Politics, and Justice | Ohio Northern University. About the author: He has been recognized for his teaching through numerous teaching awards and has published three books, including his most recent book titled Presidential Electors and the Electoral College. He has appeared on C-SPAN, MSNBC, and NPR and contributed to CNN.com, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the

Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Toledo Blade, and the Huffington Post.

he United States has a presidential system with two main political parties—Democrats and Republicans. The current president, Barack Obama is a Democrat. He is finishing his second term and succeeded George W. Bush, who was a Republican. Generally, Democrats are more liberal while Republicans are more conservative. The term of a president is four years and they are limited to two terms of office. Presidential contests attract a great deal of media attention and large sums of money are spent campaigning during the course of the election. In 2012, approximately $7 billion was spent on the election. The campaign for the presidency consists of several stages:

The Nomination Process: Each party has candidates who compete to be their party’s nominee in the general election. All states do not vote at the same time. Instead, states hold their elections at different times throughout the year. The earliest contest is in the state of Iowa. This year, it took place February 1st. The final contest was held in June. This year, Republicans had 17 individuals who sought to be the nominee, while Democrats only had 3 individuals seek the nomination. Donald Trump won the Republican nomination and was formally chosen as their candidate at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio in July. Hillary Clinton won the Democratic nomination and was formally chosen as their nominee in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the end of July. Donald Trump is an American businessman, who gained a great deal of popularity because he is not a typical politician. Many Americans are frustrated with politics and are looking for something different. The fact that Mr. Trump has no political experience is seen as a benefit to many of his supporters. Hillary Clinton is the wife of former President, Bill Clinton and was also a United States Senator from New York, and served as the Secretary of State for the United States from 2009 to 2013. She is the first female candidate to be nominated by a major political party in the United States.

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The General Election: To win the presidency, presidential candidates most receive a majority of votes in the Electoral College. To understand the Electoral College, you must understand a bit about representation in the United States. The U.S. is a federal system with shared powers between the national government and 50 state governments. This is reflected in the national legislature, which is divided into two chambers. The House of Representatives has 435 members and is determined by population. States with more citizens, receive greater representation. In the United States Senate, all states receive two representatives (equaling 100 total Senators). This gives greater representation to lesser populated states. The Electoral College combines the representation of the House of Representatives (435) with that of the Senate (100) for 535 electoral votes. The District of Columbia also receives 3 votes, bringing the total number of electoral votes to 538. These electoral votes correspond to the amount of representation each state has in the House of Representatives and the Senate. For instance, California has 53 Representatives and 2 Senators, so they are given 55 electoral votes. Wyoming has one Representative and 2 Senators, so it has 3 electoral votes. It takes 270 electoral votes (a majority of the Electoral College) to win the presidency. Candidates collect electoral votes on a state-bystate basis. So, on November 8, 51 separate contests will be held across the country. In most states, as long one candidate receives more votes than their opponent, they are awarded all of the state’s electoral votes. For example, if Hillary Clinton receives 7 million votes in California to Donald Trump’s 6.99 million, she would receive all of California’s 55 electoral votes. Throughout the campaign, Clinton and Trump will focus their attention on several states where the contest is very close. These include states like Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, and Colorado. The number of Democrats and Republicans in these states is very similar. The presidential election will largely be decided by these “battleground” states. Many other states will receive little attention because they are not competitive. Citizens in battleground states receive a lot of attention from the candidates— from campaign commercials, to phone calls, to visits from politicians. After citizens vote on November 8, Congress will meet to certify the outcome on January 6, 2017. The new president will take office on January 20, 2017. This is known as the Presidential Inauguration and it takes place with a great deal of fanfare in Washington, DC. At this time, the new president will take an oath to “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

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Alaska 3

California 55

Oregon 7

Nevada 6

Washington 12

New Mexico 5

Colorado 9

Texas 38

Louisiana 8

Ohio 18

Tennessee 11

Pennsylvania 20

New York 29

Vermont 3

http://state.1keydata.com/state-electoral-votes.php

Florida 29

South Carolina 9

North Carolina 15

Maryland 10

Delaware 3

Rhode Island 4 Connecticut 7 New Jersey 14

Massasschusetts 11

Maine 4

New Hampshire 4

West Virginia Virginia 5 13

Georgia 16

Kentucky 8

Indiana 11

Michigan 16

Mississippi 6 Alabama 9

Arkansas 6

Illinois 20

Wisconsin 10

Missouri 10

Iowa 6

Minnesota 10

Oklahoma 7

Kansas 6

Nebraska 5

South Dakota 3

North Dakota 3

Number (#) represents electoral votes for each state, which is based on the 2010 US Census.

Presidential Election States

Wyoming 3

Montana 3

Hawaii 4

Utah 6

Arizona 11

Idaho 4

538 Electoral College Votes, 270 are needed to win the

Out of

PRESIDENT WHO CAN BE

OF THE UNITED STATES?

t’s definitely been an election year unlike any other in the United States and that’s mostly due to the two main candidates running for the position. You have Donald Trump who is known for being “unscripted” and making some unfavorable statements. Then you have Hillary Clinton who seems to be dodging one “scandal” after another. As you read in the last article, each party has candidates who compete to be their party’s nominee. In order to be the nominee we wanted to share exactly who can be President of the United States. Both U.S. citizens as well as international students have asked, “Of all the people in the United States, these are the two main candidates?” As you read in the last article, each party has candidates who compete to be their party’s nominee. In order to be the nominee we wanted to share exactly who can be President of the United States.

NATURAL BORN CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES

Who EXACTLY can be President of the United States?

International Student Voice Magazine

This seems pretty simple, as it sounds like the person must have been born in the United States. However, it is one that is challenged the most often. Legal experts explain that this actually means someone is a citizen from birth and didn’t have to go through a naturalization process. Here is an example: Ted Cruz (R), a senator from Texas, was the first official candidate for president. However, he was born in Calgary, Canada. His mother was a U.S. citizen and his dad was from Cuba. The U.S. Constitution grants citizenship to anyone born outside of the country as long as one parent is a U.S. citizen, who had lived in the country for at least five years and at least two of the years was after the parent’s 14th birthday. So even though Ted Cruz wasn’t born in the U.S., he was still eligible to run for president.

Who can

Each state may have slightly different requirements, but to keep it simple, to be eligible to vote in the United States you must be:

- A U.S. citizen - At least 18 years old

during the Presidential Election?

Some states allow 17-year-olds to vote in primary elections or register to vote if they will be 18 before the general election. Meet your state’S residency requirement Not claim the right to vote in another state (for example: you try to vote in Ohio but claimed the right to vote in New York)

However, there are some people who are not permitted to vote. Again these rules may be different depending on the states:

- Anyone who was in JAIL FOR A CRIME -

In some states, those who are not in jail but on parole or on probation for a crime are not eligible to vote. Anyone who is judged incompetent by a court

There are some people who won’t be able to vote the day of the election because they will not be in their registered voting area. For example: U.S. citizens who live abroad. Citizens can request an absentee ballot that they would complete and then mail back. Image courtesy goconqr.com

MUST BE 35 YEARS OLD The youngest person to be elected president was John F. Kennedy, who was 43 when he was inaugurated in 1961. There is no maximum age to be president. Ronald Regan was the oldest president, who was 77 at the end of his term in 1988.

MUST HAVE LIVED IN THE UNITED STATES FOR AT LEAST 14 YEARS It’s not really sure how 14 years was decided upon, however, constitutional experts said it’s important that the candidate has actually been present and living in the country for a certain period of time. This is a requirement that is ever barely disputed for a candidate.

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PROGRAM ALLOWS INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS TO

VOLUNTEER

FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAMPAIGNS

hat’s the best way to learn about the presidential election in the United States? Aside from doing the typical reading and research, some students are learning from first-hand experience by volunteering for a candidate’s campaign. Students from around the world traveled to the U.S. for a short-term program just to volunteer for one of the presidential candidate’s campaigns. The University of Akron in Ohio offered this opportunity through the International Campaign Fellows program. Students not only learn about the presidential election, but they also understand what it takes to run an election campaign. “There are two major aspects to this program,” Hari Kasula, the Deputy Director of the ICF program explained. “Have students witness and experience how an election campaign is run and to see why campaigns do certain things understanding political culture, emotions, and psychology.”

Be sure to follow International Student Voice Magazine at www.isvmag. com to read more about the experiences of international students participating in the ICF program.

Students who participate in the program arrived in early September 2016 for orientation and then were assigned to different locations in Ohio to help with a candidate’s campaign based on their interests. For example, if a student wanted to have more experience with social media in a campaign, then they would be assigned to assist with social media outreach. The students will volunteer through the presidential election, regroup to reflect about the experience, and return home. One major aspect of the program is that students live with an American family during the program.

“It’s important that students eat and live with an American family because it’s about understanding and exchanging cultures,” Kasula explained. He continued to explain when students understand American culture, they understand how it affects political campaigns. More than 20 students from India and Liberia signed up to participate in the ICF program. But according to the program founder and Director, Gerald (Jerry) Austin, these are not traditional international students. “The participants are not 18-yearsold, they are between the ages of 25-35,” Austin explained. “These people are the future leaders of their countries and the experience will help with campaigns back in their own countries.”

One of the students participating in the program is Laggani Srinivas, who is a student at the Indian Institute of Management in Calcutta, India, as well as an entrepreneur and is involved in socio-political activities.

“I sincerely feel there is no such program in the world which provides an opportunity to academics and political enthusiasts to work as closely with political parties, “Srinivas shared. “It provides wonderful exposure to outsiders how U.S. people elect their president.” Through the ICF program Srinivas volunteered for the Hillary Clinton campaign helping with strategic campaigning. “As being a leader and an influencer to many political leaders in my society, an exposure to this extent will surely help me to grow and also to serve our people more efficiently,” Srinivas explained. This is the first time the program is being offered and according to Kasula, there wouldn’t be any better time to launch such a program. “This is history in the making,” Kasula said. “With a woman as the candidate for one major political party and another major political party nominating a candidate who has no political experience, the world is watching us, let’s open the window.”

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DESPITE NOT BEING ABLE TO VOTE,

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

VOLUNTEERS

hile in Singapore, little did Tarini Miglani knew that when she was searching for a liberal arts college in the United States, it would eventually lead her to being involved in the 2016 presidential election. Born in India, Miglani lived in Singapore for the last eight years taking a variety of subjects. Still not sure exactly what she wanted to study and wanted to be open to options, her eyes fell on Wellesley College, a private, all-women’s, liberal-arts college just outside of Boston. Wellesley College’s mission of creating women leaders immediately grabbed her attention. “I knew I wanted to be a part of such a community,” Miglani said. “When I received my acceptance, I started looking into alumnae of the college and of course Hillary Clinton is one of them. At the time

International Student Voice Magazine

she had just declared her candidacy and I began to follow her campaign and read more about her. I was more inspired by her, so going to Wellesley in the fall I knew I wanted to get involved in her campaign.” After arriving on campus in fall 2015, Miglani would soon join the Wellesley Students for Hillary student organization, a group of students committed to electing Hillary Clinton the next President of the United States. The main focus of the group is to engage and generate support for Hillary Clinton both on and off campus by phone banking, canvassing, as well as by organizing lectures and discussions on her policies. “When I first joined, I was definitely hesitant about the canvassing aspect, which is when we knock on people’s doors talking to voters and trying to convince them to vote for Hillary,” Miglani explained. “I’ve never done anything like this before and the country and its people were still so foreign to me.” Being paired with another student who was experienced in canvassing put Miglani at ease and is now one of the things she enjoys doing the most.

“I really started to enjoy canvassing because it allowed me to see America in a different light,” Miglani explained. “Most of our canvassing trips are to New Hampshire because it’s a battleground state. We knocked on doors in some very wealthy neighborhoods and some lower income areas. Seeing the contrast and speaking to residents in both neighborhoods allowed me to experience a different side of America beyond my college life.”

FOR PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN

One memorable experience from canvassing was the time she was invited into a home in New Hampshire because the family was undecided on which candidate to vote for. “They were on the fence about Hillary, but as I spoke about why I supported her and shared with them that I was an international student and could not actually vote, yet I am so invested in this, they were convinced about her,” Miglani explained. The presidential election in the United States is one that many people around the world watch and just because Miglani can’t vote in the election, she feels it’s still important for international students to at least be aware of the candidates and what plans they have for the country if elected. “Although we are international students, we are ultimately living in the United States and it is very important to be engaged and aware who the president is,” Miglani explained. “This is not to say that every international student must actively campaign for a candidate, but rather it is important for international students to be mindful of the political situation in the country.” This year leading up to the election Miglani is now the director of phonebanking, so she is responsible for planning weekly sessions where volunteers make calls to voters across the country. Her advice for any international student who is thinking about getting involved in a campaign? “Go for it! It’s a unique opportunity and one that can teach you a lot,” Miglani said. If you are interested in volunteering for Hillary Clinton’s campaign in your state, visit www.hillaryclinton.como/states If you are interested in volunteering for Donald Trump’s campaign in your state,

www.donaldjtrump.com/volunteer

MY OBSERVATION ABOUT THE U.S.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND THE NOMINEES

By: Lin Katrine Brusletten Norway | University of Central Oklahoma

t is clear that the election coming up this November has greatly engaged the American population. In addition, news about the candidates and their statements have made it far across the world. As a Norwegian student in the U.S., I like to keep track of the news in my home country. At several occasions during the summer, I have been surprised to find news about the election making the front pages of my country’s biggest newspapers. Trump’s radical expressions and Hilary’s questionable behavior have engaged people across the world in a way that I believe no presidential election has ever done. How does this news make it so far? And why do people care?

My first thought is that the election of the American president is, in fact, the election of one of the world’s most powerful people. Because the U.S. has such an influence all over the world, their presidential election do affect everyone. My second thought is concerning the candidates. It surprises me, that of all the 318 million people living in the U.S., it has come down to the two candidates that we have today. I would imagine that it would have been possible to find someone better suited for the position. I think both candidates greatly stress the familiar saying that “all publicity is good publicity.” My concern is then: how do two so controversial and debated candidates become the nominees of the two biggest political parties in the U.S.?

Hilary Clinton comes from a known family, she has the experiences needed for the position, and I also do believe her holding office will not affect the U.S. a great deal. There will be some angry republicans that might cause some problems, but other than that, I feel that it will remain status quo. However, if remaining things unchanged is the best idea, that is a different discussion. Trump also had a known name before entering politics. He also represent something new. I do believe he will try to change the U.S. It might work, or it might fail terribly. There is no question that his character can be a little distasteful to some. He seems to lack the political filter that most politicians frequently use. To some, this disrespectful, straight-forward honesty seems appealing compared to how most politicians express themselves. I see how both can appeal to different parts of the population. My final observation, and maybe what surprises me the most, is the process. Dividing the political environment of a country into two strictly separated parties, is not a desirable way to do things. In this way, the U.S. creates two majority groups, existing side by side, that are not able to compromise or agree on important matters. To me, this is a recipe for war. If the differences become too big and there is no way to cooperate, both groups are going to feel threatened and uprising is doomed to occur.

As an international student in the U.S., I believe that the country would benefit from more political parties gaining power. I think that the focus of the campaigns should evolve around political goals and not the candidates and their character or life (even though this also matters.) I think corruption; including enormous sponsorships given to candidates from corporations and individuals, should be limited greatly. I am excited about this upcoming election and looking forward to see where it will take the country.

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The U.S. Presidential Election is this November. What has been your observations so far about the election process and the presidential nominees?

he campaigns for the U.S. Presidential Election 2016 has been interesting thus far, but I am beginning to worry about the future of our world. My general views about Democrats or Republicans excludes what I have seen in both Mrs. Hilary Clinton and Mr. Donald Trump, who both inspired me to become a leader. Clinton’s charisma, humility and vigor was demonstrated in her campaigns and every other time she has addressed the public. While I admire Trump’s bravery and initiative to lead, the hate that he seeks to inject has only turned into my feelings towards him.

I believe that we share a planet and we do not need to be selfish or arrogant towards each other. By: Chandi Samlall Guyana | Borough of Manhattan Community College, CUNY

Perhaps Mr. Trump means well in the long-run and Mrs. Clinton might just be acting. But it all boils down to politicians being selfish and there is really no one in politics who really wants to make the lives of others easier. With promises we’re sure that won’t be kept and even the one that will be, where are we headed as a nation? Only time can tell.

he U.S. presidential election has a very interesting election process because it is exciting to watch how the nominees are allowed to slander one another on live television. I have researched a lot of information on the two candidates still in the race. I have learn that Donald Trump is the republican representative and a real-estate heir turned real-estate failure turned recovered mogul turned reality-TV star turned politician while Hillary Clinton is the democratic representative, a trained attorney, former secretary of state in the Obama administration, former senator of New York and former first lady. I have observed that the republican representative Donald Trump is a master of manipulation. He always baits the press and the press keeps taking the bait which is giving him free coverage thereby keeping his campaign afloat. He said this in a recent interview “One thing I’ve learned about the press is that they’re always hungry for a good story, and the more sensational the better … If you are a little different, or a little outrageous, or if you do things that are bold or controversial, the press is going to write about you.” Don’t get me wrong, Hillary Clinton isn’t any better. She plays the female card a lot, i know that if she should win the election it will be phenomenal because she will be the first female president in America and that will change the world because it will push other countries to follow suit but there should be more to her campaign, it shouldn’t just be that.

All in all I trust Americans to make the right decision and choose the best even in most people are just going to vote for the lesser evil.

International Student Voice Magazine

By: Taiwo Obanikoro Nigeria | Houston Community College

t is no surprise that more and more people have taken interest in this Presidential Election Process this campaign season, needless to say, I am one of them. This campaign has been very different from the regular norm of politics and elections in the United States' record. Not only is it the first time that a woman is the presidential nominee of a major party- Hillary Clinton, it is also the first time that a real estate business tycoon is running for president and of the very many things, it is also the first time a presidential election has taken this turn, especially in the republican party- Donald Trump. I am no stranger to elections being that I have always been intrigued by politics, political affairs and the process but this is definitely “foreign” to me both figuratively and literally. Hillary Clinton has faced several challenges throughout this election, ranging from the use of private email server for work purposes to her top contributors to the Clinton Foundation and how it influenced her tenure in office and also to the seemingly unending battle that she is using the fact that she is a woman to influence potential voters decision which on the other hand one can argue that it is not necessarily a bad thing. On the other hand, there is Donald Trump who is brutal and seems to be unfiltered with his choice of words. He has been called names for his comments, insults and backlash on black people, Hispanics, Muslims and even disabled individuals. At first it seemed to single him out from the very many republican candidates, which aided him to clinch the republican presidential nominee ticket. It appears that reality is beginning to set in for the rest of the population as they weigh the two dominant candidates they have to choose from. Of recent the polls seem to be in favor of Hillary Clinton, with the exemption of her being sanctioned for her email scandal. The polls said that she is leading in the “most win” states by almost double points, and majority of the black community, Hispanics and women are behind her. Donald Trump still leads among white male voters.

By: Chibuzor Ogbonna Nigeria | Lansing Community College

However, if there is one thing that has stood out to me this time is that this election is unpredictable. As the presidential election is coming to an end, one can only hope for the best in the end and I am excited to see how the rest of it unfolds.

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