Franklin & Marshall College hosted three October events discussing issues in the 2024 presidential campaign, two on campus and one in New York City. The discussions continue a long tradition of civic engagement by the College’s alumni, students, faculty and professional staff.

More than 250 alumni and friends were in New York City Oct. 8 as three F&M graduates and political insiders brought their critical analysis and expert perspectives about the election to a panel discussion moderated by Stephen Medvic, the Honorable and Mrs. John C. Kunkel Professor of Government. He was joined by Kenneth Mehlman ’88, partner at Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and former chair of the Republican National Committee; Evelyn Farkas ’89, executive director of the McCain Institute and former deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia; and Modia Butler ’95, partner at Mercury Public Affairs and former chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.).

The following evening and with nearly 300 community members in attendance, F&M’s Barshinger Center was the site for the recording of the “Left, Right and Center” podcast. Co-hosted by former NPR “Morning Edition” host David Greene, the podcast featured a discussion of how “working-class” voters have traditionally been defined and whether that definition still applies. Greene noted that the event was happening right across the street from where he grew up, as his late mother, Terry Greene, was an associate professor of psychology at the College for 17 years. He received an honorary degree from F&M in 2008.

Oct. 22 again brought a large crowd to Barshinger Center, when more than 300 students, faculty and staff, alumni and community members listened to a panel of experts selected by the Council on Foreign Relations discuss international issues and how they might affect the presidential election. Panelists, including Farkas, covered topics from tariffs to immigration and regions from Ukraine to the Middle East. Hundreds more watched the panel via Livestream. F&M was honored to be one of just four Council on Foreign Relations forums in October, all held on college campuses in swing states; the other three were in Arizona, Michigan and Georgia.

In the last three weeks before Nov. 5, students had the opportunity to attend more than one dozen campus programs about the election; several more were scheduled for the days after Election Day. Sponsoring organizations ranged from the Faculty Center to the Common Hour Committee and from the College’s Mindfulness Program to the Office of Community and Belonging. F&M Votes hosts an Oct. 31 Common Hour presentation, “Tipping Point State: The 2024 Election in Pennsylvania,” by Medvic and Berwood Yost, director of F&M’s Center for Opinion Research.