SUNY Schenectady's declared mission and vision states that we are "driven to empower every student in their pursuit of lifelong success," through "equitable practices, innovative education, and community engagement."

We wanted to know: how are we doing? Are we living up to our ambitious goals? Where do we meet our students' needs? Where are we sometimes letting them down?

To help answer these important questions , co-hosts Warren Baynes, Patrick Truax, and faculty host Babette Faehmel are joined by students Lonny Davenport, Angel Parker, Rodney Dukes, Neha Khani, and Jenna Barker.

Tune in to learn what these students see as our greatest assets and where we still have room to grow!

The views voiced on this episode reflect the lived experiences and uncensored opinions of the guests; they do not necessarily capture the full diversity of attitudes within a larger community, nor do they express an official view of SUNY Schenectady.

In Episode 5 of Season 5 we had asked: what is behind youth's growing frustration with our current party system and our political discourse. Is it polarization? Social media? Or is it something different altogether?

Because we ended our previous episode with more questions than answers, for this one, we called on the experts!

To help us think through our many questions, we invited political scientists Wendy Johnson, Sally Friedman, R.J. Haq, and Joseph Scanlon, doctoral researcher Amalini Fernando, and Times Union managing editor for digital content Erica Smith. Together, they unpack what political scientists actually know about polarization, media, and civic engagement, and disentangle for us the many reasons for Americans' frustration with the clickbait style of political news. We end the episode with a discussion of the role each of us can play in positive system transformations that would not even require big constitutional changes, and with an important call on educators to do more to prepare young people for leadership.

As we recorded this episode in the middle of the summer semester, we also, of course, took the time to talk about what the New York Knicks' victory over the San Antonio Spurs can teach us about the importance of keeping up the work, no matter what!

About our Guests:

Amalini Fernando is finishing her doctorate in Political Science at the University at Albany and a Fellow with the Center for Women in Government and Civil Society at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at SUNY Albany.

Wendy Johnson is an Associate Professor of Political Science and the Chair of the Social Science Division at SUNY Adirondack.

Sally Friedman is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at SUNY Albany.

Joseph Scanlon is an Associate Professor of Political Science at SUNY Monroe Community College and a SUNY Civic Discourse and Civic Engagement Fellow from 2024 to 2025.

“R.J.” Haq is the Assistant Director of Civic Engagement at the University at Buffalo, and a SUNY Civic Discourse and Civic Engagement Fellow from 2025-2026.

Mentioned in this episode:

Duverger's law: Theory in political science that says that electoral systems using single-member districts and plurality voting ultimately produce a two-party system.

Russel Dalton, The good citizen : how a younger generation is reshaping American politics (Thousand Oaks, California: CQ Press, 2016)

Gilens, Martin, and Benjamin I. Page. “Testing theories of American politics: Elites, interest groups, and average citizens.” Perspectives on Politics 12, no. 3 (2014): 564–81.

The views voiced on this episode reflect the lived experiences and uncensored opinions of the guests; they do not necessarily capture the full diversity of attitudes within a larger community, nor do they express an official view of SUNY Schenectady.

Internships can transform lives. They help students gain experience, build skills, grow their social capital, get hired, and even earn higher starting salaries! But in spite of these known perks, a mere "35% of first-generation seniors reported participating in an internship" according to 2021 numbers, and a large proportion of students said they were simply not able to afford an internship!

To close this internship opportunity gap, the New York State Governor, the State Legislature, and the SUNY Board of Trustees committed to millions of dollars in funding to support paid internships and to expand access to stipends and wraparound services like transportation and childcare.

To learn more about the opportunities this support could open to our students, co-hosts Ashley Lucie Lumbala, Empire State Service Corps Intern, and Dr. Babette Faehmel, History Professor, invited some of SUNY Schenectady's own most adventurous and resourceful student interns, their professors, and Brandon Aldous, Director of Internships and Employer Partnerships in the Office of Workforce Development and Upward Mobility at the State University of New York System Administration. Join us to hear how to make the most of an internship opportunity and where to find support!

Resources mentioned in the episode:

Harvard/MIT Early Access to Research Training (HEART)

Amgen Scholars Program

SUNY Internships and Employer Partnerships and Workforce Development LinkedIn Page

Career and Transfer Services | SUNY Schenectady

The views voiced on this episode reflect the lived experiences and uncensored opinions of the guests; they do not necessarily capture the full diversity of attitudes within a larger community, nor do they express an official view of SUNY Schenectady.

Youth's faith in the political system is fraying; many of them "feeling underrepresented and underserved," as a recent Tufts Circle survey reported. Concerns about the high cost of living and their own job prospects, frustration with the two-party system and national politics, and distrust of elected officials shape the thinking of many 18- to 29-year-olds today, as numerous studies have documented. We wanted to learn more about what might be behind these findings, and get a sense of what students at SUNY Schenectady are thinking.

Join student co-hosts Ashley Lucie Lumbala and Sion Hardy, and faculty co-host Dr. Babette Faehmel, for a conversation with Warren Baynes, History Concentration; Joseph Holmes, Biotechnology; and Josiah Tanner, undecided, as well as Joan Fucillo with the League of Women Voters of Schenectady, and Jeremy LaMaster, Fiscal Director and Grant Administrator for Workforce Development and Community Education at SUNY Schenectady, and a regional organizer for the Kamala Harris campaign in 2024.

We apologize for the low quality of the audio recording in the first few minutes! We can assure you that it gets better quickly!

Studies mentioned in the episode:

• 2025 Harvard Youth Poll
• 2025 SSRS Blog
• 2024 Tufts University Survey
• 2023 Gallup Poll

The documentary "Majority Rules 101" by Unite America can be found on the organization's website.

The views voiced on this episode reflect the lived experiences and uncensored opinions of the guests; they do not necessarily capture the full diversity of attitudes within a larger community, nor do they express an official view of SUNY Schenectady.

Digital technology is everywhere and social media notifications put a constant demand on our attention. Studies abound that all this pull on our minds, thoughts, and emotions, and the monetization of our user data is not working in our favor! On this episode, hosts Ashleylucie Lumbala, Sion Hardy and faculty co-host Dr. Babette Faehmel ask: What are we losing when we give so much attention to our devices? What are we handing over when we turn to artificial intelligence? And what would it look like if we used the tools in our hands more deliberately for voice and empowerment?

Joining us to discuss the pros and cons of digital technology are Elijah Olivieri, Computer Science student, SUNY Schenectady; Bhawin Suchak, Film Director, Co-Founder, Co-Executive Director YouthFX; Prince Sprauve, Film Director and Founder/CEO of Quiet On Set LLC, and Thomas (Tom) Mackey, Professor in the Department of Arts and Media, SUNY Empire State University. Together, we discuss the impacts of social media, AI, algorithmic manipulation, and how we can regain agency and ensure that our voices are heard.

The views voiced on this episode reflect the lived experiences and uncensored opinions of the guests; they do not necessarily capture the full diversity of attitudes within a larger community, nor do they express an official view of SUNY Schenectady.