BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY --Friday, about four to five-hundresd students, faculty and staff gathered on Bucknell University’s campus in a demonstration after the election of Donald Trump.
Some students staged a walk-out of classes before the event. then headed
"Students in general had mixed feelings about the results of the election and I believe that this event definitely made true to the fact that the Bucknell community came come together and support each other,” said Jorden Sneed, a Bucknell University student.
University officials say it was a peaceful event, described by students as a sort of open mic session, chance for people to speak their minds.
"We have a lot of students here, students who are immigrants, students of colors, students who are LGBTQ and a lot of those students feel dismayed by the election of someone who has targeted them or at least his rhetoric has targeted them,” said Debra Erickson Sulai, an assistant professor at Bucknell.
"I feel like some of us had to hash some things out and you know in a way that was productive and in a way that was going to allow everyone's voices to be heard in a positive way,” said a student who didn’t want to give his full name.
Bucknell University officials say the event was organized by students.
"We encourage and support dialogue around these issues, we think it's important, conversations that encourage mutual respect and encourage diverse perspectives and I think that's what our students demonstrated,” said Andy Hirsch, Bucknell University’s director of communications.
People who were at the event say it was less about sending a direct message to Trump or to Washington and more about having their voices heard and leaning on each other.
"I know that a lot of my friends are very afraid. There are a lot of people out there saying we should just be quiet and accept the results but there are a lot of us who as Americans know it's our right to talk about it,” said Bucknell graduate student Noel Lampazzi.