Dear St. Thomas community,
Tomorrow, Election Day, is upon us. As you know, this has been a very divisive and polarizing election season, made even more stressful by the pandemic. Many people across our community, regardless of their political affiliations, are feeling anxious, uncertain, fearful and fatigued.
Today, I ask four things of you:
- Vote. St. Thomas has worked in a nonpartisan manner to educate about the election process. Voting is the best way to make your voice heard. Minnesota is known for high voter turnout and being an engaged and civic-minded state. Let’s keep that up!
- Be patient. We may not know the outcome of this election right away, and that’s OK. That means every vote is being counted.
- Take care of yourself. Be mindful of the stressful and strained emotions impacting you. Our Civic Engagement, Voter Engagement & Education and Advocacy (CEVEA) task force has compiled a list of virtual gatherings, office hours and mental health resources that will be available in the days following the election.
- Be kind to one another. Regardless of the results of the election, we will have classmates and colleagues who will be disappointed. Our St. Thomas convictions call on us to respect the dignity of all people and to value the unique contributions they bring. Please lead with empathy and kindness in your interactions. Be respectful to those with whom you disagree.
I also want to remind all that we do not tolerate any acts of hate or bias on campus. All community members are encouraged to use our bias incident reporting system or contact Public Safety if they experience or witness such an incident.
Our differences in opinions and beliefs help make St. Thomas a vibrant place to learn and grow. I admire how our St. Thomas community continues to support one another and come together as one St. Thomas. Let’s continue to give each other the grace and peace that will help us through these challenging times.
