Colleges, education groups offer tips for Inauguration Day “anxiety,” travel to DC for Trump’s swearing-in
Educational institutions and college-affiliated groups are preparing for Trump’s president-elect inauguration by offering mental health advice, providing travel notices to international students and organizing anti-Israel rallies.
Most schools will be closed on Inauguration Day, January 20, since it falls on a federal holiday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Similar to Trump’s first inauguration and weeks after his 2024 election victory, universities and education groups are offering different options for students on Monday.
Several anti-Israel university groups in Chicago are planning demonstrations. The University of Illinois Chicago chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJPUIC) and Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) plan to hold a protest against Israel, according to social media posts.
The groups will reportedly meet to “combat Trump’s racist and reactionary agenda,” SJPUIC wrote in an Instagram post.
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Anti-Israel activists gather at Harvard University to show support for the Palestinians in Gaza at a rally in Cambridge, Massachusetts on October 14, 2023. (Joseph Prezioso)
Other schools offer mental health counseling before Republican swearing-in.
Emory University’s Rollin School of Public Health conducted an interview with clinical psychologist Rachel Waford, published in December, about coping with “anxiety” during presidential transitions.
“Americans are experiencing a mix of emotions as Trump prepares to begin his second term as President of the United States. For some, the second Trump administration evokes fear and anxiety,” the article said.
Waford suggested that those suffering from anxiety should stay away from social media or unsubscribe from news outlets. “I would encourage anyone who is currently in this state to think about ways you can tangibly get involved in your life. Get involved in your community, social support and things that bring a sense of safety, security and control,” the psychologist said.
President-elect Trump will be sworn in as president on January 20. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The Close Up Foundation, a civic education nonprofit, offered high school students the opportunity to take a seven-day trip to Washington, DC, for the inaugural celebration in an effort to help “young people see how our national ideals affect us today.”
Meanwhile, in recent weeks, their universities have urged international students to return to the US ahead of the inauguration, arguing that Trump’s plans to crack down on illegal immigration could affect them. A few schools that provide such notices include Cornell University, University of Southern California (USC), Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Penn State.
“The travel ban will likely go into effect shortly after the inauguration,” Cornell University’s Office of Global Learning said in a message to students. “The ban will likely include citizens of countries that were targeted in the first Trump administration: Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Myanmar, Sudan, Tanzania, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen and Somalia. New countries could be added this list, especially China and India.”
USC said in a statement that “this is especially important given that a new presidential administration will take office on January 20 and — as is customary — may issue one or more executive orders affecting U.S. travel and visa processing. “
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LAPD surrounds students protesting in support of the Palestinians at a camp at USC Alumni Park, in Los Angeles, April 24, 2024. (Zaydee Sanchez)
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) also instructed teachers to avoid Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) if they show up at schools.
“We will not allow any law enforcement agency to take any immigration action against our students or their families in our care,” LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said during a press conference in January.
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After Trump won presidential elections in November, Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy offered a “Self-Care Suite” at the school, while Northwestern University offered a “post-election wellness space” that offered students puzzles, snacks and “brain-break activities.”
Fox News’ Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.
