As the hype of election week draws to a close, Villanova students are left with a few lingering questions about this presidential race and the effect that it has had on our community in the past year. The campus has come alive, especially in the last few months, with political activity and student involvement in the political process.In 2008, Villanova hosted three major political campaigns: those of Senators Hillary Clinton, John McCain and Barack Obama. We’ve also played host to a number of Pennsylvania Congressional representatives and chalked with fury over our favorite (and least favorite) candidates.

What students should be asking themselves this morning is, with a new president set to take the helm, was there something different in general about this election that made the students more proactive about voting and the political process, or was it the makeup of the student body – a group of more socially conscious and politically active individuals?

Record numbers of Villanovans registered in to vote in Pennsylvania rather than voting by absentee ballot in their home states. Most of the Villanova student body comes from the Northeastern corridor of the United States, which went decidedly Democrat. However, many of these students registered to vote in Pennsylvania with the reasoning that their vote would count “more” in a swing state than it would in their guaranteed-democratic home states.

SGA reported that over 1,100 students used the school-sponsored shuttle to get to the polling places around the Main Line on Tuesday. This is the first general election where the University has sponsored transportation for students to the polling places.

According to student reports, poll workers were noticeably overwhelmed with the number of Villanova students who arrived at Radnor Elementary on Tuesday to exercise their civic duty. There was such a demand for the shuttles that some students even had to wait in the parking lots because they filled up so quickly.

While this has been one of the most important and contentious elections in decades, we believe that the zeal and effort with which Villanovans were involved in this election is a reflection of the makeup of the student body and our concern for issues that matter to our generation. What matters now is if we extend this enthusiasm beyond election day; that is, if we as a community continue to contribute to the political process and to solving the problems that plague our country.