Finding their political selves

Playing politics in college serves much the same role as did playing house in kindergarten — students learn how to participate in real-life scenarios and experiment with who they are.

Many factors influence whether students go red or blue, including parents' views, peer influence and personal opinions on pressing national issues. Although many students acknowledged their parents' views were somewhat influential, most said in the end the choice was theirs alone.

"[My parents] created a foundation for my political voice," said College Democrats President Amy Hartman, who noted she became more liberal after leaving home. "They generally showed me the importance of being socially aware and politically informed."

When young adults leave for college, their views often shift — sometimes changing course altogether, as they did for senior finance major and former College Democrats President John Allenbach.

"My parents were very staunch Republicans — I grew up watching FOX News," he said. "I was very influenced to be a Republican, and then, kind of as I got out, I was able to form my own views more, and I started to change my mind on a lot of things."

After Republican Scott Brown was elected to Congress as Massachusetts' newest senator, a position held for 47 years by the late Edward Kennedy, a Democrat, the question of political affiliation and its influence on individuals' voting habits has been thrust into the national spotlight.

Students said often the same qualities they found appealing in a political party would also sway them to vote for one candidate over another.

In some cases, however, students said the bandwagon effect can also explain why students vote for or affiliate with one party instead of another.

"I don't think you can deny that there were a lot of voters who saw supporting [President Barack] Obama as the trendy candidate to support," Hartman, a senior government and politics major, said. "At the same time, there were other voters who could give you every minute detail of Obama's platform."

According to a 2008 Harvard University Institute of Politics survey, 40 percent of college students identify as Democrats, 35 percent identify as Independent and 25 percent as Republican.

"I wouldn't like to admit it, but probably being around a lot of like-minded people enforces my values," Allenbach added. "It allows you to think more about other people, not just yourself."

At this age, hot-button social issues take precedence for many young voters, both conservative and liberal students said.

"A woman's right to choose, [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] rights ... these are non-issues for a lot of young people," Hartman said. "They don't understand why anyone wouldn't be in support of them, but for the older generations, these are huge issues."

On the campus, activist groups, university events and even chalked messages on sidewalks are ever-present. This constant stimulation can trigger some students to learn about public policy and get involved.

Clyde Thompson, vice president of public affairs for the College Republicans, also reevaluated his political views during his sophomore year when he delved further into the parties' platforms.

"I finally realized I needed to be politically involved, and I couldn't really get into the message of the Democratic Party," said Thompson, a senior criminology and criminal justice major and the only Republican in his family. "For a long time I considered myself Independent. And I finally looked at the messages ... the hard work message, the personal accountability, the fact that you can't rely on the government for everything. And that really seemed to call out to me."

Regardless of party affiliation, politics becomes a crucial aspect of the college experience for many students looking to figure out their values.

"I think politics serves a different purpose for every person," Hartman said. "For some, it's because they want to run for office at some point. For others, they want to be informed on the issues and have an intelligent conversation. For others, they want to be involved in the moment and have the identity of being part of a group."

gulin@umdbk.com