As the federal government shutdown drags on, Temple University students are left uncertain about how their education and future plans may be affected.
Sophomore Sianna Le, who considers Buffalo, New York, her home, relies heavily on Pell Grants and federal aid to afford college. She said the uncertainty of the shutdown has left her anxious about what comes next.
“It’s definitely a big concern of mine going forward,” Le said. “The potential of me being able to receive Pell Grant next semester—or like, is my Pell Grant gonna get cut? Because I’m already starting to budget things properly.”
She’s not the only one feeling unsettled.
Christopher Birkenstamm, a Temple student with plans to pursue research opportunities, said he’s worried about how a prolonged shutdown might limit federally funded programs.
“If I do want to go and participate in one of these research programs that’s funded by the federal government, how stable is that actually going to be?” he said.
Birkenstamm also pointed out that students preparing to study abroad are already facing complications, since passport applications can’t be processed during the shutdown.
“We can go fill out the application, but they can’t actually process it,” he explained. “And that’s throwing a wrench into our plans.”
Political Science Professor Michael Hagen noted that education-related cuts aren’t surprising under the current administration.
“They’re certainly more likely to be in departments and agencies that are not high priorities for the Trump administration,” Hagen said. “The Department of Education is one.”
Still, Hagen predicts the disruption may be temporary.
“I think no one expects that the shutdown will last more than a week or two at the most,” he said.
But for students like Birkenstamm, the situation is a reminder of bigger issues.
“It’s just a reminder that there’s something wrong with the system and we need to be making change,” he said.
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