IUSB hosts "State of the Union" watch party for students

SOUTH BEND, Ind. --- Students from Indiana University at South Bend watched President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union address Tuesday night. 

The group tuned into the more than an hour speech and later discussed various topics the President spoke on.

“We’re happy students are following politics even though it can be nasty and divisive,” said Elizabeth Bennion, IUSB American Democracy Project. “I think young people really want to know what’s happening in the nation today and they want to make a difference and make their voices heard.”

Bennion said most students will decipher the speech through quick soundbites. She said it was important for the group on Tuesday to listen to the address in it’s entirely.

The President touched on national security, infrastructure, tax reform, and many other topics. Bennion said what students took away was his “call for unity” message.

“It looks like that call for unity may not be very successful if the faces in the room were any indication,” she said.

Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and some member of the Congressional Black Caucus have people talking about their lack of reaction to Trump’s speech. The group along with many other Democrats stayed seated during many parts of the address.

Click here to read reactions from lawmakers in Indiana and Michigan.