StudentNation

StudentNation is a program of the Nation Fund for Independent Journalism and is made possible through generous funding from the Puffin Foundation. StudentNation focuses on first-person accounts from student activists, organizers, and journalists and has helped launch the careers of contributors to The New York TimesVoxBusiness InsiderTeen Vogue, the Guardian, and more. If you’re a student and you have an article idea, please send pitches and questions to [email protected]

Student “ICE Out” protests at UCLA in January 2026.

How Can Universities Protect Their Immigrant Students? How Can Universities Protect Their Immigrant Students?

With federal cuts and heightened fear on campus, first-generation students at schools like UCLA are asking their institutions to defend and expand their right to education.

Mar 23, 2026 / StudentNation / Lucy Wong Ryniejski

President Donald Trump speaks to the press in October after signing an executive order to allow construction of an access road to the Ambler mining district in Alaska.

Trump’s Plan for “Energy Dominance” in Alaska Is a Pipe Dream Trump’s Plan for “Energy Dominance” in Alaska Is a Pipe Dream

A natural gas pipeline has been proposed once again in the 49th state, but advocates and critics alike are skeptical.

Mar 19, 2026 / StudentNation / Raphaela Gold

Inside the “ICE Off Campus” Movement

Inside the “ICE Off Campus” Movement Inside the “ICE Off Campus” Movement

Amid repression from the Trump administration, students nationwide are forming alliances with faculty groups, unions, and alumni to protect undocumented and international students...

Mar 11, 2026 / StudentNation / Heather Chen

Volunteers with New York Common Pantry help to prepare food packages on October 30, 2025, in New York City.

Students in New York Are Going Hungry. How Can Mamdani Help? Students in New York Are Going Hungry. How Can Mamdani Help?

With plans for city-owned grocery stores and a focus on affordability, the new mayoral administration offers fresh hopes of successfully confronting the food crisis among students...

Mar 5, 2026 / StudentNation / Nikole Rajgor

Students gather at the Gregory Gym Plaza on UT-Austin's campus in a rally on February 16 to oppose the elimination of race, ethnic, and gender studies departments.

What Will Be Left After the University of Texas Destroys Itself? What Will Be Left After the University of Texas Destroys Itself?

UT-Austin has collapsed its race, ethnic, and gender studies into a single program while a new policy asks faculty to avoid “controversial” topics. But the attacks won’t end there...

Mar 3, 2026 / StudentNation / Aaron Boehmer

Students at the University of Central Florida take part in a campus protest against the ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza.

The American Universities Programming Israel’s Killer Drones The American Universities Programming Israel’s Killer Drones

Industry partnerships in higher education are pushing STEM graduates into the business of weapons manufacturing and genocide profiteering.

Feb 27, 2026 / StudentNation / Julian Cooper

US President Donald Trump speaks during a State of the Union address in the House Chamber of the US Capitol in Washington, DC.

The Planet-Sized Hole in Trump’s State of the Union Address The Planet-Sized Hole in Trump’s State of the Union Address

Although climate change received no attention during the president’s speech, Americans must continue to find new ways of making progress against the ongoing environmental crisis.

Feb 26, 2026 / StudentNation / Ilana Cohen

Vinicius Jr. and Gianluca Prestianni during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Knockout Play-off First Leg match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid.

The Price of Being Black and Proud in European Soccer The Price of Being Black and Proud in European Soccer

The Brazilian star Vinicius Jr. has repeatedly been a victim of racist abuse from soccer fans. Now, it seems such vitriol can even come from players without much consequence.

Feb 25, 2026 / StudentNation / Takashi Williams

Trump’s Threats to Free Speech Aren’t New to Black Journalists

Trump’s Threats to Free Speech Aren’t New to Black Journalists Trump’s Threats to Free Speech Aren’t New to Black Journalists

Two years after Trump’s infamous invitation to the National Association of Black Journalists’ convention, the organization is adapting and bracing for escalating hostility.

Feb 20, 2026 / StudentNation / Atarah Israel

A healthcare worker administers a Covid-19 vaccine at an Oklahoma County Health Department Vaccine Clinic.

What’s Next for US Healthcare? Ask Oklahoma. What’s Next for US Healthcare? Ask Oklahoma.

As Trump continues to dismantle federal agencies, this state shows what happens when a one-party-controlled government makes sweeping public health changes with little resistance....

Feb 18, 2026 / StudentNation / Rahhul Elangovan

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