When Sean Scholz logged on to a national forum this month, he found himself in rare company.
The Moraine Valley Community College student joined a panel of 22 college students and recent graduates from across the country, including representatives from institutions such as Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Maryland, to weigh in on how young Americans view politics today.
Scholz was the only community college student selected to contribute to the discussion, which was published by NOTUS, a news site covering U.S. politics, as part of its Perspectives series. The piece, titled “What Washington doesn’t get about young Americans — according to 22 college students and recent grads,” explores generational attitudes toward government, political trends and the nation’s direction.
Scholz, who serves as managing editor of Moraine Valley’s student-run online magazine, Velocity, said the opportunity offered both a national platform and personal validation.
“In the end, it was very validating,” he said.
Scholz is set to graduate in May and has led Velocity since January after previously serving in editorial roles including political editor. He said he learned about the NOTUS opportunity from Lisa Couch, a communications and journalism instructor at Moraine Valley and the publication’s faculty adviser.
His contribution to the forum focused on what he sees as a growing indifference among young people toward identity politics, a perspective shaped in part by his academic interests in political science and journalism.
That intersection of disciplines has become central to his path, which was not always clear.
Scholz said he first became interested in journalism as an eighth grader, but struggled during high school, particularly amid the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. He described dealing with depression during that time, which made it difficult to stay engaged in school.
Coming to Moraine Valley marked a turning point.
“Coming to Moraine kind of changed my entire life around,” he said. “The political science classes at Moraine are kind of the reason why I got so invested in education again.”
That renewed sense of purpose helped guide him back to writing and reporting, where he found a way to channel his interest in politics into storytelling.
Scholz also was invited to take part in a live, webinar-style panel hosted by NOTUS on April 15, expanding on the ideas shared in the published forum.
As he looks ahead, Scholz plans to continue his education and pursue a career in political journalism. He said the field offers a sense of purpose he values.
“I think it’s something that would be very fulfilling,” he said, “and make me feel like I’m contributing positively to the world.”
He also addressed how technology is shaping the media landscape, emphasizing the continued importance of human storytelling.
“There’s been a perception with AI that writers are replaceable,” he said. “But the real interesting stuff, the things that make you feel something, comes from people.”