Students interviewed for this article were asked to describe the pressing issues they were facing this semester. One, Chen Pan, 22, a sophomore who hasn’t declared a major yet, described what he said was an unhinged professor who locked him out of classroom just moments before he was interviewed for this article early in the semester. Pan, 22, also spoke of his two biggest worries one the Hunter sky bridge connecting the North and West buildings.
“Definitely school,” he said, “my grade is not that good so I’m trying to bring up that grade.” Pan was hesitant, his face expressed uncertainty until he was asked which class worried him the most. His expression quickly turned into a face of frustration. Pan spoke of his experience with a professor that happened right before the interview.
“The professor closed the goddamn door,” he said, “like within the five minutes of class starting. So you can’t go in and you can’t go out.”Pan was locked out of his women and gender studies class. Pan also said that students who left class to use the restroom were told by the professor to “not to come back.”
He said that he had just been locked out today for the class that runs from 1 p.m-2:15 p.m. “I was like close to 10 minutes late but the door was already fucking closed,” he said.
Students studying in campus Library, Picture by Kira Scott.
Abby Guastella, 19, a sophomore who hasn’t decided on a major, described her worries about her classes, saying, “I have so many answers, stresses at college for one.” Sitting on the fifth floor of the Hunter library, she spoke of her struggles retrieving a copy of a film she worked on for a classmate in the 2024 spring semester.
“I deserve a copy of my work,” she said, “I worked for free, the least I can get is a copy of the film.” Guastella also spoke of her dissatisfaction with the New York City public transportation system and what she said was the littering problem in New York City, calling them “bad.” Guastella commutes from Staten Island where she lives.
Lamont Jackson, a 26-year-old media studies major with a concentration in journalism, said he had one clear pressing issue. “I want to raise awareness to Christian persecution.” Jackson, interviewed in Room 470 HD, spoke passionately about a crusade. He said he wants to be to cover Christian persecution as a journalist who “goes to the areas most effected.”
These areas include countries in the Middle East like Yemen, Iran and Iraq as well as in Africa like Nigeria, Libya, and Somalia where the prosecution of Christians occurs. Jackson also said he plans to own his business after he graduates. “I’ve tried e-books,” he said about one business endeavor, “but now I’m pivoting to Internet radio podcasting on Patreon.” He also said he has plans of starting a podcast focused on professional wrestling or mixed martial arts.
In the interview, He praised the efforts of Lausanne.org, lauding it as “the Avengers of Christian evangelism.” For 50 years their movement has worked to spread Christianity and collaborate with Christian leaders around the world. With a rich history spanning over five decades, the Lausanne Movement has been at the forefront of global mission through fostering Christian collaboration, platforming missional strategy, and equipping leaders and influencers to fulfil the Great Commission, is a statement on the organization’s website.
This writer is a senior in his last semester and graduating is his most pressing issue. Going into these interviews, I was expecting each student to have pressing issues solely related to their studies at Hunter as I was so focused on my own worries about graduating. But to my surprise, I learned of issues and concerns I hadn’t expected. Chen Pan’s retelling of his unpleasant ordeal with an instructor not only made me grateful I never had a professor like his, but also made me consider potential story ideas that can reveal the crazy, bad and absurd instructors whom students have to deal with.
Tony Ayla can be reached at TONY.AYALA19@myhunter.cuny.edu