Voices of a Generation: Faith Shaken in America’s Promise
On a windy afternoon outside UND’s Memorial Union, students huddled against the cold and scrolled through headlines between classes, trading notes about rent, internships, and a world that feels off-kilter. Their unease tracks with national findings that young Americans’ trust in institutions is near historic lows, according to the long-running Pew Research Center series on public trust and the Harvard IOP Youth Poll, which reports persistent doubts among 18- to 29-year-olds about government responsiveness and the health of democracy.
The timing matters. With debates over speech and safety on campuses, cost-of-living pressures, and overseas conflicts dominating news feeds, Gen Z’s skepticism is turning into a defining civic story. National indicators echo the tenor of student conversations in Grand Forks: fewer than half of Americans overall say they trust government leaders to do what’s right, the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer found, while Gallup reports patriotic pride remains relatively low among younger adults compared with older generations (Gallup).
Here in a college town shaped by UND, the Air Force base, and an entrepreneurial downtown, those numbers land close to home. Students and young professionals are asking whether institutions—from City Hall to Congress—will deliver on basics: transparent decisions, affordable housing, mental-health support, and meaningful career paths.
The Erosion of Trust: Understanding the Shift
A decade of disruptive events helps explain the mood. A global pandemic upended daily life and school in 2020, then faded unevenly in its recovery; the CDC’s timeline documents the rapid swings from shutdowns to vaccines and policy whiplash that followed (CDC). In the same period, the cost of living spiked, with consumer prices up sharply through 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. On the civic front, the Capitol attack of Jan. 6, 2021, and continuing investigations deepened partisan mistrust (AP). Legal fights over student debt relief, culminating in a 2023 Supreme Court ruling, further split opinion on government’s capacity to solve problems (SCOTUSblog).
Cultural flashpoints have added to the strain. The 2022 Dobbs decision reshaped reproductive rights across states (SCOTUSblog). Universities navigated heated campus speech debates tied to domestic and international conflicts. In North Dakota, a 2022 directive banned TikTok on state networks and devices—including at public universities—signaling how national security concerns are colliding with digital life for students (Office of the Governor).
Grand Forks mirrors the broader picture. UND has invested in dialogue and student governance to channel difficult conversations into constructive action, including public-facing updates through the UND Newsroom and student-led work via UND Student Government. City leaders, for their part, have emphasized neighborhood engagement and downtown revitalization in public meetings and planning documents, reflecting a push for transparency and shared purpose (City of Grand Forks).
Impact on Community: Voices from Grand Forks
Across campus and downtown coffee shops, the topics are consistent: climate risks along the Red River, internship pipelines into aerospace and health care, and whether local government listens. National youth polling shows climate change, cost of living, and mental health as top concerns (Harvard IOP Youth Poll), and those priorities resonate here when students talk flood preparedness, resilient infrastructure, and the affordability of starter apartments near the Greenway.
Young professionals are also making civic space of their own. Networking and policy discussions through the Greater Grand Forks Young Professionals and the Greater Grand Forks Chamber of Commerce have focused on retaining talent, expanding childcare, and smoothing the pathway from UND classrooms to local employers. Those practical priorities reflect a common theme in Gen Z research: trust is more likely to rise when people can see concrete results in their daily lives (Edelman).
Military families at Grand Forks Air Force Base bring another lens. They track federal policy and global events closely and often look to base-community partnerships to bridge understanding, with public information and town halls coordinated through GFAFB Public Affairs. Their presence in schools and on the sidelines at local rinks adds a national-security perspective to neighborhood conversations about what accountability and service mean.
Responses and Actions: Bridging the Divide
Local institutions are testing ways to meet Gen Z’s expectations for access and agency. At UND, student organizations and the Memorial Union host regular civic dialogues and leadership training, while Student Government posts agendas, minutes, and contact information to keep decision-making visible (UND Student Government). Voter information and election logistics, administered statewide without pre-registration, are centralized through the North Dakota Secretary of State, which outlines acceptable IDs and polling locations—practical details that lower the barrier to participation.
City Hall has leaned on neighborhood meetings and advisory boards to solicit input on transportation, housing, and riverfront amenities; residents can monitor and attend sessions via the City Council calendar. The Chamber and Young Professionals groups are pairing policy roundtables with employer open houses to demystify how budgets and bond issues connect to jobs and downtown storefronts (Chamber | GGFYP).
Civic life also runs through culture and sport. The North Dakota Museum of Art and campus galleries bring public programs that encourage civil conversation, while UND athletics create frequent opportunities for community service and shared identity at the Ralph and Alerus. When institutions explain the “why” behind decisions—and invite residents to shape outcomes—research suggests trust can stabilize, even in polarized environments (Pew Research Center).
Get involved
City of Grand Forks: meeting agendas and public comment options are posted online; start with the City Council page.
UND Student Government: committee openings, contact info, and meeting schedules at und.edu/student-life/student-government.
Elections: North Dakota voting FAQs and acceptable IDs via the Secretary of State.
Military-community ties: base news and community relations via GFAFB Public Affairs.
Looking Ahead: Navigating an Uncertain Future
If today’s distrust hardens, experts warn it could depress turnout, sap civic volunteerism, and make compromise rarer—especially on issues that matter to young residents, from housing to climate resilience (Harvard IOP Youth Poll; Pew Research Center). But Grand Forks has levers that other places envy: a major research university, a strong military presence, and institutions accustomed to collaborating under pressure, especially during flood season.
Local leaders and Gen Z organizers say progress will be measured in visible, near-term steps—clearer communication on city budgets, more paid internships tied to UND labs and the aerospace sector, and open forums where disagreement is handled with candor and respect. The throughline is simple: credible information, tangible outcomes, and a seat at the table.
What to Watch
UND’s spring calendar typically brings student government elections, budget briefings, and town halls—key touchpoints for rebuilding trust; watch the UND Newsroom and Student Government pages for dates.
City Council agendas often include housing and downtown items; the City calendar posts materials ahead of votes. Regional flood outlook updates from the NWS Grand Forks office will also shape spring planning and civic coordination.
