We’re in the final days of the 2025-26 academic year.

A lot has happened since the fall, including the assassination of a conservative podcaster Charlie Kirk, the rise of Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, and another U.S. conflict in the Persian Gulf.

Today on The Wheelhouse, we hear how students at the University of Hartford are keeping up with the political process.

Guests:
Merci Payadue, politics and government student, University of Hartford
Farah Suede, politics and government student, University of Hartford
Bilal Sekou, associate professor of politics and government, University of Hartford
Jonathan Wharton, associate professor of political science and urban affairs, Southern Connecticut State University

We&rsquo;re in the final days of the 2025-26 academic year.
A lot has happened since the fall, including the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/09/10/nx-s1-5537068/charlie-kirk-shot-utah-university-campus">assassination</a>&nbsp;of a conservative podcaster Charlie Kirk, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/11/04/nx-s1-5597788/election-results-zohran-mamdani-new-york-city-mayor">rise</a>&nbsp;of Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/02/28/nx-s1-5730333/the-u-s-and-israel-launch-a-major-attack-on-iran">another</a>&nbsp;U.S. conflict in the Persian Gulf.
Today on The Wheelhouse, we hear how students at the University of Hartford are keeping up with the political process.
Guests:
<ul>
<li>Merci Payadue, politics and government student, University of Hartford</li>
<li>Farah Suede, politics and government student, University of Hartford</li>
<li><a href="https://www.hartford.edu/directory/hillyer/sekou-bilal.aspx">Bilal Sekou</a>, associate professor of politics and government, University of Hartford</li>
<li><a href="https://www.southernct.edu/directory/whartonj1">Jonathan Wharton</a>, associate professor of political science and urban affairs,&nbsp;Southern Connecticut State University</li>
</ul>

If you’re a news junkie — or maybe just news curious, we’ve got your weekly dose of Connecticut politics, tackling everything from tax cuts to human composting. Amplifying important local and national voices, The Wheelhouse walks listeners through the most important political stories of the week.  You’ll hear from well-known political reporters, academics, and local journalists across Connecticut’s 169 cities and towns.

If you’re a news junkie — or maybe just news curious, we’ve got your weekly dose of Connecticut politics, tackling everything from tax cuts to human composting. Amplifying important local and national voices, The Wheelhouse walks listeners through the most important political stories of the week.  You’ll hear from well-known political reporters, academics, and local journalists across Connecticut’s 169 cities and towns.

Connecticut's best journalists come out of the political trenches every Wednesday to join us on WNPR's weekly news roundtable The Wheelhouse.