By: Elmer Diaz
As the nation underwent President Trump’s first 100 days in office, it has had an adequate amount of time to reflect, react, and express on his administration. Agencies, organizations, and businesses all over the country have been affected by his policies, proposals, and executive orders.
In the city of Frederick, Maryland, these effects have been made clear in a wide range of mixed emotions and expression. Trumps policy on immigration, his proposal of foreign visa restrictions, and his executive order of budget cuts have been the forefront of issues pertaining to school systems and economic development in Frederick.
“We have a large student population of international students in our graduate programs,” Hood College President, Andrea Chapdelaine said. “We have seen a drop in the number of applications for next fall.”
Trump is proposing restrictions in attaining international visas and this looks to directly affect colleges from recruiting international students and businesses from recruiting international employees.
This drop is not only confined to Hood College, but expands to schools all across the country. A new report by the American Association of College Registrars and Admissions Officers says that four out of 10 U.S. colleges reported fewer international applications.
This decline in applications, Chapdelaine said, has “created a lot of uncertainty for international students in terms of confidence that they would be able to come.”
The Hood College President also finds the drop of international students worrisome because she said “they enrich the culture of our campus and provide opportunity for cultural understanding and is good for our economy too to recruit the very best talent from other countries.”
Throughout these first 100 days, Trump has expressed his distaste of immigration with his foreign policies. In what he claims as actions to secure our country, he has received much backlash from people in Frederick. In February, several hundred people gathered downtown to show support for the city’s immigrant community, and protest against his attempt of banning certain countries from entering the United States.
“I think the negative impact, if you are going to crack down immigration, is not allowing people to work.” Dr. Van Winter said, Interim MBA Director and Associate Professor of Management. “We have a sizable immigrant population that works here in Frederick.”
Richard Griffin, the Director of the Department of Economic Development of the city of Frederick, also shared a similar viewpoint regarding foreign policy. “The way it stands under Trump, it could affect Frederick because we may miss out on the most talented people if they are denied access to our country” he said.
Two business men walking in Downtown Frederick.
Griffin expanded by saying that, “the Department of Research and Development rely on scientists with foreign visas, and so these restrictions could affect these agencies, which are critical to the Frederick business cycle.”
Helen Propheter at the Office of Economic Development.
Aside from foreign policy affecting business, Griffin also showed concern with the budget cuts the president has proposed.
“Fort Detrick has 10,000 employees, and these budget cuts may possibly mean a drop in jobs.” He said. “Which could cause a chain reaction in federal organizations such as the NIH, USDA, and Department of Affairs.”
Helen Propheter, Director of Economic Development and County Executive, expressed a similar concern regarding cuts. “Frederick is the second largest science cluster in Maryland, and so I see the cuts significantly affecting companies,” she said. “such as the 80 percent cut of NIH funding.”
While Trumps foreign policy and budget cuts have caused several concerns in schools and in business, it hasn’t all been negative. His business approach is seen by many as a triumph. Although the stock market has been rallying for some time, Trumps expertise in business has been received with great optimism.
“There has been an influx in Frederick business that started before Trumps election,”said Sherman Coleman, Business Development Specialist. “Its too early to know the effects our president will have but I feel confident that the economy will continue to thrive with his approach of business.”
Sherman Coleman wokring at his desk.
“People feel most optimistic knowing that the nation’s leader is a businessman and someone who knows what it takes for a business to thrive in changing economic times,” Griffin said.
Trump’s administration has received positive responses regarding his economic initiatives, such as investing in major projects.
“He is talking about making major infrastructure investments, roads and bridges, which would potentially allow us to have better transportation to and from Downtown D.C., which would open up avenues of employment.” Van Winter said, who is also a downtown Frederick resident.
The Department of Education can also draw the same optimism with the blooming of a healthier economy.
“The college obviously depends on the stock market and investment returns and those have been very positive since the president was elected,” Chapdelaine said. “That has certainly been to the benefit of our students and their families in terms of making college more acces
sible and affordable.”