For University seniors, the Occupy Wall Street movement could not be taking place at a more critical time. With the bleak job market and current state of the U.S. economy, leaving the University in May as graduates seems daunting.

Despite the importance of the Occupy Wall Street movement, the presence of midterm exams and mid-semester projects has led our attention as students away from current news and more toward the books. A majority of students on campus had little knowledge of the Occupy Wall Street protests prior to going home for Fall Break. Therefore, when we got back on campus last week, a lot of us had questions we wanted answered.

The Occupy Wall Street movement, originating in the financial district of New York City, started as a place for unhappy Americans to voice their frustrations over the lack of progress regarding social and economic inequality, corporate greed and the power of corporations, among other things. Since their start in mid September, the protests have grown exponentially, sprouting roots all over the country.

The University and the Lewisburg community are no exception. The campus and town populations have done a superb job of localizing an issue that is becoming more and more prominent. It is not longer something people can ignore and the fact that students are becoming involved is a real testament to the University, and also what we as students are learning and who we are becoming. We are no longer ignoring the bad state of our economy and job market.

We are popping the “Bucknell Bubble.” We need to take these issues into our own hands in order to make a change. Now, more than ever, our voices need to be heard. How can we be the future of our country without voicing our concerns? The University is taking a step in the right direction.