I write this letter to highlight how President Trump’s recent attacks on higher education, and science in particular, are hurting students right here at UNC.

A critical part of the career readiness training of UNC science students happens outside of the classroom in the form of internships and research experiences. Both have been severely curtailed by the Trump administration. On the research side, millions of dollars of federal grants to UNC have been illegally canceled or threatened with cancellation.

Trump’s revocation of thousands of F-1 and J-1 student visas across the country has had a demoralizing effect on the UNC community. It’s not just the fear of wondering who will be targeted next, it’s the recognition that international students are enormously valuable to UNC.