She Refused to Stay Silent at Vanderbilt

Alena entered Vanderbilt expecting to find a more conservative environment in Tennessee—but instead, she often felt alone in her beliefs and hesitant to speak openly in class. Now a Summer 2026 Luce Center intern, she reflects on how her faith gave her the courage to challenge political complacency, question ideological bias, and refuse to stay silent.She also explains why conservative students should not simply abandon liberal campuses, why Christians must remain rooted in Scripture, and why young conservatives need practical skills in AI and technology to shape the future rather than surrender it.She also explains why conservative students should not simply abandon liberal campuses, why Christians must remain rooted in Scripture, and why young conservatives need practical skills in AI and technology to shape the future rather than surrender it.0:00 Introduction0:27 Meet Alina: Faith, National Security, and AI1:20 Growing Up as a Pastor’s Daughter7:52 How Social Media Made Her Liberal10:52 Feeling Alone as a Conservative at Vanderbilt12:46 The Required Class That Made Her Afraid to Speak16:28 Why Conservatives Shouldn’t Flee Liberal Campuses20:54 Why Conservatives Cannot Ignore AI26:06 AI Therapy and Artificial Relationships27:38 Her Advice for Christians Entering CollegeGenZ Unplugged is the official podcast for the Clare Boothe Luce Center for Conservative Women. Rotating hosts are Lauren Husmann, Catherine Hendershott, Rachel Hurley, and Hannah Faulkner. Producer is Sandra Scarlatoiu. Listen, rate, and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform! ACAST - Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Google Podcasts - YouTube - Rumble Send us your thoughts on this episode @realgenzunplugged!  X - Instagram - Facebook - Truth Social SFX Credits: neon sign buzz hum stereo close lowcut to taste6.flac by kyles -- https://freesound.org/s/453493/ -- License: Creative Commons 0swipes and whooshes plastic umbrella fast and short swings stereo ORTF 8040.wav by Soundholder -- https://freesound.org/s/425853/ -- License: Attribution 3.0Power Cord Unplug 1_2 by Joao_Janz -- https://freesound.org/s/477641/ -- License: Creative Commons 0Abstract Glitch Effects_015 by jalastram -- https://freesound.org/s/412303/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.