College students consider reproductive rights when choosing schools

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- For college sophomore Maya Dominguez Leach, she was always NC State bound.

"It's just kind of like my family school," Dominguez Leach said.

But other factors were also considered, including politics and policies in the state where her university is located.

"It makes a lot of sense to want to live somewhere and be part of a community that you think represents your own values," she said.

On NC State's campus Friday evening, college students like Dominguez Leach are now thinking about staying at their university depending on the state laws where the college is located. One of those laws is reproductive rights.

"I am a very strong supporter of reproductive rights and the right to choose. That's one of the reasons I wanted to attend a university like State that's like such a large university with so many different people, and I want to know their opinions and their experiences to help kind of expand my worldview," she said.

According to a new Lumina Foundation and Gallup study, 72% of college students surveyed reported reproductive health laws in the state where their college sits are important to their decision to remain enrolled.

Anna Haddad is a freshman at NC State, she is witnessing how these laws can have implications on higher education.

"What's happening right now with like, reproductive rights, and in the country, being under Governor Cooper... as of right now, does it really make this a big issue for me, because I know ... what his beliefs are on this and the policies that he wants to push," said Haddad. "If anything were to change...obviously, like, we have four years here, but maybe it would totally be something to consider."

Jeremy Lea is a Ph.D. student at NC State. He says we are seeing a generation of students speak up and act on issues that impact them.

"If you look at high schoolers who watched our country from 2016 to the present they've heard a lot of big issues be brought up at their kitchen tables, at their local high schools, and in the community there on social media. So I see these things, I have my own values, I'm beginning to develop, I want to know where I go can accept me wherever I want to go," said Lea.