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The Andrew Goodman Vote Everywhere program welcomed 39 new campuses into its national network of campus partners and student leaders! These 39 campuses joined as part of our major expansion strategy to double our reach ahead of the 2020 Presidential Election. The largest eligible voting bloc at 37 percent of the electorate, Millennials and Gen Zers had the potential and power to shape the election and our democracy. And they did! According to early data from CIRCLE, more young people voted in the 2020 Election than in the 2016 Election, which had previously drawn historic turnout.

We are elated to have contributed to this historic high through our ambitious recruitment strategy. Despite a year of hardships, from COVID-19 and civil unrest to continued voter suppression, The Andrew Goodman Foundation remained resilient and our recruitment stayed on track. Because of the impact of COVID-19 at the intersection of our elections and higher education, it was more important than ever that we stand with campuses and their students. That’s why we were proud to offer our support, including our digital organizing tools, to ensure that students could safely and confidently participate in our elections while campuses continued to prioritize their education through remote learning.

Our rapid network expansion by November was driven by targeted considerations. Our deliberate focus, within a framework of diversity, equity, and inclusion, was on recruiting more Community Colleges and People of Color Serving Institutions, particularly Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), in nine battleground states: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin.

Our strategy honed in on Midwestern and Southern states, like Wisconsin and Georgia, where students have been historically disenfranchised, and on the creation of an HBCU Cohort. We aimed to combat the voter suppression felt disproportionately by students and Black people by founding the cohort, whose 27 HBCUs received our resources and emergency financial support for the 2020 Election.

To date, of the 39 campuses we have recruited, 56 percent are People of Color Serving Institutions and 8 percent are Community Colleges. With respect to target states, our reach in Georgia has grown 135 percent to encompass 87,265 total students. Similarly, in Wisconsin, our reach has grown by 174 percent to a total of 121,683 students. In going where we can make the most positive impact, we have also created a more diverse Andrew Goodman Vote Everywhere Network than ever before.

Five outstanding Andrew Goodman Partners—Binghamton University, Bowling Green State University, Stony Brook University, University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, and Western Carolina University—were elevated to Leader Campuses for their significant commitment to student voter engagement and demonstration of our promising practices. Of the 39 newest campus recruits, some joined at the Partner level, and others as Members. All receive a degree of financial support, advising, access to my.VoteEverywhere and our texting platform, training, branded giveaways, and other resources.

These campus additions to the Andrew Goodman Vote Everywhere Network bring together a new total of 95 campuses in 26 states and Washington, D.C. With a total population of 352,585 students, these campuses also significantly expanded our reach to over 1.4 million students just in time for the 2020 Presidential Election.

“During such a critical election year, I was excited that so many campuses with talented and energized student voting advocates joined our network,” says Senior Program Manager Nicole Taylor. She continues, “their commitment to bolstering student voting in 2020 and beyond will help make the youth vote stronger than ever!” To each of these new Partner, Member, and HBCU Campuses, we extend a very warm welcome to our movement!

To learn more about the latest Partners, Members, and HBCUs in our Andrew Goodman Vote Everywhere Network, check out the lists below:

New Andrew Goodman Vote Everywhere Partner Campuses

• Baylor University | Waco, Texas | 18,033
• Bergen Community College | Paramus, New Jersey | 1,462
• Marquette University | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 11,819
• North Carolina A&T State University | Greensboro, North Carolina | 10,629
• Northampton Community College | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | 9,203
• University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 32,406

New Andrew Goodman Vote Everywhere Member Campuses

• Elizabeth City State University | Elizabeth City, North Carolina | 1,769
• Ithaca College | Ithaca, New York | 6,266
• Kennesaw State University | Kennesaw, Georgia | 35,600
• Langston University | Langston, Oklahoma |1,952
• Michigan State University | East Lansing, Michigan | 49,809
• Owens Community College | Perrysburg, Ohio | 10,038
• Rust College | Holly Springs, Mississippi | 1,020
• Southern University Law Center | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | 718
• Texas A&M University – Central Texas | Killeen, Texas | 2,464
• University of California – San Diego | San Diego, California | 28,587
• University of Michigan – Dearborn | Dearborn, Michigan | 9,195
• University of Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 28,391
• University of Rochester | Rochester, New York | 12,233
• University of Wisconsin – La Crosse | La Crosse, Wisconsin | 11,974
• University of Wisconsin – Parkside | Kenosha, Wisconsin | 4,420
• University of Wisconsin – Platteville | Platteville, Wisconsin | 8,955
• University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point | Stevens Points, Wisconsin | 7,725

New Andrew Goodman Vote Everywhere HBCU Campuses

• Albany State University | Albany, Georgia | 6,001
• Alcorn State University | Alcorn, Mississippi | 3,523
• Bethune-Cookman University | Daytona Beach, Florida | 2,901
• Bluefield State College | Bluefield, West Virginia | 1,379
• Claflin University | Orangeburg, South Carolina | 2,000
• Clark Atlanta University | Atlanta, Georgia | 3,902
• Fort Valley State University | Fort Valley, Georgia | 2,344
• Huston-Tillotson University | Austin, Texas | 1,112
• Jarvis Christian College | Hawkins, Texas | 909
• LeMoyne-Owen College | Memphis, Tennessee | 885
• Lincoln University | Lincoln University, Pennsylvania | 2,241
• Morehouse College | Atlanta, Georgia | 2,238
• Shaw University | Raleigh, North Carolina | 1,291
• Texas Southern University | Houston, Texas | 9,034
• University of the District of Columbia | Washington, D.C. | 3,855
• Virginia State University | Petersburg, Virginia | 4,302

 About The Author

Margaret Sasser is AGF’s Senior Communications Manager. Margaret is passionate about civil rights issues, storytelling, and helping students to become active members of their communities.