News

This year, AGF is celebrating ten years of impact with the Andrew Goodman Vote Everywhere Program. As we reflect on how the program has grown, the Campus Team at Virginia Commonwealth University reflected on the past nine years and their hopes for the future of civic engagement on the campus in Richmond, Virginia.  

Virginia Commonwealth University has been an Andrew Goodman Vote Everywhere campus since 2015! What barriers to voting existed on campus prior to 2015?

• VCU’s large urban campus has multiple voting precincts which causes confusion about where students should vote. Although this has not changed, a polling location on campus now serves a small percentage of residential students
• Laws have changed – early voting and same-day voter registration are now available
• Election Day is a state holiday and VCU is closed

From what you know of how things were in 2015, when it comes to voting and civic engagement on campus, what are some of the most noticeable changes?

• A polling location on campus
• Participation in NSLVE
• Creation of VCU Votes (faculty, staff, and students collaborating on civic engagement)
• VCU Votes class (students lead campus projects specifically related to voter engagement) (e.g., focus on first-generation students and STEM students based on NSLVE data)
• Better working relationship with the City Registrar

How has the general campus’ perception of voting and civic engagement evolved since 2015?

• Increased visibility and activities around voting and civic engagement
• Strengthen existing campus partnerships and create new ones (e.g., Residential Life – discussed including updating voter registration on the move-out reminder list of items at the end of the semester)
• A civic action plan guides work related to AGF voter engagement and beyond (e.g., civil dialogue, student advocacy/protests, community engagement)
• More news stories

What are some ways that the Andrew Goodman Vote Everywhere program has supported your efforts on campus to increase voter and civic engagement?

• Providing resources to share with students/connection to a national non-partisan organization
• Supporting students interested in civic engagement (e.g., Andrew Goodman Ambassadors)

What are your hopes and dreams for what civic engagement will look like on campus four years from now?

• Continue to increase the visibility and impact of VCU Votes (moving in the right direction)
• Continue partnership with AGF
• Continue to hold Voter Friendly Campus designation
• Have syllabus statements and/or a one-stop civic engagement resource for faculty approved by University leadership

What are the team’s main goals to increase and support voter engagement and turnout in 2024?

• A small but committed group of faculty, staff, and students creating opportunities for students to support voter engagement and turnout in 2024 (Various events, class discussions)
• Beyond the presidential election, future efforts will focus on state and local elections because there is an election in Virginia each year.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

Since 2015, VCU has made significant strides in civic engagement.

As a university, post-election discussions will be held to help students work through feelings regarding the election outcome (e.g., supporting mental health and understanding the 2024 presidential election season is very stressful for some members of the VCU community).

Stay tuned as we continue our Campus Connections series, featuring each of our Andrew Goodman Vote Everywhere Campus Teams, the impact made on campus, and how they are living the legacy during this pivotal point in our nation’s history.