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This year, AGF is celebrating ten years of impact with the Andrew Goodman Vote Everywhere Program. One of “Founding Fifteen” campuses, the Campus Team at Louisiana State University reflected on the past ten years and their hopes for the future of civic engagement on the campus in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Louisiana State University has been an Andrew Goodman Vote Everywhere campus since the program began back in 2014! What barriers to voting existed on campus prior to 2014?

In 2014, we did not have an on-campus polling location, which certainly contributed to a lack of voter engagement amongst college students at LSU. Along with not having a physical space to vote, dialogues surrounding the importance of student voting were not as widespread.

From what you know of how things were in 2014, when it comes to voting and civic engagement on campus, what are some of the most noticeable changes?

Students of all different backgrounds are far more engaged with civic education and voter engagement as they have been in years past. I believe that this engagement stems from having more robust faculty support in our efforts to get students to the polls.

How has the general campus’ perception of voting and civic engagement evolved since 2014?

Voting and civic engagement still deal with certain stigmas on campus, but there is more of an interest in being engaged as a student body in the last decade. I think there is more of an acceptance of the importance of voting and willingness to have discussions with our peers.

How has your Campus Team reflected on the legacy of Andrew Goodman, James Earl Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Freedom Summer 1964 over these ten years?

I believe that as the diversity on campus has grown, so has the diversity in our voter engagement efforts. We have worked with a multitude of organizations such as Greek Life, Black Student Athlete Association, and Feminists in Action to promote voter turnout amongst a wide variety of students. Just as Andrew Goodman, James Earl Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Freedom Summer 1964 devoted themselves to ensuring the right to vote for Black Americans, Geaux Vote LSU has dedicated ourselves to maintaining those rights for our minority students.

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

The Andrew Goodman Vote Everywhere program has been an impactful sounding board for programming on our campus through advice and methods for measuring the success of our outreach! I am extremely grateful for the program because I feel as though we are getting closer to achieving our long-term goals.

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

Hopefully, ten years from now, LSU is a campus that unequivocally stands as an advocate for voting rights for young people and that students feel it is their responsibility to protect those ideals!

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

Geaux Vote plans to do more student outreach to groups who may not be the target for civic engagement outreach. We believe that if we reach out to as many of our peers as possible, a culture of civic participation can be developed faster and more efficiently!

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Geaux Vote is here to stay! Thank you AGF!

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.