News

Chicago, IL, February 1, 2017–University of Chicago has approved three ambassadors to represent The Andrew Goodman Foundation’s (AGF) campus wide Vote Everywhere program, making the college the 43rd campus to participate in Vote Everywhere, and marking Illinois as the 20th state in the program. The partnership was made possible thanks to the generous support of a University of Chicago alumni. 

The new ambassadors, Adam Reynolds and Andrew Corzo, Juniors at University of Chicago, and Ian Henson, a Sophomore, are determined to carry on Andrew Goodman’s legacy by encouraging young people to utilize their right to vote. Their work on campus is supported through the University of Chicago Institute of Politics. Corzo is working towards his B.A. in Political Science and plans to go on to earn his Masters in Public Policy. He is the Project Manager for voter registration at University of Chicago. Reynolds studies Economics with a Human Rights minor and expects to graduate in 2018, and Henson is studying Economics and Political Science with an expected graduation date of 2019.

In regards to the partnership between AGF and University of Chicago, Reynolds states, “We at the UChicago Democracy Initiative are dedicated to ensuring that civic engagement doesn’t end with the election. We hope to ensure that students at the University of Chicago and members of the Hyde Park community continue to contact their representatives, vote, and remain active in politics throughout the year.”

The UChicago Democracy Initiative, a student-run, nonpartisan civic engagement group that works to achieve the same goals as AGF, releases a weekly newsletter called the Citizen Bulletin that informs the community about actions taken by the city and national government, and provides resources for people to learn more. They hope that this weekly publication, along with tabling and email, will help them increase their reach throughout their school and local community.

“Voting is just the beginning of civic participation. Vote Everywhere not only works to register voters, but also encourages people to do more to get involved in the democratic process,” Henson states. “Involving people in the democratic process in college is important for making them lifelong citizens and making sure the voices of college students and young people are heard.”

Since September, 2016, the students have successfully registered nearly 1,000 students to vote. The team held 13 registration events across campus and with the organization of a shuttle service from campus to registration and early-voting sites, they managed to help 50 students to register in-person and 170 students to vote early. Among the team’s 2018 goals is to bring a polling site to campus, but they must first set a plan to meet all ADA requirements.

Reynolds hopes the new partnership with The Andrew Goodman Foundation will help the UChicago Democracy Initiative achieve even more results, “This philosophy was a natural fit with the Vote Everywhere program and we are so excited to expand our projects in the coming year as a direct result of the support we are receiving.”

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About The Andrew Goodman Foundation

Established to continue the legacy of Andrew Goodman, a civil rights worker murdered during Freedom Summer 1964, The Andrew Goodman Foundation partners with America’s colleges and universities through its Vote Everywhere program which provides student leaders with a platform to register and mobilize voters, organize campuses, and collaborate with their peers. Launched as a pilot program in 2012, Vote Everywhere now operates in 20 states and is directed by over 100 student Ambassadors. Its current network of 43 campuses is home to a student population of nearly a million. To learn more, visit www.andrewgoodman.org.