Regis College received a 2021 Gold Seal Award at ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge’s third biennial awards ceremony on Monday, November 8, in recognition of university’s extraordinary work in student voter engagement during the 2020 presidential election.
According to the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE), a research study of the Institute for Democracy in Higher Education (IDHE) at the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University, Regis’ voting rate for the 2020 election was 70.4 percent, an increase of 13.6 percent from 2016, and higher than the 66 percent national average.
“The Regis College Civic Engagement Committee is incredibly proud of the work that was done and the drive of our students to get out and vote,” said Erin Wisniewski, senior director of planning and operations, and chair of the Civic Engagement Committee. “We are looking forward to carrying this momentum through to future elections.”
Despite being completely virtual during the 2020 election season, Regis College was able to hold voter registration drives, virtual debate viewing parties, and information sessions about the candidates. Additionally, Regis athletic teams, student clubs, and organizations took part in a voter sticker challenge on social media to see which could have the most voting related posts on Election Day.
The 2020 presidential election engaged the largest and most diverse group of college students in U.S. history. More than 840 institutions enrolling close to nine million students participate in the ALL IN Challenge.
“The rise in voter participation and engagement for college students in last year’s presidential election amidst a global pandemic was tremendous and will undoubtedly be tied to the tireless efforts of the dedicated students, faculty, administrators, and partner organizations that are part of the ALL IN Challenge network,” said Jen Domagal-Goldman, Executive Director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “The hard work of these trailblazing honorees will help support many of the country’s future leaders in fulfilling the equitable, engaged vision of democracy to which we aspire.”
