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Southern Illinois University Edwardsville was awarded a bronze seal Thursday, Oct. 19, by the All In Campus Democracy challenge for its efforts to increase student voter turnout during the 2016 election. SIUE was among 79 institutions nationally to achieve the distinction of 50-59 percent student voter participation on campus.  

Taking the SIUE value of citizenship to heart and following Chancellor Randy Pembrook’s call for high impact community engagement practices, SIUE officially joined the All In Campus Democracy Challenge during September 2016. 

“Our committee of faculty, students and staff worked together to increase student voter registration, publicize absentee voting, educate voters and get out the vote for the November 2016 election,” said Laurie Rice, PhD, associate professor of political science in SIUE’s College of Arts and Sciences and the SIUE campus contact for the All In Challenge. “Our committee brought together representatives from student government, leaders in student organizations, focused interest community (FIC) residents, and students enrolled in the freshman seminar Leadership and Civic Activitism, along with staff from the Kimmel Student Involvement Center and Residence Life, and political science faculty. We collectively identified causes of low turnout, brainstormed solutions, put together an action plan and organized a variety of activities.” 

Through these efforts, SIUE student voter turnout in 2016 gained 10.6 points over its 2012 rate and is now more than four points higher than the national average for public master’s institutions. Among the institutions receiving bronze status, SIUE joined the ranks of universities such as Harvard, Washington University in St. Louis, Brown University, The Ohio State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. For a complete list, visit allinchallenge.org/awards-ceremony/. Only one institution earned a gold seal (70-79 percent), while 37 received a silver seal (60-69 percent).

Students participating in the challenge included then-seniors Carmen Connors from student government and Carson Dodd from the Political Science Association, both of whom graduated in spring 2017. Sophomore political science students Colin Kerr, of Springfield, Emily Lange, of Edwardsville, Casey Ringenberg, of Quincy, and Luke Zabotka, of Granite City, were joined by sophomore student government representative Natalie Reczek, of Park Ridge, to complete the student group.

Ken Moffett, PhD, associate professor of political science joined Rice in providing research expertise that helped guide the committee efforts. Also contributing were Jay Davis, Cougar Village community director, representing Residence Life, and Sarah Laux, assistant director of community engagement, representing the Kimmel Student Involvement Center.