Berkeley College is one of 471 colleges and universities recently recognized by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge for outstanding efforts to increase nonpartisan student voter participation in the 2024 election.
College and university campuses that join the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge complete a set of action items, with the support of ALL IN staff, to institutionalize nonpartisan civic learning and voter participation on their campus. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge currently engages 10.8 million students from over 1,075 institutions in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
“Earning the Most Engaged Campuses for College Student Voting recognition will continue to increase Berkeley College students’ awareness about the importance of civic engagement as it relates to voting,” said Heather Eaton-Dwyer, Dean of Students and Equal Opportunity Officer for Students at Berkeley College said on Nov. 21.
“It reinforces how important students’ voting power is and honors the efforts and dedication of our student leaders who work passionately to educate and encourage their fellow students on the importance of exercising this fundamental civil right,” Eaton-Dwyer said.
Berkeley College was honored as a 2024 ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting for successfully complete four core actions:
- Participating in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge
- Sharing 2022 National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE) Reports with campus voting data with ALL IN
- Developing and submitting a 2024 democratic engagement action plan
- Having a current signatory to ALL IN’s Higher Education Presidents’ Commitment to Full Student Voter Participation.
“The research is clear: colleges and universities that make intentional efforts to increase nonpartisan democratic engagement have higher campus voter registration and voter turnout rates,” said Jennifer Domagal-Goldman, executive director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge.
“This year we saw more colleges than ever before step up their efforts to ensure that their students were registered and ready to make their voices heard at the ballot box,” Domagal-Goldman said. “These Most Engaged Campuses are setting the standard for nonpartisan civic engagement work for colleges and universities across the country.”
Over the course of the year, Berkeley College student leaders collaborating with Student Development and Campus Life staff have launched multiple strategies and initiatives, participated in community events, and held campus programs to increase and diversify civic engagement levels among students, including:
- Attending the 2024 New Jersey Voting Summit and participating in ALL IN NY Community of Practice conference calls
- Partnering with the League of Women Voters on “Why Voting Matters”
- Launching a “Why does your vote matter?” campaign across Berkeley College campuses both in person and online
- Rebranding Berkeley’s voter registration and pledging-to-vote table events to “Bagels and Ballots” to attract more student foot traffic
- Creating a new SAVE (Students Approaching Voter Engagement) peer-to-peer education initiative
- Hosting “Get to Know Your Ballot” events where students can learn where to find their district’s ballot and how to find nonpartisan information about candidates running for office
- Developing a Libguide platform that directs students to information and forms they need through links to state electronic voter registration forms, election information sites, as well as to the ALL IN to Vote site.
About Berkeley College
Berkeley College is a career-focused institution accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that offers students master’s, bachelor’s, and associate degrees and certificate programs in more than 20 career fields. The college also offers continuing education programs to enhance career credentials. Berkeley College has campuses in New York City and in Newark, Woodbridge, and Woodland Park, with more than 4,000 students enrolled.
