ECU named to Washington Monthly’s 2019 best college guide for student voting
East Carolina University was named to Washington Monthly’s 2019 America’s Best Colleges for Student Voting. This marks the second consecutive year ECU has earned this distinction. A part of The College Guide and Rankings — which rates colleges and universities on their contributions to social mobility, research and public service — this is a first-of-its-kind list of the schools doing the most to turn students into citizens.
ECU is one of four schools in the state of North Carolina on the Washington Monthly rankings list for 2019. Inclusion on the list demonstrates ECU’s commitment to promote civic engagement among the student body, encouraging students to vote and actively participate in community decisions
“Our focus is on educating students about how to be responsible, engaged citizens,” said Tara Kermiet, associate director of ECU’s Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement. “It is important that our students have the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate the systems of our democracy. All opportunities offered through our center are designed with an educational focus to support students as they learn about themselves and their community, take action through voting and advocate for lasting positive change.”
According to Washington Monthly, “Because voting tends to be habitual — if you vote in this election, you’re far more likely to vote in the next one, and the ones after that — colleges and universities have an opportunity to boost democratic participation not only in 2020 but for years or even decades to come.”
Ensuring that the nation’s young people — its future leaders — are inspired to engage civically is key to strengthening democracy. On many college and university campuses, less than half of eligible student voters exercise their democratic right to cast a ballot in presidential elections.
ECU’s education on civic engagement also includes participation in the National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement (NSLVE), which offers colleges and universities an opportunity to learn their student registration and voting rates. ECU hosts several events to help students register to vote and to increase participation at the polls, which has included offering free ECU Transit shuttles to polling locations.
For more information, contact Kermiet at 252-328-1554 or kermiett16@ecu.edu. To view the complete 2019 Washington Monthly list visit https://washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/september-october-2019/americas-best-colleges-for-student-voting-2019/.
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Contact: Tara Kermiet, associate director of Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement, kermiett16@ecu.edu
Phone: 252-328-1554