HWS News
5 December 2024 HWS Recognized as an ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for Student Voting By Sydney Herbruck '25
Hobart and William Smith’s voter engagement initiatives and nonpartisan participation receives national honor.
Hobart and William Smith has been honored as one of the 471 institutions named a 2024 ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting. This recognition celebrates HWS’ commitment to fostering nonpartisan democratic engagement and increasing voter participation among students.
The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge works to empower colleges and universities to institutionalize civic engagement, promoting a culture of informed and active participation in democratic processes. By earning this distinction, HWS has demonstrated exceptional dedication to making voter engagement a priority across its campus.
Throughout 2024, HWS implemented intentional strategies to support student voting, ensuring students were registered, informed and prepared to participate in elections. These efforts included voter registration drives, educational resources on key issues, and accessible polling locations.
With support from the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning (CCESL), HWS Votes, a nonpartisan student organization, led the campus efforts. The group dedicated the semester to helping students register to vote, request absentee ballots, and stay informed. They also organized watch parties for the presidential and vice-presidential debates and the election itself.
"Celebrating its 20th anniversary this fall, HWS Votes demonstrated unwavering dedication to educating the campus and community on the voting process," says CCESL Associate Director Peter Budmen '15, MAT '16, who advises HWS Votes. "From August to November, the coalition hosted 71 events, collecting 415 pledges and registering 102 voters."
"With these efforts, HWS Votes made 4,300 unique touchpoints with students, faculty and community members. This milestone year reflects the tireless efforts and collaboration of many, showcasing a deep commitment to fostering voter participation and civic engagement," Budmen adds.
Pictured above, On National Voter Registration Day, Rafael Aguilar ’25, Kelly Howe ’26 and Sarah Tyndall ’25 help students register to vote in Scandling Campus Center.
