North Carolina Campus Compact, in partnership with the national Campus Election Engagement Project, is working to support non-partisan election engagement activities at campuses throughout our network. We have worked with CEEP in past election seasons, including in 2012 and 2014. Our new initiative began last summer, when the Compact joined a coalition of state and national non-partisan organizations working to promote student voting in North Carolina. Our work this spring has included providing professional development on student voter engagement for campus faculty and staff during our January network meetings, disseminating election-related information and resources relevant to building campus-wide efforts, and teaming up with the Institute of Political Leadership to deliver workshops for students interested in politics and public service.
We are especially excited about our Election Engagement Fellows Program, which currently supports 12 student leaders on 12 campuses. These EE Fellows will lead non-partisan voter engagement activities and assist the campus in developing institutional supports for future election engagement. In designing the fellowship, we consulted with staff of the national CEEP organization, the national Campus Vote Project, and the Andrew Goodman Foundation, whose Vote Everywhere Ambassadors do similar work at schools nationwide, including at four NC schools. We also learned from Common Cause NC, which coordinates a Democracy Fellows program at HBCU’s across the state. Funding for the program is providing by CEEP and by the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation through its “Strengthening Democracy” initiative.
NC Campus Compact looks forward to supporting these student leaders as they work to engage fellow students and build campus supports for continued civic engagement!
Appalachian State University
Fellow: Thomas Gallagher
Advisor: Kate Johnson
Thomas is a rising senior from Durham, NC majoring in political science. Thomas is also ImpACT Team Co-Chair in the ACT (Appalachian and the Community Together) Office and a former orientation and alternative break leader.
Central Piedmont Community College, Cato Campus
Fellow: Nicholas Greene
Advisor: David Mahatha
Nicholas is a second year student from Trenton, New Jersey who is Co-Chair of Student Government Senate at Cato Campus.
Durham Technical Community College
Fellow: Nicole Tatum
Advisor: Erin Riney
Nicole is a Nursing student from Durham, NC. She is president of the Gamma Beta Phi honor society and a member of Phi Theta Kappa, and she will serve as the NC/DTCC College Debate Delegate this summer.
Guilford College
Fellow: Patricia Martinez
Advisor: James Shields
Patricia is a rising sophomore from Oakland, California majoring in justice & policy studies. She is a Bonner Scholar and a student leader of the Prison Education Initiative and has served as a poll worker in California.
Meredith College
Fellow: Ann Cox
Advisor: Dr. David McLennan
Ann is a rising junior from Hillsborough, NC majoring in international studies. She is president of the college’s history & politics club and was a leader of the non-partisan Meredith Votes program in 2014. In past elections, she has been a campaign volunteer and poll monitor.
Queens University of Charlotte
Fellow: Margaret Nelson
Advisor: Dr. Maggie Commins
Margaret is a rising senior from Ahoskie, NC majoring in political science and sociology. She has been an orientation leader, and SGA representative, and led campus voter engagement efforts in 2014 through her work with Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honor society.
UNC Asheville
Fellow: Rachel Maynard
Advisor: Dr. Ashley Moraguez
Rachel is a rising junior from King, NC majoring in political science. She is a leader of the recently formed political science club on her campus and an SGA representative.
UNC Greensboro
Fellow: Sydney Gouani
Advisor: Kristina Snader
Sydney is a rising senior social work major from Charlotte, NC. She is also a Civic Engagement Fellow in UNCG’s Office of Leadership and Service-Learning, and she is a part-time AmeriCorps member with NC Literacy Corps.
UNC Pembroke
Fellow: Harrison Pegram
Advisor: Dalton Hoffer
Harrison is a rising sophomore from Greensboro, NC majoring in business administration. He is an engagement guide in the Office of Community and Civic Engagement, an SGA senator, and a leader in his fraternity.
UNC Wilmington
Fellow: Elise Wilson
Advisor: Brianna Nichols
Elise is a senior from Norfolk, Virginia, who is studying History and Pre-Law. She is an engagement guide with the Office of Student Leadership and Engagement where she focuses on voter engagement and education equality.
Wake Technical Community College
Fellow: Safaa Tazzit
Advisor: Luanne Burns
Safaa is a rising second year student from Raleigh, NC majoring in computer and electrical engineering. She is an SGA Senator, a member of Phi Theta Kappa honor society, and an active community volunteer through the Office of Volunteerism and Leadership.
Warren Wilson College
Fellow: Matt Lederer
Advisor: Cathy Kramer
Matt is a rising junior from Denver, Colorado majoring in political science and history. Matt has been active in Student Government since his first year at WWC and recently was part of a team that re-wrote the SGA Constitution. He is an active member of the voter engagement issue team.
For more information about the Election Engagement Fellows program, contact NC Campus Compact Assistant Director Chad Fogleman.