(Washington, DC) On Tuesday, November 19, Middlesex Community College was recognized by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) as a 2024 ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting. The ALL IN Most Engaged Campuses for College Student Voting recognizes colleges and universities for outstanding efforts to increase nonpartisan student voter participation. Middlesex joins a group of 471 colleges and universities recognized by ALL IN for completing four core actions:
- Participating in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge
- Sharing 2022 NSLVE Reports with campus voting data with ALL IN
- Developing and submitting a 2024 democratic engagement action plan with ALL IN
- Having a current signatory to ALL IN’s Higher Education Presidents’ Commitment to Full Student Voter Participation.
“We are thrilled to be recognized as a 2024 ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting for our non-partisan efforts,” said Phil Sisson, MCC’s President. “At Middlesex, we strive to ensure that our students’ voices be heard across many platforms, and voting is one of the best ways they can do this. Led by our Office of Civic Engagement and Service-Learning, students can attend a variety of non-partisan events and activities throughout the academic year to learn how to register to vote, where and when to vote, and what they are voting on. As part of MCC’s mission, we lead these non-partisan initiatives to promote the value of being an active community member in all elections to our students and future leaders.”
“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. 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,” said Jennifer Domagal-Goldman, Executive Director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “These Most Engaged Campuses are setting the standard for nonpartisan civic engagement work for colleges and universities across the country.”
In 2024, Middlesex hosted several on-campus voter registration tables, including at the annual Spring Fling and Fall Fest student events. MCC celebrated National Voter Registration Day with tables on both campuses, as well as were awarded two "Pizza to the Polls" mini-grants to serve pizza to students at voter registration tables – one in Lowell for National Voter Registration Day and the other in Bedford for Voter Education Week. The college also had tables to promote Early Voting Day on both campuses.
The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement. 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 more than 1,075 institutions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Campuses can join the ALL IN Challenge here.
ABOUT ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge:
ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement. Through an intentionally-designed program that provides structure, support, and recognition, ALL IN works to improve civic learning, political engagement, and voter participation on more than 1,075 campuses nationwide. ALL IN believes higher education should play a role in developing an active and informed citizenry by educating students, motivating them to engage in American democracy, and instilling the value of lifelong participation. ALL IN is an initiative of Civic Nation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Learn more here.
ABOUT Civic Nation:
Civic Nation is a nonprofit ecosystem for high-impact organizing and education initiatives working to build a more inclusive and equitable America. Civic Nation shifts culture, systems, and policy by bringing together individuals, grassroots organizers, industry leaders, and influencers to tackle some of our nation’s most pressing social challenges. Civic Nation is home to seven national initiatives and campaigns: ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, Change Collective, It’s On Us, Save On Clean Energy, SAVE On Student Debt, We The Action, and When We All Vote. Learn more here.
ABOUT Middlesex Community College:
Discover your path at Middlesex Community College. As one of the largest, most comprehensive community colleges in Massachusetts, MCC has been a proven leader in education for more than 50 years. Middlesex puts the student first. Meeting each learner where they are, MCC provides them with a safe, welcoming and engaging place to learn. Offering more than 80 degree and certificate programs – plus hundreds of noncredit courses – Middlesex features flexible course formats and a variety of award-winning student support services and resources. Student success starts at MCC!