Gephardt News

Campus Election Engagement Project Virtual Summit Engages Voters Amidst COVID-19

For the third consecutive year, the Gephardt Institute is partnering with the Brown School Center for Social Development’s Voter Access and Engagement Initiative and the Campus Election Engagement Project to co-host the regional bi-state Campus & Community Voter Engagement Summit. While past summits have been day-long programs in person, the 2020 summit adapted to a virtual format.

To date, the summit has brought together over 60 community leaders, campus administrators, faculty, and student leaders in Missouri and Illinois for a series of conversations about engaging voters ahead of the November election. Summit sessions explored the theme Navigating the New (ab)Normal: Empowering Student Voters in the COVID Era.  Attendees learned about resources, discussed digital engagement strategies, and heard from experts on an array of topics. Sessions included:

  • Engaging Student Voters during COVID: A Collaborative Conversation with Campus Leaders
  • Working with Local Election Officials: Virtual Panel Discussions with Missouri Election Administrators
  • Working with Local Election Officials: Virtual Panel Discussions with Illinois Election Administrators
  • Making Community Colleges “Democracy’s Colleges” Again

The final session of the virtual summit will be presented in October and will feature student leaders engaging their peers in voting efforts.

To learn more about the Gephardt Institute’s voter engagement strategy, visit http://washuvotes.wustl.edu