Engage Democracy is a university-wide initiative that educates the campus community about the processes and civic skills needed to participate in a thriving democracy.
Engage Democracy includes voter engagement in all elections, public policy education, civic dialogue, and civic skills workshops. Explore opportunities for involvement below, and connect with us to further engage the campus community and increase political participation throughout the year.
Voter Engagement
Voting is a vital form of civic engagement that helps make our communities stronger. Learn about WashU Votes, our student-led volunteer initiative, voter registration, election dates, polling places, ballot issues, and more.
American Democracy Lab Podcast
Our podcast brings together experts from different fields to talk about an aspect of our American democracy and where different perspectives may converge.
Civic Cafe
Share a meal and learn about civic topics from a community or campus expert. Graduate and undergraduate students of every discipline are invited to attend.
Common Ground Grants
Common Ground Grants are designed to catalyze the campus community in developing strategies to repair, address, and prevent polarization at the university and in the St. Louis community. Opportunities range from $500-$1,500.
This Civic Moment Podcast
In this podcast, we engage diverse local and regional civic and community leaders on what inspired them to engage this civic moment and better understand what is next for our civic future.
Food for Thought
A pop-up event series to prompt casual civic conversations. Each week features a different topic, many of which are co-hosted by a campus partner or student group. Local snacks are always provided.
Political Science Courses
The Gephardt Institute and the Department of Political Science collaborate to offer one credit courses that teach students to leverage the political process to promote civic engagement.
Workshop Series
We offer workshops to equip students and campus partners with knowledge and skills to engage in the process of democracy, including “civics 101,” media literacy, and citizen tools for communicating with elected officials.
2022 Midterm Election Media Kit
A set of social media graphics and posts compiled to help our WashU campus partners and community spread the word about voter turnout, voting on campus, Party at the Polls, and more.
‘Engage Democracy’ In The News
- For the Third Straight Year, Washington University is Designated a Voter-Friendly Campus
- WU students participate in St. Louis city mayoral primary through voting and advocacy
- Announcing the American Democracy Lab Podcast
- Engaging the Unengaged
- Campus Election Engagement Project Virtual Summit Engages Voters Amidst Covid-19
- Washington University Designated Voter-Friendly Campus
- Engage Democracy Workshops Educate and Equip Participants to Act
- Engage Democracy: A New University-Wide Initiative
The Engage Democracy Initiative is generously funded by Bruce Levenson, AB ’71, and Karen Levenson.