McKendree University Recognized for Excellence in Student Voter Engagement
The University was awarded the Silver Seal from the ALL IN Challenge
(LEBANON, Ill., November 9, 2021) – On Monday, Nov. 8, the ALL IN Campus Democracy
Challenge hosted its third biennial awards ceremony to recognize select higher education
institutions, educators and students for their extraordinary work in student voter
engagement during the 2020 presidential election. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and
most students learning virtually, the honorees ensured students across the country
could cast their ballots.
The 2020 presidential election engaged the largest and most diverse group of college
students in U.S. history. McKendree University received the 2021 Silver Seal for achieving
a student voting rate between 60 and 69 percent, a sharp incline from 2018’s 30 to
39 percent. More than 840 institutions enrolling close to nine million students participate
in the ALL IN Challenge.
Dr. Ann Collins, professor of political science, led the ALL IN Democracy Challenge
and nonpartisan voter engagement activities on campus, along with Jennifer Funk, M.A.Ed.
’14, co-chair of the ALL IN Committee.
“We are happy to receive this national recognition,” Dr. Collins said. “Our students
realize that their voices matter – at all levels of government. They’re getting out
to vote because they know it’s important to their lives and to their futures.”
The 2020 election cycle saw unprecedented voter registration and turnout among college
students, according to the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE),
a research study of the Institute for Democracy in Higher Education (IDHE) at the
Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University.
“The rise in voter participation and engagement for college students in last year’s
presidential election amidst a global pandemic was tremendous and will undoubtedly
be tied to the tireless efforts of the dedicated students, faculty, administrators
and partner organizations that are part of the ALL IN Challenge network,” said Jen
Domagal-Goldman, Executive Director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “The
hard work of these trailblazing honorees will help support many of the country’s future
leaders in fulfilling the equitable, engaged vision of democracy to which we aspire.”
The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge is a nonpartisan, national initiative recognizing
and supporting campuses as they work to increase nonpartisan democratic engagement
and full student voter participation. The Challenge encourages higher education institutions
to help students form the habits of active and informed citizenship, and make democratic
participation a core value on their campus.
To learn more or see the full list of winning campuses, please visit www.allinchallenge.org/awards-ceremony.
-McK-
