Higher Education and Democracy Initiative

Higher Education and Democracy Fellows Lead Election Education Efforts

Arielle Wiedenbeck — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 19:22:58 +0000

Higher Education and Democracy Fellows Lead Election Education Efforts Arielle Wiedenbeck Wed, 11/20/2024 - 12:22

Gretchen Minekime

This month special recognition goes out to the PACES Higher Education and Democracy Fellows for their phenomenal work leading up to and following the election.

Current fellows Janet Donavan, Leah Sprain and Christina Stanton, and former fellows Doug Spencer and Matt Burgess, dedicated many hours each to help inform students, faculty, staff and members of the public about election-related issues and to encourage voting. Here are some of their accomplishments within 91��’s election engagement efforts.

Donavan and Sprain organized watch parties for the presidential and vice-presidential debates, including a pre-vice-presidential-debate panel, which was coordinated with the Chancellor’s Office, student government, the College of Media, Communication and Information (CMCI), the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Conference on World Affairs. The panel and the debate were livestreamed and available to the public. Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction and Fort Lewis College in Durango organized watch parties on their campuses for the panels and vice-presidential debate.

Under Stanton’s leadership, Colorado Law’s American Indian Law Clinic traveled to South Dakota to conduct voter protection activities. Donovan, Stanton, and Sprain also served on 91��’s All-in Challenge Committee and organized public events, in multiple Colorado locations, about voting rights and Constitutional Law.

Back on campus, Stanton recruited student volunteers who conducted voter education classroom visits, with an emphasis on first-year students and others who have historically registered and voted at lower rates than our campus average. These visits, alongside the efforts of non-profit partner New Era Colorado, ultimately reached more than 12,000 students.

Past fellow Doug Spencer joined county clerks from 91�� and Weld Counties for a special filming of the PBS program Colorado Inside Out at Mackey Auditorium.

Past fellow Matt Burgess, who has since moved to the University of Wyoming, continues to coordinate a monthly polarization dialogue series, which includes 91�� representatives along with others from colleges, universities and communities around the Rocky Mountain West.

During an election year filled with particularly strong emotions, a sense that civil discourse is more challenging than ever and a lack of confidence in media and information, the fellows’ leadership was indispensable.

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Higher Education and Democracy Fellows 2024

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Demonstrative democracy: At forum, students show energy, curiosity about engaging with politics

Arielle Wiedenbeck — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 21:15:06 +0000

Demonstrative democracy: At forum, students show energy, curiosity about engaging with politics Arielle Wiedenbeck Wed, 10/02/2024 - 15:15

Joe Arney

In sports, it’s often said, offense wins games, but defense wins championships. For Cody Walizer, when it comes to politics, that’s inverted—good defense can win a debate, but it’s offense that wins elections.

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2024 Election Engagement

Arielle Wiedenbeck — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 16:48:26 +0000

2024 Election Engagement Arielle Wiedenbeck Mon, 08/26/2024 - 10:48

Gretchen Minekime

The Higher Education and Democracy Initiative catalyzes university-community partnerships and elevates public and community-engaged scholarship that addresses pressing civic challenges.

This election season the initiative is helping 91�� faculty, staff and graduate students to:

Secure funding through a special call for proposals to support projects that engage and educate communities external to the university on topics relevant to the 2024 election.
Learn about activities and events that faculty, staff and graduate students are undertaking with Colorado communities leading up to the 2024 election.
Connect with colleagues already working with Colorado communities on issues related to American politics, election law, voting rights and mis-and disinformation.

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