Abe, Carah, Logan, Angelina, Diego, Sarah, Emily, Anna, Charlie, Kyle, Nadia, Nikki, Drew, Ryan, Katrina, Mary, Kyel, and Katelyn
2020 in Review
- Nearly 60 virtual programs reaching over 250,000 individual participants on Elections, 2020 Census, Antiracism & Social Justice, Climate Change, Immigration, Virginia State Politics, and more.
- Antiracism Education and Social Justice Pedagogy workshops with more than 135 JMU faculty and staff participating.
- 36 Democracy Matters podcast episodes produced in 2020 featuring leading experts, policy-makers, scholars, practitioners and JMU students
- JMU Civic work in the Media: Inside Higher Ed, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Teen Vogue, Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, Forbes, Roll Call, Washington Monthly, Herald&Review, Virginia Mercury, Richmond Times Dispatch, The Virginian-Pilot, The Daily Progress, The Breeze, Breeze TV, Daily News Record, WHSV, The Citizen
- National partnerships: ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, American Democracy Project, American Council on Education, American Political Science Association, Ask Every Student, Campus Election Engagement Project, Campus Vote Project, MTV +1 the Polls, Students Learn Students Vote
- Presentations in National and State Forums: Association of American Colleges and Universities, Campus Compact (4), Students Learn Student Vote, American Democracy Project, Bipartisan Policy Center (3), International Town-Gown Association, Virginia Campus Democracy Summit (4)
Voter Education and Engagement
- 100% of JMU Student Athletes Registered to Vote
- 120 JMU students applied to be first-time poll workers
- 12 Virtual Town Halls with candidates from across the political spectrum for President, Senate, Congress and City Council
- Nonpartisan Voter Guide with responses from candidates for President, Senate, Congress, City Council and School Board on pressing public issues
7 Celebrity videos encouraging JMU students to vote - Interdisciplinary 2020 Elections course with JMU XLabs
- Workshops for Resident Advisors, faculty & staff to learn about facilitating difficult conversations
- Tent Talks providing opportunities to register to vote and discuss political issues with trained facilitators
- Social media campaigns targeting low-propensity voters
- Text messaging campaign & alerts on Canvas & MyMadison to get-out-the-vote
- Virtual voter education and registration class visits
- Post-election forums for learning and discussing in an academic context
Census Education and Engagement
- Served on the Commonwealth’s Complete Count Commission & Harrisonburg and Rockingham Regional Complete Count Committee
- Town Halls with census experts
- Interdisciplinary 2020 Census course
- Tent Talks providing opportunities to learn about and complete the 2020 Census online
- Designed multilingual posters, door hangers & social media campaigns for JMU & Shenandoah Valley
- Multilingual ads on Harrisonburg buses in partnership with city and county
- Art Contest in partnership with city and county public schools
- Campus-wide text messages & alerts on Canvas & MyMadison to get-out-the-count
- Virtual census education class visits
- Canvassed off-campus complexes
Testimonials
“The James Madison Center for Civic Engagement is setting the standard for what can be accomplished when a university lives up to its commitment to educate civic leaders. The JMU Civic team are leaders on civic engagement in Virginia, with leading roles in planning the 2nd annual Virginia Democratic Engagement Summit this year, and leaders in the nation, with the students they engage in leadership roles on CVP’s Student Advisory Board and across the student voting space. Campus Vote Project’s work in Virginia, and across the country, would be substantially less effective without the partnership, leadership, and dedication to advancing democratic engagement in higher education of the JMU Civic team.”
Mike Burns – National Director of Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project
“We are preparing our students to have civic agency in our democracy…as JMU does. Not many institutions are that far ahead.”
Dr. Mildred García, president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), Democracy Matters #43
“Thank you, JMU Civic, for the interview and presence in your voter’s guide!”
Dr. Jo Jorgensen, Libertarian Party presidential candidate
“JMU Dukes are on the map in leadership for the public good.”
-Dr. Steven Dillingham, Director, U.S. Census Bureau, January 2020 JMU Civic experiential learning visit to Census Bureau Headquarters
“So proud of the things students are doing at JMU!”
-Delegate Cia Price, Representing District 95 in the Virginia House of Delegates, October 1, 2020
“Thank you so much for coordinating such a fantastic event with JMU Civic. It was truly outstanding, and I thank you for all you are doing for the next generation every day.”
Terry McAuliffe, Former Governor and 2021 Democratic Candidate for Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia
“Thank you for having me. It’s an honor and a pleasure.”
Kurt Santini, 2021 Republican Candidate for Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia
“As a 2007 graduate, I was excited to see JMU on the leading edge of this research [on Rank Choice Voting].”
-Gerald “Jerry” Harris, Associate City Attorney Virginia Beach, October 19
“[JMU Civic] is on the cutting edge of leadership in understanding history.”
Mike Gravel, Former U.S. Senator Representing Alaska, Democracy Matters #47
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