St. Catherine University Celebrates Second Consecutive "Most Engaged Campus" Designation for Student Voting
For the second year in a row, St. Catherine University has earned national recognition for its dedication to empowering student voters. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge has named St. Kate’s a "2024 ALL IN Most Engaged Campus," a prestigious honor highlighting colleges and universities that go above and beyond to encourage nonpartisan student political participation.
“I absolutely LOVED the voter van,” said freshman Leila Hoeschen Ehrbright. “It was my first election and I was really looking forward to being able to vote. The voter van made it easy and fun!”
This achievement underscores St. Kate’s unwavering commitment to civic engagement. Led by Campus Vote Coordinator D’Ann Urbaniak Lesch and a vibrant collective of students, faculty, and staff, the university implemented an impressive range of strategies to promote voter turnout.
“The energy on campus surrounding the election was exciting,” said Sophie Hunt, Director of Community Work and Learning. “It was especially rewarding to see students educating each other about voting: how and where to vote, the history of voting access, and why voting is meaningful to them. ”
From the start of the semester, the message was clear: every student’s voice matters. Information about voting was woven seamlessly into campus life, appearing in new student packets, banners, fliers, emails, and even displays in prominent locations like the library and athletics lounge.
St. Kate’s went beyond simply providing information. They created engaging opportunities for meaningful dialogue about civic responsibility. This included a large-scale event exploring women’s leadership in collaboration with Twin Cities PBS, a series of "informed voter" events tackling critical policy issues like healthcare and immigration, and more casual "lunch and learn" sessions to foster open discussions about current events.
To ensure accessibility, the university offered a student-driven "Voter Van" service on Election Day. This transportation initiative ferried students to a local polling location throughout the day, with dedicated staff and student volunteers ready to answer questions and offer support. A total of 91 students took advantage of this convenient and empowering service.
Thanks to these comprehensive efforts, St. Kate’s has once again cemented its reputation as a national leader in empowering young voters. As the 2024 election cycle heats up, the university’s success serves as an inspiring model for other institutions committed to fostering active and informed citizenship among their students.
