Tri-C again recognized as ‘Voter Friendly Campus’

Cuyahoga Community College has again earned national status as a “Voter Friendly Campus” in recognition of its efforts to help students participate in the political process.

Overall, 231 campuses in 37 states and Washington, D.C. were recognized for their work to develop a culture of democratic engagement, according to a news release. Tri-C also received the two-year honor in 2019.

The program asks campuses to promote voter registration and voting to students as an institutional mission, the release stated. It is sponsored by the Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.

The Voter Friendly Campus project is designed to help students participate in the political process and establish civic habits that last a lifetime.

A team of 80 students, faculty and staff works with Tri-Cs Government Relations office to offer voter engagement programs.

A centerpiece of the effort is “The Voting Experience,” an initiative to educate the campus community about the voting process, the release stated. The program is led by TriC students the college selects as Campus Vote Project Democracy Fellows.

In 2020, “The Voting Experience” moved online due to the coronavirus pandemic and featured student-led videos and interviews with public officials. Social media efforts linked to the campaign reached more than 360,000 people, the release stated.

Other outreach by the college includes yearround “Promote the Vote” programming and activities such as the Cuyahoga County Youth Summit, an outreach event for high school students.

Tri-C is also among 31 colleges and universities selected as co-designers for “Ask Every Student,” a project of the National Resource Consortium on Full Student Voter Participation. The goal of “Ask Every Student” is to achieve 100% college student participation in elections.