West Chester Receives 'Gold Seal' For Student Voting Engagement

WEST CHESTER, PA — West Chester University has received a national honor for the student body's outstanding voting engagement.

The All In Campus Democracy Challenge analyzed voter engagement on campuses around the country. A total of 79 percent of West Chester's eligible students are registered, and 56 percent of those students voted in the 2018 midterms, the study showed.

All told, West Chester students' overall voting rate was 43.8, which is 4.7 points above the national rate.

"We strive to create a culture of civic engagement and active citizenship on our campus, and this recognition is a reflection of the hard work by our Service-Learning and Volunteer Programs staff," Judy Kawamoto, WCU's assistant vice president for student development, said in a statement.

The university also recognized three students who coordinated registration and education programs, and earned a stipend as part of the 2018 Campus Election Engagement Project: Hanna Donohue, Madison Ogborn, and Kathleen Weber.

West Chester cited a collaborative effort between students, faculty, and administrators that they say has steadily improved voter engagement over the years.