Alverno College Recognized as a Voter Friendly Campus

Alverno College was named a Voter Friendly Campus by NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education and Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project.

The Voter Friendly Campus program is designed to help institutions address the myriad challenges that prevent college students from participating in the political process and foster a culture of democratic engagement on their campuses, including in years without a national election. This designation recognizes college and university campuses that have committed to voter registration, education, and turnout as part of their institutional mission.

In all, more than 250 other colleges and universities across 38 states and Washington D.C. were also recognized. The institutions designated 2023 Voter Friendly Campuses include a wide range of two-year, four-year, public, private, rural, and urban campuses that collectively serve over 3.5 million students. Of these, 71 are joining the program for the first time. Notably, the list of designated institutions includes 49 Minority Serving Institutions and 13 Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as well as 41 Community Colleges.

In 2022, campuses helped students transition back to in-person activities leading up to the first national election since the height of the pandemic. But the work of Voter Friendly Campuses is just as crucial in 2023, even without a major national election. The institutions on this year’s list are showing dedication to growing young people’s turnout for local, state and national elections, as well as building their infrastructure for helping student turnout in future elections. Our 2023 Voter Friendly Campuses have developed new and creative ways to help increase turnout on their campuses – including incentivizing faculty and students to develop, implement, and track engagement programs that encouraged students to register and vote.

Campuses were evaluated on their ability to complete a three-step process, which included developing a written plan for how the school would engage student voters in 2022, facilitating voter education and engagement efforts on campus, and writing a final analysis of their efforts. The designation is valid through December 2024.

“Higher education continues to play a pivotal role in safeguarding our democracy. The campuses on this year's designee list are at the forefront of this important work,” said Kevin Kruger, NASPA President. “This accomplishment is due to the hard work of student affairs professionals, students, and faculty partners from across the country, to whom we express our congratulations and gratitude.”

“When college campuses help their students register and vote, they’re helping to instill lifelong habits of civic engagement,” said Mike Burns, the National Director of the Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project. “By incorporating democratic engagement into their campus life, these schools are opening the door for students to explore what their political beliefs are, and how they want to engage in the democratic process. These efforts are crucial to our country’s democracy.”

Youth turnout in 2022 was the second highest for any midterm election in the last 30 years. Campuses that participate in the Voter Friendly Campus program and similar engagement programs continue to be a driving force for these tremendous outcomes. Student-specific turnout data will be available later this year from the Institute for Democracy and Higher Education’s National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement.

To see a list of all the colleges and universities recognized as a Voter Friendly Campus, please visit this link.

About NASPA

NASPA is the leading association for the advancement, health, and sustainability of the student affairs profession. Our work provides high-quality professional development, advocacy, and research for 15,000 members in all 50 states, 25 countries, and 8 U.S. territories.

About Fair Elections Center

Fair Elections Center is a national, nonpartisan voting rights and legal support organization that works to eliminate barriers to voting and improve election administration across the United States. Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project works with universities, community colleges, faculty, students and election officials to reduce barriers to student voting and helps campuses institutionalize reforms that empower students with the information they need to register and vote.

About Alverno College

Founded in 1887 by the School Sisters of St. Francis, Alverno College promotes the academic, personal and professional development of its students in a collaborative and inclusive environment. Undergraduate programs for women are offered in more than 60 areas of study, and graduate programs in education, nursing, community psychology, school psychology, music therapy, music and liturgy, and business are open to women and men.

A leader in higher education innovation, Alverno has earned international accolades for its highly effective ability-based, assessment-as-learning approach to education, which emphasizes hands-on experience and develops in-demand skills. The college, Wisconsin’s first Hispanic-Serving Institution, ranks among the top schools in the Midwest for its commitment to undergraduate teaching and innovation by U.S. News & World Report. For two years, The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education named Alverno the country’s most inspiring college.

Based in Milwaukee, Wis., Alverno College is a four-year independent, Catholic, liberal arts college.