CLC Recognized as a 2024 ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting 

Central Lakes College has been recognized by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) as a 2024 ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting. The ALL IN Most Engaged Campuses for College Student Voting recognizes colleges and universities for outstanding efforts to increase nonpartisan student voter participation. CLC joins a group of 471 colleges and universities recognized by ALL IN for completing four core actions: 

• Participating in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge 

• Sharing 2022 NSLVE Reports with campus voting data with ALL IN 

• Developing and submitting a 2024 democratic engagement action plan with ALL IN 

• Having a current signatory to ALL IN’s Higher Education Presidents’ Commitment to Full Student Voter Participation.  

“At Central Lakes College, we believe every voice has the power to shape the future. Guided by our mission to “build futures,” we foster opportunities for cultural enrichment, civic responsibility, and meaningful community engagement,” said Dr. Hara Charlier, President of CLC. “We take pride in our students, who not only embrace their right to vote but also inspire and empower others to make their voices heard.” 

Jennifer Domagal-Goldman, Executive Director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, added, “The research is clear: colleges and universities that make intentional efforts to increase nonpartisan democratic engagement have higher campus voter registration and voter turnout rates. This year we saw more colleges than ever before step up their efforts to ensure that their students were registered and ready to make their voices heard at the ballot box. These Most Engaged Campuses are setting the standard for nonpartisan civic engagement work for colleges and universities across the country.”  

Beginning in the spring of 2024, a CLC coalition of college students and employees wrote their action plan for the academic year, and this document guided the college’s efforts toward asking every student to be an active participant in democracy. Through numerous events and initiatives, campuses were thoroughly and completely canvassed with non-partisan voter engagement efforts, above and beyond previous efforts. Through these efforts, CLC students were prepared, informed, and enabled to vote in this year’s election. 

“Central Lakes College is proud of its student leaders for establishing our college as a leader in the student vote movement at both the state and national level,” said Erich Heppner, CLC Director of Student Life. “Our students coordinated and led numerous voter registration drives and celebrated civic holidays such as National Voter Registration Day, Voter Education Week, Vote Early Day, and Election Hero Day.” 

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement. Campuses that join the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge complete a set of action items, with the support of ALL IN staff, to institutionalize nonpartisan civic learning and voter participation on their campus. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge currently engages 10.8 million students from more than 1,075 institutions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Campuses can join the ALL IN Challenge here.