In August, The Andrew Goodman Foundation’s Vote Everywhere Ambassadors from across the country met at the Stony Point Center in New York for the National Civic Leadership Training Summit.
These students, including those from Kutztown University, work throughout the year to develop voter and civic engagement on college campuses. This year, 103 Ambassadors at 43 campuses in 20 states worked to register voters, spearhead Get Out the Vote efforts, and remove barriers to voting on their campuses.
Five Vote Everywhere Ambassadors were honored with 2017 Hidden Heroes Awards for exceptional contributions to voting rights and social justice, including Kutztown University, ’18, student Rachael Cohen Hamilton.
The Hidden Heroes Award recognizes dedication to the mission of The Andrew Goodman Foundation, “to make young voices and votes a powerful force in democracy,” and to the Vote Everywhere program. Students chosen as awardees have demonstrated outstanding commitment to civic engagement, student leadership, and service on their campuses as well as in their surrounding communities. The award also recognizes students’ passion for civic participation and advocacy.
Rachael enacted a voter registration system that provided links to online registration throughout major student access points including all University computers, the student portal, and new student orientation. Her team also coordinated shuttles to bring students to an inaccessible polling site for the November 2016 election. Following the election, Rachael and her team pursued a successful social justice campaign to change the name of Columbus Day in Kutztown University’s calendar to “Fall Break.”
“Our Vote Everywhere Ambassadors continue to surprise and inspire us with the commitment they show to civic engagement and social justice,” says Sylvia Golbin-Goodman, Executive Director of The Andrew Goodman Foundation. “While many of our Ambassadors have accomplished amazing things this year, the five Hidden Heroes Award recipients stand out in their extraordinary efforts to ensure a peaceful, just, and sustainable future. We’re so proud of their work, and can’t wait to see what the next school year brings!”
