One of 394 colleges and universities recognized nationwide, CSU earned the nod for "efforts to increase nonpartisan democratic student engagement in the 2022 election"

Cleveland State University has been recognized by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) as a 2022 "Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting." The annual designations recognize colleges and universities for their intentional efforts to increase student voter participation. CSU joins a group of 394 colleges and universities recognized by ALL IN for completing these four actions:

1) Participate in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge; 2) sharing of 2020 Institute for Democracy and Higher Education's National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE) Reports with campus voting data with ALL IN; 3) developed and submitted a 2022 democratic engagement action plan with ALL IN; and 4) have a current signatory to ALL IN’s Higher Education Presidents' Commitment to Full Student Voter Participation.

"Cleveland State University and our Office of Civic Engagement are committed to providing our students with the information they need to become registered voters and active citizens," said CSU President Laura Bloomberg, Ph.D.

"We stress to our students the importance of their participation in the voting process. CSU is honored to receive this recognition from ALL IN and proud that our students are voicing their opinions with their votes."

The Office of Civic Engagement (OCE) is honored to again have its nonpartisan democratic student engagement efforts recognized by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, said Anita Ruf-Young, director of CSU’s OCE. The mission is "a year-round one," ensuring the campus community is registered to vote and well-informed on local, state, and national voting issues.

"Our engagement is successful because we go beyond one-off interactions. We are embedding civic engagement into the DNA of CSU by institutionalizing it in campus events as well as in the curriculum that reaches the desks of every first-year student," Ruf-Young said.

"Our work is made possible through our civic and academic allies--including but not limited to Northeast Ohio Voter Advocates, the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, Campus Vote Project, CSU’s First Year Experience program, the Michael Schwartz Library, our Athletics’ Department, and, of course, Dr. Bloomberg," Ruf-Young said.

The annual submissions for the OCE to receive these designations provide opportunity to refine and sharpen CSU's Campus Democracy Action Plan to increase CSU student voter turnout. Ruf-Young shared that 89% of the CSU student body is registered to vote and that the OCE is looking forward to receiving Midterm 2022 Election data. 

For more information on the CSU Office of Civic Engagement, please visit urban.csuohio.edu/oce/office-of-civic-engagement.

About ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan democratic student engagement. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge currently engages over 9 million students from more than 960 institutions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Campuses can join the ALL IN Challenge here and make educating for democratic engagement on college campuses an accepted and expected part of the culture and curriculum so that students graduate with the knowledge, skills, behaviors, and values needed to be an informed and active citizen.

ALL IN is a national nonpartisan initiative of Civic Nation, a 501(c)(3) organization. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge strives to change civic culture and institutionalize democratic engagement activities and programs on college campuses, making voter participation a defining feature of campus life.

About Cleveland State University

Founded in 1964, Cleveland State University is a public research institution that provides a dynamic setting for Engaged Learning. With nearly 16,000 students, eight colleges and more than 175 academic programs, CSU was again chosen for 2022 as one of America’s best universities by U.S. News & World Report, including the #1 university in Ohio for social mobility. Find out more information at www.csuohio.edu.

Media contact at CSU: Anita Ruf-Young, Director, Office of Civic Engagement, a.rufyoung@csuohio.edu, 216.687.5534.