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Marlins Vote in 2016
Campus election engagement projects include voter registration efforts, special events and more
About 40 Virginia Wesleyan students gathered in the Marlin Grille to watch Democrat Hillary Clinton face off against Republican Donald Trump in the first of a series of televised presidential debates for the 2016 election season. The event, organized by the student members of Marlins Vote, was “amazing,” according to sophomore political science and Hispanic studies major Bayli Foley.
“We had debate bingo, prizes, snacks, and of course a table for voter registration,” says Foley, who got involved with Marlins Vote after interning with a political campaign over the summer. “The energy during the debate was as high as the energy on the debate stage.”
Marlins Vote is a nonpartisan student club, and one of its primary goals is to register student voters. On Election Day, there will also be shuttles and walking teams to VWC polling places. The phrase “Marlins Vote” also serves as a descriptor for the College’s broader civic engagement efforts.
This fall, that means opportunities not only to register voters but to provide information and access to absentee ballots, connect students with election engagement prospects, and provide education about candidates and issues. This year, the College is also presenting a special “What’s at Stake” Election 2016 event series that is free and open to the public.
The Political Science Department, Black Student Union, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the Office of Community Service, College Republicans, Young Democrats, The Lighthouse and The Center for the Study of Religious Freedom are also active in the campus election engagement process. But students like Bayli Foley are integral to its success.
“I was excited to take on campus election engagement because it's something mobilizing my generation to vote and take an interest in the elections,” Foley explains, “and it’s something I'm passionate about.”
A commitment to citizenship and civic engagement has been a critical element in the mission of Virginia Wesleyan College since its founding. As a small, private, liberal arts college with a diverse enrollment of approximately 1,400 students, Virginia Wesleyan is the ideal setting for a dynamic and respectful civic dialogue and a unified, but non-partisan, resource on election matters.
"Citizen Bob" the College's designated civic mascot—AKA College mascot Bob Marlin doing his civic duty—encourages students and the broader Virginia Wesleyan community to get involved and make their voices heard.
Find out more about Marlins Vote or, students, visit the Office of Community Service to get involved.