Wichita State University has been designated a Voter-Friendly Campus by the Campus Vote Project and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.

According to the awarding organization, Wichita State’s “efforts, despite great challenges presented by COVID-19, to break down barriers and empower students with the information and tools they need to participate in the political process led to historic youth voter turnout and opened the door to lifelong civic engagement for your students.”

Gabriel Fonseca, assistant director of Student Involvement and Student Government advisor at Wichita State, said the designation was the culmination of a year of dedicated work from the Shockers Vote Coalition.

After an extensive plan was submitted to NAPSA, Shockers Vote partnered with the Sedgwick County Elections Office and the Intercollegiate Athletic Association to open an early voting location at Charles Koch Arena on Oct. 20,  where faculty, staff and community members who were eligible to vote in Sedgwick County to cast their vote during the General Election.

Shockers Vote then submitted data analysis and a report of the university’s efforts for approval to receive the designation.

“This honor culminates the hard work the Shockers Vote Coalition has put into engaging our broader community with voter and election engagement,” Fonseca said. “I am proud of the work the coalition did, proud of our students for their service, thankful for the support of our staff and faculty members on the coalition to support our students and grateful for the support of the Student Government Association for financially contributing to this work.”

Fonseca said that Shockers Vote’s work and the Voter-Friendly Campus designation emphasizes the university’s commitment to community engagement and civic duty.

“This highlights the importance of voting, not just in the high-profile elections, but at all levels of government that impact their day-to-day lives,” Fonseca said.