Charlottesville, Va. – November 10, 2021 – Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) continues to soar in the area of engaging students in the civic life of the community. The College is the recipient of the 2021 ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) Best Action Plan Award for two-year institutions, as part of the Virginia Campus Voting Challenge. The award recognizes PVCC’s efforts to develop and implement a campus democratic engagement action plan to help college students improve nonpartisan civic learning, political engagement and voter participation. For the Action Plan Challenge, 527 total higher education institutions submitted action plans for the 2020 election, including 13 Virginia submissions.

Currently, 19 states are participating in the ALL IN State Voting Challenges, encompassing more than 426 institutions enrolling 4.3 million students. Fifteen Virginia higher education institutions are participating, with six institution presidents, including PVCC President Frank Friedman, having signed the presidential commitment. This signals a commitment for PVCC overall, to:  prepare students to be informed and active citizens, and support curricular and co-curricular experiences to drive the development of students into lifelong voters and engaged community members.

“One of the goals of the PVCC faculty is to prepare our students to be fully engaged citizens in our democracy,” Friedman stated. “We want our students to be knowledgeable about local, state and national issues, to be critical consumers of information, to formulate their position on issues and to vote. This award is recognition that PVCC is among the best colleges in the country at achieving these goals.”

PVCC consistently receives national recognition for its civic engagement efforts to increase voter engagement and registration among students. PVCC recently received a 2021-‘22 Voter Friendly Campus designation from Campus Vote Project and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Lead Initiative. Learn more about civic engagement at PVCC at www.pvcc.edu/campus-life/civic-sense.

Overall, the 2020 presidential election engaged the largest and most diverse group of college students in U.S. history. According to Jen Domagal-Goldman, Executive Director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, “The rise in voter participation and engagement for college students in last year’s presidential election was record-setting and will undoubtedly be tied to the efforts of the dedicated students, faculty, administrators and partner organizations that are part of the ALL IN Challenge network.” Visit https://allinchallenge.org/awards-ceremony to explore a full list of awardees.

About the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge
The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) is a national, nonpartisan initiative of Civic Nation, a 501(c)(3) organization. ALL IN strives for a more inclusive democracy—one in which all voices are heard. ALL IN believes that higher education plays a role in graduating students into voters and in closing electoral participation gaps that persist by race and age. Through an intentionally designed program—which provides structure, support, and recognition—ALL IN strengthens college and university efforts to improve civic learning, political engagement, and voter participation.

About Piedmont Virginia Community College
Established in 1972, Piedmont Virginia Community College is a nonresidential two-year institution of higher education that serves Central Virginia – principally, residents of the City of Charlottesville and the counties of Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, and Nelson. PVCC is one of 23 community colleges in Virginia that comprise the Virginia Community College System. PVCC is committed to providing access to a college education for all who can benefit, an opportunity for each student to reach her/his potential and excellence in all programs and services. Visit www.pvcc.edu.

 

MEDIA CONTACT:
Susian Brooks
Director, Marketing and Media Relations
434.961.6574 | sbrooks@pvcc.edu