OUR WORK
The Students Learn Students Vote (SLSV) Coalition and our partners lead multiple programs and initiatives designed to make the democratic process more accessible for college students by weaving democratic engagement into the fabric of campus life. Whether by providing funding, resources, connections, and/or strategic direction, we ensure each of our programs and initiatives are accessible and impactful on campuses throughout the country.
Ask Every Student is a national joint initiative that facilitates collaboration between campus leaders and nonprofit partners to help campuses Ask Every Student to participate in the democratic process and achieve full student student voter registration. The SLSV Coalition provides strategic direction as a Steering Committee organization and provides managerial, funding distribution, and design support for the initiative.
Ask Every Student offers high engagement opportunities for institutions aiming to advance or launch efforts that empower their students to participate in our democracy. Alongside campuses across the country and with national and local nonprofit organizations, Ask Every Student participants join a community that is working to scale, apply, and implement nonpartisan voter registration strategies that reach every student on campus and set the standard for student voting accessibility and institutionalization.
In order to join the Ask Every Student Community, campuses can simply complete the Interest Form or register to attend any Ask Every Student programming. As part of the Ask Every Student Community, campuses will have access to all AES programming, tools, and resources, including open hours, newsletters, trainings, and early access to new and revised versions of the AES toolkits. As opportunities are made available, campuses can also apply to be a Commitment Campus or Codesigner Campus and receive funding and one-on-one support from the Ask Every Student team or partner organizations. Codesigner Campuses take part in a design process for developing resources around student voter and civic engagement best practices.
Ask Every Student is a partnership between the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project, the SLSV Coalition, and NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.
With many events focused on voter registration and turnout, this Civic Holiday focuses on voter education – an essential part in ensuring that those who are registered actually cast a ballot. The SLSV Coalition is proud to be a founding partner and lead convener of the steering committee for National Voter Education Week (NVEW).
Following National Voter Registration Day and preceding Vote Early Day and Election Hero Day, NVEW is a digital campaign the first week in October that equips voters with the tools, information, and confidence they need to cast their ballots.
Participating in a national nonpartisan voter education campaign provides another touchpoint for campuses to further create a strong culture around participation and voting in their community.
Campus Takeover is a nation-wide effort to mobilize students around elections and to create a culture of civic engagement on college campuses during the Civic Holidays, which include National Voter Registration Day, National Voter Education Week, Vote Early Day, and Election Hero Day.
The Campus Takeover team, co-led by the Alliance for Youth Organizing and the SLSV Coalition, provides specialized resources and support to college campuses through toolkits, webinars, and mini grants. Student organizations, campus offices, and community organizations are all welcome to partner and receive resources.
This program focuses on college and university campuses because they are natural hubs for student engagement. By centering our efforts on campuses, we are able to help students realize their identities as voters, remove common barriers from civic engagement, and create a culture of voting and non-partisan civic engagement on campuses that students are likely to carry with them long after they graduate.
The SLSV Post-Election Gathering brings together nonprofit organizations, campus staff, administrators, faculty, and students to build connections and friendships across the student democracy space, share lessons learned, provide training and resources, and create a shared momentum and energy towards our collective goals. This year’s gathering will be a transformative experience that will provide opportunities for connection, sharing, and community.
