Here are the winners of the free Aggie briefcases:
Simulated Voting Booth
I suggest setting up simulated voting booths around campus, especially in the front foyer of Student Union, and in foyers of student residence halls. These "booths" would compose mini-displays showing what a ballot looks like, right and wrong demonstrations of how a ballot comes to be marked. They would also contain a take-away sheet describing how to register to vote and where to go to cast one's ballot if voting from our campus.

Bright and eye-catching cardboard displays (thus not costly), perhaps with the slogan: "SEIZE YOUR FREEDOM: VOTE YOUR FUTURE!" splashed across the front of the booths.

These would not need to be manned, but we could ask seniors or faculty volunteers to put in some time at busiest hours to answer any questions our young freshmen may have.

<wchamblet@gmail.com>
Wendy C. Hamblet, Ph.D., SAC (Dip)
University Studies/Liberal Studies
North Carolina A&T State University

As an Aggie alum and current government relations professional with national presidential campaign experience, I appreciate the question of the week on encouraging more students to become involved in the political (and/or civic) process by volunteering, registering AND voting.

A&T must tap into its rich history in civic involvement and activism to ensure the promise of the future. Buy-in by school leadership is essential to the overall success of this civic participation program. The following suggestions are short-term and long-term goals, but could provide a solid foundation to increased civic involvement by current A&T students.

• Each student must take a mandatory 3 hour civics course their freshman year. The class could occur during freshman orientation or during the first semester. Students would re-examine A&T civil rights history, volunteerism, civic participation and the voter registration process (but not register them). Students would able to earn credits through participation through volunteering, voter registrations or get out the vote efforts.

• Invite local, state and national (presidential only) candidates to A&T to interact with students and discuss their candidacy, etc. Allow students the opportunity to ask questions, etc. During these interactions, allow the candidates to solicit for volunteers.

• Schedule school “town hall meetings” to discuss current events, public policy environment, world affairs and how it RELATES to them. Town Halls would be moderated by Chancellor or one the Vice Chancellors.

• Schedule local (city council/county government) and state (NC house and senate/governor/U.S. Senate) debates for candidates to be moderated by members of the student government with questions from the students only.

• Establish an Aggie Democratic Club and Aggie Republican Club with input from the NC Democratic and Republican Parties.

• Utilizing technology, school could create “Aggie Poli Blog” to post current political/public policy updates and provide students with an opportunity to respond and discuss topics, etc.

• Leverage Institute for Advanced Journalism Studies to invite members of the national, state and local mass media to discuss politics etc. National media could include New York Times columnist Bob Herbert and Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson.

• Working through A&T’s Office of Career Services and Department of Political Science, provide local internships during the semester with the Mayor’s office, city council, county government, state offices of U.S. Senators and district offices of U.S. Congressman. In addition, encourage students to apply for the prestigious Congressional Black Caucus Foundation internship program on Capitol Hill in the District of Columbia during the summer.

• Partner with the Congressional Black Caucus, National Black Caucus of State Legislators, National Conference of Black Mayors and National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials to provide students with their public policy agendas and invites to their state and national.

• Create "travel fund" for students to attend pertinent state and national conferences (for organizations above) and/or trips to Washington to meet their elected officials (and Aggie alums Congressmen Ed Towns and Jesse Jackson, Jr.) and to State Capital in Raleigh, NC to meet state policymakers. Students must earn the opportunity to go by volunteering and written essay.

All of these prospective programs could leverage existing and new resources and work to raise the political consciousness of all current A&T students. By making them aware of the issues facing the country and THEM coupled with incentives would hopefully lead to an increase in volunteering, registering and voting. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said that a “voteless people are a hopeless people” and we as alumni and the University should do all that we can to encourage our next generation of leaders to participate in the political process.

"John Holdsclaw" <j4claw@gmail.com>
John Holdsclaw IV
Class of 1995

Post signs on campus to get out the vote,
Make sure voting commercials on put on the aggie TV and Plasma screens on campus send out campus wide emails. Get out the Vote buttons, have someone host a forum on the importance of voting. Show and tell the history of what women, African Americans and people of all races had to go through to get the chance to vote. Not just in this country but, around the world. “the Big Picture”.

Have students, faculty and staff set-up voter registrations table’s around campus, at University Events and EVERYDAY IN THE CAFÉ AND WHERE STUDENTS HANG OUT. Don’t forget this goes for faculty and staff too! Everyone on campus needs to be involved.

<mblawson@ncat.edu>
Marie Humphrey
University Events Center

I don't have anything creative to suggest but I'm an educator myself and have found that the power of "requirement" always works for my students! I think it would help if it were incorporated in the curriculum. The math classes: Could cover the statistics and electoral counting.
History/Geography/Social Studies: Could compare red and blue states and the historical significance etc?
Even the Public Speaking classes and English classes could cover the speeches of both candidates by writing about them and doing a strategy comparison.
And Political Science students-possibilities are obviously endless!

Our Headquarters on Elm is starving for local student volunteers and we'd love for the doors to breakdown with my fellow Aggie students. You'd also be shocked at the number of African American local volunteers.
Thanks for asking and raising awareness.

deneanem@aol.com

NC & T can send a flyer to each student personally letting the student know how important it is for our voice to be heard in this election. Each Tuesday beginning September 16th, a different flyer with pertinent information pertaining to volunteering, registering and voting should be given to the students. I am sure this message will reach some that have not given too much thought to this important history making event.

thank you.
"Roxie Hanson" <rlhanson@dhr.state.ga.us>

1. Teachers can offer students extra credit if they show proof they are volunteering at the polls or with a political party.

2. Have a party that requires you to register to vote upon entry or show proof that you are registered.

3. A&T should have a required class for incoming freshmen that discusses politics in great detail and stresses the importance of voting.
Teresa L. Kemp/NCAT

Give each student a grade of “A” as part of their average if they bring in their registration card to the professor.

barrowb@ncat.edu
Bertha Barrow McLendon
Assistant Director of Sponsored Programs
Division of Research and Economic Development