Hartwick Students Lead the Way in Voter Registration
Hartwick College students took civic learning beyond the classroom this fall, helping more than 220 of their peers register to vote as part of a campus-wide voter registration drive, led by the Hartwick Institute of Public Service.
Over the past several weeks, more than two dozen Hartwick students, faculty, staff and administrators worked together to make voter registration easy, accessible and welcoming. Their efforts resulted in 223 new student registrations, ensuring that more young voices will be heard in upcoming elections.
Among the standout student volunteers were Mira Crawford ’26, who quickly mastered the complexities of the voter registration form and Christopher Fitzpatrick ’26, who called out to fellow athletes entering the Commons and got many to take a minute to register. “I had a lot of fun explaining to everyone why it was so important for them to vote and how easy it was to register,” said Fitzpatrick.
Also playing a role in the voter registration efforts was Aisha Mawier ’29, who said that “helping people register to vote made me feel good — like I was doing something that matters.” Brandi Thomas ’27 also assisted, earning praise from Professor Zachary McKenney, one of the three co-founders and co-directors of the institute, who noted that she “was magnetic at the registration table.”
“These students have shown exactly what civic leadership looks like. They made registering to vote easy, welcoming, and fun — and in doing so, helped hundreds of their peers take the first step toward being active participants in democracy.”
Zachary McKenney, Assistant Professor of Sociology
Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Hartwick Institute of Public Service
