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Raritan Valley Community College student Nicholas Gallo of Ringoes has been recognized nationally as part of the 2024 ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll. The announcement was made by The Pray Family Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement at RVCC and the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN).

The ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll awards college students doing outstanding work to advance nonpartisan democratic engagement at participating campuses.

Gallo, who is graduating in May, joins a group of 137 students recognized for their voter registration, education, and turnout efforts during the 2023 elections, which featured critical ballot measures and local and state races. While at RVCC, the Liberal Arts major served as the Executive Vice President of the Student Government Association. He also chaired the RVotes Matter Campaign on campus, which provided students with the tools and resources to become and remain engaged learners.

“We congratulate Nicholas Gallo for being recognized on the @ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge’s Student Voting Honor Roll. This incredible honor truly validates his hard work and commitment to nonpartisan democratic engagement at Raritan Valley Community College,” said Lori Moog, RVCC’s Director of Service Learning and Community Outreach. “Nick is an engaged civic leader committed to strengthening student voices in our democracy through voter education and environmental justice. His service learning completed through his Ethics class kindled his passion to uplift youth voices, which is rooted in his dedication to justice and raising awareness of social justice issues. Nick also expanded these efforts through his service learning work in his Plants, Humans and Environment course, focusing on environmental justice issues,” Moog continued.

“Whether it’s a presidential election year or one with critical state and local races on the ballot, students have a powerful role to play in fostering active and engaged campuses and getting their peers to participate in our democracy. Ahead of the 2024 presidential election, the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge is honored to celebrate 137 student leaders who model nonpartisan democratic engagement,” said Jennifer Domagal-Goldman, Executive Director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “These honorees hosted candidate information sessions, created guides on polling location accessibility, registered their peers to vote, and so much more. We know these students will continue to make a difference in our democracy.”

Studies show that voting and democratic participation are habits that are built and strengthened over time. A recent survey from CIRCLE showed that 86% of under-35 youth who voted in 2022 and 72% of those who voted in 2020 consider themselves extremely likely to vote in 2024. Colleges and universities have an important role to play in encouraging their students to become active and engaged citizens at the ballot box and beyond.

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement. With the support of the ALL IN staff, campuses that join the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge complete a set of action items to institutionalize nonpartisan civic learning, political engagement, and voter participation on their campus. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge engages more than 1,000 institutions enrolling over 10 million students in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Campuses can join ALL IN here.

ABOUT ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge

ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement. Through an intentionally designed program that provides structure, support, and recognition, ALL IN works to improve civic learning, political engagement, and voter participation on more than 1,000 campuses nationwide. ALL IN believes higher education should play a role in developing an active and informed citizenry by educating students, motivating them to engage in American democracy, and instilling the value of lifelong participation. ALL IN is an initiative of Civic Nation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. For additional information, visit https://allinchallenge.org/.

ABOUT Civic Nation

Civic Nation is a nonprofit ecosystem for high-impact organizing and education initiatives working to build a more inclusive and equitable America. Civic Nation shifts culture, systems, and policy by bringing together individuals, grassroots organizers, industry leaders, and influencers to tackle some of our nation’s most pressing social challenges. Civic Nation is home to seven national initiatives and campaigns: ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, Change Collective, It’s On Us, Online for All, SAVE On Student Debt, We The Action and When We All Vote. For additional information, visit https://civicnation.org/.

About RVCC

Ranked by WalletHub.com and Intelligent.com as the #1 community college in New Jersey, Raritan Valley Community College has been serving as an academic and cultural center for Somerset and Hunterdon County residents for over 50 years. The College has been nationally recognized for its service to the community, environmental stewardship, and commitment to diversity. It is home to  a Planetarium, Science Education Institute, and 3M Observatory; a Theatre offering professional performances for all ages; and an Honors College for high achieving students.

The College offers approximately 90 associate degrees and certificates, as well as career training and professional development courses. RVCC is located at 118 Lamington Road in Branchburg, NJ. For further information, visit www.raritanval.edu.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 25, 2024

Media contact: Donna Stolzer, 908-526-1200, ext. 8383

PR #108