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The Pray Family Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement at Raritan Valley Community College and the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) have honored Calvin Edgar of Somerville as part of the fourth annual ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll. The 2025 ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll recognizes college students at participating campuses who have gone above and beyond to advance nonpartisan student voter registration, education, and turnout efforts in their communities.

Edgar, who graduated from RVCC in December, is one of 232 college students who mobilized their peers to make their voices heard in an historic election cycle.

“Whether they hosted nonpartisan voter registration drives or early voting celebrations, the students honored today made sure their peers did not sleep in on Election Day,” said Jen Domagal-Goldman, executive director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “With 100,000 local elections happening across the country in 2025, ALL IN students continue to ensure that everyone on their campuses has the information they need to cast their ballot. The 232 Student Voting Honor Roll honorees lead by example, making nonpartisan voter participation a lifelong habit for themselves and their peers.”

“This incredible honor truly validates Calvin’s 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. “While attending RVCC, Calvin proved to be a highly involved student who demonstrated his passion for engaging students in voting. He has a deep commitment to this work, which is evidenced by his leadership and participation with several important campus and community initiatives,” Moog continued.

An active member of the Somerville Democratic Committee, Edgar helped to lead the Raritan Valley Community College RVotes Matter initiative on campus to increase voter registration among the student population. He also was an active participant in the ALL IN Challenge Voting Summit and Communities of Practice, learning about student voter engagement efforts regionally and nationally, as well as sharing his own ideas and practices with students.

In all of Edgar’s endeavors, he said he strives to be a good leader who is driven to inspire others and contribute to building a healthy democratic society. This important work influenced his choice of majors. Edgar began his tenure as a Liberal Arts major at RVCC and, through his numerous engagement work with voting, decided to pursue a political science degree when he transferred to The College of New Jersey in the Spring 2025 Semester.

A recent survey from CIRCLE found that 48% of under-35 youth who did not vote in 2024 heard little or nothing at all about how to vote, compared to the 15% of under-35 youth who cast their ballots. By integrating nonpartisan voter registration and education into campus life, colleges and universities can have a measurable impact in encouraging students to become active and engaged citizens.

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, voter participation and ongoing engagement in our democracy on their campus.

About ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student civic engagement. Through an intentionally designed program that provides structure, support, and recognition, ALL IN works to improve civic learning, voter participation, and ongoing engagement in our democracy at 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. Learn more by visiting 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, We The Action, and When We All Vote. Learn more at https://civicnation.org/.

About RVCC

Ranked by WalletHub.com, Intelligent.com, and CollegeEvaluator.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 and environmental stewardship. 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 10, 2025

Media contacts: RVCC: Donna Stolzer, donna.stolzer@raritanval.edu; Civic Nation: press@civicnation.org

PR #84