Jaclyn Romano, a graduate student in her final semester of the Master of Public Policy program, was named to the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge Student Voting Honor Roll.
Romano serves as a graduate assistant in the office of Co-Curricular and Leadership Development. Through that role, she works closely with the TCNJ Votes committee to plan and implement the college’s voter engagement events.
“For the past year, student voting has been pretty all-consuming for me, so it’s very nice to have that work recognized,” Romano said. “This role has enabled me to connect with students and help to prepare them to continue this work. Sustainability is what I believe really matters in something as important as voting efforts, and I really feel like we’ve found a great rhythm to keep it up.”
Romano is one of 232 students in the United States, including nine from New Jersey, to earn the honor from ALL IN.
“Jackie has exemplified exceptional dedication and drive in supporting our voter engagement efforts on campus, and her proactive attitude and enthusiasm for exploring new ideas have made her an invaluable asset to the team,” said Katie Kahn, Center for Community Engagement manager at TCNJ. “Jackie played a pivotal role in mobilizing students to register and vote, while also raising awareness about candidates, social issues, and civic engagement opportunities. Her contributions have been indispensable, and we are deeply grateful for her outstanding work and commitment.”
“Jackie has been a great asset to our team and has been a mentor to other students to get them more civically engaged,” said Avani Rana, director of co-curricular and leadership development at TCNJ. “Her creativity and enthusiasm has been a great asset to our team and encouraging to her peers.”
The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge is a national awards program that recognizes colleges and universities for their commitment to increasing student voting rates. ALL IN encourages higher education institutions to help students form the habits of active and informed citizenship, make democratic participation a core value on their campus, and cultivate generations of engaged citizens who are essential to a healthy democracy.
Romano is hopeful that college students will become more active in elections in their own communities as well as those that garner national attention.
“It is especially important for young people to take part in local elections that have a direct impact on life in their states and towns,” she said. “It’s actually state and local policies that tend to have a more direct impact on residents. I encourage students to always do their own research and form their own opinions.”
— Luke Sacks