SUU Wins Expedition Vote and Campus Cup

Published: December 10, 2018 | Read Time: 2 minutes

For the first time in school history, Southern Utah University has won the Campus Cup. The competition was a statewide voter challenge sponsored by the Utah Lieutenant Governor’s Office. Universities and colleges competed for ownership of the Campus Cup trophy, bragging rights, and a meeting with the Lieutenant Governor.

The Leavitt Center for Politics and Public Service led the fight for the cup. Student leaders organized voter registration drives, Expedition Vote, and different events to encourage civic engagement. The competition ended with SUU in first place, followed by Westminster College then Utah State University.

Schools participated in three parts: hashtags, Expedition Vote, and voter registration. SUU’s hashtag was #suuvotes, which was tracked on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Each use of the hashtag resulted in one point for the university.

Expedition Vote was a 24-hour challenge. It required schools to form teams and compete against one another in a massive scavenger hunt. Tasks were focused around voter registration, civic engagement, and service. Teams had a day to do everything from donate clothes to a shelter to film a video while making fry sauce.

“The 24-hour challenge was a chance for students to get involved in an unconventional way,” said Victoria Stephens, executive council member in the Leavitt Center. “Students ran around town checking off tasks, not realizing they also registered people to vote and completed service projects.”

The final piece, and most influential, was voter registration. Most students were registered in September on National Voter Registration Day. Students could register in any of the fifty states, request an absentee ballot, or update voter records.

“The Leavitt Center helped civically engage students from around the country,” said Cami Mathews, student director of the Leavitt Center. “The competition was a way for students to help SUU gain state recognition while learning about politics and public service.”

For more information on the Campus Cup, visit the Lieutenant Governor’s website. Also, visit the Leavitt Center for more ways to become politically engaged.

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Tags: Student Leavitt Center

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