Support Civic Engagement
The UMW Votes program supports our community members as we develop the skills, habits, and knowledge needed for a life of engaged citizenship.
There are many ways for students, faculty and staff to get involved and help create a culture of electoral and civic engagement on campus:
For Students
1. Join UMW Votes
To stay up-to-date on our events and opportunities, visit MyUMW and join the UMW Votes portal to receive messages, learn about upcoming events, and pre-register for programs. (Note: you may need to cut and paste the link into Chrome for it to open correctly).
2. Become a Voting Ambassador:
The Voting Ambassadors are interns at the Center for Community Engagement who support UMW community members as they develop the skills, habits, and knowledge needed for a life of engaged citizenship. The internships are a great way to develop your leadership skills in civic engagement, and can provide up to three academic credits. The program accepts applications at the end of the fall and spring semesters. Join the UMW Votes portal on MyUMW to be notified when the application process opens.
3. Attend our Events
UMW Votes will host several events each year, including a celebration of National Voter Registration Day. Visit MyUMW and join the UMW Votes portal to learn about upcoming events and pre-register for programs.
4. Register to Vote
There are many ways to register to vote. Visit our Voter Registration page to learn more.
5. Volunteer to learn more about the Fredericksburg community.
For Faculty
1. Invite a UMW Voting Ambassador to speak to your class.
UMW Ambassadors have been trained to register students to vote and can talk to your class about how, why, and where to vote. Email Sarah Dewees at sdewees@umw.edu to request a visit from a Voting Ambassador.
2. Encourage your students to attend civic engagement events on campus.
Every fall, there will be several events on campus highlighting the importance of civic engagement, including National Voter Registration Day and a panel of speakers addressing civic engagement. Check our the calendar on our home page for more information.
3. Visit with staff at the Center for Community Engagement.
We would welcome a conversation about how to continue to build a culture of civic engagement on campus and to support the UMW Votes civic engagement initiative. Stop by our Center at 320 in the University Center, or reach out to us over email.
4. And don’t forget to vote!
Visit the webpage for the Virginia Department of Elections to learn more about upcoming elections, polling place locations, and how to make sure your voter registration is up to date.
For Staff
1. Serve as an Election Officer.
Visit the webpage for the Fredericksburg Registrar’s office to learn more about becoming an Election Officer. Election Officers are paid to work at the polls on Election Day and help people with the voting process.
2. And don’t forget to vote!
Visit the webpage for the Virginia Department of Elections to learn more about upcoming elections, polling place locations, and how to make sure your voter registration is up to date.