Voter Challenge Earns Provost a Chilly Dip
缅北强奸 SGA 鈥淔lock to the Polls鈥� Final Challenge Results in 300 Voters and Earns Provost Harvey a Chilly Jump Into the Chester
The 缅北强奸 SGA created a 鈥淔lock to the Polls鈥� challenge in order to increase student participation in this year鈥檚 election season. To incentivize students to take the voter pledge, they convinced faculty and staff members to commit to various challenges and for every 50 students that took the 鈥淚 Voted鈥� Pledge, the next person on the list was called upon.
The culminating event once the challenge totaled 300 voters was a chilly jump into the Chester River 鈥搈ade good on this past weekend -- by Interim Provost and Dean of the College, Michael Harvey.
鈥淭hanks to the SGA for everything you did,鈥� said Harvey during brief remarks from the dock just before taking the plunge, 鈥渁nd to everybody who encouraged massive turnout this year. Voting is one of the most important things we can do as citizens and I鈥檓 proud to be a small, ridiculous part of that effort.鈥�
The reward of seeing the Provost take the plunge seemed to be a big motivator to get the pledge count up to a total of 300.
The SGA wanted to thank all students, faculty, and staff that participated in these activities and voting,鈥� said Maegan White 鈥�23, Secretary of Service and Community Relations for the SGA. 鈥淏eing completely virtual makes it hard for students to connect with professors and staff but the student's excitement to share they voted and having so many faculty and staff enthusiastic to do crazy activities goes to show our community's commitment to uniting and being citizen leaders.鈥�
The 鈥淔lock to the Polls鈥� campaign ran from October 28 鈥� November 3, with SGA members taking to social media to encourage students to join the challenge. Prior to that, the SGA also solicited responses from faculty and staff for two separate 鈥淲hy I Vote鈥� video compilations that offered students reasons why voting is so important and encouraging voter registration.
Other challenges included faculty members who dyed their hair pink, wore Halloween costumes to class, created TikTok videos and got pie鈥檇 in the face, among others.
鈥淚鈥檝e gone pink to thank you for pledging to vote this election season,鈥� said Professor James Windelborn, Assistant Professor of Biology, who dyed his beard pink for the cause. 鈥淭hank you for supporting democracy and our democratic institutions.鈥� Professor Jennifer Benson, Associate Professor of Philosophy, also dyed her hair pink.