Uniting Hearts Initiative Launches at SHU

Campaign aims to educate and empower student voters

In an effort to encourage voter registration among college students, Sacred Heart University’s Uniting Hearts initiative is collaborating with multiple on-campus organizations, departments and community partners to launch a campus-wide nonpartisan campaign. The campaign, “Uniting Hearts: Empowering the SHUdent Vote,” will equip the SHU community with the information they need to be informed, confident, prepared and engaged voters.

The campaign is spearheaded by students in Professor Mark Congdon Jr.’s advertising and campaigns service-learning course. The students are collaborating with SHU’s Multicultural Center, Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter, School of Communication, Media & the Arts (SCMA), Office of Volunteer Programs & Service Learning (VPSL) and the Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies program, as well as the town of Fairfield’s Registrar of Voters and the League of Women Voters of Fairfield.

This campaign is part of SCMA’s community engagement initiative started by Congdon called Uniting Hearts, geared towards service-learning courses in the undergraduate strategic communication, public relations and advertising (SCPRA) major. Past campaigns of the Uniting Hearts initiative include a public awareness campaign advancing cultural immersion and acceptance on campus in the spring of 2022, raising awareness about the importance of being financially literate in the fall of 2022 and promoting the importance of allyship and how to be an effective ally in the spring of 2021.

The Uniting Hearts initiative provides students across certain SCPRA courses opportunities to collaborate with on- and off-campus community partners around different social justice issues.  The initiative centers on relational and strategic communication as vehicles for positive social and community change.

The campaign will include various educational opportunities, interactive events and voter registration drives throughout the months of October and November, to encourage democratic engagement on campus. The goal is to help students understand why their vote matters, encourage them to establish a voter identity and create a habit of voting in every single election, starting with the 2022 midterm elections.

“Aligned to SHU’s mission, this Uniting Hearts voter registration campaign helps shape students into responsible and active citizens who are learning important skills, such as how to lead and serve in the community,” said Annie Wendel, director of VPSL.

The “Uniting Hearts: Empowering the SHUdent Vote” will help voters in the community find their polling location, understand their ballot, make a plan to vote and more.

Seven different events and discussions will take place throughout October and November:

• Oct. 17, at 3:30 p.m.: Voter registration drive on West Campus in the West building’s lobby
• Oct. 18, at 1 p.m.: Voter registration drive in the HC’s 63’s walkway, table three
• Oct. 20, at 7:30 p.m.: Film Screening of Iron Jawed Angels, faculty panel and voter registration drive in the Frank and Marisa Martire Center for the Liberal Arts, room E145
• Oct. 25, at 2 p.m.: Voter registration drive in the HC’s 63’s walkway, table one
• Oct. 27, at 3:30 p.m.: Voter registration drive in the Martire Center Atrium
• Nov. 1, at 5:30 p.m.: “Why the Student Vote Matters” panel in the Martire Center Dr. Michelle C. Loris ’70 Forum
• Nov. 2, at 8 p.m.: Election style trivia night at Red’s (pub) with chances to win prizes

Additionally, there will be “Wisdom Wednesday” community conversations held by SHU’s Multicultural Center on Oct. 19 and 26 and on Nov. 2 at 1 p.m. All discussions are in person at the Multicultural Center in the Main Academic Building, room HC111.

“While presidential elections tend to get more attention, local and sometimes state elections take place every year. Because of this, a single vote can make an impact in the election outcomes,” said Congdon. “There are many issues being considered by those running for office that directly impact students, like the economy, student loans, climate change, gun policy, cost of living concerns and healthcare. That is why it is vital for students to understand the voting process and participate in our democracy by voting every single year.”

The youth vote (ages 18-29) is a rising force at the ballot box. For instance, there was historic youth voter turnout in both the 2018 midterm election and 2020 presidential election. However, a recent survey from The American Enterprise Institute found that only 35% of young adults said they were likely to vote in this year’s midterm elections, and almost three times as many younger voters said there was less than a 50% chance they would vote. But, Tufts University’s CIRCLE reports that if youth actually vote, they could have an significant influence on the 2022 midterm elections, as there are more than 8 million youth who are newly eligible voters in 2022. These findings highlight why it is important to educate SHU students on the impact their vote can have on elections and the importance of younger adults being engaged in the democratic process.  

This year, Connecticut has local, state and federal elections on Nov. 8. The deadline to register online to vote in Connecticut is Nov. 1 and if you register to vote by mail, it must be postmarked by Nov. 1. Connecticut also allows citizens to register to vote in-person on Election Day. Students can learn more about their voter registration status, who is on their ballot, and how to find their local polling place by visiting vote.org.  

“The focus of this semester’s Uniting Hearts campaign is a particularly timely and relevant attempt to cultivate democratic values and to disseminate those values within and beyond the campus community through public forums, community outreach and social and traditional media. The Uniting Hearts initiative embodies the mission of SHU,” said James Castonguay, associate dean of SCMA.

For more information on the campaign’s upcoming events, visit the Pioneer Planner calendar, the fall 2022 Uniting Hearts program of events website or follow SHU’s Multicultural Center, SHU’s VPSL, SCMA and SHU PRSSA on Instagram.