Ramapo College of New Jersey is one of 121 colleges and universities recognized for their commitment to increasing nonpartisan democratic engagement in 2022. 

(MAHWAH, NJ) -- The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) announced that Ramapo College has been awarded a Highly Established Action Plan Seal, one of only two 4-year colleges in New Jersey. This seal is awarded to campuses that have worked to increase nonpartisan democratic engagement and graduate engaged voters by building a strong nonpartisan action plan. ALL IN and the American Democracy Project, Campus Vote Project, NASPA Lead Initiative, and the Students Learn Students Vote Coalition created the Strengthening American Democracy Guide to help guide campuses on their journey to graduate democratically engaged students by building effective action plans. The Highly Established Action Plan Seal recognizes campuses that score at least 31.5 out of 36 possible points on the Strengthening American Democracy rubric.

“Our students’ continued commitment and passion to advance and engage in the democratic process is both commendable and inspiring. They lead boldly, recognizing the right to vote as a privilege and responsibility. This award reflects our students as problem solvers, ethical change agents, and civic-minded leaders,” shared Ramapo College President Cindy Jebb, who committed in 2022 to fostering a culture that supports nonpartisan student civic learning, political engagement and student voter participation, spearheaded on campus by the Civic and Community Engagement Center.

“Colleges and universities have a responsibility to prepare students to engage meaningfully in our nation’s democracy. The role they play in developing the next generation of voters and shaping our future cannot be understated,” said Dr. Jennifer Domagal-Goldman, Executive Director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “We are proud to recognize Ramapo College of New Jersey for working to graduate the next generation of voters by developing and implementing a comprehensive, data-informed campus action plan.”

Ramapo College is no stranger to leading efforts to empower and strengthen student democratic engagement. In 2022, Ramapo was named an ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for Student Voting in 2022 and Keren Ortega ‘22 was named to the ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll. Ramapo College was named an ALL IN Gold Campus in the 2020 presidential election, boasting a student voter rate 11% above the national average.  

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) is a national nonpartisan initiative of Civic Nation, a 501(c)(3) organization. ALL IN strives to change civic culture and institutionalize democratic engagement activities and programs on college campuses, making voter participation a defining feature of campus life.

ALL IN, in collaboration with over 960 higher education institutions, seeks to make participation in local, state, and federal elections a social norm; substantially increase the number of college students who are democratically engaged on an ongoing basis, during and between elections, and not just at the polls, and; make educating for democratic engagement on college campuses an accepted and expected part of the culture and curriculum so that students graduate with the knowledge, skills, behaviors, and values needed to be an informed and active citizen.