BERRY INSTITUTE OF POLITICS Fall 2022 Newsletter As this fall semester comes to a close, we are still celebrating the success of student voter participation in this past Midterm Election. It is estimated that 27% of youth (ages 18-29) cast a ballot in 2022, making this the midterm election with the secondhighest youth voter turnout in almost three decades according to Tufts University’s Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. At Salem State University, we saw levels of voter registration and turnout at our on campus polling location matching presidential election years. While we’ve historically had voting rates above the national average, this year we decided to transform our voter engagement to be more strategic. The Berry IOP launched the Vikings Vote Coalition to collaborate with departments across campus to intentionally integrate voter engagement into their areas. To build upon these new partnerships, we applied for and received about $4,500 in grants from Ask Every Student and Campus Takeover, which are national initiatives to mobilize students around elections and achieve full student voter participation. As you will read in this newsletter, these grants enabled us to hire a cohort of Vote Ambassadors and host a variety of new, collaborative programs. Although we won’t get our official student voting data until October as part of NSLVE, this evolution of our initiatives earned us national recognition. We were recognized by All In Campus Democracy Challenge in the inaugural cohort of Most Engaged Campuses for College Student Voting. We are also recipients of the Investing in Institutionalization Award from the Students Learn, Students Vote Coalition which recognizes an organization that instills consistency and accountability in student voter engagement through leadership, engagement, planning, and assessment all year, every year. We are proud of all that our small team has accomplished and grateful for the support from our IOP Advisory Board, generous donors, and the Salem State community! Wishing you a bright new year! Samantha Giffen, Assistant Director
Vikings Vote Ambassadors
The Berry IOP hired 10 Vikings Vote Ambassadors who were responsible for supporting students through their voting process including helping them register to vote, learn about the candidates, and make a plan to vote. Each Ambassador served as a liaison with a specific community or department to inspire a culture of voting across campus including with LGBTQ+ and BIPOC students as well as Faculty, Residence Life, First Year Experience, Student Organizations and more. Throughout the semester, our Ambassadors helped 450 students register to vote and talked to over 3,500 students about voting through class visits, tables, events, texts, and more!
From Voterpalooza to Party at the Polls
This fall we hosted two inaugural events celebrating voting. We kicked off the year with our first annual Vikings Voterpalooza to celebrate National Voter Registration Day. This collaborative event included free food sponsored by the Student Government Association, a bounce house sponsored by the Campus Activities Board, and tables with community organizations that students can get involved in. Over 170 students attended the event and, in partnership with MASSPIRG, we helped 56 students register to vote. All our work culminated on Election Day at our first annual Party at the Polls to support and celebrate our student voters. There was music, a photobooth, hot drinks, baked goods, and a red/blue carpet to the polls. The energy was amazing all day with almost 200 resident students voting on campus and special visits from Senator Lovely, Councillor Varela, President Keenan, and Dean Newton. Students from across campus were the driving force behind this successful turnout including our Vote Ambassadors, MASSPIRG, and the Student Government Association.
Constitution Day: The Overturning of Roe v. Wade
In partnership with the Politics, Policy, and International Relations department, this event featured Sarah Boonin, Associate Dean and Clinical Law Professor at Suffolk University Law School. Boonin explained the history of the landmark case Roe v. Wade and the impacts of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. This timely event was attended by over 90 students, faculty, and community members. After the event, Professor Boonin stayed for a student forum about applying to law school.
Votar es Poder (Voting is Power)
In celebration of Hispanic, Latino/a/e/x Heritage Month, the IOP hosted a panel with local Latinx leaders about the importance of voting and getting involved in the community. Panelists included: Lucy Corchado, Former Salem City Councillor and second Latina to be elected; Julio Mota, Constituent Services Director and Latinx Affairs Coordinator for the City of Salem; and Miah Reyes, Political Science student and Berry IOP Program Assistant. They all shared their personal experiences with voting including barriers and how they work to overcome them.
Berry Institute of Politics Fall 2022 Newsletter
TRANSform the Vote
In celebration of Salem State’s LGBTQ+ Pride Month, the IOP served as a resource for students to get registered and ready to vote. We developed a voting guide for Trans* and Nonbinary students so they knew how to navigate processes and combat any discrimination they could face at the polls. We hosted several tables throughout Pride Month to share this and other voting resources.
Ballot Question 1 Panel: Additional Tax on Income Over One Million Dollars
The IOP hosted this in-person, public panel to educate our campus and community about both sides of one of the most competitive questions on the ballot. The 85 attendees received a nonpartisan overview of the ballot question then heard from panelists Dan Cence, Spokesperson for the Coalition to Stop the Tax Hike Amendment, and Max Page, President of the Massachusetts Teachers Association. This event was featured on multiple news outlets including NBC10 and Bloomberg Radio.
Meet the Candidates
Visit from Collins Middle School
Leading up to the election, we hosted an event with eighth graders from Collins Middle School Pilot Program which is an effort to inspire and empower kids through community and projectbased learning. Collins students did research about offices and candidates that were on the Salem ballot in this year’s Midterm Elections then created posters that displayed this information. While on campus, Collins students presented their posters and engaged with SSU students to discuss the election, why voting is important, and what it’s like being a college student.
Berry Institute of Politics Fall 2022 Newsletter
This semester, the IOP hosted two opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and community members to meet candidates and directly ask them questions about their campaign. The candidates for Massachusetts Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Auditor, and State Senator (Second Essex) were invited to campus to engage with our community and share their vision for the Commonwealth. Audience questions focused on climate change, mental health, police reform, opioid addiction, affordable higher education, and government mandates versus individual freedoms.
Public Service Internship Scholarships | Summer 2022
Part of our mission is to create entry points and break down barriers for all students interested in pursuing careers in politics and public service. One way we fulfill this is by offering competitive scholarships for students completing internships in these fields. For summer 2022, the Berry IOP awarded seven students with a Public Service Internship Scholarship of $3,500. Students’ internships included work in courthouses, on political campaigns, writing for newspapers, researching climate change, and more.
Congratulations Michael!
Meet the Staff
Michael Corley has been an integral member of the Berry IOP, working with us as a Vote Ambassador all four years and serving as a student representative on our Advisory Board. This semester we say goodbye to Michael as he graduates. During his time at Salem State he has had a profound impact on our office, the campus, and the Salem community. His commitment to democratic engagement led to him being recognized on the inaugural 2022 Student Voting Honor Roll by All In Campus Democracy Challenge. We will miss you and can’t wait to see you change the world!
Cynthia Lynch
Samantha Giffen
Jessie Wilson ’24
Miah Reyes ’25
Executive Director Berry Institute of Politics Center for Civic Engagement
Assistant Director Berry Institute of Politics
Program Assistant Berry Institute of Politics
Program Assistant Berry Institute of Politics
Berry Institute of Politics Fall 2022 Newsletter