Members of Missouri State University’s Paws to the Polls (PTTP) organization spent the Fall 2024 semester in a whirlwind of activity, concluding with the 2024 presidential election.
The group oversaw a variety of outreach events dedicated to providing voting information and encouraging registration. They kept pace throughout the fall semester, attending conferences and fairs, giving talks and distributing information.
Civic engagement creates learning opportunities
In August, PTTP worked with the Springfield Chamber of Commerce and the local chapter of the League of Women Voters to present at the city’s Youth Civic Leadership Institute.
At the event, PTTP president Grace Wasson and vice president Amanda Gott ran a panel discussion and oversaw a voter simulation activity for high school students.
During September, PTTP continued its high school student voter information activities, collaborating again with the League of Women Voters. They held a voter registration information event for area high schools and registered 22 voters.
Also that month, the group coordinated a voter registration drive with the Springfield NAACP and the League of Women Voters at Springfield’s historic Washington Avenue Church.
For Gott and Wasson, working with the local community proved to be an invaluable learning experience.
“I found out very quickly that we not only register voters, but we [also] provide people with information on the voting process, upcoming elections, non-partisan resources for staying informed and much more,” Gott said. “I saw it as an opportunity to learn about voting and Missouri legislation, as well as an opportunity for engaging with my peers, my campus and my community.”
Gott, a sophomore double majoring in anthropology and modern language, joined PTTP in fall 2023.
Wasson had a similar reaction when first encountering PTTP. She joined the organization in fall 2022.
“I care deeply about local issues and civic engagement,” said Wasson, a sophomore political science major. “Paws felt like the perfect way to get involved and meet incredible, passionate people.”
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