Tennessee Secretary of State presents MTSU with third straight college voter registration competition award

Secretary of State Tre Hargett recently presented Middle Tennessee State University with an award for its third straight win in the four-year public school category for the annual Tennessee College Voter Registration Competition.

“The continued commitment of MTSU students to register their fellow students to vote is evident by their work to earn the top spot in the competition for a third time,” said Hargett. “The first step to making your voice heard on Election Day is registering to vote. I hope the newly registered Blue Raiders put their voter registrations to use by becoming lifelong voters.”

Secretary of State Tre Hargett presented Middle Tennessee State University with an award for winning the annual Tennessee College Voter Registration Competition in the four-year public school category at a luncheon on campus Nov. 28, 2023. Standing, from left, are Rutherford County Administrator of Elections Alan Farley; Delquan Dorsey, Student Government Association events director; Kelsey Ladd, SGA assistant events director; Zoe Spikner, SGA communications director; Riley Jacoby, SGA chief of staff; Caroline Spann, SGA election commissioner; Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett; Michai Mosby, SGA president; Kalea Jackson, MTSU American Democracy Project vice president; Nancy Prescott, ADP graduate research assistant; Victoria Grigsby, ADP president; Dante Buttrey, ADP treasurer; Marcus Rosario, ADP member; and MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli) — Middle Tennessee State University President Sidney A. McPhee, right, watches as Secretary of State Tre Hargett, left, presents Michai Mosby, MTSU Student Government Association president, with the Tennessee College Voter Registration Competition Award at a luncheon held Nov. 28, 2023. It marked the university’s third straight win in the four-year public university category in the friendly annual competition. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)

Dr. Sidney A. McPhee, MTSU president — Dr. Sidney A. McPhee

Hargett presented a commemorative plate to Student Government Association President Michai Mosby and MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee at a luncheon held on campus Tuesday, Nov. 28.

“I’ve always said that MTSU has I think some of the greatest, most informed and most engaged students in the state of Tennessee,” McPhee told those in attendance. “We are so proud and congratulations to all of you for the great work you’ve done.”

McPhee and Mosby were joined by history professor Mary A. Evins, coordinator for the campus chapter of the American Democracy Project, and student members of the organization, as well as Rutherford County Administrator of Elections Alan Farley.

The Secretary of State’s 2023 Tennessee College Voter Registration Competition was held during National Voter Registration Month in September. Thirty-eight of Tennessee’s two- and four-year colleges, universities and technical colleges across the state participated in this year’s contest.

“I applaud his office’s initiative through this friendly annual competition to get more college students involved in this important civic responsibility,” McPhee said. “Part of our True Blue Pledge encourages our students to ‘be engaged in the life of the community’ and voting remains a critical part of that endeavor.”

Winners were selected based on points earned by registering students to vote, creating a voter registration campaign for their campus and promoting voter registration on social media using #GoVoteTN along with their campus-specific hashtag.

Hargett said he has been impressed with MTSU students’ civic engagement since he visited campus during Constitution Day activities in 2018.

Secretary of State Tre Hargett visited the Middle Tennessee State University campus Nov. 28, 2023, for a luncheon where he presented the Student Government Association and MTSU chapter of the American Democracy Project members with the Tennessee College Voter Registration Award in the four-year public school category. Pictured, from left, are Michai Mosby, SGA president; Caroline Spann, SGA election commissioner; Victoria Grigsby, ADP president; Secretary of State Tre Hargett; Nancy Prescott, ADP graduate research assistant; Kalea Jackson, ADP vice president; Dante Buttrey, ADP treasurer; and Marcus Rosario, ADP member. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)

“Y’all just had so many fantastic things going on, that we said, ‘How do we learn lessons from that and how can we help students learn across the state how they can do things to get students registered … but also become active voters,’” Hargett recalled. “We’re just trying to get people engaged in the process because we think that makes our community stronger.”

McPhee credited MTSU students and faculty with the success.

“I continue to be so proud of our student leaders, with the support and guidance of our American Democracy Project and Student Government Association, for their stellar voter registration efforts resulting in this recognition from Secretary Hargett,” McPhee said. “By far our students not only represent our society and our community, but they are the individuals that really make MTSU what it is today.”

In addition to Middle Tennessee State University, TCAT Pulaski won in the Tennessee College of Applied Technology category, Cumberland University earned the top spot in the private school category and Pellissippi State Community College won in the two-year community college category in this year’s competition.

For more information about the Secretary of State’s civic engagement initiatives, visit sos.tn.gov/civics.

For more information about MTSU’s American Democracy Project, visit URL. For more information about the Student Government Association, visit https://www.mtsu.edu/amerdem/.