As the U.S. continues to search for a common ground amid dissent between Democratic and Republican parties, justice studies senior Veronica Monge believes student involvement in local and national elections is paramount.
To promote a bipartisan ideal, Monge and public service and public policy senior Megan Johnson founded ASU's Voice of the People Association last year.
VPA is a political activism group on campus that aims to increase voter turnout while informing and enabling students to become political activists.
"We believe that students should have a voice and know about things that impact them directly and within the community," Monge said. "I think that students need a voice, and they need to be heard, and they need to be educated on the topics they are concerned with."
Monge said she and Johnson brainstormed starting a collegiate chapter of VPA while interning for VPA Arizona.
Meanwhile, umbrella organization VPA Arizona, which was founded by former Phoenix Mayor Terry Goddard in late 2013, informs voters on issues such as dark money and ballot petition initiatives.
She said many students don't understand the value of voting because of political disillusion.
"The political world wants you to think that your vote doesn't matter, and if nobody speaks up or get involved, nothing is going to change," Johnson said. "Students are the future, and we need to have a more robust and educated workforce."
The club currently has 20 members, holds regular meetings, tables events and invites guest speakers for open forums. Monge said members hope to tackle student-specific issues during meetings this semester by creating University-wide polls to find what topics students care about most.
Topics they have covered so far are education funding, voting and campaigning.
Club members said VPA has made them more active on campus and that it has a positive impact on their political efficacy. Nonprofit leadership and management sophomore Jessica Salas, the club secretary, said she came to a meeting last year for free pizza but stayed because of the opportunities VPA has offered her.
"This club has been an outlet for a lot of things, opened a lot of opportunities and doors and got me more involved on my campus," Salas said. "Educating other students first and foremost especially about Citizens United and elections is really important … I've learned how difficult it is to get students voting."
She said VPA's greatest accomplishment was when members worked with USGD officers last year to register more than 150 students.
Monge said she hopes VPA can provide insight to students who have become politically active but misinformed
"(When students) get more engaged and connected to different organizations, and they learn what is happening around them, they become much more informed," Monge said. "We will take our time, and we will set time aside for students if they're interested in going out and doing that kind of work."
Reach the reporter at Garrison.Murphy@asu.edu or follow @Garrison_Murphy on Twitter.
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