Off The Field: Maryland Athletics Launches “VoTERP” Initiative

In the immediate weeks following the death of George Floyd, University of Maryland Athletics Director Damon Evans held zoom calls with both staff members and student-athletes to provide a space for open conversation.

Some shared their thoughts. Some told their own personal stories. Others took the opportunity to simply listen and understand.

After these open dialogues, many staff members and student-athletes felt compelled to take action. And though the official name was not yet determined at the time, by week’s end more than 25 staff members and student-athletes from 15 different units and sports had volunteered to form the “VoTERP” committee.

The purpose of the committee was simple: to align with the Big Ten Conference in providing staff and student-athletes with non-partisan resources to educate, activate and, ultimately, vote in elections both near and far.

“We want to encourage student-athletes, staff and surrounding community members to become civically engaged through exercising their right to vote,” said women’s soccer player Hope Lewandoski. “By doing so, we’ll provide tools that will allow them to educate themselves.”

In its early stages, the “VoTERP” committee polled student-athletes and staff to get a better sense of where resources were most needed. Out of 561 student-athletes, 101 (26%) were not registered to vote. Further, they expressed interest in learning specifically more about political platforms, absentee/vote by mail and the electoral college.

“VoTERP” quickly divided its efforts into two factions: education and activation. The education side is focused on providing key resources for learning: the why (why your vote matters), the what/how (voter registration, polling locations, how elections work), and the who (defining responsibilities of elected officials, candidate platforms).

“It’s important that as student-athletes we learn more about the voting process and help educate others so that when election time comes around we are able to make informed decisions on what we want to see change,” said Nadia Hackett of the track & field team.

Concurrently, the activation side set its sights on helping staff and student-athletes who are not registered to vote, register at their own choosing, and then finally, encouraging them to vote on election day.

“I’m passionate about letting kids our age know that we have the power to do a lot of good things,” Lewandoski said in a recent Washington Post interview. “It’s there. You just have to go and take it.”

“VoTERP” achieved one of its goals in September as it was announced XFINITY Center, home to Maryland’s men’s and women’s basketball programs, among others, will serve as an advanced polling center for the upcoming 2020 general election.

“This may be the most significant competition ever to play out in our arena,” said University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines. “Making it more convenient for voters and increasing turnout contributes to the cornerstone of our democracy. I’m extremely proud that our student-athletes took the lead in making this happen.”