Every Vote Is A Victory

The University of Maryland’s Department of Intercollegiate Athletics has many commitments to its student-athletes. One of those commitments is putting student-athletes in positions to succeed in and outside their respective sports.

The department also seeks to equip student-athletes with the necessary tools and qualifications to make informed decisions. As an extension of that, Maryland Athletics is encouraging its student-athletes to vote during the 2024 Presidential Election. They recently partnered with TerpsVote to help register student-athletes to vote, give them an understanding of voting regulations and express why voting matters. 

“Getting the students out to vote is really important,” Naomi Cohen, University of Maryland’s Coordinator of Social Action and Engagement, said. “They're often first-time voters, so starting that habit early is important. It's hard to vote as a college student for many different reasons. There are a lot of logistical barriers that they might not even know about.”

Cohen works directly with TerpsVote. Alongside student leaders passionate about engaging in social change, she’s responsible for promoting civic engagement on campus. 

Representatives from TerpsVote first spoke with first-year students during this year’s election season during the university’s summer bridge program. The meeting featured student-athletes from various sports who discussed important information regarding voting. Everyone put together a voting plan and even played an informational game of Kahoot! 

TerpsVote then periodically sets up tables in Gossett Hall to reach its student-athletes. They’ve also met individually with specific teams, helping register student-athletes to vote in person or via mail-in ballot, which is conducive for out-of-state voters. Formulating a voting plan is essential here. 

TerpsVote even held a session in collaboration with the Student-Athlete Advisory Council. SAAC plays a vital role in the advocacy and community building of the student-athlete body within Maryland Athletics. It consists of representa­tives from each varsity sport, promotes student-athlete welfare and enhances student-athlete voice.

“There are so many options,” Cohen said. “It's just so important to actually sit down and think about it before election day. A student might have a really busy class, work or game schedule on a Tuesday, and it might be impossible for them to go actually vote on Election Day, so they need to be aware of their other options.”

Two teams on campus have primarily taken the initiative to vote: the football and women’s basketball teams. Both teams have 100% of their roster registered to vote. Head football coach Michael Locksley and head women's basketball coach Brenda Frese expressed the importance of voting and detailed how they sought to educate their respective players.  

“Voting is one of the things that the leaders of our team wanted to focus on bringing awareness to back in 2020 and it has continued since,” Locksley said. “Our staff works with all of the players on our team to make sure they’re educated on both the candidates on the ballot and the voting process. It’s a big deal for us because we all have a voice and can make a difference by getting out and voting.”

Frese shared a similar sentiment. 

“They're at an impressionable young age, so I wanted to help educate them to understand their responsibility and have that opportunity to vote,” Frese said. “We've given them all the resources available and to have that freedom and right to be able to vote. I’m proud of our kids for actively participating in the voting procedure.” 

AJ Larkin (men’s lacrosse), Jewel Ofotan (women’s track and field) and Victoria Teasley (women’s track and field) are three student-athletes who have been vocal about sharing their passion for civic engagement.  

A junior real estate development major, Larkin expressed the importance of voting to his fellow student-athletes.   

“Voting is important because, just like in sports, every action counts,” Larkin said. “Voting gives us a chance to make a difference in our future and stand for actions bigger than ourselves and sports. Play your part and get out there and vote!”

Ofotan is a graduate majoring in government and politics. She says she has always been outspoken, advocating for many different issues, even as a child. She was also involved in student government and her school’s DEI board. 

She realized politics, advocacy work and public speaking were for her. Ofotan became the class president of her high school, pushing her towards studying government and politics at Maryland. After finishing her degree, she hopes to attend law school and work in the White House one day, creating policy and advocating for social issues. One of her recent experiences was attending the 2024 Big Life Series’ Selma To Montgomery trip. She says the trip reinforced the importance of voting.

“I listened to firsthand accounts from individuals who lived through Bloody Sunday, the Civil Rights Movement, the Voting Rights Act and more,” Ofotan said. “I learned and experienced so much, but the most impactful moment came from ten simple words spoken by Dorris Crenshaw: ‘What are you going to do? History is visiting you.’ This upcoming election is one of the most significant in my life, with fundamental rights for many minority groups at stake. It’s an election that will undoubtedly be remembered in history.”

She continued, “So, as Dorris Crenshaw asked, ‘What are you going to do?’ My answer is clear: I am going to vote. This is not only vital for the future of our country but also an opportunity to exercise a right that many fought tirelessly to secure.” 

Teasley added why she believes the upcoming election is important and encouraged everyone to go out and vote. 

“All of our votes matter,” Teasley said. “We can’t expect change if we don’t act on what we want. Whether you go on Nov. 5 early or do a mail-in ballot, just go vote. Our voices matter, and our votes make a difference.”