Making Waves of Change: How Strategic Engagement Turned the Tide on Civic Engagement and ASI Elections at Cal Poly
Tracks
ASI/SU/REC
| Tuesday, January 13, 2026 |
| 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM |
| Junior 2-3 |
Overview
Junior 2-3
Details
In just two years, our team transformed a disengaged student body into an active campus community, increasing student election turnout by an impressive 280% and earning the Secretary of State’s award for highest percentage of newly registered students to vote in California. This session will explore the multifaceted strategy behind our success, offering replicable methods for institutions seeking to strengthen civic engagement, leadership pipelines, and student government participation.
Attendees will learn how we implemented a comprehensive, year-round approach that included:
Empowering Candidates Through Education: Provided students with training and resources to be successful.
Creative and Balanced Marketing: Delivered trend-driven content paired with fun, intentional, and consistent outreach.
Marketing Standards and Tools: Established comprehensive marketing standards and project management tool.
Strategic Campus Collaboration: Utilized relationships with campus partners to broaden reach.
Grassroots Outreach: Incentivized peer-to-peer engagement leveraging current Student Government member involvement.
This presentation will include campaign visuals, social media samples, outreach timelines, and lessons learned. Whether you're working to revive student participation or refine an existing process, you'll leave with actionable insights to foster an inclusive, energized campus election culture.
Speaker
Catherine Ogden
Coordinator, Government Affairs — ASI Student Government
Associated Students Inc., Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Making Waves of Change: How Strategic Engagement Turned the Tide on Civic Engagement and ASI Elections at Cal Poly
Biography
Caty Ogden (she/her) is the Coordinator - ASI Student Government at ASI, Cal Poly, SLO. She started her career at ASI as a student, and is now a proud alumnus of both Cal Poly and the ASI Student Government program. Caty enjoys supporting the day-to-day and programmatic functions of the program and its students.
Meghan Schuler-Jones
Assistant Director—Leadership, Assessment, and DEI
Associated Students Inc., Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Making Waves of Change: How Strategic Engagement Turned the Tide on Civic Engagement and ASI Elections at Cal Poly
Abstract
In just two years, our team transformed a disengaged student body into an active campus community, increasing student election turnout by an impressive 280% and earning the Secretary of State’s award for highest percentage of newly registered students to vote in California. This session will explore the multifaceted strategy behind our success, offering replicable methods for institutions seeking to strengthen civic engagement, leadership pipelines, and student government participation.
Attendees will learn how we implemented a comprehensive, year-round approach that included:
Empowering Candidates Through Education: Provided students with training and resources to be successful.
Creative and Balanced Marketing: Delivered trend-driven content paired with fun, intentional, and consistent outreach.
Marketing Standards and Tools: Established comprehensive marketing standards and project management tool.
Strategic Campus Collaboration: Utilized relationships with campus partners to broaden reach.
Grassroots Outreach: Incentivized peer-to-peer engagement leveraging current Student Government member involvement.
This presentation will include campaign visuals, social media samples, outreach timelines, and lessons learned. Whether you're working to revive student participation or refine an existing process, you'll leave with actionable insights to foster an inclusive, energized campus election culture.
Attendees will learn how we implemented a comprehensive, year-round approach that included:
Empowering Candidates Through Education: Provided students with training and resources to be successful.
Creative and Balanced Marketing: Delivered trend-driven content paired with fun, intentional, and consistent outreach.
Marketing Standards and Tools: Established comprehensive marketing standards and project management tool.
Strategic Campus Collaboration: Utilized relationships with campus partners to broaden reach.
Grassroots Outreach: Incentivized peer-to-peer engagement leveraging current Student Government member involvement.
This presentation will include campaign visuals, social media samples, outreach timelines, and lessons learned. Whether you're working to revive student participation or refine an existing process, you'll leave with actionable insights to foster an inclusive, energized campus election culture.
Biography
Meghan Schuler-Jones (she/her) is the Assistant Director - Leadership, Assessment, and DEI at ASI, Cal Poly, SLO. She's been with ASI for 2 years and has worked in higher education for 11 years. She oversees the ASI Student Government, Assessment, and DEI programs. She also supports the ASI Student Manager Development Team.
Meghan Day is the Assistant Coordinator - Marketing (Communications and Outreach) at ASI, Cal Poly, SLO. Meghan oversees the Marketing Assistant student team and guides the organization's communications and outreach efforts.
