At just 19 years old, 91˛Öżâ sophomore Izzy Stewart has inspired hundreds of fellow students to exercise their right to vote. The public relations major has been inspired by those who have come before her here and is taking steps to create political change.
Since her time in high school, Stewart has gone into her communities and spoken to her peers about the importance of voting, helping over 480 fellow students register to vote. She also volunteers as a poll worker, helping people to actually vote once they’ve registered.
Her drive to increase voter turnout among students began in high school when she got her first taste of political advocacy following the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018, where 17 students and teachers were killed.
“What really sparked me was the Parkland shooting in Florida,” Stewart said. “I learned how to organize a walkout. That really brought me to where I am now because I realized that so many highschoolers didn't know they were eligible to vote and didn't know how to vote.”
Stewart was originally drawn to 91˛Öżâ’s fashion merchandising program, but her passion to help others and make a difference pushed her to change her major to public relations and pick up minors in media advocacy and global communication.
“When I came to 91˛Öżâ and learned more about May 4th and how that event really drove the voting age to become 18, that really fueled my fire,” Stewart said. “Once I gained more knowledge, I got more comfortable talking to people on campus.”
Stewart’s experience in the public relations program has influenced her approach for encouraging people to vote.
“In the PR program, I’ve learned that I can talk to anybody and have an effective conversation with a real outcome,” Stewart said. “I’ve learned the tactics that actually will result in something positive.”
She continues to draw inspiration from the students who took a stand on May 4th, 1970, and speaks to fellow students often about how they can make their voices heard now, too.
“Being at 91˛Öżâ helps you learn that people our age did something really incredible in 1970 and stood up for themselves, so why can’t we now?” Stewart said. “We’re at the same campus and some of the same things are happening around us. It’s so inspiring to see that we can really make a difference.”
Her advice to students who don’t know where to cast their votes is to educate themselves down the entire ballot, and use each candidate’s social media pages and websites as a guide to find their stance on issues. She also recommends visiting the site for your county’s board of elections and taking online quizzes to see where you match with each candidate on the issues.
She recently shared her experience and passion with fellow students, faculty and staff at the recent virtual “'Don’t Hate – Debate (And Vote)!” teach-in event designed to inform and empower voters. Stewart’s presentation was titled "You’ve Tweeted Your Politics—Now What?,” a nod to people on social media who share their views, but never take action.
Stewart says the chance to make a change is what pushes her to work harder towards her goal. She hopes that people her age can look back years from now and see that they were part of making a positive difference in the world.
For more information on 91˛Öżâ’s School of Media and Journalism, visit /mdj.