With the 2024 presidential election in full swing, Associated Students Inc. and the Division of Student Affairs at Cal State Fullerton will welcome American political analyst Van Jones to speak at its inaugural Behind the Ballot event on Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. in Titan Student Union Pavilion A.
Behind the Ballot is an on-campus civic engagement event that aims to inform and educate college students through Q&A dialogue with a political influencer.
Jones is an American political analyst, lawyer, CNN host and contributor, civil rights advocate, and bestselling author who boasts 1.9 million accumulated followers on Instagram and X.
“Having an event like this featuring someone like Van Jones, who is in the know of the current political climate, is important for our students,” said Alexis Cuevas, a graduate assistant from ASI’s student programming and engagement department. “We are that target demographic within 18- to 25-year-olds who are experiencing their first presidential election. Being able to emphasize the importance of why voting matters is impactful to our students on the biggest California State University campus.”
With the hope of providing resources and open dialogue, Jones will speak on such topics as civic engagement, the benefit of civil discourse and the importance of voting.
“I’m lucky to be vice president of ASI CSUF during a pivotal time in the U.S.,” said Suzette Morales, ASI vice president. “Our team has been working hard to bring voting resources to our campus, as well as educating younger audiences on voting so they can make their best-informed decisions. This event is a reflection of what we want for our students — education, advocacy and action.”
ASI board leaders and planners share a consistent view on the importance and relevance of Behind the Ballot to their college community.
“College students are engaged and interested in taking part in the future of the country more than ever,” said Megan Hannoun, ASI chief governmental officer. “For us, it’s not telling students what policies they should vote for, but giving them the tools and the safe space for a means of how.”
Behind the Ballot aims to add value to the continued political education of young and experienced voters all throughout the CSUF campus.