Fayetteville State University’s Maya Martin Touted on Forbes.com

Fayetteville, N.C. (May 9, 2023) — Maya Martin, president of Fayetteville State University’s (FSU) Student Government Association (SGA), was recently cited by forbes.com for her leadership in nonpartisan democratic engagement efforts at FSU, including “Trot to the Polls,” where FSU students marched from campus to their polling site to cast early ballots in the 2022 midterm elections.

Martin, a junior from Charlotte, N.C., is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in English language and literature with a concentration in pre-law and paralegal studies. She was profiled in the Spring 2023 edition of FSU’s magazine Bronco Pride: Women Who Lead. She caught the attention of forbes.com after she and 174 other college students nationwide made the 2023 ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge for “advancing nonpartisan student voter registration, education, and turnout efforts as well as ensuring equitable access to the polls.” ALL IN aims to empower colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement.

“Being included on the Honor Roll is an absolute distinction because all students, but particularly those who attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities, frequently have their rights to vote suppressed,” Martin said. “These kinds of initiatives are crucial because they educate young people and empower communities. As they graduate from their universities, I urge my peers to become civically active.”

“Trot to the Polls” resulted in 100 students, many absentee voters like Martin, casting their votes at a polling site in Seabrook Park. The effort began with Martin gauging the level of student familiarity with voting procedures and then working with university and community allies to organize an effective get-out-the-vote campaign. She also conveyed the value of civic engagement to the student body via campus communications efforts.

Last year’s midterm elections saw one of the highest youth voter turnouts in a midterm election in the last 40 years, with an estimated 23 percent of young people ages 18 to 29 turning out to vote, according to figures cited by ALL IN.

Jennifer Domagal-Goldman, the executive director of ALL IN, credited Martin and other honor roll members with the increased turnout.

“The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge is honored to celebrate hundreds of student leaders encouraging nonpartisan democratic engagement across the country,” she said in a statement. “These students organized voter registration drives, coordinated campus-wide voter engagement resources, and brought polling locations to their campuses. We are excited to watch these students continue to change the world.”