Thank you for supporting NJPIRG this year. We started the fall semester off with a bang! After running an incredible recruitment drive, our first official meeting, and Campaign Kick-Off, we had over 40 students, making it the largest campaign kick-off since 2011. With all the new volunteers we gained, we were ready to make an effective change on campus.
Over the school year, we have run four different campaigns: New Voters Project, Save the Bees, Break Free from Plastics, and Zero Hunger. Our statewide lead campaign for the year was the New Voters Project. We picked campaigns we believe could make a difference on campus. Our mix of environmental and social campaigns took steps to push our school into the future and have students think about advocating for what they believe in. Throughout the year we have run several fun events. We’ve organized Camden cleanups, craft nights, parties to celebrate voting, and more.
In the fall semester, we ran a successful referendum to reaffirm the $11.20 waivable fee on the term bill that funds NJPIRG. At Rutgers- Camden, we secured funding by students from Undergrad Arts & Sciences, Undergrad Business, Undergrad Nursing, and students from the Law school. We are proud to announce an 89.5% yes rate across all ballots collected on our campus. With this affirmed funding, we will be able to create change on campus for the next three years.
Our most extensive campaign this year was the New Voters Project. We have been committed to making sure every person who can vote on our campus, is prepped and excited to vote later this year. Throughout the school year, students have seen our table in the campus center, our posters about voting around the school, and we’ve been in meetings with student groups, faculty, and professors. We’ve also given voter registration presentations to local high schools. Throughout the year, we have registered over 50 students to vote.
This has been a successful year at NJPIRG. Even with all the twists and turns we encountered, we were able to overcome and create change on campus. Next year will be filled with more triumphs and more student activists working hard on new campaigns.
Thank you for all your support,
Kim Winter, Chapter Chair NJPIRG at Rutgers Camden