Oklahoma Students’ Civic Engagement Resolution

We, as Oklahoma college students, and citizens of this state and nation, are taking on our civic responsibility, to inform, advocate, and empower our peers. We feel it is necessary for all citizens to become civically engaged.

Our generation, of whom more participate in community service than any other cohort, remains disinterested and detached from traditional political activism. As future leaders of Oklahoma, it is imperative that we determine how to connect our civic responsibilities with the political process.

Our Grievances

Our major grievances address issues of the political agenda and process, public education’s priorities and our own civic ignorance, and society’s perception of our generation.

Our generation’s definition of “politics” includes words such as greed, intimidation, complex, power, money, and authority. Our peers’ apathy of the political process has led to a decline in voter turnout and has disengaged our generation.

Political leaders are not effectively addressing issues that affect young people. Too often, our candidates’ platforms address healthcare, welfare, and social security, instead of issues such as higher education funding. Political activities are indifferent to the issues that address the immediate needs of the younger generations. We feel powerless and separated from the political process.

We value education and the knowledge required to become informed citizens. However, the higher education institutions do not provide adequate education and knowledge about our civic responsibilities. We often do not know how to address civic issues. Higher education institutions’ primary focus is to produce professionals, when instead they should be producing citizens.

Because the voting and political process has discouraged our generation, we, as young people, are participating in social and service work that addresses our issues. Yet, we are not taken seriously. Society views our generation as rebellious and selfish, even though we are volunteering at an all time high.

Our Responsibilities

We declare that it is our responsibility to become an engaged generation with the support of our political leaders, education institutions, and society.

Our political leaders should foster a culture of civic responsibility by supporting resolutions and bills that utilize young people’s voices and commitment to education.

The mission of our state higher education institutions should be to educate future citizens about their civic as well as professional duties. We urge our institutions to prioritize and implement civic education in the classroom, in research, and in services to the community.

We ask members of society to set an example for us as active, engaged citizens in communities. We learn from those who we respect and trust. Responsibility for our political apathy belongs both to us as individuals and members of society.

And, we, as young citizens, must take advantage of civic education to learn and practice our responsibilities and privileges. We must determine how to effectively link our commitment to service with politics.

Our Conclusion

We expect that our leaders of this state, educational institutions, and society as a whole will fulfill their responsibilities to assist our efforts in mobilizing our generation. In turn, political activity will create responsiveness to issues significant to young people, which will restore relevance to civic engagement.

Addressing our generation’s political apathy will create positive social change on our campuses, in our communities, and in the future of Oklahoma.


Collegiate VOICE Committee Members

BJ Barrick- Rose State College
Lindsay Baugh- Cameron University
Scott Bevan- Connors State College
Joseph Bojang - OSU-Okmulgee
Ashley Freeman- OSU-Oklahoma City
Nicole Idleman- Murray State College
Terry Lawson- Murray State College
Brandi Martin- Southwestern OK State
Marilyn McDow- University of Central OK
Ellinda McKinny-Jones- Seminole State College
Sherita Moses- Langston University
John Munroe- University of Oklahoma
Staci Owens- Oklahoma City Community College
Micah Robinson- St. Gregory’s University
Carol Saville- East Central University
Jamie Beth Seay- Southeastern Oklahoma State
Brandi Showalter- Northeastern State University
Summer Stowe- Oklahoma State University
Brad Wilson- Northwestern Oklahoma State