NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Secretary of State Tre Hargett presented Cumberland University with an award for winning the annual Tennessee College Voter Registration Competition in the Private University category.

“Congratulations to Cumberland University Student Government Association for defending their title, earning the top spot for the second straight year,” said Secretary of State Tre Hargett. “The first step to making your voice heard on Election Day is registering to vote. I encourage all the newly registered voters to become active participants in our democratic process.” 

During the competition, Student Government Association President Arsheen Shroff led an integrated voter registration campaign across campus. It included providing voter registration information to first-year students, holding voter registration tables on campus and promoting voter registration in the campus newsletter and through an aggressive social media campaign.

The Secretary of State’s 2023 Tennessee College Voter Registration Competition was held during National Voter Registration Month in September. Thirty-eight of Tennessee’s 2- and 4-year colleges, universities and technical colleges across the state participated in this year’s contest.

“We are so proud of our students and honored to have Secretary Hargett on campus again this year to recognize the notable achievements of our Student Government Association relative to encouraging all eligible voters to get registered and exercise their right to be an informed voter,” said Cumberland University President Dr. Paul Stumb.

In addition to Cumberland University, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Pulaski, earned the top spot in the Tennessee College of Applied Technology category, Pellissippi State Community College won in the 2-year community college category and Middle Tennessee State University won in the 4-year public university category in this year’s Tennessee College Voter Registration Competition.

The winning schools were selected based on points earned by registering students to vote, creating a voter registration campaign for their campus and promoting voter registration on social media using #GoVoteTN along with their campus-specific hashtag.

For more information about the Secretary of State's civic engagement initiatives, visit sos.tn.gov/civics.