Rock the Vote - Campaign
During my time at Syracuse University, I served as an Assistant Account Executive on a semester-long research campaign for Rock the Vote, the nonpartisan nonprofit focused on youth voter engagement. Our team, ElectNext, set out to understand why turnout among 18- to 29-year-olds fell from over 50% in 2016 and 2020 to under 42% in 2024, focusing on the Syracuse University community. We ran a 16-question Qualtrics survey that drew 126 responses (102 valid after data cleaning), conducted individual student interviews, and used Brandwatch social listening to see how young voters talked about voting and about Rock the Vote. Our research showed that most students had little awareness of the organization, so we recommended that Rock the Vote expand its digital presence and partner with local advocacy and nonpartisan groups.
Voter turnout is a sensitive topic, and our audience was a mix of students who had voted, students who had not, and students who were too young to vote in 2020. To get honest answers, we paired a survey with in-depth interviews and social listening. Each method filled in what the others missed, and the surveys and interviews could be compared with online conversations. Through this project, I strengthened my skills in survey design, interviewing, social listening, trend analysis, and strategic communication while promoting civic education and participation on campus.