PennPIRG Campus Action is a training and action program started by the Student PIRGs and is based on a model that has been helping students make positive change for almost 50 years on issues such as protecting the environment and public health, revitalizing our democracy, feeding the hungry and more.
Most colleges and universities offer students quality classes to learn about the problems facing their communities and our country. And many provide opportunities to study the solutions to address these problems. But what if you want to put that knowledge into action? How do you take actions that will actually improve people’s lives and build toward a better, healthier and more meaningful future? That’s where our program comes in.
Our organizers, interns, and volunteers focus on real issues, provide critical skills trainings, build coalitions, plan events, get media attention, lobby decision makers, and coordinate with students on their campus, across the state, and throughout the country to bring about real change on issues that really matter.
Connect with PennPIRG at Pitt
Program:
New Voters Project
PennPIRG’s New Voters Project Campaign ensures all students’ voices at the University of Pittsburgh are represented in our democracy. Voter participation is crucial to the foundation and success of our government and that must start with the engagement of the youngest voting bloc. Together young people have the power to elect the next generation of leaders who will fight for our shared vision of the future, but only if we vote. At the University of Pittsburgh, The New Voters Project helps students register to vote, make pledges to vote, create voting plans, and educate them on the importance of becoming civically engaged. Most importantly, the New Voters Project trains students in the citizenship, leadership, and campaigning skills necessary to run voter engagement and mobilization campaigns so we can ensure that students of all groups are participating in elections effectively for years to come.
Hunger & Homelessness:
The Hunger and Homelessness campaign promotes civic engagement and voter participation across all demographics, including those underrepresented, because it raises awareness of the individuals facing food and home insecurity. By educating individuals about programs and resources that combat inadequate access to nutrition and housing, they are more likely to participate in democratic institutions when understanding their basic needs can be fulfilled. Since many programs are government-funded, individuals are more likely to vote when educated because they understand the impact that government has on their livelihood. Moreover, it encourages students who are typically represented in democracy to vote on behalf of their peers and neighbors who struggle with hunger and homelessness. By facilitating the Hunger and Homelessness campaign at the University of Pittsburgh, the local community is more likely to build trust and participate in Pennsylvania’s impactful democratic process.
Lobby Day:
Hosting a Pennsylvania state lobby day is an opportunity that allows students from across the state to speak with House and Senate representatives on substantial issues we are actively fighting for on our campuses. On our campus, we run campaigns like the New Voters Project, Waste is Out of Fashion, and Hunger and Homelessness. When students use grassroots actions like tabling, petitioning, and hosting events to make a difference in their communities, they are gaining skills that can be used at state lobby day. Students can use these skills to prove the work they’re doing on campus is actively making a difference, and therefore representatives should help aid in continuing the passion we see on campus. When students are exposed to all of our campaigns and participate in lobby day, they are more likely to show out in every election, year-round. When students see the change in their communities at a state level, they are even more likely to turn out in primaries and general elections because they can understand the importance of local elections.
Waste is Out of Fashion:
PennPIRG’s Waste is Out of Fashion campaign, with a focus on sustainability, aims to reduce textile waste produced by the fast fashion industry by educating students and encouraging companies to commit to never trashing unsold clothes. Textile waste is the single-fastest growing waste stream in the United States and a major contributor to the nation’s carbon emissions, largely due to the growth of the fast fashion industry. By educating students about the impact of fast fashion on the environment and engaging them with events geared towards sustainability, such as clothing drives, this campaign will bolster students’ interest in environmentalism. By participating in a movement related to the mitigation of a major issue facing our generation, students become more civically engaged, as well as more involved in their communities.
Affordable Textbooks:
The Affordable Textbooks campaign is one that students are excited about on campus. They love the idea of making textbooks affordable and using Open Education Resources (OER). A student op-ed, One Way to Cut College Costs, explains the frustration of overpriced college materials, leading students to not purchase them. This financial barrier can cause students to fall behind in class, simply because they can’t afford the books. Students are energized by the idea of making a change on their campus and wanting to see that change made by their representatives. This drives more students to the polls and keeps them civically engaged. They know that the Affordable Textbooks campaign wants to pass the Affordable Textbooks Act and to do that, they need to show up and vote for the representatives who support this bill. After voting once, students are more likely to continue to vote, which is seen firsthand with the Affordable Textbooks Campaign.
Updates:
University of Pittsburgh Fall 2023 Update
Here’s an update on our work at the University of Pittsburgh during the fall!
