News and Events: 2024-25
ENACT has published the latest edition of the ENACT Anthology, showcasing the work of Brandeis students from the Spring 2025 "Advocacy for Policy Change" course. The publication features bill summaries, op-eds, letters to state legislators, and more, highlighting a range of legislation that the students enaged with.
May 19, 2025
On May 19, 2025, ENACT hosted the newest cohort of ENACT Faculty Fellows for a virtual institute. The new fellows connected with experienced ENACT professors through a series of sessions about what it means to engage students in their state's legislative process.
May 16, 2025
ENACT is please to welcome the newest group of student delegates for the coming 2025-2026 academic year. The delegates are Brandeis alum Isabel Hon-Anderson ’25 and Brandeis student Niyati Patel ’26, Utah State University alum Tomas Cruz-Villalvazo ’25, and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University student Kera Sayles ’26.
April 29, 2025
The students of the Brandeis University ENACT course “Advocacy for Policy Change” (LGLS 161b) came together April 29th from 10:00-11:15 AM in Alumni Lounge in the Usdan Student Center for the annual “Present and Defend.” They worked to persuade their classmates, other Brandeis students, and guests to vote for their bills, which are currently being considered by the Massachusetts State Legislature. Bill topics include healthcare, immigration, juvenile justice, and homelessness.
An anthology of the student work will be published in the fall.
April 22, 2025
The first-ever ENACT Student Summit took place on April 22nd, 2025. The summit brought together students from ENACT courses across the country for a virtual gathering to share insights and experiences from their civic engagement journeys.
Students submitted videos about their experiences in ENACT courses, with the chance to win $500 prizes. Participants in the summit were also eligible for prizes.
April 22, 2025
ENACT students and alumni joined the annual ENACT Alumni Networking Night from 8:00-9:00 PM Eastern. A panel of accomplished ENACT alumni in a range of fields shared college, graduate school and career advice and made connections to help current ENACT students in their next steps.
April 9, 2025
On April 9, Brandeis University and the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge honored Madeline Leventhal '26 as port of the fourth annual ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll. The 2025 ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll recognizes college students at participating campuses who have gone above and beyond to advance nonpartisan student voter registration, education and turnout efforts in their communities. Leventhal is one of 232 students who mobilized their fellow students to make their voices heard in a historic election cycle.
April 8, 2025
As a part of their efforts to expand menstrual equity at Brandeis University, Period Activists at 'Deis installed menstrual product caddies in bathrooms across campus. In various locations, including certain residence halls, students across campus will have access to free pads and tampons.
Read more about the new dispensers and the continuing efforts of PAD here.
March 13, 2025
ENACT is excited to announce Cohort Four of the ENACT Faculty Fellowship: Neal Allen (Wichita State University, Kansas), Douglas Cantor (Rutgers University - New Brunswick, New Jersey), Brian Dille (Mesa Community College, Arizona), Holly Foster (Texas A&M University, Texas), Keesha Greer-Effs (Berea College, Kentucky), Austin Harrison (Rhodes College, Tennessee), Daniella Mascarenhas (Xavier University of Louisiana), Jamie Palmer-Asemota (Nevada State University), Shawnika Perdue-Johnson (Pitzer College, California), Delphia Shanks (Hendrix College, Arkansas), and Emily Stacey (Rose State College, Oklahoma).
They are joining a national network of professors at colleges and universities across the United States teaching experiential courses based on the ENACT model. In those courses students engage directly in the state legislative process. Students learn to be active participants in democratic processes through connecting with policymakers and community organizations; conducting research and analysis; and informing public policy with evidence and expertise.
March 11, 2025
In two workshops at the annual DEIS Impact “festival of social justice” at Brandeis, VoteDeis Campus Coalition students with support from ENACT helped their peers understand how to make a difference on issues they care about. In “‘Unobscuring’ the Complexities of Local Government”, several state and local officials shared messages to participants in which they discussed their roles and encouraged people to reach out, including a school committee member, a city councilor, a state representative, a state senator, and the Massachusetts state auditor. In “Organizing for Change: From Ideas to Action” two experienced Brandeis student and alumni organizers helped participants understand how to begin an initiative themselves or volunteer their efforts for ongoing initiatives on campus or locally.
March 4, 2025
On March 4th, ENACT hosted a virtual panel conversation with Mississippi House Minority Leader Robert L. Johnson III, Former Utah State Representative Jennifer Seelig, and Former Maine Representative Charlotte Warren discussing how the results of a presidential election can, and often do, affect their work. The guest speakers engaged in a robust question and answer session with students from ENACT courses across the United States. They shared valuable advice and insights about having an impact in the democratic process.
March 3, 2025
In early February, ENACT Faculty Fellow Prof. Emily Wanless of Augustana University in South Dakota welcomed ENACT Your Vote Campus Student Engagement Fellow Yoni Kahn ’24 and ENACT Student Delegate Clay Napurano ’24 via Zoom to her course “State and Local Politics” (Government 301).
Kahn and Napurano shared reflections on their experiences as students in ENACT Director Melissa Stimell’s “Advocacy for Policy Change” course at Brandeis University, and offered advice to Prof. Wanless’ students on their first day of their ENACT course for Spring 2025.
February 26, 2025
State Senator. State Representative. House Minority Leader. House Appropriations Committee Chairman. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman. House Education Committee Chairman. State Supreme Court Presiding Justice.
For many college students these titles are opaque, the responsibilities of these roles are confusing, and the people serving in these roles seem inaccessible.
It is a different story for ENACT Faculty Fellow Brian Pugh’s Mississippi State University
students. In his ENACT course “Community Service and Civic Transformation” they have been learning the ins and outs of the state legislative process, so that they can effectively engage directly in the democratic process. Recently, that learning extended to a visit to the Mississippi State Capitol. “Experiences like this help bring government to life in ways the classroom alone cannot” says Prof. Pugh. (Pictured: Mississippi House Education Committee Chairman Representative Rob Robertson addresses ENACT students).
“Visiting legislators at the Mississippi State Capitol provided an invaluable educational experience, offering firsthand insight into the workings of the state legislature. With a constitutionally weak Governor, Mississippi has one of the strongest legislatures in the country, and it is always a privilege when legislative leaders take time out of their busy schedules to speak with MSU students. In addition to meeting with lawmakers—such as the House and Senate Appropriations Chairmen—students had the opportunity to sit in on floor sessions and committee meetings. Observing these proceedings allowed students to witness state policy being debated and shaped in real-time, while also gaining a deeper appreciation for the context and civic importance of Mississippi’s legislative process. Experiences like this help bring government to life in ways the classroom alone cannot.” - Brian Pugh
February 9, 2025
Join us on Sunday, February 9 from 2-4 p.m.. The film is a portrait of Norma McCorvey, whose unwanted pregnancy led to the 1973 case that legalized abortion nationwide, Roe v. Wade; later, McCorvey switches sides to crusade as an anti-abortion firebrand; she tells her story in candid one-on-one interviews. Note: Snacks and drinks will be served!
Location: Skyline Commons
February 7, 2025
Curious to learn more about menstrual equity?! Join us on Friday, February 7, 1-3 p.m. to create care packages of period products for Brandeis students. Participants will also have a chance to learn more about the I AM bill, a piece of Massachusetts state legislation that works to combat period poverty.
Location: SCC Atrium
February 6, 2025
Join ENACT, the Women’s Studies Research Center, the ProChoice club, and other student groups for a multidisciplinary panel on Thursday, February 6th from 5:30-6:50pm. The event will feature three expert panelists in an effort to foster an engaging and informative discussion on reproductive health issues. Panelists include 1) Prof. Sarah Curi, JD, MPH, 2) Dr. Kristen Brewer, PhD, and 3) Dr. Marti Soffer, MD, MPH, Brandeis Class of 2010. Note: Food and drinks will be served!
Location: International Lounge (Usdan)
January 30, 2025
The VoteDeis Campus Coalition presented: “It’s Not All About the President: Engaging with Local and State Government" featuring Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy, Massachusetts State Representative Thomas Stanley of Waltham and Waltham City Councilor (and Brandeis alum) Paul Katz '85 discussing their journeys in local and state government, the role and importance of local and state government, and how anyone can get involved.
There were opening remarks by Brandeis University Provost Carol Fierke, Assistant Director of ENACT and VoteDeis Coordinator David Weinstein, and a Q&A with the panelists moderated by VoteDeis members Rani Balakrishna'25 and Juliahna Falciglia-Mattes '28.
Read more and view video of the event on the ENACT website and read coverage of the event from The Waltham Times.
Hosted by the VoteDeis Campus Coalition. Supported by the Brandeis Student Union and an ENACT Educate and Advocate Grant from ENACT: The Abraham Feinberg Educational Network for Active Civic Transformation.
January 23, 2025
On January 23rd, Brandeis University welcomed back alumna Yanna Krupnikov for a talk titled "How We See Each Other: Perceptions Across the Political Divide."
Yanna Krupnikov, Professor of Communication and Media at the University of Michigan, explored how partisan divisions in America shaped political behavior. Using survey data from before and after the 2024 election, Krupnikov examined how partisan identities influenced attitudes toward political opponents and polarization dynamics, offering insights into the role of political divisions in shaping social and political expectations at that time.
About the speaker: Yanna Krupnikov is a Professor of Communication and Media at the University of Michigan, and a Class of 2002 Brandeis alum. Her work focuses on attention to political news and political expression in the context of polarization. She is the co-author of books "Partisan Hostility and American Democracy" (2024), "The Other Divide" (2022), and "Independent Politics" (2016).
Organized by the Politics Department with support from the Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. Co-sponsored by ENACT and by the VoteDeis Campus Coalition.
December 10, 2024
As the 2024 presidential election approached, the VoteDeis Campus Coalition, a nonpartisan initiative, empowered students, faculty, and staff to engage in meaningful civic action. Founded before the 2020 election, VoteDeis ramped up its efforts to encourage voter participation through diverse initiatives, from registration drives to political discussions to the iconic "VoteGoat." In the face of election-related tension, the coalition served as a unifying force, fostering a culture of informed, proactive engagement across campus.
Read more about the efforts of the VoteDeis Campus Coalition.
December 9, 2024
Brandeis ENACT students meet with representatives of community organizations during ENACT Advocacy Day 2024.
12 ENACT courses in 11 states are confirmed for the spring semester. ENACT students from Maine to Wyoming and Minnesota to Florida – and points in between! – will be engaging directly with their state legislatures, and connecting with each other to support their learning. Stay tuned in the new year for highlights from these schools, and network-wide events!
- Florida: Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
- Connecticut: University of Hartford
- Maine: University of Maine
- Massachusetts: Brandeis University (two courses)
- Minnesota: Metropolitan State University
- Mississippi: Mississippi State University
- Nebraska: Nebraska Wesleyan University
- Ohio: Cleveland State University
- South Dakota: Augustana University
- Wisconsin: St. Norbert College
- Wyoming: Laramie County Community College
December 3, 2024
ENACT supported nonpartisan voter registration
and voter participation efforts at five campuses this year through the ENACT Your Vote initiative: Brandeis (in collaboration with VoteDeis), Siena College in New York, University of Hartford in Connecticut, University of Maine, and Utah State University.
At each campus ENACT Your Vote Campus Engagement Student Fellows worked to ensure students registered to vote and cast their ballots whether in person or absentee.
Read more about the ENACT Your Vote initiatives across universities.
December 1, 2024
We are pleased to announce that ENACT: The Educational Network for Active Civic Transformation has been renamed ENACT: The Abraham Feinberg Educational Network for Active Civic Transformation to honor the late Abraham Feinberg.
“ENACT’s mission to teach college students about democracy through engagement with the state legislative process enriches the lives of our undergraduates, even as it continues to organize and educate at a national level,” said Provost Carol A. Fierke, PhD ’84. “This is a matter of great pride for Brandeis and we are honored to associate the program with Abraham Feinberg’s name and legacy.”
During his long relationship with Brandeis University, Abraham Feinberg served as a Brandeis fellow and as a member and chair of the Board of Trustees, and was awarded an honorary doctorate in 1961. He was a substantial force in shaping the University during its early years. Read more about Feinberg and the renaming of ENACT.
November 19, 2024
Brandeis University has been recognized by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) as a 2024 ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting. The ALL IN Most Engaged Campuses for College Student Voting recognizes colleges and universities for outstanding efforts to increase nonpartisan student voter participation. Brandeis University joins a group of 471 colleges and universities recognized by ALL IN for completing four core actions:
- Participating in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge
- Sharing 2022 NSLVE Reports with campus voting data with ALL IN
- Developing and submitting a 2024 democratic engagement action plan with ALL IN
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Having a current signatory to ALL IN’s Higher Education Presidents’ Commitment to Full Student Voter Participation.
November 7, 2024
From Nov. 7 through Nov. 11, 2024, 15 students will be invited to engage in a collaborative mural-making event with Claudia Bernardi.
Students interested in joining the mural project with Claudia Bernardi should apply by October 7.
This will be the second mural Bernardi creates at Brandeis, her first being the " “Waters Breathe, Too: An Anthology,” piece done in collaboration with the students of Prof. Toni Shapiro-Phim’s (CAST) “Introduction to Creativity, the Arts, and Social Transformation” class.
October 23, 2024
On Oct. 23, 2024, a conversation took place with panelists Rani Balakrishna '25, the former President of the Student Union, and Peyton Gillespie '25, the former President of the Student Union. The discussion was moderated by Lee Bitsoi, Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The event was cosponsored by the Student Union, the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, ENACT, and VoteDeis.
October 22, 2024
Join the Brandeis Celebration of Voting featuring The Vote Goat! (Yes, an actual goat!)
Come to Fellows Garden (near the Blue Booths by the Shapiro Campus Center) between 11 am and 2 PM.
Take a “goatie” (goat selfie), get voter registration and absentee ballot support, sign up for election day and early voting transportation, and text friends and family to remind them to make a plan and vote.
Sponsored by the Brandeis Undergraduate Student Union, ENACT, The Dean of Students Office, and the Brandeis Politics Department.
October 10, 2024
The Gender and Sexuality Center (GSC) teamed up with ENACT your vote to bring voter registration tables to their annual Coming Out Day event on Oct. 10 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Chapels Field.
October 1, 2024
Join VoteDeis and ENACT Your Vote for a non-partisan vice presidential debate watch party, 8:30-10:30 PM Tuesday October 1st (broadcast begins at 9), in Olin-Sang 101!
We’ll watch the debate between Senator Vance and Governor Walz live on a big screen. There will be remarks by Brandeis Undergraduate Student Union Vice President Ria Escamilla-Gil, voter registration and absentee voting info and help, debate bingo cards – and snacks! All are welcome!
This is a nonpartisan event organized by the VoteDeis Campus Coalition and ENACT Your Vote, and funded by ENACT: The Educational Network for Active Civic Transformation. Cosponsors: the Brandeis Undergraduate Student Union, the Dean of Students Office, the Journalism Program, the Intercultural Center, the Legal Studies Program, Hillel's Mitzvote and the Samuels Center for Community Partnerships and Civic Transformation (COMPACT).
October 1, 2024
Join ENACT and COMPACT on Tuesday, Oct. 1, to welcome Claudia Bernardi, The Justice Brandeis Practitioner-in-Residence, as she delivers her keynote lecture, "Striving to Strengthen Safe Spaces/Brave Spaces Through Collaborative Mural-Making."
Claudia Bernardi is an installation artist, painter and printmaker whose artwork reflects the impact of war and its legacies. Bernardi designs and facilitates collaborative art projects with survivors of political violence, survivors of torture, survivors of sexual violence and with communities forced into exile. Born in Argentina, Bernardi was affected by the military junta (1976-1983) that caused 30,000 “desaparecidos.”
In 2005, Bernardi founded Walls of Hope in a war zone in El Salvador, a community-based art, education, and human rights project that has been replicated in many countries around the world. Bernardi is Emerita Professor at the California College of the Arts.
Bernardi's lecture will take place from 2:20-3:40 pm on Oct. 1 in the Zinner Forum at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management.
The keynote will be followed by a conversation with students interested in participating in creating the mural. Collaborative Mural-Making will take place Thursday, November 7-Sunday, November 11, 2024.
Bernardi's residency at Brandeis is facilitated by COMPACT and ENACT in celebration of the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life. She is the first of a series of individuals who will highlight the knowledge and experience developed by the Ethics Center and will expose the Brandeis campus community to spheres of activity that have only become more critical to our interconnected world over recent years.
Read more about inaugural Justice Brandeis Practitioner-In-Residence Claudia Bernardi.
September 25, 2024
The Prevention, Advocacy, and Resource Center (PARC) partnered with ENACT to host a screening of the 2022 documentary “At Your Cervix.” The film follows sexuality educator A’magine as she exposes the traumatic practices that minimize consent and bodily autonomy in pelvic exam rooms. The documentary as a whole provides a deep exploration of the racism and sexism that continue to pervade the field of gynecology. The screening took place on Wednesday, September 25, from 6-8 pm in the Wasserman Cinema. A Q&A with the director following the screening.
September 21, 2024
Period Activists at Deis (PAD) and ENACT hosted a screening of the 2023 documentary “Periodical” on Saturday, September 21. The film delves into menstrual equity, highlighting the experiences of a diverse range of individuals, from activists and journalists to celebrities, athletes, and students. Following the screening, there was a panel discussion featuring several voices, including former PAD president and menstrual equity advocate at Mass NOW, Kyla Speizer. The screening, panel, and raffle for free period products, was held from 5-7 pm in Alumni Lounge in the Usdan Student Center.
September 18, 2024
ENACT and the Women’s Studies Research Center welcomed the Bad Old Days Posse to Brandeis. In the wake of numerous political and ideological battles over the right to reproductive justice and health, the Bad Old Days Posse is a group of women who share their experiences of pregnancy in a pre-Roe v. Wade United States. Their stories shed light on the challenges and struggles faced by individuals before the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision, demonstrating their fears for a new future without the protections enshrined by Roe v. Wade. The Bad Old Days Posse is a part of the initiative Reproductive Equity Now, which is focused on expanding and advocating for abortion access across New England. These women shared their stories and reflections at the Liberman-Miller Lecture Hall in the Women’s Studies Research Center.
September 10, 2024
At this non-partisan Presidential Debate Watch Party held at Mandel G03 (in the Mandel Center for the Humanities) attendees watched the ABC-hosted debate between former President Trump and Vice President Harris live on a big screen.
There were remarks by Brandeis Undergraduate Student Union President Rani Balakrishna, voter registration and absentee voting info and help – and snacks!
This was a nonpartisan event organized by the VoteDeis Campus Coalition and ENACT Your Vote, and funded by ENACT: The Educational Network for Active Civic Transformation.
Cosponsors: the Brandeis Undergraduate Student Union, the Dean of Students Office, the Intercultural Center, the Legal Studies Program, and the Samuels Center for Community Partnerships and Civic Transformation (COMPACT).
July 31, 2024
ENACT has released Volume 2 of the “Transformations Through Civic Engagement” report, which describes the impact of ENACT courses on student attitudes, knowledge, and behavior.
The report is derived from survey data from students who participated in ENACT courses from fall 2023 through spring 2024 (a total of 101 participants). The survey consists of the following sections: 1) Engagement, 2) Knowledge, 3) Efficacy, 4) Civic Action, 5) Voting Behavior, 6) Tolerance/Diversity, 7) Skills/Competencies, 8) College Experience, 9) Values, 10) Demographic questions.
Students who complete an ENACT course express having strong political efficacy. For example, 90% of survey respondents indicated that they know enough to participate in politics while over three-quarters believe they can personally influence politics or policy in their communities or states. An even higher percentage, 77%, feel they could do as good a job in public office as most other people, and 79% indicated that they think they are better informed about politics and government than most people.
Students who complete an ENACT course are also engaged in social, civic, and political activity. Students who completed the survey shared that within the past 12 months, 73% attended meetings related to politics and 72% signed a petition. In addition to impacting students' political efficacy and engagement, ENACT courses help students develop critical and translatable professional skills. For example, participants reflected that their ENACT coursework contributed to their communication skills, with a majority of respondents (79%) indicating that the course helped to improve their writing skills and 75% reported that the course enhanced their ability to speak clearly and effectively.