John C. Culver Public Policy Center

07/02/2020

The Culver Center joins ten other congressional policy centers in urging prompt public disclosure of any evidence of foreign interference in the 2020 election. Read the full press release and joint letter to the Senate Select Intelligence Committee below.

Simpson College’s John C. Culver Public Policy Center is one of 11 congressional centers across the country that co-signed a letter urging the U.S. Senate to inform the public “as soon as possible” if foreign influence is detected in the 2020 election.

For more information and to read the letter, visit https://bit.ly/3gkYu74

06/16/2020

Simpson College

Culver Fellows at Simpson College have access to unparalleled opportunities in public service.

As a Culver Fellow, Daniel Estrada ’21 has volunteered for Senator Elizabeth Warren’s presidential campaign, interned with the South Australian Parliament and took part in the Capitol Hill Internship Program.

Find out if becoming a Culver Fellow is right for you: www.simpson.edu/culver-center

05/28/2020

Iowa election officials say they're ready for pandemic-era voting - Iowa Capital Dispatch

Iowa voters: remember to return your absentee ballots before the June 2 primary. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked on or before June 1 in order to be counted. Postmarks are not guaranteed, so mail in your absentee ballot today to make sure your county auditor receives it in time. You may also return your ballot in person to your county auditor's office before the polls close at 9pm on primary election day.

If you didn't request an absentee ballot, you can still vote in person at one of your county's limited polling places on Tuesday, June 2. Visit the Iowa Secretary of State's website or contact your county auditor for a list of polling places. As the article below notes, election officials are implementing strict safety measures at polling places to reduce risks posed by COVID-19. Curbside voting is also available for those who wish to cast ballots outside their polling places.

https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2020/05/26/iowa-election-officials-say-theyre-ready-for-pandemic-era-voting/

More than 471,000 absentee ballots requested by Iowans for the June 2 primary election, and more than 1,000 Iowans have been recruited for polling-site work.

05/27/2020

2019 Culver Lecturer Kristen Soltis Anderson with Culver Fellows from the Class of 2020

05/18/2020

Iowa Primary voters - remember to request your absentee ballot by 5pm this Friday, May 22

This Friday is the last day to request an absentee ballot for voting from home. Requests must be received by your county auditor's office by 5 pm Friday. You can download a request form at VoterReady.Iowa.gov. #BeAVoter

05/14/2020

Simpson College Student Kathryn Hays Chosen to Present at Posters on the Hill in Washington D.C.

Congratulations to graduating Culver Fellow Kathryn Hays, who has been selected to present her research on political disinformation at the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) Posters on the Hill event!

https://simpson.edu/news/simpson-college-student-kathryn-hays-chosen-present-posters-hill-washington-dc

Simpson College, (simpson.edu) one of the Midwest’s foremost institutions for student success, today announced Kathryn Hays, a senior triple-majoring in political science, international relations and French, has been chosen to present her research at the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) Pos...

05/08/2020

Our Senior Spotlight series finishes with Culver Fellow Amir Suljic, who graduated Summa Cum Laude in December 2019 with a degree in History and Political Science. As the son of Bosnian refugees who fled genocidal war in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s, Amir brought a uniquely valuable, cross-cultural perspective to the work of the Culver Center. His outstanding undergraduate research paper, "Nema Mira: Yearning for Prosperity Within a Democratic Bosnia and Herzegovina," was informed both by rigorous scholarship and many personal visits to Bosnia.

Join us in congratulating Amir and all the members of the Simpson College Class of 2020 on their accomplishments and wishing them the very best in these uncertain times!

05/07/2020

The Culver Center's Senior Spotlight turns to Quinn Slaven, the first of two Culver Fellows who graduated in December 2019. Quinn had a fantastic Simpson career as a student-athlete and active leader of Culver Center programs, including a fascinating panel discussion in spring 2017 on the future of conservatism in the Trump era. He's now making his mark at a communications and public affairs firm in Des Moines!

Hometown: Mason City, Iowa

Major: Political Science

--What is your favorite memory of civic or political engagement from your time as a Culver Fellow at Simpson?

Spending a semester in D.C. with the CHIP program was an incredible experience, but my favorite memories were from weekly talks with Seth. Football practice made it difficult to attend group meetings in the fall, but Seth worked with me so I could continue to contribute.

--What is one piece of advice for new first-year Culver Fellows joining the program this fall?

Opportunities are out there. Use your resources and be creative in finding them. Once you have an opportunity, be extremely deliberate and focused to make the most of it. You'll be surrounded by some of the brightest, most talented people, but never be afraid of a little competition.

--What have you been up to since graduating last December?

I work for a public affairs and lobbying firm in Des Moines.

05/06/2020

Senior Spotlight on graduating Culver Fellow Kyler Zielsdorf, whose degree in international relations and political science and extensive programmatic work with the Culver Center prepare him for a career in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Hometown: Merriam, Kansas

Majors: International Relations and Political Science

--What is your favorite memory of civic or political engagement from your time as a Culver Fellow at Simpson?

I’d say my favorite memory would have to be Quinn Slaven and I hosting our talk show “poli sci guys,” where we discussed all sorts of hot button issues.

--What is one piece of advice for new first-year Culver Fellows joining the program this fall?

If I had to give one piece of advice to first year Culver Fellows, it would be to find what you’re passionate about and find a way to get involved. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help, whether that be from teachers, faculty, other students, or organizations in the area.

--What are your plans after graduation?

After graduation, I’m commissioning into the United States Marine Corps as a second lieutenant.

05/05/2020

Job Openings | National Conference on Citizenship

Our friends at the Students Learn, Students Vote Coalition are hiring a manager for their new "Ask Every Student" voter registration program. Check it out and pass the word on!

https://ncoc.org/job-openings/

NCoC is currently seeking citizen leaders to fulfill the following position: Ask Every Student Manager, Students Learn Students Vote Coalition About the Organization:  Founded in 2016, the  Students Learn Students Vote (SLSV) Coalition is a diverse group of nearly 400...

05/05/2020

Today's Senior Spotlight shines on graduating Culver Fellow Jake Stoulil, who excelled in speech & debate and a broad range of civic engagement programs at Simpson!

Hometown: Kansas City, Missouri

Majors: Actuarial Science, Economics: Finance

--What is your favorite memory of civic or political engagement from your time as a Culver Fellow at Simpson?

My favorite memory of political engagement as a Culver Fellow was when I helped moderate the 2018 Democratic Gubernatorial debate that Simpson hosted.

--What is one piece of advice for new first-year Culver Fellows joining the program this fall?

My advice to new Culver Fellows and new college students in general would be to get involved. This time is really what you make of it and getting involved is the best way to learn new things.

--What are your plans after graduation?

After graduation, I will be working as an actuary in West Des Moines.

05/04/2020

As the Simpson College calendar turns to May Term, the Culver Fellows Senior Spotlight turns to Abby Schulte!

Hometown: Keota, Iowa

Majors: Political Science and History

--What is your favorite memory of civic or political engagement from your time as a Culver Fellow at Simpson?

If I had to pick a favorite memory, I would choose helping to run the mock caucus simulations this past year! It was such a fun, engaging way to teach students about the caucus process, and everyone did a great job of embracing the superhero theme. When I applied to the Culver Fellows program, my goal was to participate in activities that would promote opportunities to create positive change through civic engagement. This was just one of many opportunities through the Culver Center where I was able to do just that.

--What is one piece of advice for new first-year Culver Fellows joining the program this fall?

There are so many opportunities with the Culver Center to learn new things, meet new people, and be involved with meaningful civic engagement work. My advice is to take advantage of as many of these opportunities as possible!

--What are your plans after graduation?

I plan to take a gap year and gain some work experience before pursuing graduate school for history/museum studies.

05/01/2020

The Culver Fellows Senior Spotlight shines today on world traveler Kathryn Hays!

Hometown: Macomb, Illinois

Majors: French, International Relations, and Political Science

--What is your favorite memory of civic or political engagement from your time as a Culver Fellow at Simpson?
My favorite memories with the Culver Center are always our beginning of the year picnics! It was so intimidating my freshman year but I met one of my best friends there. Each year getting to meet a new group of passionate students is so inspiring I’ve loved seeing everyone’s accomplishments from year to year.

--What is one piece of advice for new first-year Culver Fellows joining the program this fall?
Get as much as you can out of living in Iowa! We’re so lucky to live in such a politically engaged state, take advantage of all the opportunities around you!

--What are your plans after graduation?
Things shifted quite a lot since corona, right now I’m hoping to work for a nonprofit and give back to my community.

04/30/2020

As the Simpson community gathers this afternoon for a virtual "Toast to the Tassel" to celebrate the Class of 2020, the Culver Fellows spotlight turns to graduating senior Kelsey Poppe!

Hometown: Ionia, Iowa

Majors: Psychology and Management

--What is your favorite memory of civic or political engagement from your time as a Culver Fellow at Simpson?
My favorite memory from my time as a Culver Fellow was getting to meet and hear Symone Sanders at our annual Culver Lecture. It was inspiring to hear from someone who came from the Midwest and has such an engaging, passionate manner about politics.

--What is one piece of advice for new first-year Culver Fellows joining the program this fall?
My one piece of advice for first year Culver Fellows is to not be afraid to get more involved as a Culver Fellow and to keep an open mind.

--What are your plans after graduation?
My plans after graduation are to attend University of Minnesota to attain my Master of Human Resources and Industrial Relations.

04/29/2020

Today's Senior Spotlight shines on graduating Culver Fellow Erin Magoffie!

Hometown: Anthem, Arizona

Majors: English, Political Science, and French

--What is your favorite memory of civic or political engagement from your time as a Culver Fellow at Simpson?
I remember one of my very first events was seeing Bill Clinton on campus during fall 2016. That was really incredible!

--What is one piece of advice for new first-year Culver Fellows joining the program this fall?
Don't be afraid to ask questions--politics are confusing and getting another opinion or perspective on an issue is never frowned upon.

--What are your plans after graduation?
I'm off to law school! I'm going to UCLA Law with a focus on environmental justice in the fall.

04/29/2020

Explore Simpson Series: Civic Engagement

Calling all high school students interested in learning more about civic engagement opportunities in college! Register for the Explore Simpson virtual program at 7pm tonight with Culver Center Director Seth Andersen.

https://admissions.simpson.edu/register/Virtual_Culver_Wed

04/28/2020

Our series of Senior Spotlights on graduating Culver Fellows starts with Levi Lefebure!

Hometown: Fairfax, Iowa

Majors: Political Science, Mathematics, and History

--What is your favorite memory of civic or political engagement from your time as a Culver Fellow at Simpson?

Wow, it is incredibly challenging to choose just one. This may be recency bias, but I loved the mock caucuses put on by my committee this year. Hearing individuals stump for superheroes and watching students from both Simpson and Australia participate in a light-hearted version of a caucus was super cool. A definite runner-up for favorite memory is a voter registration video made in cohort with the arts at Simpson. It was a fun way to display registering to vote to students. You can find the link in the comments below.

--What is one piece of advice for new first-year Culver Fellows joining the program this fall?

Be active! This center lets you get as involved as you want, but choosing to get involved will lead you to many experiences that you won't forget. Plan a program or two with Seth Andersen (Culver Center Director), help out your committee with their goals, attend any events that interest you. This will be both fun and help sharpen your organizational and leadership skills.

--What are your plans after graduation?

I do not have any post-graduation plan that is set in stone yet. I am hoping to go into politics on some level. What exactly that means is still uncertain.

04/25/2020

Religion, The First Amendment and Covid-19

Religion, The First Amendment and Covid-19

04/24/2020

Know any high school students who are interested in learning more about civic engagement opportunities in college? Share this link to the Explore Simpson virtual program that Culver Center Director Seth Andersen will be hosting on Wednesday, April 29 at 7pm CDT!

https://admissions.simpson.edu/register/Virtual_Culver_Wed

04/24/2020

The Culver Center had planned to host a campus screening of the PBS American Experience documentary, "The Vote," but COVID-19 had other ideas. Thankfully, our friends at PBS are hosting virtual screenings of two segments from "The Vote" next week. All members of the Simpson College community are welcome to attend the virtual screenings -- see registration links in comments below.

04/23/2020

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate

Calling all Iowa voters - especially college students who have moved back home for the remainder of the spring semester: Make sure to update your voter registration address on the Iowa Secretary of State's website.
Secretary Pate's office is mailing absentee ballot requests (ABRs) to all registered voters. Update your address today so that your ABR doesn't get mailed to your campus mailbox!

The absentee voting period for mailed ballots begins tomorrow. Every active registered voter will receive an absentee request form in the mail beginning next week. Or you can download one online. Secretary Pate demonstrates how easy it is to #BeAVoter

04/21/2020

Message a screenshot of your sign up for election reminders to Vote Everywhere at Simpson College to be entered into a drawing for a $50 Amazon shopping spree!

This drawing is exclusive to current Simpson students. A winner will be chosen on 4/24.

Message us a screenshot of your sign up for election reminders to be entered into a drawing for a $50 Amazon shopping spree!

This drawing is exclusive to current Simpson students. A winner will be chosen on 4/24

04/13/2020

Culver Fellows are cleaning up Simpson's History Department awards this year! Congrats to rising juniors Ava Shannon and Noah Trujillo on receiving this year's Leopold Awards!

Congratulations to this year’s Leopold award winners – Ava Shannon and Noah Trujillo. Leopold von Ranke is known as the father of the modern professional discipline of history. This award honors rising juniors who have exhibited a keen interest in history and show promise in pursuit of their study of the past.

04/09/2020

News from Culver Public Policy Center at Simpson College

Check out the latest newsletter from the Culver Public Policy Center!

https://mailchi.mp/f76d7cbe07fc/news-from-the-culver-public-policy-center-at-simpson-college-6445760

04/09/2020

Election Resources for Students

Simpson College’s student-led voter engagement team at the Culver Public Policy Center has launched a new COVID-19 Election Resources page for Simpson students. Please visit this page now to learn how to update your voter registration address and stay civically engaged online during this period of social distancing.

Iowa residents should update their voter registration as soon as possible to ensure that absentee ballot request forms for the June 2 primary are sent to your current address instead of your campus address.

Out-of-state students: please visit Vote411.org for a complete list of state primary elections, many of which have been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Text “SimpsonVotes” to 555-888 to receive updates about voting and elections.

https://simpson.edu/covid19/election-resources

Simpson's student-led voter engagement team at the Culver Public Policy Center has created this page to update students about voting and elections during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now more than ever, as our elected officials grapple with the unprecedented challenges posed by COVID-19, it's important to...