LEWISBURG, Pa. — These are Bucknell University story ideas that may interest you in March.
CONFUSING VOTER ID — The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, also known as the SAVE Act, would require “documentary proof of United States citizenship” to register to vote — putting the voter ID debate on the political front burner prior to November’s midterm elections. Kelly McConville, director of the Dominguez Center for Data Science, has led past research from polling locations in Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia on the impact voter ID laws had at the time. It found that new voter ID regulations result in more confusion among eligible voters over what form of ID is accepted, and that may result in suppressing the eligible voters from voting. “One of things we’re going to see [with a new voter ID requirement] is confusion among eligible voters,” McConville says. “We had data that when you have such a short time period after a change in the law on what you need when you go to the polls, there is confusion.” McConville’s research team collected exit-polling data in 2016. And while they found only between 1 and 2% of eligible voters were turned away from the polls by not having the right form of ID, that doesn’t take into account eligible voters who stayed home due to the confusion. “The government accountability review found from 5 to 16% didn’t have a driver’s license.,” she says. “Some of those people actually have a different eligible ID, but they are confused about these laws and count themselves out. In another study, Hobby et al. (2015) suggest there is a substantial fraction of nonvoting but intentional voters who largely cite ID as their primary reason, even though many have a qualifying ID.” The number of opt out eligible voters is far greater than the reported voter fraud numbers, according to McConville. For that reason, she believes more data needs to be collected before tougher voter ID laws are enacted. CONTACT: McConville, 570-577-1533, k.mcconville@bucknell.edu
WELL DONE — A team of Bucknell students and faculty were in Northern Ghana during the semester break conducting an engineering Senior Design Project to help build a sustainable drinking water source in a rural community there. The project grew out of the semester-long Bucknell in Ghana program that Professor John Hunter, comparative & digital humanities, led last spring. Alessia Cusick ’26 and Rhodenischelah (Rhode) Limage ’26 both environmental engineering majors, were part of last spring’s program and have been the student leads on the project. “We took water samples, analyzed potential well locations, and exposed the rest of the group to the culture of Ghana,” Cusick says. “I was fortunate to be able to live in Ghana for four months last semester for my study abroad experience alongside Rhode, my other team member.” Cusick reports that they are hoping to have the well built by May and there will be another trip back to Ghana around that time for them to help with its construction. The students can share photos related to the project, which has Professor Austin Wadle, civil & environmental engineering, as its faculty advisor. CONTACTS: Cusick, avc006@bucknell.edu; Limage, rl036@bucknell.edu; Hunter, 570-577-1549, jchunter@bucknell.edu; Wadle, 570-577-1503, ajw030@bucknell.edu
MEETING COMMUNITY NEEDS — In Management 101 — a groundbreaking experiential Freeman College of Management course pioneered 46 years ago at Bucknell — students form real social enterprises, partnering with local non-profit organizations to create and implement meaningful community service projects. Students develop skills in delegation, communication, collaboration and supervision as they design and sell a product to fund their service projects. Management majors typically take the course in their first or second year, giving them real-world experience in responsible management from the beginning. This semester’s five companies will address hunger through community fridges and mini food pantries at the Milton/Sunbury YMCA; domestic violence through facilities improvement at Berwick’s Beyond Violence; poverty affecting children through a backpack program reorganization and facilities improvements at Milton Public Library; support for first responders through facilities improvements to Lewisburg’s William Cameron Engine Company; and children’s development by creating a special STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) room at Selinsgrove REC. CONTACTS: Howard I. Scott Professor of Practice in Social Entrepreneurship Robyn Eversole, 570-577-1673, re012@bucknell.edu; Professor Melissa Intindola, management & organizations, 570-577-1371, mli004@bucknell.edu; and Terry Burke, coordinator, experiential & community engagement, 570-577-1456, twb015@bucknell.edu
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CONTACT: Mike Ferlazzo, 570-577-3212, 570-238-6266 (c), mike.ferlazzo@bucknell.edu