Campus Progress 2012 Year in Review

the campus progress

2012 YEAR IN REVIEWbuilding a progressive generation

OVERVIEW: STAFF, DIRECTOR’S LETTER

IDEAS: POLICY

ACTION: ADVOCACY

VOICES: COMMUNICATIONS

2013: WHAT’S NEXT

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CAMPUS PROGRESS ANNUAL REPORT 2012

OUR STAFF

EDUARDO GARCIAADVOCACY MANAGER

ANNE JOHNSONDIRECTOR

TARA KUTZVIDEO COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATE

JOSH MURPHYSPECIAL ASSISTANT

NAIMA RAMOS-CHAPMANASSOCIATE EDITOR

BRIAN STEWARTCOMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

TOBIN VAN OSTERNDEPUTY DIRECTOR

ABRAHAM WHITECOMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATE

LAYLA ZAIDANEONLINE COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATE

THANKS TO OUR 2012 INTERNSAKBAR AHMED, ANNA ALEXANDER, CHRIS BOAN, AARON BRENNAN, MELISSA BROWN, KRISTEN DITTUS, JAQUI DUARTE, MOEY FOX, CARLY HANSON, SYDNEY HOFFERTH, JENNIFER HICKS, DOUG LAVEY, ZAZA KASHANI, KYLE MISKELL, ERIC MURPHY, CARRIE NAPOLITANO, PRATIK PANDA, JEFF RAINES, LEOR REEF, SHARON RESHEF, GREGORY SAVAGEAU, KELLAN SCHMIDT, AMISHA SISODIYA, EMMA WEINSTEIN-LEVEY, GRAHAM WHITE

10STAFF

millennial generation90 million strong

170,000+

ANNUAL

READERS

OF

POLICY

REPORTS

30+ interns

22

action

network

partners

64

progressive

college

publications

with 500,000+

monthly

readers

2,400+

event

attendees

from

50

states

6,200+

online

action-takers

from

50

states

5,000+

active

facebook

friends

10,500+

active

twitter

followers

34,000+

active

email

subscriberson

more

than

70

campuses

and

in

16

states

500,000+

ANNUAL

READERS

OF

CAMPUSPROGRESS.ORG

&

PUSHBACK.ORG

30+

young reporters

nationwide

‘A REMARKABLE YEAR FOR PROGRESS’It’s been a remarkable year for progress and young advocates across the country. From our national conference, to training summits for young journalists and activists, to major online organzing efforts around student debt and voter suppression, Campus Progress has helped lift young voices and advance progressive ideas.

In 2012, we engaged with more than 1 MILLION young Americans through our work in policy, organizing, and communications. These diverse networks of young people—represented in the fig-ure to the right—continue to create progressive change on their campuses, in their communities, and across the nation.

As a growing number of Millennials continue to become immersed in discussions around important issues—such as the government’s role in economic growth, comprehensive immigration reform, equality for all Americans, protecting voter rights, and creating safe environments—our shared values continue to guide the coun-try and our elected leaders in a progressive direction.

We’re grateful for your continued support as we embark on a new organizational phase in our efforts to reach, inspire, and mobilize Millennials across the country.

Sincerely,

Anne Johnson | Director, Campus Progress

LETTER FROM OUR DIRECTOR 5

Whether it’s global climate change, the protection of our social saftey net or maintaining excellence in the classroom,

but has led the way in the fight for the future.

CAMPUS PROGRESS HAS NOT ONLY INSPIRED YOUNG PEOPLE TO STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT,

— Zach Wahls, young LGBT activist, 2012 Campus Progress National Conference speaker

“

”

policy & government affairsIDEAS

IDEAS | CAMPUS PROGRESS8

ADVANCING POLICIES FOR YOUNG AMERICANSOur newly expanded policy program is our hub for progressive,

youth-driven public policy. This program capitalizes on the strength and infrastructure of our parent organization, the Center for American Progress, to research and develop youth-led policy solutions that offer our generation’s proactive vision for a more just society.We engage issue experts within the youth sector and other relevant issue

areas to consult on policy development. Our policy recommendations are a central organizing and engagement point within our campaigns, articulating our vision and giving direction to our work.

7 NATIONAL & 50 STATEproduced

reports & research papers

COST OF COLLEGE WILL SOAR IF INTEREST RATES ARE ALLOWED TO DOUBLE 4/25/12

VOTER SUPPRESSION 101 4/4/12

SENATE DEAL TO KEEP STUDENT INTEREST RATES LOW (Policy Article) 6/27/12

ROMNEY TOO EXTREME FOR THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION 7/31/12

THE STUDENT DEBT CRISIS 10/25/12

MILLENNIAL VOTERS REFUSE TO BE LEFT OUT OF THIS ELECTION 11/5/12

COMPARING CONSERVATIVE & PROGRESSIVE INVESTMENT IN AMERICA’S YOUTH 12/6/12

STATE-LEVEL ANALYSIS OF STUDENT LOAN INTEREST RATE INCREASE (50 Reports) 5/4/12

NATIONAL REPORTS

STATE-BASED REPORTS

POLICY REPORTS

170,000+readers of Campus Progress policy reports

THE MOST DOWNLOADED REPORT

“Cost of College Will Soar if Interest Rates Are Allowed to Double”

123,652 DOWNLOADS

on the Center for American Progress websitewith

50STATE-BASED

published

on the impact of increased student loan interest rates for college students and their families.

REPORTS

CAMPUS PROGRESS | IDEAS 9

INFLUENCING OUR ELECTED LEADERS

Policy Analyst at Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

CP Affiliation: Former Policy & Advocacy Manager

ANGELAPEOPLES

alumni spotlight

A graduate from Western Michi-gan University, Angela went on to serve as the Legislative Director of the United States Student Associ-ation where she played a key role in campaigns to enact legislation to increase college access and affordability, including the Amer-ican Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act. She also supported grassroots voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts during the 2008 election in Michigan and Wisconsin. Follow-ing her work at USSA, she joined Campus Progress as Policy and Advocacy Manager and continued her work on these issues as well as immigration reform, and LGBT rights. Angela now works at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau as a Policy Analyst.

PEN FROM POTUS

STUDENT DEBT DAY

276YOUNGAMERICANS

recruited

from 42 local & national organizations for

48 MEETINGSwith their elected officials.

In recognition of our successful work to engage young Americans in pressuring Congress to prevent student loan rates from doubling in July, the White House presented us with the pen President Obama used to sign the legislation.

“It was a tremendous honor that the White House and President Obama, in recognition of our hard work to keep Stafford student loan rates steady, presented us with the pen used to sign legislation extending the rate.”–Tobin Van Ostern, Deputy Director

on policy recommendations with outside groups,

including the White House, Senate, House, federal

agencies, and other stakeholders.

200MEETINGSBRIEFINGS

&

held more than

hosted PRESS CONFERENCEon Capitol Hill with Sens. Tom

Harkin (D-IA), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), & young leaders.

There aren’t many organizations with as much

There is no end to what you can do.

ENERGY, ENTHUSIASM, CREATIVITY, AND ACTIVISM AS CAMPUS PROGRESS.

— Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, speaking to young progressives at the Campus Progress National Conference

“

”

advocacy & organizingACTION

ENGAGING WITH YOUNG PROGRESSIVESThe advocacy program trains, funds, and supports young progressives on the issues that matter to our generation. From college affordability issues, to LGBT equality, to advancing rights for immigrant youth, Campus Progress works to ensure that young people have the support they need to grow their leadership and organizing, while plugging into national politics to ensure that their voices are being heard in Washington.

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

800attendees

60travel & lodging

scholarships

speakers included:

HILDA SOLISU.S. Secretary of Labor

NANCY PELOSIDemocratic Leader

DICK DURBINSenator, Illinois

DEBBIEWASSERMAN-SCHULTZ

Representative, Florida

JACK LEWWhite House Chief of Staff

JOSE ANTONIO VARGASFounder, Define American

RICHARD TRUMKAPresident, AFL-CIO

ZACH WAHLSActivist, YouTube Star

Media Relations, PlannedParenthood Federdation

CP Affiliation: Former Policy & Advocacy Intern

SANDRAKHALIFA

alumni spotlight

Having recently graduated from the University of California-Berkeley, Sandra Khalifa started her internship with Campus Progress during the summer of 2011. As an intern, she assisted with program planning and policy research for issues related to im-migration and Voter ID. Her commit-ment to progressive youth organizing led her joining the Millennial division of Rebuild the Dream, and eventu-ally to helping organize the National Student Power Convergence in Ohio, bringing together hundreds of young activists to strategize on college afford-ability and income inequality.

“Campus Progress is the organiza-tion that made the politics accessible to me,” Sandra says. “It showed me how much it matters for young people to make their voices heard on issues that matter, and it steered me in the direction where I am today.”

1,300engaged

young people through events & trainings,

including:

CREATING CHANGE

YOUNG PEOPLE FORNATIONAL SUMMIT

NATIONAL STUDENTPOWER CONVERGENCE

ROOTSCAMPYOUTH CAUCUS

&

&

&

PARTNERENGAGEMENT

LEADERPELOSI

presented

with our first-ever

award

CHAMPION of

CHANGE

ACTION | CAMPUS PROGRESS12

The Action Network is how Campus Progress works with young people on their campuses and in their communities to support youth-led issue campaigns to achieve concrete policy change that will improve peo-ple’s lives. It’s how we develop and invest in Millennials to be agents of change in their respective commu-nities and serves as the vehicle for activating and mobilizing action on national policy issues that matter to our generation—such as economic justice, human and civil rights, and democracy.

ACTION NETWORK

supported organiztions in 14 states:

22supported

Action Network partner organizations

70+Action Network presence on

BUILDING A PROGRESSIVE ACTION NETWORKELECTION 2012:ROMNEY U.

YOUTHTOWNHALL

hosted

for more than 100 attendees & 300 online viewers

campuses & communitiesPRESIDENTIAL

DEBATEWATCH PARTY

hosted

for 60 young people working in politics in Washington, DC

TRUE COST OF ROMNEY

hosted an event with 20 student leaders about the

at the

UNIVERSITYOF RICHMOND

featuring

TOM PERRIELLOformer Congressman,

CEO of the Center for American Progress Action Fund

TRAINING SUMMIThosted a

in Washington, DC forAction Network members,

focusing on:

ORGANIZING SKILLSNATIONAL NETWORKING

POLICY BRIEFINGS&

ACCESS TOHIGHER EDUCATION

supporting groups working on:

&

&

TUITION EQUALITY FORIMMIGRANT STUDENTS

LGBT-INCLUSIVECAMPUS POLICIES

CAMPUS PROGRESS | ACTION 13

Being in the Journalism Network has been a tremendous benefit for our publication.

—plenty of story ideas, connections to other publications nationwide, professional critiques.

IT’S GREAT TO HAVE THIS WIDE RANGE OF RESOURCES AT OUR FINGERTIPS

— Lily Wan, editor of The Fine Print, a Campus Progress-sponsored publication at the University of Florida

“

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communications & editorialVOICES

UPLIFTING YOUNG, PROGRESSIVE VOICESOur communications work is instrumental in spreading the word about our policy proposals, events, advocacy work, and pushing back against those who oppose progressive values and ideals. Our level of engagement on social media and through email marketing has never been higher, and we’ve responded to increased interested by launching new social platforms and new websites.

EMAIL

520sent

emails to Campus Progress subscribers

24.94%average open rate

8.68%average click rate

34,000+Campus Progress email subscribers

1,211published

pieces of original content on CampusProgress.org

& Pushback.org

EDITORIAL WORK

587,407logged

views on original content

DEFERRED ACTION

most popular search terms

FOR-PROFIT COLLEGESDEBT CEILINGtop referrals

Facebook22.3%

Reddit14.3%

Google10.9%

TOP STORY“Ann Coulter: I’m OK With Revoking Women’s, Young Americans’ Right to Vote” 46,601 views

30+ YOUNG REPORTERStrained & mentored

writing for CampusProgress.org & Pushback.org

VIDEO

57produced

original videos

373,809total YouTube views

TOP VIDEO“What do these brands have in common?

35,389 views

TOP VIDEO“Introducing theNew iPad”

18,722 views

4,154total YouTube likes

1,206total YouTube shares

VOICES | CAMPUS PROGRESS16

ELECTION 2012: PUSHBACK.ORG

20produced

youth-specific election factsheets, including:

YOUNG VETERANSYOUNG WOMEN

LGBT YOUTHHEALTHCARE

HIGHER EDUCATIONIMMIGRATION

&YOUTH JOBS

54on Election Day,

published

new stories on youth turnout, young voters &

ballot measures.

SOCIAL MEDIA

30.15%website traffic

from social media

10,585

Twitter followers

8,055

2,551new Twitter

followers in 2012

10,589 5,601Facebook friends

899new Facebook likes in 2012

140%increase in viral

reach, year-over-year

TUMBLRlaunched a new

Columnist at the Washington Post & MSNBC Contributor

EZRAKLEIN

alumni spotlight

A trailblazer in a new kind of journalism, Ezra got his start when he was still a student at the University of Califor-nia-Los Angeles. Soon after the school newspaper rejected him, he took to the blogosphere and never looked back. It wasn’t long before he got noticed by the American Prospect and was recruited to write for them full time in 2005. When he first came to Washington, DC, he also started contributing as a writer to CampusProgress.org. Four years later he caught the eye of the Washington Post and is now one of the paper’s best-known writers, with his blog frequent-ly getting more hits than any other on their website.

CP Affiliation: Former CampusProgress.org Reporter

MEGHAN McCAINpolitical interivew with

cited by Gawker, drawing 40,000+ readers

provided

DAILY PRESS CLIPSto youth groups,

progressive organizations, and young reporters.

CAMPUS PROGRESS | VOICES 17

“What Does Low-Cost Contraception Mean to Young Americans?”

Campus Progress coverage, 7/31/12

“The War Room with Jennifer Granholm”

Anne Johnson interview, 6/18/12

“Students Lobby to Stop Interest Rate Increase”


“Not-So-Smart ALEC Loses Members Coca-Cola Over Voter Suppression”


“War On War On Voting”



“Eagle Scout Pushes Against Scouts Ban On Gays One Member, Council At A Time”

“Online Degree Programs: How to Tell the Good From the Bad”


IN THE NEWS

“Young Voters Help Secure Obama Victory, Passage of Progressive Ballot Measues”

Tobin Van Ostern interview, 12/7/12

“Young Democrats Still Believe in President Obama”


“Has Obama Lost His Best Chance to Rally the Youth Vote?


“US Student Loans: The Trillion Dollar Debt Trap”



“Expert: Romney At ‘Natural Disadvantage’ With Ohio’s Young Voters”

“Income-Based Student Loan Repayment May Favor Graduate Students”

Tobin Van Ostern interview, 12/10/12

“Romney Offers Praise for a Donor’s Business”


“Could Tougher Voting Laws Squelch the Youth Vote?”

Tobin Van Ostern interview,8/4/12

“Youth, Latino Vote May Mean Clout on Key Issues”


VOICES | CAMPUS PROGRESS18

The Campus Progress Journalism Network continues to support progressive journalism by funding on-campus media outlets and training student journalists. In 2012, the 64-publication network represented a diverse spectrum of print, online, and broadcast student media on college campuses. Network members are reg-ularly recipients of top-level collegeiate journalism awards.

SUPPORTING PROGRESSIVE STUDENT MEDIA

sponsored publications in 24 states:

63funded

progressive student media oulets

500,000+our publications reach

readers each month

JOURNALISM NETWORK

TWO TRAINING SUMMITS

hosted

for editors of publications in our

Journalism Networkwith:

100+ ATTENDEESand a diverse network

of trainers and speakers, including:

TIM HARROWERMARK LUCKIE

FRANK LOMONTEPEMA LEVY

CHRIS GEIDNER&

PACEMAKERYale’s Q Mag awarded

the highest recognition forcollegiate journalism

alumni spotlight

Working as the Editor for Diskord, the University of Chicago’s alternative campus newspaper, Sue had the task of ensuring that the stories were fresh and that the students’ progressive voice would be heard and respected. As a Campus Progress grantee, Diskord had the resources and guidance it needed to go from a fledgling campus newspaper to a robust publication both online and in print with a growing readership.

With a commitment to fresh, local stories and magnifying progressive voices, Sue was able to take her campus newspaper from a small operation on a shoestring budget to a robust publication.

Shortly after serving as editor of Diskord, Sue founded EduLender, a successful and growing business which helps students find affordable loans and consolidate existing loans.

Founder & CEO, EduLender

SUEKHIMCP Affiliation: Former Journalism Network Editor

CAMPUS PROGRESS | ACTION 19

Campus Progress provided me with the

and I relished the opportunity to meet like-minded progressives.

RESOURCES TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST THE RIGHT

— Lee Fang, senior investigator for United Republic, former Campus Progress advisory board member and reporter

“

”

what’s next2013

EXPANDING & REDEFINING OUR REACH IN 2013

As we seek to educate, engage, and mobilize a new generation of young progressives, we have reorganized to build an even stronger, more innovative organization prepared for 21st century activism.

After seven successful years of engaging young people to bring about positive change on issues ranging from economic opportunity and sustainability to human rights and justice, we are excited to announce that Campus Progress is reorganizing, expanding, and building on our innovative programs in activism, journalism, and events.

As our 90 million strong Millennial generation comes of age and enters the work-force, public service, and the voting booths, our new programs will create an ecosystem for young progressives, ages 18-30, to develop public policy solutions, communicate effectively, gain lead-ership and advocacy skills, and build our grassroots power to create progressive change.

Our commitment to raising our generation’s voices has never been stronger and our new, expanded structure will take Campus Progress to the next level.

All of our issue campaigns will be framed within three progressive areas: Economic Justice, Human and Civil Rights, and Democracy.

Our economic justice work is focused on creating an economy that works for our generation. We’ll focus on access to and success in higher educa-tion, loan rates, student debt, youth employment, and other economic issues—including the federal budget, and progressive economic growth—that impact young people.

Our human and civil rights work includes our continued advocacy for LGBT rights, immigration reform, preventing gun violence, and other issues of creating a more just society grounded in our progressive values.

Our democracy campaigns will explore ways to engage young people in the electoral process and civic engagement, including voting rights, voter education, and civic participation.

The fight for a progressive America will only become more intense. It is more important than ever before that we fight for the rights of all with a unified voice and an unrelenting march for equality and justice for all.

“OUR NEW PROGRAMS WILL CREATE AN ECOSYSTEM FOR YOUNG PROGRESSIVES TO DEVELOP PUBLIC POLICY SOLUTIONS, COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY,

GAIN LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY SKILLS, AND BUILD OUR GRASSROOTS POWER TO CREATE PROGRESSIVE CHANGE.”

2013 | CAMPUS PROGRESS22

UPDATING OUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTUREThe new structure of Campus Progress divides our work into three teams and concepts: Ideas, Action, and Voices. Programs in these fields will allow young leaders to develop policy solutions, learn effective advo-cacy practices, and understand how to effectively use communications and journalism skills. Collectively, these efforts help us move Millennials through our ladder of engagement on various campaigns.

Each campaign functions across all three teams. For instance, our work around student debt will include, among other things, policy reports from our Ideas team, sponsored groups and national advocacy for our Action team, and editorial work and outreach from our Voices team.

This concept is conveyed below:

ECONOMICJUSTICE

ECONOMICECONOMICJUSTICE

CIVIL & HUMANRIGHTS

DEMOCRACY

IDEASPOLICY REPORTS

STUDENT DEBT

PROGRESSIVEECONOMICS

IMMIGRATION

CIVIL & HUMAN LGBTQ RIGHTS

RIGHTS ENVIRONMENT

GUN VIOLENCE

VOTING RIGHTSDEMOCRACY CIVIC PARTICIPATION

POLITICAL RELATIONSHIPS

ORIGINAL RESEARCH

DIRECT LOBBYING

ACTIONNATIONAL CAMPAIGNS

STATE & LOCAL CAMPAIGNS

ACTION NETWORK

COALITIONS

TRAININGS & SUMMITS

FIELD EVENTS

VOICESORIGINAL REPORTING

ONLINE ORGANIZING

VIDEO & MULTIMEDIA

PRESS & OUTREACH

JOURNALISM NETWORK

CAMPUS PROGRESS | 2013 23

the campus progress

2012 YEAR IN REVIEWbuilding a progressive generation

Campus ProgressCenter for American Progress

1333 H St. NW, 10th FloorWashington, DC 20005

202–682–1611202–682–1867 (fax)

[email protected]

Report available at: campusprogress.org/2012review

Campus Progress 2012 Year in Review

Documents

Transcript of Campus Progress 2012 Year in Review