Spring 2025 Democracy Fellows: Angelo Lopez, Marielena Aguirre Foster, and Lucero Arciniega. Not pictured: Mario Bradshaw.
We're pleased to introduce the Spring 2025 Democracy Fellows! This program, a valuable partnership with the Campus Vote Project, continues to provide Rio Salado students with opportunities to engage deeply in civic education and participation. The Campus Vote Project collaborates with colleges, faculty, students, and election officials to reduce obstacles to student voting, aiming to integrate reforms that equip students with the necessary information to register and vote. This is our second semester offering the Democracy Fellows program, building on the successful launch in Fall 2024.
This spring, we welcome four dedicated students focusing on voter rights restoration. They are working on creating a series of short videos to explain the history, definitions, and process of voter re-engagement, with the goal of sharing these resources by Fall 2025. Please join us in welcoming and supporting these fellows:
Angelo Lopez is currently pursuing an Associate in Applied Sciences in Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders, as well as an Associates of Arts in General Studies, completing them in April and July respectively. Angelo was motivated to become a Democracy Fellow by a desire to address a perceived lack of civic involvement in certain communities and to explore the complexities of rights restoration, building on his engagement in civic events through Phi Theta Kappa.
Marielena Aguirre Foster is working toward her AA in Addiction Substance Use Disorders and anticipates graduating in Fall 2026. Marielena emphasizes that civic engagement is a fundamental aspect of being a contributing community member, highlighting the importance of giving back and supporting underserved communities. Inspired by her PTK chapter's focus on increasing student voter participation last year, she joined the Democracy Fellowship to deepen her impact and further connect with the community.
Lucero Arciniega is pursuing an Associate of Arts degree with an emphasis in Anthropology. This is Lucero's second semester as a Democracy Fellow, and she shares that she finds the experience incredibly rewarding, believing their work is making a tangible difference in the community.
Mario Bradshaw is pursuing an Associate Degree in Social Work, with plans to continue for a Bachelor's in Social Work and Public Administration, aiming for completion by 2027. Mario values civic engagement as a means for bringing about real and lasting change. He chose to become a Democracy Fellow to contribute to meaningful change. A fun fact about Mario is his long-held dream of working in a large library, creating spaces for learning and growth.
We look forward to sharing updates on the progress of our Spring 2025 Democracy Fellows as they work to inform and empower their fellow students.