Senior Ochuwa Garuba was recently recognized as a member of ALL IN’s 2026 Student Voting Honor Roll. Garuba was one of 168 students honored nationwide for her work advancing nonpartisan student civic engagement on Vanderbilt’s campus and in the broader community. 

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge seeks to engage and educate students about democratic participation, including voting, contacting elected officials and participating in political organizations and movements. For the past five years, the organization has recognized students like Garuba who go above and beyond in increasing civic engagement through its Student Voting Honor Roll. Garuba’s efforts have also previously contributed to Vanderbilt earning the 2024 ALL IN Most Engaged Campuses for College Student Voting award, the first time the university received the honor. 

Garuba, a public policy and law, history and society double-major, previously served as president of Vandy Votes and currently serves on the student advisory board executive team for Dialogue Vanderbilt. Additionally, she is a member of Vanderbilt Student Government’s election commission and previously held a position on Women in Government’s public service committee. She has also interned at the Brennan Center for Justice. 

While serving as president of Vandy Votes, Garuba helped organize Ballotpalooza in fall 2024, Vanderbilt’s first campus-wide voting engagement fair. 

“We were able to bring together over 350 students, community members and faculty members,” Garuba said. “It also brought together over 20 different organizations on and off campus. At the time, there were about five other organizations that wanted to host something similar that day, but we thought, ‘Why not combine our efforts instead of diluting attention and engagement?’ It turned out to be really successful.” 

Garuba has also led and contributed to several other civic engagement initiatives across Vanderbilt. In February, Garuba helped organize the Tennessee Campus Civic Summit, a statewide conference that brought together colleges across Tennessee and several nonprofit organizations. 

“The goal of [the summit] was to get people to think about ‘okay, maybe you’re registered to vote, but how does that translate into helping others register and thinking about leadership in your communities?’” Garuba said. “The theme of the summit was student-driven solutions for Tennessee’s future, equipping students and community members with the tools to actualize their civic engagement plans, translating [them] from ideas to action.” 

Stephanie King, managing director of ALL IN, said Garuba’s sustained commitment to building student-centered, year-round civic engagement efforts contributed to her selection for the honor. 

“One of ALL IN’s key program requirements is for institutions to build cohesive voting coalitions that center students rather than relying on a single faculty or staff member,” King said. “Ochuwa’s efforts have really focused on ensuring students are prepared to vote in different capacities, both in her home neighborhood in Georgia as well as on campus, not just during election season but year-round. She’s really taken that to the next level by ensuring that through Vandy Votes and her other efforts, students can begin their civic journey.” 

Garuba shared that her passion for civic engagement stems from both her experiences growing up and her early involvement in democratic participation. 

“Growing up in Metro Atlanta, civic engagement wasn’t something I thought I could actively participate in. It felt more like a spectator sport. And then in 2020, I think a lot of things changed for people, including myself,” Garuba said. “I worked as an election worker in 2020 and 2021, and I saw firsthand the disinformation and barriers surrounding elections, especially in Georgia. I saw a real need for heightened civic engagement and more young people involved in this work.” 

Garuba said receiving the recognition from ALL IN is both meaningful and motivating. 

“I’m very grateful. It’s a great honor, and I hope it inspires people across campuses to find ways to serve their communities,” Garuba said. “I just really enjoy this work, and I love thinking through how we can bring people together.”