Jakob Lucas ’24 recognized for civic leadership

Jakob Lucas ’24 has been recognized by the Ohio Campus Compact with the Newman Civic Fellowship award, given to “students who stand out for their commitment to creating positive change in communities locally and around the world.” In his many roles at Denison, including class senator and co-coordinator of the DU Votes program, Lucas is active in citizenship that supports the community.

As a Newman Civic Fellow, Lucas will participate in a year of learning and networking opportunities that emphasize personal, professional, and civic growth, provided by the Ohio Campus Compact. The annual Convening of Newman Fellows offers intensive in-person skill-building and networking over the course of two days. The fellowship also provides pathways to apply for exclusive scholarship and post-graduate opportunities.

Lucas, a double major in politics & public affairs and communication, has been involved in civic activities since his first year on campus when he participated in DU Lead, an emerging leaders program. DU Lead participants are asked to reflect on how they will “Make Their Mark” during their time at Denison. Lucas identified the desire to “…make meaningful, lasting change and improve campus life by getting involved with student government and the campus community.”

As a Class of 2024 Denison Campus Governance Association senator, Lucas is a member of the Rules Committee where he supports the review and approval of new campus organizations as well as the approval of rules that support the governance and effectiveness of student government.

Serving for nearly two years as co-coordinator of DU Votes, Denison’s non-partisan voter education and registration efforts, Lucas and his peers actively prepare students to engage in the democratic process. Lucas is not just focused on voter registration; he places significant emphasis on education and voter turnout.

As a result of Lucas’ leadership and the collective efforts of DU Votes, Denison was included in Washington Monthly’s 2021 Best Colleges for Student Voting Honor Roll. Additionally, the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge included Denison as an 2022 inaugural Most Engaged Campuses for College Student Voting.