Abby is a rising senior with the expectation of graduating in May 2025. She is an International Affairs major with a concentration in Foreign Policy and Global Governance. At JMU, she is the President of the JMU Alumni Association Student Committee as well as a voting member on the Board of Directors as the Student Representative. She works as a University Events Intern during the year and is a part of many clubs and organizations such as JMU SafeRides and the Cyber Defense Club. She is passionate about getting college students more involved with local and state elections and hopes to accomplish this during her time as a Democracy Fellow in the upcoming year.

Ai Vy is a senior Political Science major with dual minors in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies and Legal Studies on the Pre-Law pre-professional track. During her time at JMU, she has served as an Orientation Peer Adviser, NCAA Student Athlete Tutor, Honors College Teaching Fellow, Student Leadership Center Leadership Counselor, SGA Faculty Senate Liaison, and is working with the Madison Center for the second year now. For the upcoming 2024-2025 school year, Ai Vy will have a seat on the College of Arts and Letters Alumni Board as the Student Representative along with the Committee on Academic Programs as the SGA Representative. Ai Vy finds fellowship and participates in the Honor Fraternity Phi Sigma Pi and Pre-Law Fraternity Phi Alpha Delta. Outside of academics and professionalism, Ai Vy enjoys spending time with the JMU Club Swim Team, JMU Intervarsity, hiking and reading. Ai Vy has a deep-rooted passion for amplifying student voices and working with younger undergraduate students that are new to their rights and civic duties.

Annika is a junior Graphic Design major with a Spanish minor. She began working with the Madison Center for Civic Engagement her freshman year as a First Year Research Experience (FYRE) student and has continued to work with them as a Democracy Fellow since then. Growing up near D.C. with both parents working for the government and going to a politically active school, she developed an interest in both global and national politics from a young age. As a FYRE student, she worked on the Bridging Wicked Divides Project, which seeks to help students overcome political divides, talk across differences, and deliberate different solutions to modern day issues. Since becoming a Democracy Fellow, she has worked on Dukes Discourse, a project on JMUs campus that asks students to engage with current events by answering an opinion-based question in an interview or on an anonymous sticky note for others to see. She is excited to continue supporting students’ freedom of expression this year and well into her senior year when she graduates in 2026. In addition to Dukes Discourse, she is excited to continue working on the We Are Madison’s Legacy project, (WAML) which asks two students from different political backgrounds to have a casual conversation about a challenging, current topic.

Caroline is a junior Political Science major with a minor in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies with a Pre-Law focus, from Chesapeake, Virginia. Caroline is serving as a democracy fellow this year on the Dukes Vote and the Overcoming Democratic Barriers Teams this year. She is also a Campus Vote Project Fellow. Through her involvement in on campus organizations she found her passion for fostering a community at JMU that prioritizes civic engagement. Caroline is passionate about advocating for voting accessibility and promoting democratic participation in a polarized system.

Emma is a sophomore Anthropology & International Affairs double major with minors in Latin American & Caribbean Studies and Honors Interdisciplinary Studies. Emma served as the 2021-2022 Virginia Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) State President and spent two years on the Virginia FCCLA Board of Directors. Through her involvement with FCCLA, she has had the opportunity to lobby with several Virginia Congressmen on the behalf of Career and Technical Education. She also had the opportunity to complete the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Youth Advocacy Institute where she found her passion for advocacy and civic engagement. At JMU, she has been an active participant in the Madison International Residential Learning Community, JMU Valley Scholars Program, and the Anthropology Club.

Erin is a senior Political Science and Communication Studies double major with a concentration in Advocacy Studies. This past spring she spent the semester in DC with the JMU Washington Semester where she interned for LB International Solutions, a government affairs and consulting firm. Following this summer, where she spent her time as a constituent intern for the constituent services office of Senator John Fetterman, Erin is excited to be back on campus. At JMU, Erin is the secretary of Generation Action and continues to work towards publication of a political rhetoric essay that she presented this past March at the JMU College of Arts and Letters Undergraduate Research Conference. She can't wait to be a team leader for the Immigration and Democracy Barriers Initiative and to continue to help build the civic engagement of her fellow students and those in her community.

Jameson Balda is a senior double majoring in Political Science and Public Administration, with a minor in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies and on the Pre-Law pre-professional track. At JMU, he has served as an Honors Madison Advising Peer, SGA Senator, Honor Council Investigator and Representative, and Student Board Member with OSARP. For the 2024-2025 school year, Jameson will serve as President of the Honor Council for his second year, as well as President of the JMU Debate Team. This will be Jameson's fourth year on the Debate Team, where he has fostered a community of politically active students interested in critical thinking and communication, while also competing at the National Debate Tournament. He is incredibly proud to have received both JMU's Outstanding Debate and Communication Student award and the Congressional Recognized Debate Scholar award. In his spare time, he can be found reading anything from late American philosophy to high fantasy and looking for new trails in Shenandoah National Park.

Mia is a senior International Affairs major with double minors in Economics and Humanitarian Affairs. Following two internships at the Washington International Trade Association and the National Foreign Trade Council, Mia is thrilled to serve as team lead for the Democracy Matters and Dukes Vote podcasts. At JMU, Mia is president of Generation Action, and recently participated in the Hacking for Diplomacy program where she presented an embassy security proposal at the Department of State. Mia is passionate about promoting non-partisan discourse across campus and her community, as well as amplifying the importance of civic engagement to younger generations. 

Mina is a senior, pursuing a double major in Communications and Media Arts with a focus on Public Relations and Creative Advertising while serving as the Communications Fellow for the Madison Center. In her role as Lead Designer for The Bluestone, JMU’s student-run yearbook, Mina plays a pivotal role in amplifying diverse student voices and enriching the campus culture. Additionally, she serves as the Assistant Creative Director for Bluestone Communications, JMU’s student-run PR firm, where she helps local organizations and businesses strengthen their community relationships. Mina thrives on collaborating with diverse individuals and gaining new perspectives. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, critiquing movies with her best friend, and taking long drives. At her core, Mina is a passionate storyteller, dedicated to using her skills to support and elevate others.

Reagan is a junior Communications and Political Science double major from Richmond, Virginia. At JMU, she is an active member of the Student Government Association, serving her second term as the 2026 class president. Additionally, she serves on the Legislative Affairs and Rules and Elections Committees.  Reagan is also an intern in the JMU Office of the President and the Title IX Office. She is involved in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Taylor Swift Society, and attends Alethia Church. Outside of JMU, Reagan has served in Governor Youngkin’s administration in the Communications office and on Siobhan Dunnavant's Campaign for Virginia Senate. She thinks that civic engagement is extremely important for college students and is grateful for the opportunity to advocate for the JMU community. She is honored to be serving as a Democracy Fellow and hopes to do so until she graduates.