Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life

Congratulations to our 2026 Patricia Witherspoon Research Awardee, Bailey Inglish!
Bailey is conducting a multi-year community interview study in rural Alaska and we can’t wait to see all he accomplishes!

Join us in giving a warm welcome to our third and final summer intern, Eleanor Burns! ✨ Eleanor joins our team with experience as a Texas Civic Ambassador and as a TX Votes Executive Member. We can’t wait to join forces and see how our collegiate programs grow in her role as Program Intern!

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Watched: “The 2026 Theodore H. Strauss Civic Internship Awardees”
 
A compelling ensemble of students committed to furthering their professional development through public service and civic engagement internship opportunities. Strong themes of leadership, advocacy, and showing up when it matters most.
 
Congratulations to our 2026 THS Civic Internship Award recipients! We’re honored to support the next chapter of your story and can’t wait to see where the sequel takes you. 🎬✨

Join us in welcoming Rachel Chavez to the team! Rachel is our research intern for the summer and we can’t wait to see all the incredible things she accomplishes!

Stay tuned for our final intern intro this week! 🤘

Earlier this month, our very own Dr. Eugenia Quintanilla presented her research at the 2026 Pathways to Primary Election Reform: Legislative & Legal Strategies for a Stronger Democracy Conference, hosted by the USC Schwarzenegger Institute and Unite America Institute.
As one of four finalists selected, she pitched her research examining shifts in public support for ranked-choice voting and the factors shaping voter attitudes toward electoral reform to a panel of judges, who then determined which projects would receive funding from the conference. Dr. Quintanilla’s research received the highest level of support among all finalists.
Congratulations to Dr. Quintanilla on this outstanding achievement and for representing the Annette Strauss Institute and the University of Texas at Austin! 🤘

Say hello 👋 to our new intern, Martina Cimino! Martina is a rising senior majoring in Economics and Political Communication Studies. We can’t wait to work with Martina in her Events & Comms position throughout the summer, fall, and spring!

Keep an eye out as we announce our new staff this next week 👀

‼️Attention‼️ The deadline for the Theodore H. Strauss Civic Internship Award (undergraduate) and the Patricia Witherspoon Research Award (undergraduate & graduate) have been extended to this Friday, May 8th!

Head to the link in our bio for more information and to apply! 👉🔗

⭐We’re proud to spotlight this year’s Texas Civic Ambassadors - college students from across the state who turned knowledge into action. In addition to attending statewide trainings and events, these students led impactful civic engagement efforts in their own communities.
⭐This year’s TCAs have:
- Hosted candidate forums and public debates
- Facilitated civic trainings and student conferences
- Launched new student organizations focused on civic education and political participation

Their work has helped more young people get involved, stay informed, and take ownership of the issues that matter most.

Interested in joining the next cohort? The application deadline is May 15th. Open to all college students in Texas. Learn more at the link in bio👉🔗

Thank you to everyone that supported and participated in the 2026 Speak Up Speak Out State Civics Fair! Special thanks to our sponsors , , , , , , , ,