Austin Peay student named to national voting honor roll, recognized by General Assembly
By: Brian Dunn April 24, 2025
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Hannah Ramos, a junior political science major at Austin Peay State University, has been named to the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge's 2025 Student Voting Honor Roll and recognized by the Tennessee General Assembly for her service as a legislative intern.
Ramos, who will graduate in January 2026, worked with APSU's Generation Action chapter last semester to address Montgomery County's low voter turnout. She organized student voter registration tabling events and distributed materials on voting procedures and polling locations.
“In the months leading up to Election Day, I collaborated with our chapter president and other Gen Action members to help students register or reregister to vote within the county,” Ramos said. “We focused particularly on making the process easier for first-time voters to participate in the election.”
As a legislative intern, Ramos has gained experience answering constituent calls and helping citizens navigate the political process. She assists callers using the Tennessee General Assembly website and explains how legislation moves through committees.
The Tennessee House of Representatives passed House Joint Resolution 483, commending Ramos for her “extraordinary insight and rare decorum” as an intern for Reps. Sabi Kumar, Michael Hale and Esther Helton-Haynes during the 2025 legislative session.
“These experiences have brought to life something I learned in my political science courses: that apathy and misinformation are major threats to democracy,” Ramos said. “I believe civic engagement should be proactive and informed, not just reactionary, and that empowering individuals with knowledge is the most effective way to increase meaningful voter participation.”
Ramos, an APSU Honors Program student, plans to attend law school at Vanderbilt University after graduation and focus on criminal defense.
“I’ve always had a strong sense of justice and fairness,” Ramos said. “In criminal defense, you’re often fighting to uphold the fundamental rights of individuals — ensuring that those rights aren’t violated, even in the pursuit of justice.”
The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge's Student Voting Honor Roll recognizes students nationwide for advancing nonpartisan democratic engagement on their campuses. The announcement was made on April 9, 2025, during the organization's virtual ALL IN Awards Day.
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