Shaw, St. Augustine’s University students march to vote in Raleigh
More than 100 students from Shaw and St. Augustine’s universities came together Thursday morning to vote.
Students walked from Shaw’s campus near downtown Raleigh to the Wake County Board of Elections office to cast their votes in advance of Tuesday’s Raleigh City Council election.
“Mainly, I’m concerned about the status of our (historically black colleges),” said Stephen McLeon, vice president of St. Aug’s student government association. “There are lots of internal issues that stem from the community.”
Several student organizations organized the event.
Tuesday’s event brought together one of the largest groups of Shaw and St. Augustine students to visit the polls together, said Raleigh Councilman Eugene Weeks, who is up for re-election in District C, where both universities are located, and faces a challenge from political newcomer Corey Branch.
“I like the collaboration,” Weeks said. “This is a good learning process.”
Weeks mentors students at both historically black universities and connects them with internships and career opportunities.
He said he has also helped secure funding for projects that affect the schools, like the Blount Street mural project and the New Bern Corridor Study near St. Aug’s.
Branch, who also challenged Weeks in 2011, said Raleigh should focus on establishing better transit options for Shaw and St. Aug students.
Mechelle Hankerson: 919-829-4802
This story was originally published October 1, 2015 at 2:44 PM with the headline "Shaw, St. Augustine’s University students march to vote in Raleigh."