Exploring the Intersection of College Students, Social Media, and Political Participation

As a PEP fellow who also became Chair of Duke Votes during the calendar year 2021, Daisy did important work to build and expand the important educational work around voting that Duke Votes has accomplished over the past several years. Daisy was especially interested in student voting rights and also the question of how student voters communicate election information to one another through social media. As a Bass student in the spring of 2021, Daisy led a research team that demonstrated the power of positive messaging rather than shaming in motivating students to participate in the voting process. She pursued those insights in her senior thesis at Sanford, entitled “Exploring the Intersection of College Students, Social Media, and Political Participation,” under the direction of Professor Deondra Rose, Daisy’s thesis demonstrated both the power and perils of social media in channeling the democracy work of young citizens. Her story as a PEP fellow, researcher, and activist is featured in Duke Today here.