The Voters Mobilization Team (VMT), a committee of students and faculty members, has come together to form “Politics and Pizza.”

“Politics and Pizza” participants range from those actively involved in Student Life to representatives from the Recreational Health and Wellness Center and students studying political science. VMT intern and senior student Turner Anderson leads discussions open to the general public at the university where participants talk about current events and upcoming elections, all while eating pizza.

This is the first year the committee has offered “Politics and Pizza,” and the first year the group welcomes an intern. The intern, Anderson, sees this as an opportunity to study the reactions of participants during “Politics and Pizza” in order to evaluate the success of the discussions.

Going to each meeting with no agenda or plan of topics to discuss, Anderson welcomes students and faculty members to bring up current events and political subjects, allowing those involved to debate and discuss the topics that interest them.

A major topic of conversation Anderson and the VMT wishes to see broadcasted to students deals with the upcoming election.

“College-age students have a lot of opinions and beliefs on politics, but we don’t always vote,” Anderson said.

Recognizing the lack of help college students receive to educate them on signing up to vote, submitting ballots, and learning more about the people running for positions on the ballot, the committee aspires to inform more students on this concept.

Helping students sign up to vote, increasing the number of voters, the committee works towards putting Akron college students on the map.

With more student voters, the more likely candidates will find the university a worthy stop during their campaign.

“I know we care, I want to be able to prove we care,” Anderson explained.

Hoping to impact the student voting process, while also educating students and allowing them to debate political issues, “Politics and Pizza” is designed to draw attention to these issues.