Marvin Slaughter
University of Illinois at ChicagoMarvin Slaughter, a third year student at the University of Illinois- Chicago, is a servant leader dedicated to increasing civic engagement amongst college students through political advocacy and empowering the voice of students. For the last two years Marvin has worked closely with Illinois Connection and the Office of Government Relations to develop and implement measures to encourage Illinois state legislators to end the budget stalemate. Now that the threat of budget crisis is over, Marvin is working to increase the amount of transparency in University operations in order to encourage more student participation on campus and in matters of civic engagement.
Personal Statement
From a young age, I've recognized higher education as a vital factor in transforming economic circumstances. Education can play a pivotal role in improving upward social mobility. As the effects of the Illinois Budget Impasse became more evident with the increasing departure of both staff and students at my university, I decided to become involved with the efforts of the University of Illinois' Advocacy Network. I have since become the president of the Student Advocacy Coalition, a coalition of faculty and students that are dedicated to advocating on behalf of the interests of both the university and student body to our elected officials. I am a firm believer that even the brightest lightbulb cannot shine if the electric bill isn't paid. So, I have dedicated myself to ensuring that higher education remains a priority to policymakers.