civic captain initiative

This campus-based organizing program trains student athletes as civic leaders to activate their teams and peers through nonpartisan civic engagement, education, and action-oriented events. Captains share civic education resources and lead campus activations around key civic moments like National Voter Registration Day and Election Day, leveraging these peak moments to galvanize participation and elevate the importance of civic action. Supported through virtual leadership training and a national peer network, Civic Captains build lasting civic cultures on campus and serve as visible examples of engaged citizenship.



Apply for the 2026 Civic Captain Initiative

Civic Captains are expected to:

  • Serve as a champion of The Team programming on campus and be a campus organizer
  • Lead volunteer voter registration and participation opportunties focusing on the civic holidays, including All Vote No Play Day
  • Leverage their social media platform to encourage civic engagement and voter participation among their peers, acting as a civic influencer
  • Improve institutional civic and voting pratices within athletic departments and their campus at large

The program will run from August -November 2026. Civic Captains will:


  • Recieve a  $500 personal stipend and a stipend up to $500 to be applied towards campus initiatives

  • Participate in professional development and networking opportunities

  • Please reach out to us at info@theteam.org with any questions.

  • Rising sophomores, juniors, seniors, and graduate students playing a sport at a DI, DII, DIII, NAIA or community college. This opportunity is open to international student athletes as well. (Please reach out to ask about exceptions)

  • You must commit to stay strictly nonpartisan in all communication in relation to The Team.

This position is ideal for someone who is excited about civic engagement and how athletic involvement in civic work is important for the future of our democracy.

We welcome applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experience levels. We’re looking for someone who is:


  • Interested in the intersection between civic education and athletics. This interest could be demonstrated through academic coursework, work or internship experience, volunteer work, or other lived experiences.

  • Eager to take on leadership roles on their team, their campus, and their community.

  • Passionate about the mission and vision of The Team.

  • Looking to build community across schools, sports, and conferences.

  • Excited to build new leadership skills through an applied, integrated program that builds on the positive attributes of being a student athlete.

Apply online for the 2026 Civic Captain Cohort!


If you have any questions, please email info@theteam.org. 


2026 Civic Captain Initiative Application

past impact

In late August of 2024, The Team launched the Civic Captain initiative- a program focused on recruiting, training, and empowering student athletes to utilize their platforms to organize their peers to vote - piloting in four states: Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.


We selected 27 Civic Captains for the inaugural cohort. We trained each of these Civic Captains to conduct voter registration, education, and GOTV on their campuses. They organized their own Voter Registration events, hosted a Watch Party for our All-Star Meeting, used their social media platforms to share important dates/resources, and executed an All Vote No Play Event to get out the vote. In the midst of their busy academic and athletic lives, in just 10 weeks of supported programming, this group of motivated student athletes engaged with almost 6,000 of their peers and generated nearly 2,000 voter actions, held 80 campus events, and facilitated 600+ voter registrations around National Voter Registration Day.

Universities Represented by 2024 Civic Captains

Davidson College


Duke University


Elizabeth City State University


North Carolina State University


University of North Carolina

Eastern Michigan University


Michigan State University 


Oakland University 


University of Michigan 


University of Detroit-Mercy


Wayne State University 


Western Michigan University

Arizona State University


Eastern Arizona College


University of Arizona

Alvernia University


Drexel University


Franklin & Marshall College


Haverford College 


Lincoln University 


Penn State University


University of Pennsylvania

CIVIC CAPTAIN 2024 SPOTLIGHTS

DAKOTA KENNEDY

University of Arizona Softball

"My personal goal was to share information about the election and civic engagement with student-athletes on my campus. Many peers told me that they learned something new or that they were able to pass on information to others. I feel like it made a difference because we got so many people registered in the athletics department. We are young, but voting is something we can do. It is important for us to share our voices. I will use my skills to continue to promote civic engagement in the future, and take the skills I learned into my professional life, too."

JASMINE JACKSON

Elizabeth City State University Basketball

"I was the first student-athlete at my school to sign an NIL deal. I am proud that it was tied to such a positive and impactful cause as civic engagement. Athletic opportunities can be leveraged for good, especially when used to encourage others to participate in shaping their communities. As an athlete at an HBCU, my Civic Captain work highlighted the unique role that HBCUs play in shaping leaders who excel in sports and are committed to making a difference. The experience has shown me that athletes from HBCUs have the power to lead and inspire change, in sports and in society."