Campus Competition
Form a team. Create a vibrant campaign. Advocate for a sustainable fiscal future.
Thank you for your interest in the Up to Us Campus Competition! Applications for the Fall 2024 cohort are now open.
Skills you'll gain in just 3-5 hours/week :
- Project Management
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Digital Marketing
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Event Planning
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Campaign Management
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Team Building & Problem Solving
Prizes
- $10,000 grand prize for winning team
- $1,000 for top 10 teams
- A funded, in-person Clinton Global Initiative University experience for the Top 10 Team Leaders
Access to apply to exclusive scholarships for select Harvard Business School Online courses - Access to apply to exclusive summer internship & funding opportunities
Note: This year, the Up to Us Competition will take place exclusively during the Fall 2024 semester.
Up to Us Is a Movement
We are a movement of a generation, for a generation! Raising awareness and taking action to ensure a strong future by addressing our nation’s fiscal challenges
How it works
A semester of action. A lifetime of skills.
Up to Us is a program that empowers students to educate peers on our long-term national debt, how it could affect their economic opportunities, and what our generation can do to have a voice in raising awareness of our fiscal challenges!
What are the benefits of joining the Competition?
Up to Us is committed to the success of all teams who join the movement and bring the conversation to their campus and community. All teams have access to the resources, training, and on-going support to be successful and further harness their experience and skills for long-term leadership. By joining this cohort of emerging leaders, you can help shape the economic future our generation will ultimately inherit. Up to Us offers you the opportunity to be the voice of your generation and to create a meaningful impact on your campus community.
- Every student/team who competes in the Up to Us Campus Competition will receive the necessary funding to execute creative and effective campaigns.
- Access to leadership and project management training through live trainings and at your fingertips through our Crew2030 platform means you can develop your skills when, where, and how you want
- Unparalleled access to thought-leaders in public policy, fiscal policy, social entrepreneurship, and more, as well as an opportunity to meet your peers and fellow emerging leaders
- Dedicated staff support to ensure your team and campaigns are as efficient and effective as possible
- An invitation into the Up to Us Alumni Network (and its varied perks!), upon completion of the Competition
What is the time commitment?
Time commitment is minimal and flexible based on the impact you are hoping to create. Successful teams are able to commit 3-5 hours a week to building and executing their campaign over the course of 8-weeks during the fall semester.
How will campaigns be judged?
Student campaigns will be judged by competition organizers and a diverse panel. Campaigns will be scored on a variety of criteria including the success of key campaign activities and the creativity and vision behind those activities.
"My overall experience with Up to Us was amazing and I learned a lot of valuable information about the national debt and career skills I can use in future positions."
Perks & Prizes
During the Up to Us competition, students build critical skills in leadership, strategy development, and community engagement. The experience also serves as an impressive resume builder. In case that’s not enough, the competition offers students and alumni the opportunity to take advantage of prizes like all-expenses-paid trips, access to policy leaders, summer internship & funding opportunities, and more.
Campaign Funding, Training, & Support
Up to Us is committed to the success of all teams who join the movement and bring the conversation to their campus and community. All teams have access to the resources, training, and on-going support to be successful and further harness their experience and skills for long-term leadership. Campaign support includes, but is not limited to:
- Every student/team who competes in the Up to Us Campus Competition will receive the necessary funding to execute creative and effective campaigns.
- Access to leadership and project management training through live trainings and at your fingertips through our Crew2030 platform means you can develop your skills when, where, and how you want
- Unparalleled access to thought-leaders in public policy, fiscal policy, social entrepreneurship, and more, as well as an opportunity to meet your peers and fellow emerging leaders
- Dedicated staff support to ensure your team and campaigns are as efficient and effective as possible
- An invitation into the Up to Us Alumni Network (and its varied perks!), upon competition of the Competition
Competition Prizes
In addition to the perks received throughout the competition, all teams who successfully execute their campaigns gain access to exclusive prizes, experiences, and more based on their final ranking.
- All Team Leaders: All Team Leaders and Members get access to this year's weekly virtual training calls featuring Up to Us and Clinton Global Initiative University Alumni, skills-building training, and networking.
- First Place Team: $10,000 cash prize and access for the team leader and up to 5 members of the winning team to attend an in-person Clinton Global Initiative University experience and all prizes listed below
- Top 10 Teams: $1,000 cash prize, a funded, in-person Clinton Global Initiative University experience for the team leader, and an exclusive “Career Package" that includes: Acclaim digital badges, a letter of recommendation upon request, and priority access to Harvard Business School Online Courses (applications will be prioritized in the reviewing process over teams that did not make it in the Top 10)
Travel, food, lodging, and conference fees will be covered for all applicable events and trips.
Professional & Leadership Development
Up to Us believes in the power of our community and looks to further invest and amplify the amazing work our teams and alumni contribute to the world. Participants, faculty advisors, and alumni gain access to incredible professional and leadership development opportunities, including:
Travel, food, lodging, and conference fees will be covered.
- $5,000 Civic Engagement Scholarship: The Up to Us Civic Engagement Scholarship ($5,000) is given to applicants pursuing low or no-wage internships (not offered for full-time employment or for other Up to Us internships) in topics related to civic engagement, economic or fiscal issues, or other Up to Us relevant themes. Applicants must submit a letter of completion from the internship and submit a blog post to Up to Us upon completion of the internship. Open to all students who complete at least one Up to Us program and alumni across all years.
- Harvard Business School Online Course Scholarships: Up to Us offers full scholarships to select HBS Online courses to all students who complete an Up to Us program and alumni across all years. Applicants must apply through the Up to Us application, not the HBS Online Application.
- Net Impact- Up to Us Economic & Fiscal Policy Internship: This program engages one Up to Us student in fiscal policy by providing them with first-hand research experience at the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) in Washington, DC. This is a paid internship opportunity. This program is open to all students who complete at least one Up to Us program, as well as alumni across all years who meet the noted qualifications.
Links to apply and additional information will be emailed directly to Up to Us participants and alumni from February through April.
Rules & FAQs
What are the benefits of joining the Competition?
Up to Us is committed to the success of all teams who join the movement and bring the conversation to their campus and community. All teams have access to the resources, training, and on-going support to be successful and further harness their experience and skills for long-term leadership. By joining this cohort of emerging leaders, you can help shape the economic future our generation will ultimately inherit. Up to Us offers you the opportunity to be the voice of your generation and to create a meaningful impact on your campus community.
- Every student/team who competes in the Up to Us Campus Competition will receive the necessary funding to execute creative and effective campaigns.
- Access to leadership and project management training through live trainings and at your fingertips through our Crew2030 platform means you can develop your skills when, where, and how you want
- Unparalleled access to thought-leaders in public policy, fiscal policy, social entrepreneurship, and more, as well as an opportunity to meet your peers and fellow emerging leaders
- Dedicated staff support to ensure your team and campaigns are as efficient and effective as possible
- An invitation into the Up to Us Alumni Network (and its varied perks!), upon completion of the Competition
What is the time commitment?
Time commitment is minimal and flexible based on the impact you are hoping to create. Successful teams are able to commit 3-5 hours a week to building and executing their campaign over the course of 8-weeks during the fall semester.
How will campaigns be judged?
Student campaigns will be judged by competition organizers and a diverse panel. Campaigns will be scored on a variety of criteria including the success of key campaign activities and the creativity and vision behind those activities.
Is there a partisan-based political agenda?
Absolutely not. While the topics are political in nature, Up to Us remains non-partisan and encourages collaboration no matter where you stand politically. The purpose of Up to Us is to raise awareness of our country’s long-term fiscal challenges and how they could affect our economic future and to encourage students to make their voices heard on these critical issues. The competition is the product of a partnership between three nonpartisan, nonprofit organizations dedicated to engaging the next generation of leaders on important issues.
More questions?
If you were not able to find the answer to your question on this page, please contact us and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Past Winners
Launched in 2012, Up to Us started as a pilot program on 10 college campuses and has since reached more than 225,000 students on more than 400 unique campuses in all 50 states. Each year, one team prevails as the Competition winner, walking away with $10,000 and national recognition for their efforts. Do you have what it takes to win?
Fall 2023 Winner: University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame, led by Nolan Fletes (Class of 2026), is the winning team of the twelfth Up to Us Competition. The University of Notre Dame’s winning campaign raised awareness about the national debt and sustainable fiscal policy, culminating in a week of action that reached thousands of students, faculty, and visitors through both in-person and virtual events. The team held lively, themed events, including “Debt Dogs,” a cookout on Library Quad, and “Donuts and Debt,” a breakfast gathering, which brought together hundreds of students for conversation and idea-sharing about Congressional spending, taxes and how to create a sustainable federal budget. Additionally, a “Debt Dunk” event rewarded students who raised awareness about fiscal issues among their peers with an opportunity to dunk professors in a water tank. In addition to in-person events, the team also held two virtual forums to foster dialogue on U.S. fiscal policy. In just a few days, the team’s petition to Congressman Rudy Yakym and Senator Todd Young, titled “Notre Dame, Take Action for a Strong Fiscal Future,” garnered 920 pledge signatures.
Fall 2022 Winner: Stony Brook University
Stony Brook University, led by Anastasia Poulos (Class of 2024), is the winning team of the eleventh Up to Us Campus Competition. Their campaign included a range of events focusing on key fiscal and economic policy issues around midterm elections in November. The team organized classroom presentations, partnered with dozens of campus groups, and held events at which students submitted letters to their U.S. Senators - urging them to address the national debt. In addition, the Stony Brook team's social media campaign engaged and educated thousands of voters with important fiscal facts and creative themes such as "The Debt Ceiling Tuesday", "Wealth Wednesday", and "Fiscal Friday."
2021-2022 Winner: Baruch College
The Baruch team, led by Nayancie Matthews, ’22, built a campaign to drive fiscal change and address the policy priorities of their fellow students and New York City. Teammates engaged city and local officials, including establishing a partnership with the New York City Comptroller to discuss the city’s budgeting and debt challenges. They generated over 5,000 interactions during the fall 2020 semester through targeted events, classroom presentations, campus partnerships and creative social media content. The team created an opportunity pipeline for two students to work with local city officials. Additionally, the Baruch Debate Team provided student participants with an opportunity to discuss policy issues and receive live fact checks and feedback from city officials.
2019-2020 Winner: Mesa Community College
Mesa Community College (MCC) in Mesa, Arizona is the winning team of the eighth annual Up to Us Campus Competition! The team from MCC, led by Shelby Lynch (MCC Class of 2020, Arizona State University Class of 2022), developed an innovative and multi-faceted campaign to raise awareness about the national debt and spark dialogue about building a sustainable economic future for all Americans. Throughout the fall 2019 semester, the team partnered with 22 campus groups and engaged more than half of their fellow students on campus through targeted events, awareness surveys, classroom presentations, campus partnerships, and creative social media activations.
2018-2019 Winner: Oakland University (MI)
The winning team from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, partnered with dozens of OU student organizations to expand their reach and engaged hundreds of students on the national debt through voter registration drives, classroom presentations, media partnerships and creative events. The team integrated the idea of being “fiscally fit” into their conversations and presentations. The Oakland team created a boot camp that allowed students to test their physical fitness before taking a fiscal fitness test; held a pledge signature drive that used a giant beach ball as a visual representation of inflation; and led a national debt awareness parade through the Oakland campus. For the finale, the team hosted an Ultimate Fiscal Fitness Challenge featuring a gameshow-style competition between student leaders, allowing them to show off their new-found fiscal knowledge and explain why young people should care about the national debt.
2017-2018 Winner: SUNY Old Westbury
The winning team from State University of New York (SUNY) at Old Westbury was led by junior Evan Rufrano. He led his team in a creative campaign that included creating a "Debt Boulevard" on campus - an interactive walkway of fiscal policy and national debt statistics. The team also hosted an interactive lecture series with distinguished professors and a debate with a panel of speakers across the political spectrum. One of Evan's takeaways from the experience was "This issue will impact our future, but the debate about the national debt too often omits the voices of young people. Through this Competition we were able to amplify the voice of our generation, calling on lawmakers to make responsible fiscal decisions today that will prepare us for a better tomorrow."
2016-2017 Winner: Jackson State University
The winning team from Jackson State University was led by Terrence Dillon, a junior, originally from Chicago, Ill. Leveraging the popularity of beloved television game shows, the Jackson State University team hosted events such as “Debt Jeopardy,” “Wheel of Debt,” the “Debt is Right,” and other interactive game nights to explain the current fiscal situation to nearly 1,000 of their peers throughout the course of the competition. Read More
2015-2016 Winner: College of William & Mary
The William & Mary team members include Sruveera Sathi (team leader), Hannah Cannon, Aastha Uprety, Octavia Goodman and Merci Best. The team’s innovative campaign involved several events, including a “Great Debt-bate” that brought together four political groups on campus to discuss fiscal policy, a dance workshop to “dance the debt away,” and a forum featuring young innovators in the fields of healthcare, education, and defense. To promote their campaign, the team employed creative methods such as a “Money doesn’t grow on trees” art installation, in which they hung fake dollar bills with educational facts about the national debt on trees around campus. The team also traveled to the Virginia state capitol as part of a larger school effort to meet with the governor and state senators. Read More
2014-2015 Winner: Stockton University
The Stockton University team members include Angelo Bechara (team leader), Maryam Sarhan, Brad Ross, Louis Chevere and Victoria Muraoka. The team’s innovative campaign included a life-sized Monopoly game, a “dorm storm” in which team members brought fiscal awareness to students directly in their on-campus residences, appearances on local radio shows, and a visit to Capitol Hill to meet with a Congressman representing their state. Read More
2013-2014 Winner: University of Texas - Pan American
The five-student team, lead by Fabiola Urgel Santa-Ana, from the University of Texas - Pan American (now The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley). “I told my team that we are so going to win this, so everyone will know about UTPA and where Edinburg is,” Urgel said. “That win gave me the sense that, if I did this, imagine what I can accomplish. It opens your eyes to more things, widens your potential and gives you strength, a sense that I can conquer the world, or at least to recognize all the possibilities in front of me.”
2012-2013 Winner: University of Virginia
The U.Va. students – Lena Shi, Joshua Lansford, Alan Safferson, Ryan Singel and Amara Warren – created a dynamic and innovative campaign to earn them the first-ever winning spot. The team spent roughly 550 hours organizing 20 major events, including a rally at the Rotunda; a “HOOs Talking about the National Debt" discussion led by three faculty experts; screening a documentary film about the debt, “I.O.U.S.A.”; four flash seminars, each led by a U.Va. professor; a dinner on health care spending; presentations to classes and student groups; and a savings workshop, to name a few.
The team brought U.S. Sen. Mark Warner to U.Va. on Feb. 11 to discuss the debt. After speaking with a crowd of more than 500 people, Warner, a Virginia Democrat who sits on the Senate Budget Committee, praised the team as an example of what college students can achieve, saying, “The U.Va. students got me energized, ready to go back to the Hill and keep fighting.”