As stakeholders of Western Michigan University, we carry a collective responsibility for creating an environment in which every person is respected, appreciated and has an opportunity to succeed.

Today, families in my childhood neighborhood in Pittsburgh began laying to rest 11 loved ones, gunned down in anti-Semitic hate. Among them is the mother of my childhood friend. These 11 souls who were attacked while attending worship were mothers and fathers, sons and daughters. They were people who contributed a lot to their communities and families.

Some of the greatest change in America has come from the determined energy of our youth. Today, I’m calling on you to use that energy to register to vote in the Nov. 6 general election and make voting a lifelong commitment.