Evan Malbrough (B.S. ’20) knows better than most the incredible returns on an investment in Georgia State University students.
From the moment Malbrough started at the university in 2016, he began working to get himself and his fellow Panthers more informed and engaged politically. In his first semester, he joined the Young Democrats at Georgia State. By the end of his first year, he was the organization’s new president.
While working on political and student events for the Young Democrats, Malbrough co-founded the Georgia State chapter of Vote Everywhere, a non-partisan civic engagement organization. Within two years, the national organization recognized the Georgia State chapter with its prized 2018 Patton Award for Outstanding Student Organization.
Malbrough conceived and spearheaded numerous voting education and registration initiatives at Georgia State, as well at other Georgia college campuses. All his efforts and investment in the political engagement of his fellow Panthers culminated during the 2020 election. During the primaries in March, Georgia State hosted the first student-run polling location on a college campus in American history.
Throughout his time as a Georgia State student, Malbrough was recognized and rewarded for his achievements in the classroom, on campus and in the community. The Honors College graduate cites the scholarships he received as essential to his success as an undergraduate.
“Scholarships provided me security in financing my education and worldview-expanding experiences I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to get,” said Malbrough.
“My first scholarship, the Alonzo F. Herndon & Norris B. Herndon Scholarship validated my voter education and registration efforts and my study abroad scholarship allowed me travel to Argentina to study human rights, which broadened my perspective and professional development.”
Through his work as founder and executive of the Georgia Youth Poll Worker Project, Malbrough continues cultivating and nurturing the potential of Panthers and young people across the state. Grateful for the opportunities he had as a student because of Georgia State donors’ generous investment in him, Malbrough knows better than most the impact of giving.
“Giving to Georgia State is investing in a culture of innovation—a hustle culture—and people dedicated to improving themselves,” said Malbrough. “Georgia State students are a group of people that are working to get to the next level and just need someone to believe in them and provide a little assistance.”