University of Puget Sound’s Iliana Barnes Diaz ’25 has been awarded the Governor’s Student Civic Leadership Award from the Washington Campus Coalition for the Public Good for her work with voter registration. Originally from Eugene, Oregon, she will be formally recognized at an awards ceremony on March 28, 2025, at Seattle University, where she will receive a $1,000 stipend.
“Iliana’s dedication to advocacy, inclusion, and civic participation is a testament to the work our students do to become informed and engaged citizens able to meet the highest tests of democratic citizenship,” said President Isiaah Crawford. “Her work demonstrates how a Puget Sound liberal arts education empowers students to connect knowledge with action, fostering a deep commitment to community and social responsibility.”
This achievement follows her recent recognition by Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, who named her a recipient of the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award. Barnes Diaz, a sociology & anthropology major, was selected for her outstanding contributions to civic engagement and social impact.
Since 2021, she has spearheaded and supported voter registration and Get Out the Vote efforts at Puget Sound, resulting in a significant increase in student voter participation. Her efforts were recognized by the Washington Secretary of State in 2022 for the university’s impressive voter registration numbers. That year, Puget Sound received the 2022 Washington Campus Voting Challenge Gold Seal from the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge for achieving the highest voter registration rate among four-year institutions.
“Voting, especially in local elections, is one of the easiest ways to get involved in your community,” she said. “It’s a stepping stone to being even more engaged and creating meaningful change.”
As co-president of Sin Fronteras, a student group that provides a community-centered space for the Latinx community, Barnes Diaz has helped foster a supportive environment where students can share experiences and celebrate their culture. Since her time there, she has contributed to the club’s cultural celebration, including the annual Latinx Festival. Additionally, the Spanish-language graduation initiative she helped implement was a project she undertook alongside her coworker, Alex Betancourt ’24, through their work at the Student Inclusion Programs (SIP).
Her commitment to social justice extends to workers’ rights, where she has conducted research on union organizing and advocated for equitable workplaces. She also supported the Campus Engagement Historical Journey, helping to document the rich history of student activism and civic engagement at Puget Sound.
“I was raised to feel responsible to my community,” Barnes Diaz said. “If you want to see change, you have to be a part of that change. Those values are what led me to do civic engagement work in the first place.”
