Five U of A students — Kate Tandy, Maddie Gwinner, Reece Boykin, Chasmitha Batta and Camryn Christ — represented the university at the 2025 BridgeUSA Summit in Indianapolis, Indiana. The annual summit brings together student leaders from across the country to exchange ideas on fostering constructive political dialogue and building more inclusive campus communities. 

BridgeUSA is a nonpartisan, student-led organization with chapters at more than 100 universities nationwide. The organization works to address political polarization by encouraging respectful dialogue, collaboration and civic engagement among students of all backgrounds.

During the summit, BridgeArkansas — formally Bridge at the U of A RSO — was recognized with the Best Large Event Award for hosting its Civic Carnival with Democracy Fellows in the Union Mall in April. The event brought together over 250 students from across campus to engage with civic organizations and learn about the political process.

"The summit was an incredible opportunity to connect with other student leaders who share a passion for strengthening democracy," said Tandy, president and co-founder of BridgeArkansas. Gwinner, vice president and co-founder, agreed: "Receiving the Best Large Event Award was a proud moment for our chapter, and we're excited to keep the momentum up this fall."

If you are interested in attending a BridgeArkansas event, follow @bridgearkansas on Instagram.