The Governor’s Advisory Commission on Next Generation Engagement has served as an important voice in the Shapiro Administration, highlighting some of the most important issues for young Pennsylvanians — from mental health and voter education to resources for students.

Over the last two years, the Shapiro Administration has successfully delivered commonsense solutions for young Pennsylvanians — and Governor Shapiro is laser focused on getting even more stuff done to build on the successes of his first two years in office.?

Harrisburg, PA?– As the Shapiro Administration marks the two-year milestone of Governor Josh Shapiro’s first term as Pennsylvania’s 48th Governor, the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Next Generation Engagement is highlighting the ways that Governor Shapiro’s G-S-D approach to governing has delivered for the next generation of Pennsylvanians all across the Commonwealth.

Governor Shapiro knows that next generation Pennsylvanians make important contributions to the Commonwealth and his Administration is committed to addressing the issues that matter most to them. In June 2023, Governor Shapiro established one of the first advisory commissions in the country completely dedicated to ensuring our young people have a seat at the table.

"It’s been an extremely productive 18 months since the official establishment of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Next Generation Engagement,” said Ruby Mundok, Executive Director, Governor’s Advisory Commission on Next Generation Engagement. “The Commission has worked alongside Governor Shapiro and his administration to secure big wins for Pennsylvanians ages 16-26 — including addressing the youth mental health crisis, encouraging young Pennsylvanians to be civically engaged, and advocating for free menstrual products in schools. I’m extremely proud of the work that the Commission has accomplished in a short time, and I look forward to continuing to work with the Commissioners and Governor Shapiro to get stuff done for the next generation of Pennsylvanians.”

In June 2023, Governor Shapiro established six Advisory Commissions to help ensure all Pennsylvanians have a voice in state government. The Governor's Advisory Commissions are led by an Executive Director and made up of a group of Commissioners from all across the Commonwealth who work together to make recommendations to the Governor on policies that impact their communities. 

In the last 18 months, Executive Director Mundok has worked with commissioners to help raise some of the most important issues impacting Pennsylvanians ages 16-26 directly to Governor Shapiro and advise Commonwealth agencies on programs and services relevant to the next generation of Pennsylvanians’ needs. As a result, the Shapiro Administration has made significant progress to deliver commonsense solutions to the issues they face and make meaningful investments in communities across Pennsylvania. 

Addressing the Mental Health Crisis Facing the Next Generation

The Shapiro Administration has listened to Pennsylvania’s next generation and made investments in mental health resources at the school, county, and state level. 

• Investing in Mental Health Resources for Students: The Shapiro Administration has delivered $200 million for student mental health supports — flexible funding that allows schools to hire mental health counselors, provide other mental heath resources to fit the needs of each unique school community, and invest in school safety and security.

Governor Shapiro has met students where they’re at and heard about their mental health challenges firsthand – like when he hosted a mental health roundtable discussion with students during a visit to Iroquois Junior and Senior High School in Erie County.   

• Investing in Mental Health Resources at the County Level: Governor Shapiro has also secured $40 million dollars for county mental health support over his first two years in office to ensure families can reach out for help wherever they look for it.  ?

• Addressing Mental Health Through the HIRE Executive Order: In May 2024, Governor Shapiro signed Executive Order 2024-01, establishing the Hire, Improve, Recruit, Empower (HIRE) Committee to expand opportunities for Pennsylvanians seeking a career in public service and make state government the best place to work in the Commonwealth. The Executive Order requires the Office of Administration to provide employees notice that they may utilize their allotted sick leave for the purposes of addressing and prioritizing their mental health and well-being.   

• Raising Awareness for Mental Health: In October 2024, the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Next Generation Engagement hosted their first annual Mental Health 5K and Resource Fair in Harrisburg, PA. The event was held to promote mental wellness in honor of World Mental Health Day. Nearly 70 Pennsylvanians participated in the event to raise awareness for the importance of caring for mental well-being, and to highlight the benefits of physical activity on your mental health. During the event, the Pennsylvania Departments of Health and Human Services, local government agencies, and organizations from around the Commonwealth provided free resources for young Pennsylvanians.

Encouraging the Next Generation to be Civically Engaged Through Nonpartisan Voter Education

The Shapiro Administration is dedicated to encouraging Pennsylvania’s youngest eligible voters to register to vote and make their voices heard.

• Automatic Voter Registration: Governor Shapiro implemented automatic voter registration in Pennsylvania, joining a bipartisan group of states that have taken the commonsense step to make voter registration more streamlined and secure. Commonwealth residents who are obtaining new or renewed drivers licenses and ID cards and are eligible to vote are automatically taken through the voter registration application process unless they opt out of doing so. 

• Pennsylvania Campus Voting Challenge: The Pennsylvania Campus Voting Challenge is a nonpartisan support and recognition program for higher education institutions in Pennsylvania with a commitment to increasing student voter participation and engagement on campuses across the Commonwealth. This challenge is a partnership between the Pennsylvania Department of State and the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN), a national initiative that empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student civic engagement. 

• Governor’s Civic Engagement Award: The Governor’s Civic Engagement Award is presented by the Pennsylvania Departments of State and Education. The award celebrates the efforts of Pennsylvania high school students to educate, engage and inform their fellow students about how to get involved in the voting process. 36 high schools in the Commonwealth won Governor’s Civic Engagement Awards (GCEA) in the 2023-2024 school year. About 160 students helped register over 3,300 of their peers. In addition, 267 students won Student Poll Worker Awards for participating in a voter registration event at their schools and serving as a poll worker in their communities on Election Day in November.     

Delivering Resources For Pennsylvania’s Students & Giving Students the Freedom to Chart Their Own Course

The Shapiro Administration has delivered historic investments in K-12 public education, is leading the most significant reform and investment in higher education in decades, and is giving every Pennsylvanian the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed. 

• Delivering Historic Investments in Higher Education: Over the last two years, the Shapiro Administration has secured more than $2 billion in funding increases for K-12 education in Pennsylvania. For the first time in Pennsylvania history, the Commonwealth is spending over $11 billion on K-12 public education. Governor Shapiro established universal free breakfast for all of the Commonwealth’s 1.7 million students, ensuring students start their day with a nutritious meal and are ready to learn. In addition, the Administration has invested $275 million for environmental repairs and upgrades to Pennsylvania’s schools, delivered $3 million in state funding for free menstrual products, and invested $200 million dollars for student mental health support. 

• Prioritizing Higher Education in Pennsylvania: In Governor Shapiro’s 2024-2025 budget, he made higher education a priority again in Pennsylvania, and now the Commonwealth is making the first significant progress on higher education in three decades. The budget creates a new State Board of Higher Education that brings together leaders from higher education, the business community, labor, students, legislators, and members of the Shapiro Administration to craft a strategic plan for higher education and make it more accessible and affordable for students. 

• Making Higher?Education?More Affordable?for?Students:? The Shapiro Administration has allocated over $120 million in increased state funding for higher education scholarships and grants to make higher education more affordable and has secured $7 million in annual funding to support dual enrollment opportunities for high school students. Governor Shapiro signed into law a tax deduction for Pennsylvanians to deduct for $2,500 in student loan interest paid. 

• Strengthening the Educator Pipeline: Last year, Governor Shapiro signed a law creating the Student Teacher Support Program, and has also delivered a total of $20 million to ensure student teachers are compensated for their hard work. The Shapiro Administration has also signed legislation to allow individuals authorized to work in the United States to earn certification and serve as educators in the Commonwealth and reduced the wait time for new teachers in Pennsylvania to receive their teaching certification by more than ten weeks to get more teachers into classrooms quicker.?

• Giving Students the Freedom to Chart Their Own Course: Governor Shapiro has delivered on his promise to bring career and technical education back into schools by increasing funding for career and technical education and apprenticeships by nearly $65 million – a 50 percent increase over 2022. Since January 2023, the Department of Labor & Industry’s Apprenticeship and Training Office has registered 74 new apprenticeship programs and enrolled more than 11, 566 new apprentices. On his first day in office, Governor Shapiro signed Executive Order 2023-03, announcing that 92 percent of state government jobs do not require a four-year college degree.   

Providing Free Menstrual Products for Pennsylvania Students

Governor Shapiro made Commonwealth history by delivering $3 million to provide menstrual hygiene products at no cost to Pennsylvania’s students. First Lady Lori Shapiro continues to champion this initiative by connecting with advocates from across the Commonwealth to discuss menstrual equity and uplift their work.

• Recognizing Menstrual Health Awareness Month: First Lady Lori Shapiro, and the Executive Directors of Governor Shapiro’s Advisory Commissions on Next Generation Engagement and Women recognized May as Menstrual Health Awareness Month by welcoming advocates, nonprofit leaders, medical professionals, researchers, teachers and students to the Governor’s Residence to learn more about how they are working toward menstrual equity in Pennsylvania. The Commissions also hosted a documentary screening of the film “Periodical”, followed by a panel discussion with menstrual equity and women’s health experts.   

• Listening to the Next Generation of Pennsylvanians Directly: First Lady Lori Shapiro and the Executive Director of Governor Shapiro’s Advisory Commission on Next Generation Engagement are meeting next generation Pennsylvanians where they are and hear the need for no-cost menstrual products firsthand. They visited Shippensburg University to learn more about how they became one of the first PASSHE institutions to offer free menstrual products in every woman’s restroom across campus, and heard from students about the impact this program has on them. In December, they heard from students at Warwick Middle School in Lancaster County, who help stock bathrooms with free products purchased by the state funding.

• Leading by Example: In May 2024, Governor Shapiro signed Executive Order 2024-01, establishing the Hire, Improve, Recruit, Empower (HIRE) Committee to expand opportunity for Pennsylvanians seeking a career in public service and make state government the best place to work in the Commonwealth. In order to lead by example, the HIRE EO instructs the Department of General Services to work with agencies to expand the availability of free menstrual products in Commonwealth-owned restrooms.

To learn more about how you can get involved with the Next Generation Engagement Commission’s work, follow us on Instagram and join our stakeholder list by emailing [email protected].