Keywords: students, projects, social justice
Gathering and analyzing real data enhances the understanding of and enthusiasm for statistics among students in their first college statistics class. In designing projects are women statisticians more motivated by social justice issues? Successful student projects have included analyzing parking problems in Washington DC, examining the closure of selected public schools, comparing costs of basic items in areas of disparate income,and determining the effect of voter ID laws on election turnout. Civic engagement has motivated many students not only to appreciate the role of statistics in public policy, but to deepen their understanding of statistical concepts and their application