The University of Pennsylvania’s College Republicans and Democrats recently launched an effort to unite their counterpart chapters across the nation in support of marriage equality. Following a landmark event the Penn organizations co-hosted in February, they are now joined with fifty political groups from universities across the country in affirming their support of marriage equality.

Over a period of two months, the Penn Dems and Penn Republicans targeted outreach to the political groups of fellow Ivy League schools, and the top fifty ranked colleges by U.S. News and World Report. The statement reads, “We, the Presidents of College Democrats and College Republicans chapters from across America, stand united to affirm the right of all Americans to marry the person they love, regardless of gender. We challenge our nation’s leaders to join us in defense of marriage equality for LGBTQ couples.”

The statement has been signed by about ten college Republican groups. College Republicans president and College junior Arielle Klepach said to The Daily Pennsylvanian, “While I understand why people would be hesitant, I obviously wish there would have been more widespread responses.” Of the fifty top ranked colleges Penn students reached out to, only two groups opposed the statement, though not every group chose to sign the statement.

College Democrats President and College sophomore Matthew Kalmans said, “My hope is that seeing a young Republican and growing Democrat population both in support of marriage equality will continue to give some senators the comfort they need to announce their support, to not feel that they’re in some sort of electoral danger.”

The College Republicans and Democrats of University of Pennsylvania have set up a Facebook page entitled “Students United for Marriage Equality,” and are posting tweets with the hashtag #unitedforlove.