The Newman Civic Fellowship is intended to honor the leadership legacy of Campus Compact founder Frank Newman by recognizing community-committed students who: Engage in collaborative action with others from campus or from surrounding communities in order to create long-term social change.
Newman Civic Fellowship Mission statement
Overview
The Newman Civic Fellowship provides students with training to help them develop strategies for social change. Fellows will engage in a year-long program involving virtual learning and networking with optional in-person components.
Nomination Criteria
Students applying for the fellowship must demonstrate a strong interest in collaborative action with those on campus or from surrounding communities with the goal of facilitating long-term social change. Kalamazoo College will nominate one student from its pool of applicants for the fellowship. The following is a list of criteria for nomination.
- nominees must have at least one year of their education remaining either at their current institution or a separate one of higher education for the duration of the academic year
- Engage in collaborative action with others from campus or from surrounding communities in order to create long-term social change
- Take action in addressing issues of inequality and political polarization
- Demonstrate the motivation and potential for effective long-term civic engagement
In addition to these core characteristics, Newman Civic Fellow nominees for the 2020-2021 academic year must also meet the following eligibility criteria:
- The nominee must be enrolled at a Campus Compact member institution during the spring semester.
- The student must be nominated by the president or chancellor of their institution
- Each institution may nominate only one student
- For institutions with both undergraduate and graduate programs, presidents and chancellors are encouraged to recommend the most deserving student, with preference given to undergraduate students
- In keeping with Frank Newman’s passion for educational access, we encourage presidents and chancellors to give preference to students from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in higher education
- The nominee must have at least one year of their education remaining (either at their current institution or at a different one) such that they will be enrolled in higher education for the duration of the academic year
- Nominees are encouraged to provide a short reflection piece (video, article, or letter format) to Campus Compact during their fellowship year
- The nominee’s institution must commit to helping the nominee identify a local mentor for the duration of the fellowship
- The nominee’s institution is encouraged but not required to cover the cost of transportation to the annual convening of Newman Civic Fellows.
- If the nominee meets all the requirements, they will automatically become Newman Civic Fellow.
Applicants must submit all of the following materials to Jessica Fowle by January 8th (Friday of First Week)
- Resume
- Unofficial Transcript
- 200 word personal statement about your work addressing the root causes of social issues and your potential for developing innovative and collaborative strategies for addressing public problems. These may include, for example, involvement in public policy reform, community organizing, community-based research, social entrepreneurism, or other efforts to build the capacity of community-based organizations.
- Two Letters of Support, one of which must be from a faculty member
Program Components
A national convening of Newman Civic Fellows
Regional and state gatherings of Newman Civic Fellows
Virtual events focused on skill development and professional learning
Opportunities to submit conference proposals to present at Campus Compact affiliated conferences
One-on-one leadership development with a local mentor
Participation in a national network of engaged student leaders
In addition to these program components, Newman Civic Fellows also receive:
National recognition through Campus Compact website and media
Special scholarship opportunities from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute to participate in their Leadership and the American Presidency program