Campus Compact’s Board of Directors today announced that Bobbie Laur has been appointed the next president of the organization effective February 15, 2022. Laur currently serves as associate vice president for outreach at Towson University and simultaneously serves as executive director of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU).
“We are delighted to welcome Bobbie Laur as Campus Compact’s next president,” said Jonathan Alger, president of James Madison University and chair of Campus Compact’s Board of Directors. “Bobbie is an action-oriented leader with a proven track record of impact at both the institutional level and through her national leadership to expand and deepen the role of institutions as anchors in communities. The combination of both deep place-based and national-level work make her the perfect choice to lead the Compact at this moment.”
As president, Laur will oversee the nation’s largest national organization dedicated to higher education civic and community engagement. Founded in 1985, Campus Compact develops member-driven resources for advancing community-based learning and partnerships; advocates for the public mission of higher education and its critical role in achieving a just, equitable, and sustainable future; nurtures the growth of professionals, faculty, and students working in the community and civic engagement field; and serves as a platform for collaboration among organizations and institutions focused on advancing civic and community engagement. Campus Compact’s coalition of member institutions reflects the full spectrum of higher education, including public and private, two-year, and four-year institutions.
“I’m honored to have been selected as Compact’s next President and humbled by the trust and support of the staff and board,” said Laur. “I’m excited and energized to be taking on this role in a moment when the community and civic engagement mission of higher education has never been more important and more necessary. As our communities, students, faculty, and staff navigate the impacts and loss from this pandemic and address the systemic inequities that have plagued us for generations, there is both a need and opportunity for Campus Compact to have a focused agenda that advances our collective work and provides a supportive home for higher education institutions and professionals committed to making a difference. I can’t wait to get to work.”
While serving as the Executive Director of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities, Laur grew the national association to include more than 100 higher education anchor institutions and established the organization as a valuable resource through its professional development, events, communications, and policy work. She led the organization through the implementation of several strategic plans during her nearly 15 years in the role.
“Bobbie has the rare combination of both vision and execution that will fully leverage the commitment and experience of this incredible network of students, faculty, community engagement professionals, and presidents for impact on the challenges of this moment and lead the Compact into its next phase,” said Katherine Conway-Turner, president of SUNY Buffalo State and chair of the Campus Compact Presidential search committee.
In her current role at Towson University, Laur serves as the chief community engagement leader for the university. She leads a 20+ person team responsible for expanding Towson University’s role as an anchor institution in the Baltimore metropolitan region. Laur serves as a key integrator connecting Towson University and the region’s businesses, local and state government agencies, and community organizations to create mutually beneficial initiatives that advance the university’s mission and serve critical needs for residents and communities. During her tenure, she led the campus-wide effort to receive the prestigious Carnegie Foundation Classification for Community Engagement.
Laur will lead Campus Compact’s nationally distributed staff from the Baltimore/Washington D.C. area. Laur holds a B.S. in Business Administration-Finance from Towson University and is enrolled in the Doctorate in Public Administration program at the University of Baltimore.
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