135 students from 30 states were honored as Newman Civic Fellows by Campus Compact. Among the honorees are Amy Boren of Purdue University North Central and Paige Cole of the University of Saint Francis.
Congratulations to Indiana Campus Compact members, Purdue University North Central student Amy Boren and University of Saint Francis student Paige Cole, both of whom have been named 2011 Newman Civic Fellows. The Newman Civic Fellows Awards recognize inspiring college student leaders who have demonstrated an investment in finding solutions for challenges facing communities throughout the country. Ms. Boren and Ms. Cole were recognized for their dedication to community engagement and service.
Through service, research, and advocacy, Newman Civic Fellows are making the most of their college experiences to better understand themselves, the root causes of social issues, and effective mechanisms for creating lasting change. These students represent the next generation of public problem solvers and civic leaders. They serve as national examples of the role that higher education can—and does play in building a better world.
Amy Boren, a sophomore at Purdue University North Central (PNC), believes that early childhood education is the key to building a great foundation for a young child’s educational success. Because of this, she has especially focused her community involvement on children at risk under the age of 8 by volunteering at local elementary schools. She has also applied for grants and donated supplies to local services that assist children and families in need, promoted student involvement in the community through her leadership role in PNC’s early childhood club, and is currently educating, engaging and mentoring early childhood education students in a service learning project. In his nomination, Chancellor James B. Dworkin said of Ms. Boren, " she has developed a life-long commitment to service and is a welcome asset to our community and the Purdue North Central campus. Her optimistic and proactive approach enhances her advocacy work to help ensure that all children have the support necessary to succeed while attracting others to make a commitment to service. I am confident that
she will continue to grow as an advocate and as a model for others. At PNC, we are proud of Amy's accomplishments and look forward to watching her accomplishments in the years to come."
Paige Cole, a sophomore business administration major at the University of Saint Francis, is a student leader who is passionate about developing leadership skills in students through training, mentoring, and goal setting experiences which will help them develop into future community leaders who will have a lasting and positive change in the world. As a student leader, she is active in community outreach through her fundraising and community organization work at Parkview Foundation, a local foundation that has created a legacy of giving to support outreach efforts in Fort Wayne and surrounding communities. Sister M. Elise Kriss, OSF, President of the University of Saint Francis, described Ms. Cole as “an exciting young leader whose vision, compassion and foresight will certainly continue to be utilized for the common good”.
Through service-learning courses and other opportunities for community engagement, colleges are developing students’ critical public problem-solving skills such as the ability to research and analyze community needs, a willingness to lead and participate in public processes and debate, the commitment needed to raise awareness about community challenges, and the ability to inspire people to become part of solutions.
Indiana Campus Compact Executive Director Maggie Stevens said “We are proud to honor Amanda and Paige in the inaugural class of Newman Fellows. Their service and contributions to Indiana’s communities represent the ethic of service we see on college campuses across our state.”
Indiana Campus Compact is one of 35 state affiliates in the Campus Compact network. Campus Compact is a national coalition of more than 1,100 college and university presidents - representing some 6 million students - who are committed to fulfilling the civic purposes of higher education through community service, civic engagement, and service-learning. Our members are dedicated to building civic engagement into campus and academic life. Through our network, members receive the training resources and advocacy they need to build strong surrounding communities and teach students the skills and values of democracy.
Indiana Campus Compact supports higher education’s efforts to develop students into well-informed, engaged citizens. By providing programs, services, and resources, ICC serves as a catalyst for campuses and communities to improve people’s lives through service-learning and civic engagement initiatives. For more information, please visit www.indianacampuscompact.org