Over the past month, we've had several amazing opportunities to connect in-person with members and partners from across the country—AmeriCorps members that are placed on campuses and at community partners, the 2022-2023 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows, practitioners interested in implementing and improving Civic Action Plans, and policymakers, practitioners, and partners celebrating National Civics Day. Learn more about these events below!
The 2022 Annual Convening of Newman Civic Fellows
On October 28 & 29, nearly 150 community-committed students joined Campus Compact at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the U.S. Senate and the JFK Presidential Library and Museum for two days of learning and connection. Students spent time learning about political engagement, activism, and social justice. Sessions included:
- Mock U.S. Senate vote and debate on the Green New Deal in partnership with the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the U.S. Senate
- Stories as Capital: Using Micropoetry to Catalyze Change with Gliset Colón, assistant professor for exceptional education at Buffalo State College and Campus Compact Student Engagement Fellow
- Fireside chat with Nicole Tisdale, an advocate with more than a dozen years of civic participation and national security experience at The White House, the U.S. Congress, the 2020 Presidential Transition Team, and the Mississippi Innocence Project
- Changemaking at the Intersection of Systems Thinking and Social Justice with Rebecca Riccio, director of the Social Impact Lab and lecturer of human services at Northeastern University
- Newman for Life panel discussion featuring four former Newman Civic Fellows: Evan LeBeau, Tevin Monroe, Allison Pudvah, and Marcus Stubbs
AmeriCorps VISTA Early Service Training
Early Service Training, or EST, is the fall training and gathering for the Campus Compact AmeriCorps VISTA program. The VISTA team gathered in person for the first time since 2019, meeting up at UMass Amherst for a three-day event focused on working in and with higher education, building community, and growing their knowledge around foundational capacity-building skills—all of which will help them support programs that impact low-income populations during their year of service.
Don't forget! We're currently seeking host sites for our 2023-2024 VISTA program year. Prioirity deadline is November 1. Learn more at compact.org/current-programs/americorps/vista/become-a-host-site.
Civic Action Planning Institute at the CUMU Annual Conference
Nicole Springer, director of institutional capacity building, Natalie Furlett, director of partnerships & member engagement, and Matt Farley, director of administration and AmeriCorps programs led a Civic Action Planning Institute as part of the 2022 CUMU Annual Conference. The institute was attended by representatives from campuses all across the country and included lots of insightful discussion about how to align institutional practices and values to center equity and the public purposes of higher education. Thank you to everyone who participated for sharing your insight, stories, and expertise with the group!
Our Civics: Safeguarding American Democracy
Matt Farley, director of administration and AmeriCorps programs, represented Campus Compact at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library for a great event hosted by the library and their partners, the Partnership for American Democracy, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Karsh Institute for Democracy at the University of Virginia, and Our Common Purpose at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The program included a strong call to action to institutions to play an active role in educating students to be well-informed, proactive participants in our democracy.
Stay tuned for information about upcoming forums addressing this topic, "College Civic Learning for an Engaged Democracy."