Raquel Capellan
Susquehanna University
Raquel Cappellan, a junior at Susquehanna University, a junior, Raquel has become an influential leader on our campus. As one of the Carl Hitchner Fellows in the Center for Intercultural and Community Engagement, Raquel co-led a four-part "Embrace the Difference" workshop series to help her peers address social issues on campus and beyond. The programs had over 60 participants and generated a meaningful dialogue among students.
Raquel has exemplified her leadership in multiple roles for the Student Government Association, as a Student Assistant with the Career Development Center and with the Association of Latin American Students (ALAS) for whom she served as president. I believe that this outstanding student, with her enthusiastic approach to educating others, is an ideal student representative of Susquehanna University as a Newman Civic Fellow.
Personal Statement
I have been blessed with the opportunity to meet people who contributed towards my growth, as a student and an activist. I experienced a tremendous amount of personal growth, in regards to finding my own voice, niche, and things I am passionate about. The past three years at Susquehanna made realize I am passionate about advocating for the voiceless minority communities. Conversations with faculty, staff, and my friends have set me on a path to discovering that as one of my passions. During the semester of fall 2015, I had the honor of receiving the Carl Hitchner Fellowship, which led me to create a program tailored towards discussing social issues under the category of diversity. The program was called the Embrace the Difference series and was composed of several student workshops. Susquehanna's motto: Achieve, Lead, and Serve, helped me take the leadership skill set I gained through attending leadership programs, such as Leadershape and brought my vision about creating a safe space to discuss social issues on campus and hope to make it a permanent program at Susquehanna after I graduate. I have plans of making it a larger program while working for and/or creating my own nonprofit organization.
