Newman Civic Fellowship

About the Fellowship

The Newman Civic Fellowship recognizes and supports community-committed students who are changemakers and public problem-solvers at Campus Compact member institutions. Fellows are nominated by their president or chancellor on the basis of their potential for public leadership.

Through the fellowship, Campus Compact provides students with training and resources that nurture their assets and passions and help them develop strategies for social change. The yearlong program, named for Campus Compact founder Frank Newman, includes virtual learning opportunities and networking as part of a national network of engaged student leaders and an optional in-person convening.

We view the Newman Civic Fellowship as a core component of our strategy to build a national network of engaged student leaders who can support one another in building transformational partnerships between campuses and communities.

Nomination Criteria

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
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.

Preview the nomination form

Program Components

The Newman Civic Fellowship includes:

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