Phoebee Jean
Providence College
Phoebee Jean, a sophomore at Providence College, has demonstrated her capacity as an engaged leader of social change both on and off campus. During her freshman year at Providence College, Phoebee secured a community work-study position with the Smith Hill Library, the community library located in our shared neighborhood of Smith Hill. Her dedication to the staff and youth of the library has grown over time and has transformed into a leadership role. Through thoughtful conversations with various stakeholders, Phoebee has worked to expand the resources shared with the youth of the Smith Hill Library. On campus, Phoebee approaches her coursework with a critically reflective perspective and has proven to be an outspoken and engaged voice in the classroom. As a student leader on campus, Phoebee is actively involved in various student clubs and movements which seek to elevate the voices and experiences of students of color. Phoebee demonstrates the core characteristics of the Newman Civic Fellowship through the collaborative nature of her work at the Smith Hill Library, her involvement and advocacy for issues of equality, and her demonstrated motivation as a civically engaged student. I am proud to nominate Phoebee for such an honor.
Personal Statement
My passion for social justice budded in high school when I started to learn more about racial inequality and how low income neighborhoods are constantly being overlooked and underfunded. At Providence College, I quickly joined social justices groups that work for racial equality on campus and in the greater Providence Community. Currently, I serve as the Vice President of the Society Organized Against Racism (SOAR) which is an organization committed to educating students and faculty about institutional racism locally and nationally. We strive to find solutions to diversity issues through weekly open forum meetings. I help to promote inclusion and acceptance at PC. I also serve as the Community Liaison (CL) at the Smith Hill Library. As a CL, I help elementary and middle school students with homework. I also facilitate reflections with the service learning students from PC to help them think critically about their role in the greater Providence community. Together, we become advocates for social change while also building meaningful relationships with young, bright students in the neighborhood. I hope to keep learning more about the assets of the Providence community so I can gain the tools and knowledge needed to help empower young people.
