Campus Compact, a Boston-based non-profit organization working to advance the public purposes of higher education, has announced the 290 students who will make up the organization’s 2021-2022 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows. Christina Thompson, a student at SUNY Broome, will join 212 students from 39 states, Washington, D.C., and Mexico to form the 2021 cohort.
The Newman Civic Fellowship is a year-long program for students from Campus Compact member institutions. The students selected for the fellowship are leaders on their campuses who demonstrate a commitment to finding solutions for challenges facing communities locally, nationally, and internationally.
Thompson was first introduced to health care reform by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation when she was 16. She was presented the opportunity to travel to Capitol Hill and meet with members of Congress to advocate for the Cystic Fibrosis community and specifically for her cousin Heather who passed away due to Cystic Fibrosis in 2010.
“This experience taught me how important it is for those living with pre-existing conditions to have access to comprehensive health care. I will always remember and be thankful for this opportunity as it led me to discover my passion for advocacy and politics,” said Thompson. “As a college student I am applying my passion in my studies as a Political Science major and in residential life. As a Resident Assistant, I was actively involved in promoting, educating and registering students to vote. My activism resulted in over 150 new voter registrations! It is important to me that I spread awareness on how important it is to be an educated voter and how much of a difference your vote can make. Every vote counts and I plan to continue to support this critical function of democracy.”
The fellowship is named for the late Frank Newman, one of Campus Compact’s founders, who was a tireless advocate for civic engagement in higher education. In the spirit of Dr. Newman’s leadership, Campus Compact member presidents and chancellors nominate student leaders from their campuses to be named Newman Civic Fellows.
“Christina Thompson embodies SUNY Broome’s vision for its students, ‘Learning today, transforming tomorrow’. This is evident in her work to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis. Since 2017, Christina has made it her personal mission to lobby for a cure for Cystic Fibrosis. Not only has she helped to organize fundraisers in Oswego but she has also participated in advocacy at the Congressional level. Christina lobbied both Senators and Representatives to dedicate more funding to both the NIH and the FDA to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation awarded the Next Generation award to Christina for her dedication to the cause. The Mayor of Oswego in 2018 issued a proclamation acknowledging the work of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Christina accepted the proclamation. Christina’s advocacy work is also focused on improving campus life for her fellow students. Christina diligently works to ensure that residential students have access to daily programming. She ensures that there is additional food available to them and is working to improve communication on campus between dining services and residential life. Christina’s boundless energy is employed in her advocacy for her two passions, curing Cystic Fibrosis and improving residential life on campus.” said SUNY Broome President, Dr. Kevin Drumm
Through the fellowship, Campus Compact provides Fellows with a variety of learning and networking opportunities that emphasize personal, professional, and civic growth. Each year, fellows participate in numerous virtual training and networking opportunities to help provide them with the skills and connections they need to create large-scale positive change. The cornerstone of the fellowship is the Annual Convening of Fellows, which offers intensive skill-building and networking over the course of two days. The fellowship also provides fellows with pathways to apply for exclusive scholarship and post-graduate opportunities.
“We are proud to recognize these extraordinary student leaders and thrilled to engage with them,” said Campus Compact President Andrew Seligsohn. “The experience of the last year has driven home to all of us that we need open-minded, innovative, public-spirited thinkers and doers. That is what Campus Compact is about, and the stories of our Newman Civic Fellows demonstrate it’s who they are.”
Learn more at compact.org/newman-civic-fellowship. You can read more about each of the student leaders selected for this year’s cohort at compact.org/newman-civic-fellowship/2021-2022-newman-civic-fellows.
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Campus Compact is a national coalition of colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education. Campus Compact supports institutions in fulfilling their public purposes by deepening their ability to improve community life and to educate students for civic and social responsibility. As the largest national higher education association dedicated solely to campus-based civic engagement, we provide professional development to administrators and faculty to enable them to engage effectively, facilitate national partnerships connecting campuses with key issues in their local communities, build pilot programs to test and refine promising models in engaged teaching and scholarship, celebrate and cultivate student civic leadership, and convene higher education institutions and partners beyond higher education to share knowledge and develop collective capacity. Visit www.compact.org.
SUNY Broome has been a dynamic presence in the State University of New York (SUNY) system for over 70 years. The college is known for its rich history, wide-ranging degree opportunities, exceptional faculty and staff, and engaging campus life. SUNY Broome’s dedication to learning, excellence, equity, diversity and innovation, have established it as a preeminent school recognized both nationally and globally.
Contact:
Molly Leiper, Communications Manager
mleiper@compact.org
Tags: Civic Engagement, Press Release
