Jordan Ramsey recognized for commitment to solving public problems
Binghamton, NY – March 14, 2022 – Campus Compact, national coalition of colleges and universities working to advance the public purposes of higher education, has named 173 student civic leaders who will make up the organization’s 2022-2023 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows. Jordan Ramsey, a student at SUNY Broome Community College, will join students from 38 states, Washington, D.C., and Mexico to form the cohort.
The Newman Civic Fellowship recognizes students who stand out for their commitment to creating positive change in communities locally and around the world. 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, fellows are nominated by Campus Compact member presidents and chancellors, who are invited to select one outstanding student from their campus each year.
Jordan is a Liberal Arts and Sciences: General Studies major at SUNY Broome. His sense for social responsibility was instilled in him at an early age by his mother through mission trips to remote parts of Ecuador. During three consecutive trips, Jordan assisted in building an orphanage and volunteered at a free healthcare clinic. This instilled an awareness in him of social disparities present throughout the world. Following the death of George Floyd, he participated in several demonstrations in upstate New York, including rallies in Binghamton, Norwich, and his hometown of Unadilla. He also chose to participate in a campus wide deliberation focused on racial justice. Jordan plans to be trained as a moderator to more fully participate in future deliberations.
Jordan is passionate about the issue of food insecurity and volunteers at a local food pantry in Unadilla with his parents. Jordan shared, “It saddens me to know how many people struggle with food insecurity in my community when our economic system produces a surplus of food. I hope to build upon my past experiences in social activism to bring about long-lasting change in the lives of Binghamton citizens. We cannot leave all of the work up to our elected officials, we must be agents of change at the ground level.”
Through the fellowship, Campus Compact will provide these students with a year 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.
“Jordan was recommended for the fellowship by his Professor, Carla Michalak, who notes that Jordan’s passion for civic engagement is exceptional”, said SUNY Broome President Dr. Kevin Drumm. Jordan is civically engaged in his home community and in neighboring communities. George Floyd’s killing sparked his activism. He joined the Black Lives Matter movement, and participated in a number of demonstrations and rallies across upstate New York. It is evident that racial justice and inequity are important issues to Jordan. He also chose to participate in a campus wide deliberation on December 7th, 2021 which focused on Racial Justice. Jordan plans to be trained as a moderator to more fully participate in future campus deliberations.”
“We are proud to name such an outstanding and diverse group of students Newman Civic Fellows,” said Campus Compact President Bobbie Laur. “Their passion and resolve to take action on the wide range of issues challenging our neighborhoods and communities is inspiring and deeply needed. We cannot wait to engage with them through this transformative experience.”
The Newman Civic Fellowship program is supported by the KPMG Foundation. 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/the-2022-2023-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.
Contact:
Molly Leiper, Communications Manager
mleiper@compact.org
About SUNY Broome: For over 75 years, SUNY Broome has been a dynamic presence in the State University of New York (SUNY) system. 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. Learn more at sunybroome.edu
Contact:
Silvia Briga, Director of Marketing, Communications, and Public Information
brigasc@sunybroome.edu
Tags: Civic Engagement, Homepage, Newman Campus Compact Award, Press Release
