March 4, 2021
Campus Compact, a Boston-based non-profit organization working to advance the public purposes of higher education, has announced the 212 students who will make up the organization’s 2021-2022 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows. Savannah Vannett, a student at the University of Montana Western, will join 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.
Vannett is the true embodiment of a civic leader. While double majoring in psychology and elementary education, she utilizes her spare time to volunteer and engage her community in events to support those in need. The majority of Savannah’s civic engagement has been targeting the issue of food insecurity in her community. Savannah has helped in the origination and implementation of monthly events to serve food to those in need. Beyond that, Savannah also hosted events to improve social belonging and support to the same population.
On campus, Vannett is a member of PATH (Peers Advocating Towards Health), a student group that works to engage and educate students about various health topics, as well as a Mentor in the TRIO SSS program. In both roles, she works to organize and implement tabling events, interactive educational events, and increase social belonging. Some of the events that Vannett has had a hand in making successful are Voter Registration Day, First-Generation College Student Day, and sexual health awareness events.
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.
“There are people are all around me and each of them has a need. I have needs like them, some big and some small. Throughout my entire life, there have always been resources to help me through most of life’s many challenges. As I have grown, I wanted to be a part of these groups. I want to give back to the resources that helped me along the way. Being involved in community outreach, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, church programs, rescue resources, non-profits, and food pantries gives me hope for the people around me. There are many resources that most people don’t know about within their own communities. I want to bring awareness to those small outreach resources that want to help people. My passion is to help people. That is why I am going to school and volunteering to make the community I live in a better place. I want to help people so they can pass it on!” said Vannett.
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.
