~ Krystal Lanier led a Voter Registration Day rally and helped more than 1,000 students register to vote
Miami, April 13, 2017 – Krystal Lanier, who is graduating this month from Miami Dade College’s (MDC) North Campus, has been named a Campus Compact 2017 Newman Civic Fellow, a national distinction as one of the finest student leaders in the nation. Campus Compact is a Boston-based nonprofit working to advance the public purposes of higher education.
As a Campus Election Engagement Fellow, Lanier organized a rally on Voter Registration Day helping more than a thousand MDC students sign up to vote, among other events to inform her peers about the importance of political involvement. She was also active in the Student Government Association; co-founded Student Leaders in Civic Engagement (SLICE); served as a Millennium Campus Network Fellow; volunteered as the political and civic coordinator for MDC’s Institute for Civic Engagement and Democracy; and held leadership roles in Phi Theta Kappa and the Political Science Club, earning the President’s Volunteer Service Award; among other accomplishments.
“Preparing future global citizens and changemakers is a cornerstone of our mission at Miami Dade College,” said MDC’s President Dr. Eduardo J. Padrón. “Krystal is a dedicated student who is also focused on helping others and improving our community. We couldn’t be prouder.”
Lanier is among 273 students representing Campus Compact institutions in 39 states and Washington D.C. that make up the 2017 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows. The Newman Civic Fellowship is a one-year fellowship for community-committed college students from Campus Compact member institutions.
The fellowship honors the late Frank Newman, one of Campus Compact’s founders and a tireless advocate for civic engagement in higher education. In the spirit of Dr. Newman’s leadership, Campus Compact member presidents and chancellors are annually invited to nominate one community-committed student from their institution for the fellowship. The nominees are individuals who have demonstrated an investment in finding solutions for challenges facing communities throughout the country and abroad.
The 2017 Newman Civic Fellows will be the first cohort to benefit from a completely redesigned fellowship experience emphasizing personal, professional and civic growth. Campus Compact will provide a variety of learning and networking opportunities, including a national conference in partnership with the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate. The fellowship also provides fellows with pathways to exclusive scholarship and post-graduate opportunities.
“The cultivation of community-committed leaders has never been more crucial,” said Campus Compact President Andrew Seligsohn. “We rebuilt the Newman Civic Fellowship experience because our country needs more people who know how to bring communities together for positive change. We are thrilled to welcome this group of 273 exemplary students as the first cohort to participate in this new model.”
About Campus Compact
Campus Compact is a nonprofit coalition of more than 1000 colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education. As the only national association dedicated to this mission, Campus Compact is a leader in building community engagement into campus and academic life. For more information, visit www.compact.org and follow @Campus_Compact on Twitter.
The Newman Civic Fellowship is supported by the KPMG Foundation and Newman’s Own Foundation.
For a complete list of the 2017 Newman Civic Fellows, please visit www.compact.org/newman-civic-fellow.