NCC Student Honored as Newman Civic Fellow

Campus Compact has named student civic leaders from 38 states, Washington, D.C., and Mexico who will make up the 2024-2025 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows. Vincent Caminneci, political science major and student at Northampton Community College (NCC), was named as a member of the cohort. Campus Compact is a national coalition of colleges and universities working to support institutions in fulfilling their ability to improve community life and to educate students for civic and social responsibility. 

The Newman Civic Fellowship is a yearlong program that recognizes students who stand out for their leadership potential and commitment to creating change in communities. 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, each fellow is nominated by their campus president or chancellor, who is invited to select one exemplary community-committed student from their campus each year. 

Caminneci is a first-year student at NCC and has served as a student leader in creating a culture of voting on and off campus as a part of the NCC Votes team in partnership with the National Andrew Goodman Foundation's Vote Everywhere program. He was one of 137 students nationwide selected for the 2024 ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll through the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, which recognized his commitment to nonpartisan democratic engagement and his contributions to the local community.  

NCC President, David A. Ruth, Ph.D., said, “Vincent’s passion for civic engagement, and aspiration to positively impact our community’s political landscape, makes him a great asset to the fellowship program.” 

Through the fellowship, Campus Compact provides students with learning and networking opportunities that help to nurture their development as civic leaders. Programming emphasizes personal, professional, and civic growth that can empower them to collaborate effectively across disciplines and create large-scale positive change. 

The cornerstone of the fellowship is the Annual Convening of Newman Civic Fellows, which offers intensive in-person skill-building and networking over three days. The fellowship also provides fellows with pathways to apply for exclusive opportunities, including mini-grants to help fund community projects, scholarships and post-graduate opportunities. 

“We are honored to recognize such an outstanding group of community-committed students,” said Campus Compact President, Bobbie Laur. “One of the best parts of the Newman Civic Fellowships is the richness of students’ perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds. These students will be the catalysts for change on many levels, and we are privileged to help empower them to create that change.” 

The Newman Civic Fellowship is generously supported by The Allstate Foundation. Learn more at www.compact.org/newman-civic-fellowship.