Campus Compact has selected Barry University student leader Jasmine McKee for its 2018–2019 Newman Civic Fellowship.
McKee is one of 268 “community-committed college students” receiving national recognition by being awarded the one-year fellowship.
A junior majoring in history, McKee is deeply involved in Barry's Campus Democracy Project, a nonpartisan initiative aimed at promoting civic learning and democratic engagement through voter education, registration, and mobilization. A first-generation college student, she has been a mentor to middle-school students at the Lillie C. Evans K-8 Center in Liberty City, one of Miami's underserved neighborhoods, where she has encouraged early interest in civic engagement through political institutions and processes.
Currently a Barry Service Corps Fellow, McKee participates in a program designed to cultivate civic-mindedness and to prepare students for future roles as agents of positive social change. As part of this program, based in the Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI), she serves on a team of student leaders who support the work of Miami's PACT (People Acting for Community Together). She has also supported the efforts of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers to improve the quality of life for farmworkers.
“As a student leader, Jasmine has demonstrated the motivation and potential for sustained civic engagement in the spirit of Frank Newman, for whom the fellowship is named,” said University President Sister Linda Bevilacqua, OP, PhD.
In July 2017, McKee was a member of the PACT delegation to a conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she benefited from training and development in community organizing to address social issues. She has set her sights on a continued role in helping to bring people together across racial, religious, and socioeconomic lines to pursue justice in their communities.
“I appreciate the process used by PACT to address issues like immigration, gun violence, and affordable housing,” McKee said. “And I am committed to getting more students involved.”
McKee is a 2017 winner of Barry’s Community Impact Award. The university president nominated her for Campus Compact’s Newman Civic Fellowship on the recommendation of the CCSI.
“I am confident that she will be an exemplary Newman Civic Fellow and will remain resolute in pursuing a life of engaged citizenship,” Sister Linda said.
The Boston-based Campus Compact is a national coalition of approximately 1,000 colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education. The fellowship honors the late Frank Newman, one of Campus Compact’s founders, described as “a tireless advocate for the role of higher education in preparing students for active and engaged citizenship.”
The students awarded the fellowships represent Campus Compact member institutions in 40 states and Washington, D.C., as well as Mexico and Greece.
“The 2018 Newman Civic Fellows are an inspiring group of community-committed students who are already making an impact in communities where they live, learn, and serve,” said Campus Compact Program Manager Michaela Grenier.
Grenier said the one-year fellowship “supports the next generation of public problem solvers in their personal, professional, and civic growth.” They will have access to exclusive virtual and in-person learning opportunities and will be invited to a national conference.
The Newman Civic Fellows, including McKee, are profiled at the Campus Compact website.