Campus Compact has named Barry Service Corps Fellow Christian Mesa a Newman Civic Fellow. He is one of 218 college student leaders selected for the 2016 Newman Civic Fellows Award.
The Newman Civic Fellows Award honors “inspiring college student leaders who have demonstrated an investment in finding solutions for challenges facing communities throughout the country,” according to Campus Compact. “Through service, research, and advocacy, Newman Civic Fellows are making the most of their college experiences to better understand themselves, the root causes of social issues, and effective mechanisms for creating lasting change.”
A cardiovascular perfusion/general studies major, Mesa has been participating in the Barry Service Corps Fellows Program since August 2015. This civic learning and leadership program is designed to foster civic-mindedness and to prepare students for social change roles.
Barry University President Sister Linda Bevilacqua, OP, PhD, said Mesa has demonstrated that he can make a difference in the community and can inspire others to get involved. Sister Linda nominated Mesa for Campus Compact’s Newman Civic Fellows Award on the recommendation of the Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI).
“Given his leadership ability and motivation, Christian Mesa will undoubtedly contribute to public problem solving and to the long-term improvement of community life,” Sister Linda added.
Mesa’s current emphasis is on urban health and, in particular, on supporting the work of three community partners – EcoTech Visions, Urban GreenWorks and La Paloma Neighborhood Association. In his work with EcoTech Visions, Mesa has focused on increasing awareness of the business incubator's support for the development of “green” manufacturing start-ups (which use recycled materials in production processes) in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, such as Liberty City in Miami.
Mesa leads semi-monthly service trips to Urban GreenWorks, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to restore the environmental and economic health of underserved communities. He provides orientations for Barry students who help to maintain two community gardens, and he conducts reflection activities that encourage volunteers to make long-term commitments to supporting sustainable agriculture.
He also has facilitated a beautification project in La Paloma. Project volunteers from Barry's main campus contributed not only to the physical improvement of the neighborhood but also to social improvement through the strengthening of relationships among residents.
Dr. Frank Newman, for whom the award is named, co-founded Campus Compact with the presidents of Stanford University, Brown University, and Georgetown University in 1985 to foster students’ involvement in public service and as democratic change agents.
Now celebrating its 30th anniversary, Campus Compact has grown to represent more than 1,100 college and university presidents committed to fulfilling the civic purposes of higher education.
The KPMG Foundation and Newman’s Own Foundation are sponsors of Campus Compact’s Newman Civic Fellows Award.