Campus Compact has named Fiona Zahm '20 a recipient of a Newman Civic Fellowship, which recognizes and supports community-oriented students and is named for Frank Newman, a founder of Campus Compact.
Fiona Zahm '20 has been named a Newman Civic Fellow by Campus Compact in recognition of her investment in finding solutions for challenges facing communities and her passion for enacting social change.
An international studies major, Zahm has been working in the community around Elon University as well as within the city of Richmond, with a focus on food insecurity and educational disparities. During her first year at Elon, Zahm was a member of the Service Learning Living and Learning Community and as an Elon student has helped organize ongoing service projects to introduce students to social justice topics through direct volunteer experiences.
"While my work has predominantly focused on educational disparities and reform, I have come to understand that reform my be accompanied with a host of additional structural changes if we truly wish to create a more equal and equitable society," Zahm says. "I hope that my understanding of the systemic nature of poverty will allow me to strive for more holistic and effective change."
Zahm has worked with the Boys and Girls Club, the Burlington Housing Authority and Allied Churches since coming to Elon. President Emeritus Leo M. Lambert says Zahm "is committed to cultivating the next generation of Elon student leaders and she will bring back what she learns to share with her peers.
Campus Compact is a national coalition of more than 1,000 college and university presidents — representing some 6 million students — who are committed to fulfilling the civic purposes of higher education to improve community life and to educate students for civic and social responsibility. Named for Campus Compact founder Frank Newman, the Newman Civic Fellows Award recognizes students who are passionate about making lasting change in their communities.
"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate and engage with such an extraordinary group of students," said Campus Compact President Andrew Seligsohn. "The stories of this year's Newman Civic Fellows make clear that they are bringing people together in their communities to solve pressing problems. That is what Campus Compact is about, and it's what our country and our world desperately need."
The Newman Civic Fellowship is a one-year experience emphasizing personal, professional and civic growth. Through the fellowship, Campus Compact provides a variety of learning and networking opportunities, including a national conference of Newman Civic Fellows in partnership with the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.
Zahm is part of a cohort of 268 fellows selected for the 2018-19 academic year that will receive a variety of learning and networking opportunities as well as pathways to exclusive scholarship and post-graduate opportunities.
To learn more about Newman Civic Fellow Fiona Zahm, please visit her Campus Compact profile.