TCU senior Liz Schmitt was named a 2013 Newman Civic Fellow by Campus Compact*. This title was awarded to 181 student-leaders nationwide who invest in solving the challenges that face their communities. Nominated for the award by Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr., Schmitt has used her college experience to better understand the causes of social issues while finding ways to create lasting changes in society.

Schmitt, a native of Merriam, Kansas, is passionate about the power of privilege and its affect on local, national and global communities. In her social work field placement at a facility for people living with HIV/AIDS, Schmitt leads a women’s empowerment group that views the women as experts of their own lives and allows participants to learn from one another.

Additionally, Schmitt creates opportunities for her peers to expose themselves to the underlying causes of social issues and inspire them to take action. This allows student service leaders to strengthen their leadership skills through a process of self-reflection and community understanding.

Most of Schmitt’s community work focuses on providing the underprivileged with a voice. Her commitment to group-centered leadership and her contributions to the less fortunate will allow Schmitt to continue creating positive change in the future as a social worker or community organizer.

Newman Civic Fellows are recommended by college and university presidents to acknowledge motivation and ability in public leadership. This award is designed to honor students who are engaged in systematic change. Each student who is nominated will become a Newman Civic Fellow, receive a certificate and join a national network of fellows from past years. Newman Civic Fellow awards are made in memory of Dr. Frank Newman, a founder of Campus Compact, who dedicated his life to creating systemic change through education reform.

The Newman Civic Fellows Awards are made possible through the generous support of the KPMG Foundation.

For a full list of the 2013 Newman Civic Fellows, please visit: http://www.compact.org/initiatives/awards-programs/the-frank-newman-leadership-award/the-2013-newman-civic-fellows/

*Campus Compact is a national coalition of almost 1,200 college and university presidents who are committed to fulfilling the public purposes of higher education. As the only national higher education association dedicated solely to campus-based civic engagement, Campus Compact promotes public and community service that develops students’ citizenship skills, helps forge effective community/campus partnerships and provides resources and training for faculty seeking to integrate civic and community-based learning into the curriculum. Campus Compact’s membership includes public, private, two- and four-year institutions across the spectrum of higher education. For more information, visit www.compact.org.