Campus News

Juniata College Senior Joins National Cohort of Newman Civic Fellows

(Posted November 2, 2026)

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Alyssa Ross

Alyssa Ross

HUNTINGDON, Pa. – Campus Compact, a national coalition of colleges and universities working to advance the public purposes of higher education, has named the student civic leaders who will make up the organization’s 2026-2027 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows.  

Alyssa Ross of Flinton, Pa., a senior at Juniata College, will join students from 39 states, Washington, D.C., and Mexico to form the cohort.  

The Newman Civic Fellowship recognizes students who stand out for their commitment to creating positive change in their local communities and around the world. 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, fellows are nominated by Campus Compact member presidents and chancellors, who are invited to select one outstanding student from their campus each year. 

“Civic engagement has always been a part of who I am. My mom raised me to value helping those around me and to advocate for those who need a helping hand,” Ross said. “Juniata has provided me multiple opportunities to engage with real social issues and folks in the community and to grow and develop an understanding of what it means to lead and be engaged.”

Ross is studying social work and serves as president of the Social Work Club, a teaching assistant, and a First-Year Foundations instructor. She has led the annual Out of the Darkness Walk for suicide prevention, with over $10,000 raised for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in the last two years. 

“As a Newman Civic Fellow, I hope to gain knowledge on specific issues, a greater understanding of managing service opportunities, and to learn from other fellows through their experiences,” said Ross. 

Through the fellowship, Campus Compact will provide these students with a year of learning and networking opportunities that emphasize personal, professional, and civic growth. Each year, fellows participate in numerous virtual training and networking opportunities to help provide them with the skills and connections they need to create large-scale positive change. The cornerstone of the fellowship is the Annual Convening of Fellows, which offers intensive in-person skill-building and networking over the course of two days. The fellowship also provides fellows with pathways to apply for exclusive scholarship and post-graduate opportunities. 

“What makes Alyssa’s contributions especially notable is the scope of her commitment. While maintaining both a full-time academic course load and full-time employment, she continues to lead, mentor, and serve her community with consistency and purpose,” said Juniata College President James A. Troha. “Alyssa brings the motivation and collaborative mindset necessary to develop innovative responses to public challenges.” 

"This group of exceptional students from campuses across the country is such a welcomed addition to the Newman Civic Fellowship," said Campus Compact President Bobbie Laur. "Now more than ever, it is an honor to recognize student leaders who are applying themselves as changemakers and creating positive impact in their communities. This is just the start of their lifelong journeys as Newman Civic Fellows, and I couldn’t be more excited to watch them continue to grow and pursue their passions."

Learn more at compact.org/newman-civic-fellowship. You can read more about each of the student leaders selected for this year’s cohort at compact.org/current-programs/newman-civic-fellowship/newman-civic-fellows. 

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Campus Compact is a national coalition of colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education. Campus Compact supports institutions in fulfilling their public purposes by deepening their ability to improve community life and to educate students for civic and social responsibility. As the largest national higher education association dedicated solely to campus-based civic engagement, we provide professional development to administrators and faculty to enable them to engage effectively, facilitate national partnerships connecting campuses with key issues in their local communities, build pilot programs to test and refine promising models in engaged teaching and scholarship, celebrate and cultivate student civic leadership, and convene higher education institutions and partners beyond higher education to share knowledge and develop collective capacity. Visit www.compact.org. 

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.