“I am thrilled that Saoirse has been selected for the Newman Civic Fellow Award and believe that her demonstrated commitment to civic engagement and community advocacy will continue to be an inspiration to her peers,” says President Mark D. Gearan, who nominated Scott for the award.
Since high school, Scott has been involved with the Posse Foundation, one of the most comprehensive college access and youth leadership development programs in the United States. At HWS, she has become invested in service on campus and off through coursework focused on social justice and youth advocacy, and through her involvement with Tools for Social Change and America Reads.
“My passion for social justice came from my family, and I was attracted to HWS because I could see how I could purse my civic engagement interests inside and outside of the classroom,” says Scott, who is from Los Angeles County, Calif. “As an America Reads tutor, I was honored to be a role model to kids who may have come from a similar background as me, and show them how to persevere so that opportunities for higher education are attainable.”
The Newman Civic Fellows Award program is open to students at member schools of Campus Compact, a national coalition for the advancement of the public purpose of colleges and universities. The coalition is dedicated to campus-based civic engagement in order to improve community life and develop students’ awareness of their civic and social responsibility.
Awards are bestowed to students who have the motivation and ability to make contributions to their society by demonstrating the social and civic leadership values of Dr. Frank Newman, a founder of Campus Compact. Support for the award is made possible by the KPMG Foundation.