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Each year in Minnesota, member campuses of the Campus Compact gather for a statewide summit that both unites and inspires attendees. This year’s event, held tomorrow in the Rauenhorst Ballroom, brings together a variety of civic and community engagement stakeholders both to celebrate the good work already being done across the state and to share wisdom to build on that work for greater impact. During the luncheon, President ReBecca Koenig Roloff ’76 will bring state-level recognition to three St. Kate’s examples of leadership and community building with:

• Presidents’ Student Leadership Award recognizes an individual student or a student organization that models a deep commitment to civic responsibility and leadership. Sadia Farah ‘19 will be recognized for her work researching and authoring a religious accommodation policy that benefits all St. Kate’s students who may observe a religious holiday without academic penalty. In addition to her leadership within the St. Kate’s community, Sadia displays equal dedication to the broader community through her work with Nursing faculty Dr. Bessette Gorlin, Children's Hospitals and StoryCorps Legacy, developing educational materials for families.
• Presidents’ Civic Engagement Steward Award highlights a member of the faculty, administration, or staff who has significantly advanced their campus’ distinctive civic mission by forming strong partnerships, supporting others’ civic engagement, and efforts to institutionalize a culture and practice of engagement. Communication Studies Professor Elizabeth Otto’s tireless work to incorporate community engagement into multiple Communications Studies courses will be recognized for its benefit to students and community. Elizabeth is also advancing the scholarship of engagement through research on the benefits of community-engaged learning for students' career readiness.

• Presidents’ Community Partner Award celebrates a community-based organization that has enhanced the quality of life in the community in meaningful and measurable ways, and has engaged in the development of sustained, reciprocal partnerships with the college or university, thus enriching educational as well as community outcomes. The Rondo Library has been a steadfast community partner with St. Kate's, providing an amazing environment for service-learners and student workers to learn in while also working with youth and adults through a multitude of programs such as Read to Me, Sewing Room, Open Lab, English Conversation Circle, and Homework Center.

Abdi to be recognized as Newman Civic Fellow

Also at the summit, a St. Kate’s student will be recognized along with 10 other Minnesota students as Newman Civic Fellows. This Fellowship, through the national Campus Compact, recognizes and supports community-committed students who are changemakers and public problem-solvers. Fellows are nominated by their president on the basis of their potential for public leadership.

Zaynab Abdi ’20 works to effect change through engagement activities on a local, national, and global scale. She is the student coordinator for Civic Engagement Collective, which works on voter access and education. With the Minnesota Peace Project, she advocates for change by raising issues to Congress. She also works with Green Card Voices to educate communities on a national level about the refugee experience through storytelling and group discussions. Globally, she uses her personal story through the Malala Fund to advocate for girls’ education.

As a Newman Fellow, Abdi will receive virtual training opportunities, network as part of a group of national engaged student leaders, and have the option to participate in an in-person convening hosted by Campus Compact.