Anastasia Morrison, a junior biochemistry and molecular biology student, has been selected for New Hampshire’s Campus Compact Newman Civic Fellowship of 2021 for her leadership role on community-based service projects.
Morrison’s work focuses on community engagement with underrepresented high school students, refugees, and immigrant youths. Her research consists of working with high school students and community leaders to solve economic, racial, and social inequities present in American communities.
“Morrison has played a significant leadership role on campus as part of the Anselmian Network for Racial Justice Dialogue Initiative and in her community work with high school students belonging to groups traditionally considered underrepresented in higher education, particularly refugee and immigrant youth,” says Joseph A. Favazza, president of Saint Anselm College.
The Campus Compact Newman Fellowship is dedicated to the organization’s founder Dr. Frank Newman, a strong advocate for enabling diverse and economically challenged students to pursue higher education. The fellowship celebrates students who are community-driven and are model representatives of their local communities. Campus Compact provides students with the necessary skills, resources, and connections to help them achieve their goals. The fellowship is in collaboration with more than 1,000 colleges in the United States. Campus Compact sees the fellowship as a core component in building a national network to build transformational relationships between communities and campuses.
“It has been a great honor to represent Saint Anselm College in this manner, and it is a position that I am taking very seriously. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to connect with so many advocates for social change, and there is so much good that could come from this opportunity as long as I take full advantage of the opportunities granted by this fellowship,” explains Morrison.
Morrison has been an active partner at the Meelia Center for Community Engagement since her freshman year at Saint Anselm College. As a member of the management team, Morrison worked closely with Access Academy, helping local high school students receive an adequate education.
“High school is such an essential time for development and growth, so being able to provide these students with additional resources and support could make all the difference in terms of what they can achieve later in life,” says Morrison. “Every single one of these students is stronger and more innovative than we will ever know, and by providing them with programs that encourage them to solidify their opinions on important topics, we will help these students to realize their potential.”