Bryn Mawr College biology major Caitlyn Caya has been selected as a Newman Civic Fellow, a national honor recognizing college students for civic leadership and community commitment.
Campus Compact, a national coalition of colleges and universities, awards the Newman Civic Fellowship each year. Each campus president or chancellor nominates one student.
Bryn Mawr President Wendy Cadge nominated Caya, a junior and Posse Scholar who attends on a full-tuition scholarship through the program. Cadge wrote that "through dialogue and collective action, Caitlyn demonstrates her commitment to creating a campus community that is affirming and welcoming to everyone," according to the college's announcement.
The honor caps a busy stretch of campus involvement. Caya serves as president of the Filipino Student Association and secretary for District 5 of the Filipino Intercollegiate Networking Dialogue, covering Pennsylvania, South Jersey and Delaware. She has also worked as Community Diversity Assistant at the Impact Center for Community, Equity, and Understanding and participated in the college's Dialogue Project.
In her fellowship personal statement, Caya wrote that she is driven by a belief that belonging must be actively created and hopes to continue building inclusive spaces while preserving the histories of multicultural communities on campus.
The yearlong fellowship began in September for the current cohort. It includes virtual skill-building events, one-on-one mentorship with a local mentor and an annual in-person convening of fellows. According to the Campus Compact program page, fellows can also apply for mini-grants of up to $1,500 to fund community projects.
The fellowship is named for the late Frank Newman, a Campus Compact founder and advocate for civic engagement in higher education.
Bryn Mawr partners with Posse Boston and Posse Houston to bring Posse Scholars to campus.
The annual convening of Newman Civic Fellows is scheduled for Nov. 5-7.
