Taking action in addressing issues of inequality and political polarization, demonstrating motivation and potential for long term civic engagement and engaging with others to create social change are all ways one could be committed to service. These qualities are the requirements for the Newman Civic Fellowship and traits that Isobel Day exemplifies.
Isobel Day, a junior political science major and member of the Honors College at Kent State, was named a Newman Civic Fellow for her commitment to her community and passion for public leadership. Day will join 172 other student civic leaders from 38 states to form the 2022-2023 Newman Civic Fellowship cohort.
The Newman Civic Fellowship is hosted by Campus Compact, a national coalition of colleges and universities working to advance the public purposes of higher education. The fellowship is a year-long program that provides students with training and resources that help them develop strategies for social change.
Day has worked as an intern at Kent State’s Women’s Center, served on student government committees and is a member of the student organization advocating for political action on climate change. While currently committed to the Undergraduate Student Government and tutoring on campus, she is still always looking to diversify her experience and activism.
“It’s a really good opportunity to learn from other people and students across the country about their tactics for creating change in their communities, bettering their communities and letting the communities know how devoted they are to that betterment,” Day said.
Day will have the opportunity to show that commitment in practice through the fellowship. Each fellow will choose a public problem that affects their community to focus their projects on throughout the year. Though Day is not set on what that issue is, she now has the right tools to narrow it down.
“I really want to focus on learning what the community sees as issues that need to be addressed rather than just going in with an idea that I want,” Day said.
The award is a big step towards Day’s chosen career. After college, she has aspirations to work for an organization that reflects the type of advocacy she focuses on now.
“I'm just over the moon that I got this opportunity and can represent the community,” she said.
For more information on the Newman Civic Fellowship at Kent State, please visit www.kent.edu/community/newman-civic-fellowship.
To see Isobel Day’s Fellowship profile, please visit compact.org/newman-civic-fellow/isobel-day/.
For the full list of 2022-2023 fellows, please visit
compact.org/newman-civic-fellowship/the-2022-2023-newman-civic-fellows/.