Two students from the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University have been named Newman Civic Fellows by Campus Compact, a Boston-based nonprofit organization working to advance the public purpose of higher education.

CSB’s Anne Zweber and SJU’s Emmett Adam are part of the organization’s 2022-23 cohort of 173 students from 38 states, Washington, D.C. and Mexico.

The Newman Civic Fellowship is a year-long program for students from Campus Compact member institutions. The students selected are leaders on their campuses who demonstrate a commitment to finding solutions for challenges facing communities and are nominated by their presidents or chancellors.

Zweber is a junior elementary education major from Elko New Market, Minnesota.

“Inclusion will change the world,” Zweber wrote in her personal statement. “I first learned this by volunteering in a special education classroom when I was 12. Rather than focusing on their disabilities, I reminded students of their abilities and modeled how they can use them to overcome challenges.”

Zweber created a student-run organization, Building Relationships In Diverse Generations Empowering Equity (BRIDGE), that fights for equitable education and provides a platform for students to share their similarities and celebrate their differences.

She carried this passion into college by supporting first-generation and low-income students pursuing post-secondary education. Zweber is a student representative on the CSB and SJU’s Inclusive Community Coalition and leads an Interfaith Leadership Team that creates interfaith dialogue and inclusive spaces, no matter one's faith tradition or spirituality. She is also a Bonner Leader, tutor for the Upward Bound Program and a student advocate. As a recipient of the Marie and Robert Jackson Fellows Scholarship, she will spend the summer working full-time for a non-profit on issues of education equity.

“Passionate about education, equity and interfaith dialogue, Anne is committed to breaking down barriers that allow individuals to better understand one another and show up in spaces as their true and authentic selves,” said CSB Transitional President Laurie Hamen.

Adam is a junior political science major from St. Paul, Minnesota.

“The pursuit of the common good, equity and positive social change are all central to my commitment to public policy and civic engagement,” Adam wrote in his personal statement. “I feel privileged to be surrounded by kind and intelligent mentors, friends and family members to empower my advocacy for others.”

On campus, Adam is involved with the Saint John’s Senate and the Eugene J. McCarthy Center for Public Policy and Civic Engagement. He has additionally worked with United Politics and The Record. A recipient of the Marie and Robert Jackson Fellows Scholarship, he will spend the summer working full-time for a governmental organization in the area of politics and policy. As a sophomore, Adam received the John E. Brandl Scholarship. 

In addition to these campus roles, Adam has completed internships with U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar’s presidential campaign, State Representative Dave Pinto’s campaign and legislative teams and the Office of Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan’s judicial/appointments team.

“Emmett is committed to equity and positive social change both on and off campus,” wrote SJU Transitional President James Mullen. “As a Political Science major with a pre-law focus, Emmett engages in a variety of groups on campus that allow him to learn more about the policies that create and (policies that) inhibit equity.”

Through the fellowship, Campus Compact provides Newman Fellows with a variety of learning and networking opportunities that emphasize personal, professional and civic growth.

Each year, Newman Fellows participate in numerous virtual training and networking opportunities to help provide them with the skills and connections they need to create large-scale positive change. The cornerstone of the fellowship is the Annual Convening of Fellows, which offers intensive skill-building and networking over the course of two days. The fellowship also provides Newman Fellows with pathways to apply for exclusive scholarship and post-graduate opportunities.