Chesapeake College student Lareese Cathey of Grasonville was recently honored with the 2017 Newman Civic Fellowship from Campus Compact. She is one of only 273 students chosen for the fellowship from across the nation.
As a Newman Fellow, Ms. Cathey will have access to exclusive learning opportunities during the 2017-2018 academic year, including the national conference in Boston this fall.
“I was so grateful to Dr. (Barbara) Viniar for nominating me, but I’m totally shocked that I was selected,” Ms. Cathey said. “This is an incredible opportunity and I will make the most of it. Chesapeake College just keeps showing me so much support.”
Ms. Cathey gives back to Chesapeake as a campus mentor to other students, and as a leader in the Queen Anne’s County community.
Ms. Cathey is a tireless advocate who developed a free library for her community. Working with Grasonville Elementary School and the Queen Anne’s County Housing Authority, Ms. Cathey collected 6,000 books and raised $3,000 for the free library. The mother of two is now a Board Commissioner for the Housing Authority.
At Chesapeake, she is both an Honors Program student and a student worker with the TRiO program, which supports first-generation college students. Ms. Cathey intends pursue a career in social work.
“Lareese’s record of academic excellence, campus leadership, and community engagement aligns with her future aspirations of engaging her considerable talents to improve education and opportunities and quality of life for local families,” President Barbara A. Viniar said in nominating Ms. Cathey for the fellowship.
The Newman Civic Fellowship supports the next generation of public problem solvers in their personal, professional, and civic growth. It was created in honor of Frank Newman, one of Campus Compact's founders and a tireless advocate for the role of higher education in preparing students for active and engaged citizenship. The Newman Civic Fellowship is generously supported by the KPMG Foundation and Newman’s Own Foundation. The 2017 Newman Civic Fellows are community-committed students who are already making an impact in communities where they live, learn, and serve.