2023

Political Science student honored as Newman Civic Fellow

Gent Haviari recognized for commitment to solving public problems

Campus Compact, a national coalition of colleges and universities working to advance the public purposes of higher education, named Gent Haviari, a sophomore Political Science student, to the 2023-2024 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows.

The Newman Civic Fellowship recognizes students who stand out for their commitment to creating positive change in communities locally and worldwide. The fellowship is named for the late Frank Newman, one of Campus Compact’s founders, who tirelessly advocated for higher education civic engagement. In the spirit of Dr. Newman’s leadership, fellows are nominated by Campus Compact member presidents and chancellors, who are invited to select one outstanding student from their campus each year.

“Ever since I was very young, I knew that I had a passion for advocating for others,” said Haviari. “My journey of enacting real social change in the world began at UMass Dartmouth, but there is always more work to be done and I will never stop fighting for it.”

Haviari has distinguished himself as a leader and scholar. He is passionate about politics and is majoring in Political Science with a concentration in Pre-Law. He currently serves with MASSPIRG, is the Student Government Association Student Affairs Committee Chair, is President of the Class of 2025, is a Senator with the Student Government Association Class of 2025 and is a member of Model United Nations. He was nominated Senator of the Month twice by his peers and received the Emerging Leader of the Year Award from the SAIL (Student Activities, Involvement, and Leadership) Office. Last semester, Gent served as a Vote Captain, working to increase student participation in the midterm election.

Through the fellowship, Campus Compact will provide these students with a year of learning and networking opportunities emphasizing personal, professional, and civic growth. Each year, 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 in-person skill-building and networking for two days. The fellowship also provides fellows with pathways to apply for exclusive scholarships and post-graduate opportunities.

“We are honored to recognize such an outstanding group of community-committed students,” said Campus Compact President Bobbie Laur. “One of the best parts of the Newman Civic Fellowships is the richness of students’ perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds—and how these varied stories all led to their passionate engagement with the social, political, and environmental issues impacting our world. These students will be the catalysts for change on many levels, and we are privileged to help empower them to create that change.”