Junior Named 2015 Newman Civic Fellow
A love for community and a passion for social justice have led Abril Camarena to new heights as a young activist at the University of La Verne. Her drive to organize students for political demonstrations on campus to volunteering as a mentor in the community convinced Campus Compact to name the junior criminology major a 2015 Newman Civic Fellow.
This honor recognizes community-engaged college students from 36 states as the next generation of public problem solvers and civic leaders. Camarena is one of 201 college students in the country being honored for demonstrating an investment in the local community and for finding solutions to the challenges that face communities throughout the country.
“She strongly believes in social justice and has demonstrated this through her activism on and off-campus. Her activism can be seen through organizing other students on campus to protest for justice, mentoring high school students, attending city hall meetings, and participating in interfaith events. I am immensely proud of her,” said President Devorah Lieberman, who nominated Camarena in early 2015.
A first-generation college student, Camarena was instrumental in leading a demonstration on campus that created awareness about the disappearance of 43 college students in Mexico last year.
“We wanted to bring attention to this issue and express our solidarity with students who were killed for trying to make their voices heard,” Camarena said.
Considered by her peers as a tenacious social activist, she currently volunteers with Toyota of Ontario by mentoring high school students, working with the Dolores Huerta Foundation and actively participating in interfaith events on campus. She regularly attends city hall meetings and spreads to the word around campus on critical issues that are affecting the community.
“These students represent the next generation of public problem solvers and civic leaders. They serve as national examples of the role that higher education can—and does—play in building a better world,” noted Campus Compact Board Richard Guarasci, president of Wagner College.
Camarena plans to continue her work the rest of her time at La Verne and beyond by striving for social change through community engagement and by helping troubled juveniles.
Campus Compact is a national coalition of nearly 1,100 college and university presidents who are committed to fulfilling the civic purposes of higher education to improve community life and to educate students for civic and social responsibility. For more information about the organization and the award, visit http://www.compact.org.
