Adelphi Student Leader in Diversity and Inclusion Named 2018 Newman Civic Fellow

Campus Compact has named its national 2018 Newman Civic Fellows—and they include Adelphi University junior Antonette White, a political science major dedicated to social justice and creating an inclusive environment on campus.

The prestigious Newman Civic Fellowship recognizes and supports community-committed students who demonstrate an investment in finding solutions for challenges facing communities throughout the country. Named for Campus Compact founder Frank Newman, the fellowship provides students with a one-year experience gaining access to in-person and virtual learning opportunities, networking events and mentoring.

“Antonette works to promote awareness of the experience of students of color and of issues of concern to them, using her talent for treating situations as teachable moments that unite rather than inflame—something that is particularly important in this difficult and divided time on campuses and across the country,” said Adelphi University President Christine M. Riordan, who nominated White for the honor. “She is equally committed to helping individual students, serving as a writing tutor helping students with autism spectrum disorder, and as a resident assistant in her residence hall, advising and encouraging her peers.”

White, from the Bronx, New York, is president of the campus organization Black Students United (BSU), which promotes diversity, self-growth and social change within the Adelphi community. She organized BSU’s first Kwanzaa dinner this past December and a Black History Month brunch, instead of the usual dinner, to better attract and involve students.

“It wasn’t until I went to Adelphi that I began to understand that students of color struggle more, especially when they’ve had to overcome hurdles like poverty, lack of opportunities and segregation,” said White in her personal statement. “I wanted to address these issues, so I took a leadership role in Black Students United. As president, I help develop ways to involve students of color on campus, creating mentoring programs, holding cultural events such as the annual Kwanzaa dinner and other services, to aid marginalized groups.”

White also holds multiple positions on campus, including tutoring at the Writing Center— focusing on helping students with autism spectrum disorder in the Bridges to Adelphi program—and working for the Office of Information Technology, where she was named Student Worker of the Month for June 2017.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate and engage with such an extraordinary group of students,” said Campus Compact president Andrew Seligsohn. “The stories of this year’s Newman Civic Fellows make clear that they are bringing people together in their communities to solve pressing problems. That is what Campus Compact is about, and it’s what our country and our world desperately need.”

The Newman Civic Fellowship is supported by the KPMG Foundation and Newman’s Own Foundation. Campus Compact is a national coalition of more than 1,000 colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education. See more about its Newman Civic Fellowship program.