Robert Waller Named Newman Civic Fellow

2015 Mar 27

Robert Waller of Center Moriches, N.Y., has been named a Newman Civic Fellow for 2015. An accounting major at Alvernia University, Waller is highly involved in service through the university's Holleran Center for Community Engagement.

Through service, research, and advocacy, Newman Civic Fellows are making the most of their college experiences to better understand themselves, the root causes of social issues, and effective mechanisms for creating lasting change. As these students tackle community challenges, they provide fresh energy and perspective, inspire and mobilize others, and develop their own skills and potential.

"It is Rob's enthusiasm for inspiring others to do good in the world that makes him such an ideal candidate for this award," said Alvernia President Tom Flynn. "Rob's commitment does not stop with himself. His enthusiasm for helping others is contagious. He has encouraged many students to follow his example and become leaders of positive change in our community."

Waller credits the Cub Scouts and lessons he learned while stationed in Iraq with the U.S. Army with providing a strong foundation for a commitment to social change. He has continued to demonstrate the depth of this commitment as a student at Alvernia University through his involvement in many service-related initiatives both on campus and in the community, including five Alternative Break service projects in places like Camden, Tennessee, and Philadelphia. He has also been instrumental in the university's new Bog Turtle Creek Farm -- a sustainable food initiative designed to supply fresh produce to low-income, inner-city families.

"The farm responds to the societal issue of food security by growing produce and selling it in an area of Reading that lacks access to healthy food," explains Waller. "I see community service as a learning tool that can be implemented in the future to fix social problems, and I believe that knowledge is the key that will unlock the door to happiness."

Through service-learning courses and other opportunities for community engagement, colleges are developing students' public problem-solving skills, such as the ability to analyze community needs, the willingness to participate in public processes and debate, the commitment to raise awareness about challenges, and the ability to inspire others to become part of solutions.

"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," notes Campus Compact Board Richard Guarasci, president of Wagner College (NY).