FARMINGTON — The University of Maine at Farmington is proud to announce that Brandon Reed, a sophomore from Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania, has recently been named a 2021 Newman Civic Fellow by the National Campus Compact.
The students selected for the fellowship are leaders on their campuses who demonstrate a commitment to finding solutions for challenges facing communities locally, nationally, and internationally.
Reed majors in political science at UMF and is one of four students receiving the honor from Campus Compact member institutions in Maine. The 2021 cohort includes 212 students from 39 states, Washington D.C. and Mexico.
“Brandon is a dedicated student advocate and leader that works tirelessly to find new ways of engaging with younger voters to get them excited about politics and local government,” said Edward Serna, UMF president. “His mission has always been to use politics to create informed and engaged individuals who will have the knowledge and skills to become active members of society and passionate leaders of tomorrow.”
Reed has had a passion for helping others from a young age. As a child, he volunteered at a soup kitchen and a food bank with his mother and worked as a Scout with National Youth Leadership Training, learning the value of community service and its impact.
At UMF, Reed has worked to make a significant impact on his campus and local community. He is co-founder and president of the College Independents, a student organization, and worked on outreach and media promotion for a local political campaign. He is on the Collegiate Leadership Team, a national leadership competition; spoke on self-advocacy at the UMF First Generation Student Summit; and is planning to run for a position on the local school board.
“”I am so grateful for this honor,” said Reed. “Leadership skills are so important to everything we do and my goal is to help others discover their leadership abilities and find their voice.”
The Campus Compact is a national coalition of colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education by deepening their ability to improve community life and to educate students for civic and social responsibility.
The Newman Civic Fellowship is named for the late Frank Newman, one of Campus Compact’s founders, who was a tireless advocate for civic engagement in higher education. 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.
