Leslie Samperio honored as Newman Civic Fellow

Leslie Samperio ‘24 ‘26 (Biology & Spanish, Applied Sociology) has been named as part of the 2024-2025 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows by Campus Compact, a national coalition of colleges and universities working to advance the public purposes of higher education. 

The Newman Civic Fellowship is a yearlong program that recognizes students who stand out for their leadership potential and commitment to creating positive change in communities. The 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. In the spirit of Dr. Newman’s leadership, each fellow is nominated by their campus president or chancellor, who is invited to select one exemplary community-committed student from their campus each year.

Samperio is a first-generation Latina who is passionate about empowering and building the capacity for Latina leaders to address social problems in our community. She heard about the fellowship from Dr. Colleen Wynn, the director of the Applied Sociology graduate program and co-director of the Community Research Center at the University of Indianapolis.

“Outdated beliefs, gender disparities, and generational trauma sometimes lead people in the community to think women are less valuable than men. This can lead to people expecting more from men than from women,” said Samperio. “There needs to be so much more community-wise for Latina women so they can step in a different direction than some people may want them to. We need a women’s support system within nonprofits and other organizations that will focus mainly on helping underrepresented women have a voice and communicate with others about how a different pathway in life is sometimes needed.”

In addition to Dr. Wynn, she thanks Center for Service-Learning and Community Engagement Director Marianna Foulkrod and UIndy President Dr. Tanuja Singh for providing her endorsement on the application. Samperio credits her time working in the Office of Inclusive Excellence for helping her build her ability to collaborate and communicate. 

“The most exciting thing about this fellowship is that it will help me give back to the Hispanic community at the University of Indianapolis as well as the Hispanic community overall. I am here to be a voice for my community and make a change for Latinos and especially Latina women,” said Samperio. “I want to be part of the next generation of Latina leaders addressing social issues and building our community.”

Through the fellowship, Campus Compact provides these students with learning and networking opportunities that help to nurture their development as civic leaders. Programming emphasizes personal, professional, and civic growth that can empower them to collaborate effectively across disciplines and create large-scale positive change.

The cornerstone of the fellowship is the Annual Convening of Newman Civic Fellows, which offers intensive in-person skill-building and networking over three days. The fellowship also provides fellows with pathways to apply for exclusive opportunities, including mini-grants to help fund community projects, scholarships, and post-graduate opportunities. This year’s cohort includes student leaders from 38 states, Washington, D.C., and Mexico.

“Leslie’s graduate training will prepare her to think about these problems structurally, look for root causes and take innovative approaches rooted in empowering communities and building their capacity to solve social problems. UIndy’s strong culture of experiential learning pairs well with the Newman Civic Fellowship’s mission to nurture students’ capacity to develop social change strategies,” said Singh. “We at the University of Indianapolis are proud to have Leslie Samperio represent us as a Newman Civic Fellow. We look forward to seeing how she will broadly make positive social change in our local community and the world.”

“We are so excited to welcome such an outstanding group of community-committed students to the fellowship,” said Campus Compact President Bobbie Laur. “These students are undaunted by the pressing challenges our communities face and bring such passion for making a difference. They truly are the leaders our society needs and are already catalysts for positive impact. We are privileged to be a part of their journey and to help empower them to create a more just and equitable future.”

The Newman Civic Fellowship is generously supported by The Allstate Foundation. Learn more at: compact.org/newman-civic-fellowship. You can read more about each of the student leaders selected for this year’s cohort at compact.org/current-programs/newman-civic-fellowship/newman-civic-fellows.