Skidmore student honored for civic engagement
Matthew Weale ’16 has been named a 2015 Newman Civic Fellow by Campus Compact, a national coalition of colleges and universities dedicated to fostering civic and social responsibility. The award recognizes college students for their efforts to explore social issues and to work toward positive change.
Matthew Weale, far right, works with students and
Dining Services staff to prep meals for transport.
Weale, a mathematics major and computer science minor, has shown interest in improving the lives of others since he arrived at Skidmore. As a first-year student, he participated in a Mt. McGregor Prison service-learning project that offered reentry workshops to inmates. Believing that education is the path to reduced recidivism, he also volunteered with Hudson Link, a non-profit organization that creates prison-college partnerships to offer college coursework to inmates in New York State.
In his junior year Weale took action on two issues of concern to him—the homeless population in Saratoga Springs and the food waste he saw as a student worker in the College’s dining hall. To tackle these issues he worked with fellow student Alexandra Hagney ’16 to launch the campus club Feedmore, a hunger-relief program that collects surplus food from the Skidmore dining hall and delivers it local soup kitchens and food pantries. The program has delivered over 1,200 lbs. of food to local service organizations.
The Newman Civic Fellows are selected from nominations made by the presidents of the Campus Compact member institutions. This year 201 students nationally received the honor.
“Matthew has demonstrated the ability to identify and respond to social issues presented to him. His ability to create momentum and support is clear. I am confident he will continue to make his mark in the world as an individual who will impact those who need an opportunity in life,” said Skidmore President Philip A. Glotzbach.
Stated a news release from Campus Compact, “Through service, research, and advocacy, the 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.”
The awards are named for Frank Newman, who co-founded Campus Compact in 1985 with the presidents of Stanford, Brown, and Georgetown universities.
