Montana Tech Student Honored as Newman Civic Fellow

03/11/2021

Catherine MullhollandCampus Compact, a Boston-based non-profit organization working to advance higher education's public purposes, has announced the 290 students who will make up the organization's 2021-2022 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows. Catherine "Grace" Mulholland, a Montana Technological University student, will join 212 students from 39 states, Washington, D.C., and Mexico, to form the 2021 cohort.

The Newman Civic Fellowship is a year-long program for students from Campus Compact member institutions. 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.

Grace, from Billings, is a junior at Montana Tech pursuing a bachelor's degree in Environmental Engineering. "Being named Montana Tech's 2021 Newman Civic Fellow is an immense honor," noted Mulholland. "With this honor comes the responsibility for me to be a role model for women entering the STEM field. I am dedicated to serving the Montana Tech community, especially the 30% of the campus that is female; I plan to empower women and educate people on the importance of equalizing the gender gap in the STEM workforce."

"Our campus is very proud of Grace for being named a Newman Civic Fellow," noted Montana Tech Chancellor Les Cook. "Her commitment to academic achievement, service, and leadership is to be commended. She embraces and embodies what it means to be an Oredigger. We look forward to all she will accomplish this year."

Grace is the treasurer and Pacific Northwest International Section (PNWIS) chapter head for the Environmental Engineers of Montana Tech club, works for the department as a lab assistant and has done undergraduate research. As a sophomore, Grace formed a team for the 2020 PNWIS Environmental Competition. This summer, Grace will work in the Rocky Mountain wilderness in Kellogg, Idaho, for CDM Smith as an environmental engineering intern at the superfund location.

Carrie Vath, "I am excited to work with Grace as her mentor during this year-long fellowship. Inspired by past fellowship winners, Grace will continue to focus on making STEM an inclusive discipline with an emphasis on fostering males as allies. We have already started brainstorming project ideas, and I cannot wait to begin the work in Fall 2021."

Through the fellowship, Campus Compact provides Fellows with various learning and networking opportunities that emphasize personal, professional, and civic growth. 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. The fellowship's cornerstone is the Annual Convening of Fellows, which offers intensive skill-building and networking over two days. The fellowship also provides fellows with pathways to apply for exclusive scholarship and post-graduate opportunities.

"We are proud to recognize these extraordinary student leaders and thrilled to engage with them," said Campus Compact President Andrew Seligsohn. "The experience of the last year has driven home to all of us that we need open-minded, innovative, public-spirited thinkers and doers. That is what Campus Compact is about, and the stories of our Newman Civic Fellows demonstrate who they are."

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/newman-civic-fellowship/2021-2022-newman-civic-fellows.