Mastro Named Gannon University's First Newman Civic Fellow
Posted: May 23, 2013Erie, PA; Gannon University senior Lexie Mastro has compiled a
glossy resume in her three years at the University. Now she can add
another distinction to the list: that of being the first Gannon
University student to have been named a Newman Civic Fellow. The
Newman Civic Fellows Award honors inspiring college student leaders
for their efforts in finding solutions for challenges facing
communities throughout the country 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. 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.
Mastro, a physician assistant major from Pittsburgh, has shown
leadership on- and off-campus and has demonstrated a commitment to
local, national and international social problems and mutually
beneficial solutions. While at Gannon, she has participated in
direct service and research for the University's Erie-GAINS
(Erie-Gannon Alliances to Improve Neighborhood Sustainability)
initiative; peer leadership for the Catholic Relief Services
Ambassador program projects on human trafficking awareness and
advocacy; campus organizing around the issues of fair trade and
conflict in the Congo and Operation Safety Net, a program of
Pittsburgh Mercy Health System and Catholic Health East, sponsored
by the Sisters of Mercy. In the summer of 2012, Mastro participated
in a six-week internship experience in Namibia teaching orphans and
vulnerable children as well as some adult learners both math and
English. A chronicle of that visit can be viewed <a
href="http://lexieinnamibia.wordpress.com"> here </a>.
She was a member of Gannon's NCAA Division II Women's Soccer
Team that conducted a two-week summer soccer clinic in South Africa
and was a Student Government Association (SGA) freshman class
representative and candidate for SGA president in 2012.
Newman Civic Fellows are recommended by college and university
presidents to acknowledge motivation and ability in public
leadership. Newman Civic Fellows form a unique network of leaders
who will inspire and keep hope alive for one another during college
and afterward, as the network expands exponentially each year.
Arlene Montevecchio, the director of Gannon's Center for Social
Concerns who recommended Mastro's nomination to Gannon president,
Keith Taylor, Ph. D., said, "I am pleased that Alexandra Mastro has
been chosen as a Campus Compact Newman Civic Fellow. Gannon has
been a long-time member of Campus Compact but this is the first
time one of our students is represented as a Newman Fellow. Lexie
is a conscientious, intelligent, and committed student who puts her
values into action through service, advocacy, and community-based
research. We are proud that she is a leader at Gannon and in
particular for programs in the Center for Social
Concerns."