University of Notre Dame undergraduate Caitlyn Cano (Environmental Engineering ‘23) has been named a Newman Civic Fellow by Campus Compact for the 2021-2022 academic year. The Newman Civic Fellowship, sponsored by Campus Compact, recognizes and supports students who are actively pursuing social change on their campus and in their community by offering workshops, mentorship, and training. As part of the fellowship Caityln will attend Campus Compact’s virtual national conference and will receive regular mentorship from CCI’s internship program manager - South Bend, Lauren Lounsbury.
In support of Caitlyn’s nomination, University President John Jenkins said, “ Caitlyn has the talent, skills, and heart of a 21st century leader. She is a leader among her peers, working to recruit and organize other Notre Dame students for internships in the local community. Caitlyn is not only a student committed to social change, she is also a student unafraid to lead and use her voice to enact social change and advocate for those who need it most. She has demonstrated the ability to align values, passion, and dedication in service to the local community and the common good.”
Caitlyn Cano was a summer 2020 Center for Civic Innovation intern and part of the CARE network intern team. As an intern, Caitlyn worked with four other students to interview 15 local social service agencies and helped identify areas of need for these agencies. In addition to being a CCI intern, Caitlyn also serves as the Notre Dame Engineers without borders vice-president and was part of the 2019 travel team where she worked with communities to improve clean water access in area schools.
As a part of a team investigating what stood between social service providers and their clients in a turbulent year, I experienced what it meant to give fully of myself in any circumstance,” Cano shared. “From our massive implementation in Ecuador to the smallest weekly Zoom meeting, I’ve discovered what it means to be a social engineer. I learned that development comes alive at the community level, and I’ve gotten to foster genuine and sustainable partnerships across continents.”
View Caitlyn’s bio on the Campus Compact website: https://compact.org/newman-civic-fellow/caitlyn-cano/