Skip to Main Content

UNF student recognized as Newman Civic Fellow for community impact

Rachel Paul HeadshotUNF student Rachel Paul was named among 154 student civic leaders in the U.S. and Mexico to the 2023 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows by Campus Compact.

The Newman Civic Fellowship recognizes students who stand out for their commitment to creating positive change in communities locally and around the world. Fellows are nominated by Campus Compact member presidents and chancellors, who are invited to select one outstanding student from their campus each year.

Through the fellowship, Campus Compact will provide Paul with a year of learning and networking opportunities that emphasize personal, professional and civic growth. The cornerstone of the fellowship is the Annual Convening of Newman Civic Fellows, which offers intensive in-person skill-building and networking over the course of two days. The fellowship also provides fellows with pathways to apply for exclusive scholarships and post-graduate opportunities.

Paul is a senior at UNF majoring in political science with a sociology minor. She is passionate about a variety of political and social causes, such as voter education, women’s empowerment and workers’ rights.

For the past three years, she has been the president and founder of Students United for Workers’ Advocacy, a student-led organization on campus dedicated to educating workers about their labor rights and the movement to a fairer workplace.

She also works with UNF’s Center for Community Based Learning, where she is an integral part of a team of students and staff developing and promoting Osprey Vote, a student-focused motivated platform that aims to guide students through the voting process as well as facilitate voter education through outreach and events. In less than two years, the team has led the UNF campus to both Highly Engaged Campus and Highly Established Action Plan designations. In addition, through her involvement with the CCBL, Rachel has joined the Jacksonville and Duval County branches of the League of Women Voters and the National Organization of Women.

Paul’s passion is to empower members of the community to stand up for what they believe in through democratic action.