News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 3rd, 2024
1:00 p.m. ET

MEDIA CONTACT

Mo Banks
mo.banks@andrewgoodman.org
(201) 502-6144

Three Andrew Goodman Ambassadors Selected As 2024 Newman Civic Fellows

Campus Compact’s Newman Civic Fellowship recognizes students who stand out for their commitment to creating positive change 

Three Andrew Goodman Ambassadors are recipients of Campus Compact’s 2024 Newman Civic Fellowship. Ambassadors Abigail Wells (University of Central Arkansas), Karyme Flores (Texas Woman’s University), and Vincent Caminneci (Northampton Community College) are among 142 student civic leaders from 38 states, Washington, D.C., and Mexico to join the 2024-2025 Cohort.

Recipients demonstrate a commitment to creating positive change in communities locally and around the world and must be nominated by Campus Compact member presidents or chancellors. The 2024 Cohort will participate in training and networking for their personal, professional, and civic growth, as well as the Annual Convening of Newman Civic Fellows.

“We are so thrilled to see Abigail, Karyme, and Vincent receive this well-deserved recognition for their commitment to civic and community engagement!” says Caroline Smith, The Andrew Goodman Foundation’s Director of Programs. “We are honored to witness and support their leadership as Andrew Goodman Ambassadors, and are so excited for the great work they will do as Newman Civic Fellows.”

Learn more about the three Andrew Goodman Ambassadors selected as 2024 Newman Civic Fellows below:

Abigail Wells, University of Central Arkansas ‘26

Abigail Wells, a second-year Public Administration and Health Promotions student at the University of Central Arkansas is a dynamic and inclusive leader dedicated to enhancing accessibility for people with disabilities on her campus and in her broader community. She is the founder of a student organization and a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to adaptive sports, both of which work to create recreational athletic opportunities for people with and without physical disabilities to enjoy together. As a Vote Everywhere Ambassador, she also advocates for access to democratic processes and civic education for all of her fellow students. In her work as a grassroots organizer, Abigail has built partnerships with her campus’s Office of Accessibility Resources and Services, student organizations, student government, campus-wide coalitions, statewide nonprofit organizations and advocacy groups, and other higher education institutions. She plans to continue to pursue her passions through graduate study and a career advocating for disability rights.

Karyme Flores, Texas Woman’s University ‘26

Karyme Flores, a second-year student at Texas Woman’s University, is an active leader in the Latino communities on and off campus. As a daughter of Mexican immigrants and native to Eagle Pass, Texas, Karyme became involved with the Eagle Pass Coalition while in high school, and her presence with the coalition has grown every year since. Her work with the coalition is to educate and support the Mexican communities of Eagle Pass, along with advocating for the safety of migrants. Karyme has represented the coalition through demonstrations, press conferences, city council meetings, and meetings with government officials. She regularly takes a bus from Dallas to Eagle Pass on the weekends, to participate with the coalition. She always manages to make it back in time for class on Monday mornings. She is also a leader for JOLT Action, a student organization that advocates for Latino students and helps them register to vote. Similar to her work with JOLT, she is an intern with Pioneers Vote, which organizes voting initiatives on campus and works to get students registered to vote.

Vincent Caminneci, Northampton Community College ‘26

Vincent Caminneci is a first-year student at Northampton Community College and has served as a student leader in creating a culture of voting on and off campus as a part of our NCC Votes team in partnership with the National Andrew Goodman Foundation’s Vote Everywhere program. For the last year, Vincent has worked closely with our team to register students to vote, educate them on ballot-related issues, and help ensure all students’ access to the ballot box. In the community, Vincent continues to lead by example in supporting civic engagement by serving as a fellow with the New Pennsylvania project, a non-partisan group, registering voters throughout Northampton County, and volunteering as a Judge of Elections for Easton Precinct 10 Western. Vincent systematically seeks out ways to address barriers to voting by leveraging our NSLVE data to create targeted voter education efforts towards specific student populations and assisting us in securing the Roll to the Polls grant to help students without transportation reach the polls on election day. 

About The Andrew Goodman Foundation

The Andrew Goodman Foundation’s mission is to make young voices and votes a powerful force in democracy by training the next generation of leaders, engaging young voters, and challenging restrictive voter suppression laws. The organization is named after Andrew Goodman, a Freedom Summer volunteer and champion of equality and voting rights who was murdered, alongside James Earl Chaney and Michael Schwerner, by the KKK in 1964 while registering Black Americans to vote in Mississippi. To learn more, visit www.andrewgoodman.org.

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