Campus Compact, a national non-profit coalition of more than 1,000 colleges and universities, has announced that Pablo Idrovo ’20 has been named a 2019 Newman Civic Fellow. At the age of 10, Idrovo came to the United States from Ecuador with his parents.  Now a double major in economics and international studies at Fairfield University, his personal experience has made him a powerful ally for the Latinx community, both on campus and in the local community.

Idrovo has interned with a local immigration attorney to assist individuals and families in asylum cases, DACA applications, and family reunification petitions. He has also worked as a College Access Program Facilitator for an organization called Connecticut Students for a DREAM, helping to bring together college students from across the state to advocate for the rights of undocumented young people.

With academic interests that focus on the intersections of economics, global development, and social justice, Idrovo is currently working with faculty in the Economics Department on a community-based research project involving clean water access issues in his native Ecuador.

As a Newman Civic Fellow, Idrovo has proposed a research project to address one of the most pressing needs of undocumented students: scholarship funding to support pre-professional training. He plans to work with regional higher education partners and campus stakeholders to design a subsidized internship program for students at Fairfield University. “This initiative would be a grant program that would give tuition breaks to students, depending on their need, in the semester they do an unpaid internship,” he said. “I am happy to promote career preparation equity for this vulnerable population on my campus, and I hope to spread this initiative to other campuses.”

Dedicated to campus-based civic engagement, the Newman Civic Fellowship is named for Campus Compact co-founder Frank Newman. The year-long fellowship experience emphasizes personal, professional, and civic growth for community-committed college students through a variety of learning and networking opportunities, including a national conference in partnership with the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate. The fellowship also provides access to exclusive scholarship and post-graduate opportunities.

“We are proud to recognize each of these extraordinary student leaders and thrilled to have the opportunity to engage with them,” said Campus Compact President Andrew Seligsohn. “The stories of this year’s Newman Civic Fellows make clear that they are committed to finding solutions to pressing problems in their communities and beyond. That is what Campus Compact is about, and it’s what our country and our world desperately need.”

The Newman Civic Fellowship is supported by the KPMG Foundation and Newman’s Own Foundation.