Junior Austin Halbert from Shelby is among honorees from across the United States selected as a 2014 Newman Civic Fellow, presented by Campus Compact.
This national distinction is given to student leaders “who have demonstrated an investment in finding solutions for challenges facing communities throughout the country,” according to the Campus Compact website.
Halbert, who entered UNC Charlotte in fall 2011 as a member of the Levine Scholars Program, has worked with other student entrepreneurs to explore models for connecting homeless people in Charlotte to nonprofit organizations that could help address their needs. In addition, he helps direct numerous social entrepreneurship projects as president of Enactus UNC Charlotte.
Campus Compact officials noted that Halbert has “explored ways of addressing the needs of people both locally and globally. The merit of Mr. Halbert’s ideas was recognized when he was chosen to present a paper at the Education without Borders Conference in Dubai, spring 2013. His research focused on an assessment of online education and its potential to advance systems in the developing world and creating ideas to make technology and education more accessible in remote areas.”
During his time on campus, Halbert has interned at the presidential nominating convention held in Charlotte and with Unilever North America.
Campus Compact is a national coalition of more than 1,100 college and university presidents who are committed to fulfilling the civic purposes of higher education. As the only national higher education association dedicated solely to campus-based civic engagement, Campus Compact promotes public and community service that develops students’ citizenship skills, helps campuses forge effective community partnerships and provides resources and training for faculty seeking to integrate civic and community-based learning into the curriculum.
Photo: Austin Halbert (left) with Chancellor Philip L. Dubois