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Student Antonio Flores Selected as a Newman Civic Fellow

Recognized for his advocacy and commitment to serving the community, junior Antonio Flores has been named an official 2021 Newman Civic Fellow.

Awarded by Campus Compact—a national coalition of nearly 1,000 colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education—the Newman Civic Fellowship recognizes and supports community-committed students who are changemakers and public problem-solvers at Campus Compact member institutions. Fellows are nominated by their university president on the basis of their potential for public leadership.

Flores, an Information Systems major, is the seventh TLU student since 2014 to receive this prestigious honor and one of less than 300 students nationwide recognized in 2021.

Antonio Flores

Through the fellowship, Campus Compact provides students with training and resources that nurture their assets and passions and help them develop strategies for social change. The yearlong program, named for Campus Compact founder Frank Newman, includes virtual learning opportunities and networking as part of a national network of engaged student leaders and an optional in-person convening.

Newman Civic Fellows are an inspiring group of students who are already making an impact in communities where they live, learn, and serve. Flores will have the opportunity to join a national network of peers and former Civic Fellows during the year-long fellowship.

“Antonio is a student leader passionate about affordable housing and poverty elimination,” said TLU President Dr. Debbie Cottrell. “Over the past year, he has served alongside the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity, which strives to provide affordable housing for families in need in Seguin. In addition to recruiting and facilitating volunteer opportunities for TLU students with Habitat for Humanity, Antonio has helped to maintain the university’s long-standing relationship with this community organization. He is currently working to grow additional connections between faculty members, students, and the community partner to address the root causes of the issues they serve.”

Flores says his faith deeply inspires him to serve and advocate for everyone in his community.

“I was raised on the principle that nothing we possess is truly ours, but instead is a gift from God,” he said. “We should be quick to give and even quicker to serve alongside others in our communities. The love and sacrifice of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection is a model to me that we should be willing to dedicate our lives to showing the same love to those around us. These values have helped to cultivate a heart of service within me that has only been amplified during my time at TLU. Serving with the TLU Center for Servant Leadership has given me a direct way to give back to the people of Seguin. Affordable housing is vital for lifting populations out of poverty. This fact motivates me to expose my peers to experiences in our local community that address the root causes of poverty, as well as collaborate with existing community partners that are working to solve these issues on the local level.”

TLU Director of the Center For Servant Leadership Morgan Klaser said Flores’ recognition as the seventh Newman Civic Fellow is a testament to TLU’s commitment to civic engagement, servant leadership, and pursuing a more just world.

“The Newman Civic Fellowship benefits not only the campus community, but the surrounding community as well, because Antonio is able to bring what he learns through his fellowship about tackling the root causes of social issues to his daily work with the people of Seguin,” she said. “We are proud to have him recognized as a Newman Civic Fellow for 2021-2022.”