UM News

UM President Donna E. Shalala presents the 2015 Newman Civic Fellows Award to Natasha Koermer, with, at left, Andrew Wiemer, director of the Butler Center for Volunteer Service and Leadership Development, and, at right, Robin Bachin, assistant provost for civic and community engagement.

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (May 7, 2015)—Natasha Koermer, a biomedical engineering student who is minoring in public health and Spanish, has received the 2015 Newman Civic Fellows Award for her extraordinary leadership, civic engagement, and commitment to creating sustainable solutions to global engineering and health issues.

Koermer received the award, which the national organization Campus Compact bestows on the next generation of public problem solvers and civic leaders, from UM President Donna E. Shalala, who lauded Koermer for implementing numerous projects in the community, including a local urban sustainable gardening initiative, an outreach program to inspire high school students to pursue service-based careers in STEM disciplines, and the U’s first 5K Run/Walk for Water to raise awareness about the importance of clean water for all communities.

As if those accomplishments weren’t enough, Koermer is also president of the University’s student chapter of Engineers Without Borders, for which she led the fundraising for and the implementation of a $25,000 sewage system in Las Mercedes, Ecuador, and a research assistant at the School of Nursing and Health Studies, where she works closely with faculty to collect data for a study on intimate partner violence across Miami-Dade County. Her group’s research was selected for multiple conferences, including the Nursing Network on Violence Against Women International 2015 and Futures Without Violence.

“She is an incredibly bright, civically engaged student and will no doubt continue to bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and its practical application in solving real-world issues,” said Robin Bachin, assistant provost for civic and community engagement.

Offering her congratulations to Koermer in a ceremony in her office on April 28, Shalala was not surprised to learn the junior would not be resting over the break. She is headed to another service project for the summer, this time in South Africa’s Limpopo Province to assist in the Water, Society, and Health Research Experience for Undergraduates funded by the National Science Foundation.

Presented annually by Campus Compact, the Newman Civic Fellows Award honors inspiring student leaders who invest their time and energies in finding solutions for challenges facing communities throughout the country.

UM President Donna E. Shalala presents the Newman award to Guerdiana Thelomar, far right, at a ceremony also attended by, from left, Butler Center Director Andrew Weimer and Robin Bachin, assistant provost for civic and community engagement.

Special to UM News

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (May 7, 2014)—UM junior Guerdiana Thelomar is this year’s recipient of the Newman Civic Fellows Award in recognition of her dedication to finding solutions for challenges faced by local and international communities. The award is named for Frank Newman, one of the founders of Campus Compact, a national coalition of almost 1,200 college and university presidents who are committed to fulfilling the civic purposes of higher education.

UM President Donna E. Shalala presented the award to Thelomar at a private May 1 ceremony. She was previously honored for her work at the April 22 Celebration of Involvement by the Office of Civic and Community Engagement and the Butler Center for Volunteer Service and Leadership Development.

A double major in human and social development and visual journalism, Thelomar is deeply committed to social change, international development, and cultivating leadership capacity and youth empowerment. She is vice president of the Haitian student organization Planet Kreyol, a member of the Butler Center’s Student Advisory Board, an organizer of the annual Women’s Leadership Symposium, and an intern with the Wesley Foundation, the UM Methodist ministry.

Her work also extends beyond South Florida, into the broader international community. She is the founder of Generation Hope, an organization that empowers young people in Haiti and equips them with the tools, skills, and resources needed to achieve their dreams. She has made multiple trips abroad to work with young people and facilitate workshops on leadership and community building. She also participated in the 2014 Clinton Global Initiative University to further her work.

“As a passionate young woman and a dreamer, I wish to see a world where all children have the courage to dream and believe that those dreams can become a reality, despite the hardships and obstacles in their lives,” Thelomar said. “This is the change that I want to see take place, and this is what motivates the involvement that I have in my surrounding community. My goal for every single organization, committee, or project is to create a long-lasting impact that will motivate and inspire others to discover their passions and utilize them to make this world a better place.”

From left, Robin Bachin, President Donna E. Shalala, Meera Nagarsheth, and Andrew Wiemer.

Meera Nagarsheth, a University of Miami sophomore studying microbiology and immunology, has been named a 2012 Campus Compact Newman Civic Fellow in recognition of her inspiring leadership and efforts in finding solutions to public health challenges faced by local and global communities.

The award is named for Dr. Frank Newman, one of the founders of Campus Compact, who dedicated his life to creating opportunities for student civic learning and engagement. Read the full story

Human Services Coalition founder Daniella Levine addresses UM students at the launch of Gandhi Day of Service 2011.

Students and other members of the University of Miami community took part in UM’s annual National Gandhi Day of Service on Sunday, October 2.

Keynote speakers Patricia Whitely, vice president of student affairs, and Daniella Levine, founder and CEO of the Miami-based Human Services Coalition, kicked off the day of service. Participants then proceeded to sites throughout Miami-Dade County from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Volunteer activities ranged from painting and restoration to helping put out food for animals at the Miami Zoo. Other agencies assisted included Rebuilding Together, which renovates houses for disabled and economically disadvantaged Miami citizens; Kristi House, which provides a safe, nurturing environment for child victims of sexual abuse and their families; and Empowered Youth, an organization that provides at-risk youngsters with tools and support for becoming positive role models and productive members of their communities. Read the full story

More than 250 University of Miami students traveled to different sites around Miami-Dade County recently to participate in Orientation Outreach, a daylong event in which they did everything from cleanups and beautification projects to mentoring young children. Hosted by the William R. Butler Center for Volunteer Service and Leadership Development, the day of service, held on Saturday, August 28, was designed to introduce both new and returning students to the many service opportunities in Miami that are available to them through the center. Students volunteered at ten sites across the county, rolling up their sleeves and doing good deeds at locations such as Happy Children of Overtown, South Miami Community Center, Bill Baggs State Park, The Barnacle Historic State Park, and Miami River Commission.