Tennessee Wesleyan College Junior Casey Cooper is one of 181 students from 36 states who have been recognized as 2013 Newman Civic Fellows. Newman Civic Fellows are student leaders who have demonstrated an investment in finding solutions for challenges facing communities throughout the country. Mr. Cooper’s recognition comes from Campus Compact, a national coalition of almost 1,200 college and university presidents who are committed to fulfilling the public purposes of higher education.

“In the three years that Casey has been at Tennessee Wesleyan, he has made a lasting impact,” said Dr. Harley Knowles, TWC president. “He is a known leader on our campus and within our community, having logged more than 250 hours of service since enrolling at Tennessee Wesleyan in 2010.”

A special education major, Mr. Cooper has served as a TWC First-Year Experience Peer Leader which allowed him to assist first-year students’ transition to college, as well as help him prepare for a career in education. Mr. Cooper has also volunteered as a tutor in the TWC Academic Success Center and has served at Athens City Middle School, Morning Pointe Assisted Living Residence and the local American Legion Post.

Mr. Cooper also helped lead the implementation of an alternative break initiative by joining classmates on a fall break trip to Heifer International Ranch in Perryville, Ark., later serving as a student leader for a spring break trip through TWC’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes to Jonesville, Va., with the Appalachian Service Project.

“Casey has a genuine kindness and open personality that have made him very successful in an educational setting,” said Mandie Thacker Beeler, TWC director of the center for servant leadership. “He always maintains a positive and upbeat attitude, which is contagious. He will no doubt be a great educator after he graduates, and his service work now is accelerating his professional growth and development.”

Through service, research and advocacy, Newman Civic Fellows are making the most of their college experiences to better understand themselves, the root causes of social issues and effective mechanisms for creating lasting change. The Newman Civic Fellows Awards are made possible through the generous support of the KPMG Foundation. For a full list of the 2013 Newman Civic Fellows, visit:  http://www.compact.org/initiatives/awards-programs/the-frank-newman-leadership-award/the-2013-newman-civic-fellows/