After four years of hard work and dedication at Shippensburg University, senior Lavell Simpkins was named a 2015 Newman Civic Fellow.

Simpkins is one of 201 people to be named a 2015 Newman Civic Fellow by Campus Compact. According to the SU news release, the organization is a coalition of nearly 1,100 college and university presidents. Together, they improve community life and educate students on civic and social responsibility.

Throughout his journey at SU, Simpkins has made an impact in many people’s lives. As a freshman, he founded and organized the Ship Votes campaign, which now has more than 3,000 SU students and community members registered to vote. Simpkins is also a student senator for Multicultural Student Affairs. He is involved with the Black Student Union, Sociology Club and diversity teaching.

Simpkins has worked as a student orientation leader and helped create student-led workshops to teach valuable life skills to more than 200 high school students. He continued to make his academics and community involvement a priority while serving tables at TGI Friday’s.

To Simpkins, his biggest accomplishment is not any president position or research project, but his experience as a resident assistant (RA). As an RA, he was able to connect with people and meet many great residents. He loved that he was able to help people, while getting paid for it. Simpkins has always had an influence on helping first-year students transition into the SU community.

Helping people is Simpkins’ way of giving back to the community. Simpkins said college gave him the opportunity to be a good humanitarian and good person on a larger scale.

“I never look at it as taking a leader role,” Simpkins said. “I feel like this is a road that everyone can take. Everyone is a role model.”

Simpkins said the nomination process for Newman Civic Fellow was very long. SU’s Center for Engagement Services associate director, James D’Amico; assistant director for Residential Education, Pavan Purswani; Kevin Battersby; and Student Affairs vice president, Roger Serr, were some of the administrators from SU involved in the process. SU president George “Jody” Harpster gave the final green light for Simpkins’ nomination.

It was an overwhelming feeling for Simpkins when he found out he was named a Newman Civic Fellow. Although he would rather not have the attention, Simpkins is thankful that all of his hard work, community service and conversations meant something to someone, enough that they recognized it.

Simpkins, from Philadelphia, said he truly believes in the SU family. He is grateful for all the people he has met at SU, including professors, students, custodian staff and dining service employees. He said SU has grown on him and will always have a special place in his heart. Next year, at this time, Simpkins will be studying at Shepherd University in West Virginia.

This Newman Civic Fellow wants students to know that time outside of the classroom is just as important as time inside the classroom. He tells first-year students that college is a roller coaster, but they should enjoy the ride.

“Try to take some time to learn about yourself. Try to take some time to identify what you struggle with, personally and professionally, and work on it,” Simpkins said. “Pay it forward. Get involved.”

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