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Human Services Student Mattie Wolff Honored as a Newman Civic Fellow

Campus Compact, a national coalition of colleges and universities working to advance the public purposes of higher education, has named USCB Human Services student and civic leader Mattie Wolff as a Newman Civic Fellow. She was selected among nominations from 38 states, Washington, D.C., and Mexico. Wolff will be part of the 2024-2025 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows.

This yearlong program recognizes students who stand out for their leadership potential and commitment to creating positive change in communities. The fellowship is named for the late Frank Newman, one of Campus Compact’s founders and a tireless advocate for civic engagement in higher education. Each fellow is nominated by their campus president or chancellor, who selects one exemplary community-committed student from their institution each year.

“I have always loved helping people, and that focus has carried on with me as I grew up. I struggled for years with addiction but finally was able to turn my life around. Being a single parent has helped enforce my love for helping,” Wolff wrote on her application to the Newman Civic Fellows program. “My personal mission is to educate and advocate for those who have not yet found their voices or have yet to realize how to use them, and always to fight the injustice that society places upon them. Everyone deserves a chance to live a healthy life and to be treated with dignity.”

Six years ago, Wolff was able to get clean and into recovery after fighting 17 years of drug addiction. Now she works with others in her previous situation, providing them with a sense of hope. She works closely with this community and contributes to social change while maintaining a stellar GPA and raising a young son.

Wolff gives credit to LRADAC (Lexington/Richland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council), where she found support. She is an active member of LRADAC’s MOMs group, helping celebrate other mothers in recovery. Recently, she was asked to share her story in an LRADAC testimonial video, in the hope of inspiring others struggling with addiction to seek help. This film has been distributed on a variety of media platforms.

In the past six years, Wolff has become a mother, earned her GED, and enrolled in Midlands Technical College, where she was invited to join the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society for academic excellence. She is now an outstanding student at USCB.

“Ms. Wolff will represent our university well in this national fellowship of community-committed students. She has consistently demonstrated strong leadership ability, sincerity and deep empathy for others. Her motivation and commitment to improving other's lives are of the highest distinction,” said USCB Chancellor Al M. Panu.

Campus Compact provides the Newman Civic Fellows with learning and networking opportunities that nurture their development as civic leaders. Wolff will have virtual and in-person learning experiences, including competitive mini-grant funding opportunities for social impact projects, monthly online leadership webinars, and a mentorship program with a local mentor.  Fellows also have access to exclusive scholarship and post-graduate opportunities. 

The three-day Annual Convening of Newman Civic Fellows offers intensive in-person skill-building and networking. This year’s conference is Nov. 14-16 in Chicago.

“We are honored to recognize such an outstanding group of community-committed students,” said Campus Compact President Bobbie Laur. “One of the best parts of the Newman Civic Fellowships is the richness of students’ perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds—and how these varied stories all led to their passionate engagement with the social, political, and environmental issues impacting our world. These students will be the catalysts for change on many levels, and we are privileged to help empower them to create that change.”

 The Newman Civic Fellowship is supported by The Allstate Foundation. Learn more at compact.org/newman-civic-fellowship.