New College of Florida Student Joseph Shepherd Named 2013 Newman Civic Fellow

New College of Florida student Joseph Shepherd has been named a national 2013 Newman Civic Fellow by Campus Compact for his work in building a tutoring program in one of Sarasota’s poorest neighborhoods.
“New College students are known for being leaders who bring about positive change,” said New College President Donal O’Shea. “Joseph is exemplifying that leadership and extending the College’s mission into our community.”
In his recommendation letter, O’Shea called him “the ultimate problem-solver: Calm, supportive, low-key and cerebral, he thinks through the layers of intertwined issues to come up with a pragmatic solution.”
Shepherd, a second-year student studying literature, began working as a tutor at the Robert L. Taylor Community Center in January 2012 as part of a group study project. He and other New College students began researching best practices in after-school programs and studied socio-economic issues and educational philosophy.
The one-month project grew into a semester-long tutorial, and this year, Shepherd has applied his work-study position at New College to serving as a liaison between the College and the center, recruiting, scheduling and even transporting tutors to ensure consistent coverage four days a week.
“We began as a small group – less than a handful of us going to the shelter on a not-entirely-regular basis – but word has spread about the work we do now and how much fun we have doing it, and there are now at least three or four of us ready to help out every day,” Shepherd said.
“Having a diversity of volunteers is allowing us to meet students’ personal and academic needs more fully than ever before. For me and my fellow volunteers, our experience at the Community Complex has been one of the most enriching, challenging and informative periods of our lives.”
Shepherd, from Greensboro, N.C., is one of 180 students nationwide honored as a 2013 Newman Civic Fellow. Fellows are invited to participate in a private online network designed to let them share information on the work in their communities and retain the title for life. He is considering joining Teach for America and becoming a secondary-school teacher.
Campus Compact is a national coalition of almost 1,200 college and university presidents who are committed to fulfilling the civic purposes of higher education to improve community life and educate students for civic and social responsibility.