Newman Civic Fellow

Anna Grant-Bolton ’25 has received a 2024–25 Newman Civic Fellowship from Campus Compact, a national coalition of colleges and universities working to advance the public purposes of higher education. The fellowship, which was set to start in September, is a yearlong program that recognizes students for their leadership potential and commitment to creating positive change in communities.

Campus Compact provides fellows with programming that emphasizes personal, professional, and civic growth. The cornerstone of the fellowship is the Annual Convening of Newman Civic Fellows, which offers intensive in-person skill-building and networking over three days. Fellows also may apply for exclusive opportunities, including mini grants to help fund scholarships and postgraduate opportunities.

Grant-Bolton, a leader of multiple service and advocacy groups at Trinity, is pursuing majors in human rights and public policy and law, with a minor in community action.

“I’m excited to connect with and learn from other students who are engaged in social justice work on their own campuses,” Grant-Bolton said. “I think this experience will be essential in helping me to become a better student leader and activist.”

Internships at a legal aid clinic in her hometown of Evanston, Illinois, and through the Northwestern Prison Education Program inspired Grant-Bolton to learn about ways to address issues of mass incarceration in the criminal justice system. After graduating from Trinity next spring, Grant-Bolton tentatively plans to pursue a master’s degree in social work, focused on policy or political advocacy, along with a master’s in public policy. “I’d eventually like to join a grassroots community organization, ideally in an advocacy, organizing, or policy role,” she said.

Grant-Bolton already has experience leading service and advocacy groups. After helping during high school to create the Evanston Community Fridges project—through which residents can share food with neighbors in need—she became involved with restarting Trinity’s food recovery program. Working with the Trinity Homelessness Project, student volunteers pick up leftover food from Chartwells and deliver it to ImmaCare, a Hartford homeless shelter near Trinity. In addition, she co-founded Students Against Mass Incarceration and co-launched TrinDivests, and she also is active in Trinity’s Center for Hartford and Engagement and Research (CHER), which works to strengthen and evaluate academic and co-curricular partnerships between Hartford’s diverse communities and students, staff, and faculty at Trinity.

Grant-Bolton added that receiving the Newman Civic Fellowship feels like a testament to the power of grassroots social change. “Being honored with this reminds me that the work we’re doing is meaningful and it’s powerful, even when it’s slow and I don’t see results immediately,” she said. “It’s a reminder to keep on going.”