Gabrielle Kuba named Newman Civic Fellow for 2017
Gabrielle Kuba ’18, a biology major at Salve Regina, has been honored as a 2017 Newman Civic Fellow by Campus Compact, the Boston-based nonprofit organization supporting civic engagement on college campuses throughout the country.
As a fellowship recipient, Kuba will participate in a variety of learning and networking opportunities designed to enhance personal, professional and civic growth, including attending the national conference of Newman Civic Fellows in partnership with the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the U.S. Senate.
Since arriving at Salve Regina, Kuba has been passionate about environmental causes through both her volunteerism and academic pursuits. She has worked with Clean Ocean Access and Save the Bay to clean up marine environments and track pollutants. As a facilitator for Salve Regina’s Service Plunge 2.0, she has spearheaded watershed cleanup efforts at Bailey’s Brook in Middletown.
Through her academic research, Kuba has been tracking nutrient levels in Narragansett Bay, which she has found to be elevated due to increasing runoff, adversely impacting two species of seaweed that she’s studying. “In the last 10 years, we’ve been finding that these two species of seaweed are growing out of control, which is not good for the environment or for ecological balance,” she said.
Kuba is a member of Mercy in Motion, Protect Our Wildlife and the Environmental Club. She participated in the University’s community service trip to Nicaragua to assist individuals in the Mustard Seed Orphanage. She also works in gardens and parks near campus and supports a local animal shelter to care for animals seeking homes.
“Gabrielle has always been a spirited and hardworking young woman,” said President Jane Gerety, RSM, who nominated Kuba for the Newman Fellowship. “Over the past three years, I have watched her mature into a strong leader with the ability to get the job done. She has been an inspiration, leading the way in support of many worthwhile causes. She not only has a personal commitment to support social and environmental causes, but also has the ability to get other people involved and committed to service.”
As a 2017 Newman Civic Fellow, Kuba will be a part of the first cohort to benefit from a completely redesigned fellowship. Named for Campus Compact co-founder Frank Newman, the fellowship is a one-year experience emphasizing personal, professional and civic growth. In addition to offering learning and networking opportunities, the fellowship also provides fellows with access to exclusive scholarship and post-graduate opportunities.
