S hould you register to vote in your college town, or remain registered in your hometown? That’s a question that Student Ambassador and Georgia College tour guide Vivian Cassaniti hears often from students and parents during her tours, and it’s one that Cassaniti is uniquely qualified to answer.

Cassaniti grew up with the news always on in her home, so when she was in high school she had a keen interest in how the news influenced and effected those around her. By the time she got to Georgia College, she’d gathered more course credits than most and, rather than graduate early, Cassaniti decided to round out her pre-law degree with a second major in philosophy.

As a Student Ambassador and member of the mock trial team, her stellar performance soon brought her to the attention of Student Leadership Director, Dr. Harold Mock. He nominated her for the 2022 Newman Civic Fellowship, a yearlong program that partners student leaders across the nation for both virtual and in-person networking.

“We appoint a Civic Newman Fellow every year,” Mock said, “Vivian represents the best of Georgia College’s commitment to leadership for the public good. She has delved deeply into the abiding questions of the humanities and social sciences and is using that knowledge to create good on behalf of others and to inform public discourse.”

Cassaniti’s passion for working with local communities to understand different perspectives led her to winning the Newman Civic Fellowship, which selects leaders from Campus Compact member institutions who demonstrate new ways of solving civic issues. As part of the Fellowship, Cassaniti will receive national recognition on the Campus Compact as well as special scholarship opportunities.

“I strive to educate people,” Cassaniti said, “I think it's important that we encourage community engagement and make sure that our leadership and our representatives are, in fact, a representation of the community that they intend to serve.”   

Cassaniti sees her receiving of the Newman Fellowship as a time to act.

“I have a real opportunity here to encourage people to get involved in their community, whether that's their college town or their community at home to familiarize yourself with your local leadership and those municipal governments and understand that you can really make an impact.”

The Newman Fellowship is named for renowned educator Frank Newman, who founded the Campus Compact to help create civically responsible agents of change. The issues that Campus Compact were created to address; at-risk youth and the impact of market forces on education, are uniquely aligned with Cassaniti’s own ambitions.

“I'm interested in either civil rights law or immigration law,” Cassaniti said, “just to use my education and the resources that I have to help those who may not have the same opportunities. I would love to work for the ACLU in the future, I think, protecting people's civil rights and protecting those who may be disenfranchised.”

In order to be considered, Cassaniti needed to be nominated by GC President Cathy Cox herself, and to “take action in addressing issues of inequality and political polarization,” according to their website. Cassaniti’s work as a Student Ambassador and on the mock trial team has positioned her as a representative of the best that Georgia College has to offer.