Covell Lindstrom Named a 2019 Newman Civic Fellow

From left: Kiva Nice-Webb, Covell Lindstrom, President Fletch Lamkin, and Dr. Carolyn Perry.

John “Covell” Lindstrom ’21 ΦΔΘ of San Antonio, TX, was awarded a 2019 Newman Civic Fellowship in March. Lindstrom, a non-profit management and leadership major, is one of only four Missouri college students to receive the one-year fellowship. Nationwide, Newman Civic Fellowships were awarded this spring to only 268 college students.

Lindstrom’s fellowship will allow him to connect volunteers throughout Callaway County with the Westminster community. His work will help provide Callaway organizations with easy access to volunteers, where needed. The system will be a significant help to Westminster students, who are eager to volunteer in Fulton and the surrounding area.

The Newman Civic Fellowship follows an internship Lindstrom completed this year with the United Way of Callaway County.

Both Kiva Nice-Webb, Chaplain and Director of the Center for Faith and Service, and internship sponsor Dr. Carolyn Perry nominated Lindstrom for the fellowship. Perry says she directly observed Lindstrom’s commitment to the United Way and knew of his well-developed civic interest in the surrounding community.

“I nominated Covell because I knew he would dedicate himself to getting the job done,” Perry explains, adding, “Covell has a true heart for service.”

President Fletch Lamkin endorsed Lindstrom’s nomination, describing the Westminster sophomore as “a bridge builder [and] a strategic connector.” Read more about Lamkin’s endorsement here on the Campus Compact website.

Campus Compact is the Boston-based, national organization that oversees Newman Civic Fellowships. The coalition is composed of more than 1,000 participating colleges and universities that are committed to civic education and community development.

“We are one of only four institutions in Missouri that make the Newman Fellowship a priority, and we do so because of our mission,” Perry says.

Lindstrom says he is excited to be a Newman Civic Fellow. He adds that both the Westminster and Campus Compact communities are providing him the support he needs to help him “make the world a better place.”

“Also, by receiving this fellowship, I can connect with other service-driven students to see what they are doing for their projects, and bounce ideas off of them,” Lindstrom explains.

In addition to virtual events conducted online, regional and state gatherings of fellows, and one-on-one leadership development with a local mentor, Lindstrom will attend a national Newman Civic Fellowship conference in November.

The Newman Civic Fellowship is named after Campus Compact co-founder Frank Newman, a long-time advocate for public service who dedicated his life to higher education and educational reform.