Jewett is an internationally recognized political scientist and co-author of the book聽Politics in Florida. Jewett also served as a congressional aide for a now-retired congressman and as president of the Florida Political Science Association. This semester, he is teaching State Government and Public Policy, Florida Politics, and Scope and Methods of Political Science. Jewett joined 麻豆原创 in 1995 and earned his doctorate in political science from Florida State University in 1997.

What factors have made this presidential election unique?
AJ: Two factors make this election unique: One is Donald Trump and the other is coronavirus. We have not had a president like President Trump in my lifetime. Presidential role theory suggests that presidents act and behave in certain ways. Regardless of age and party, most presidents conform to that. President Trump has done things differently compared to traditional presidents of either party.

Clearly beyond the candidates and personalities, the pandemic is something the country hasn鈥檛 been through in a century. It has affected the way Trump and Joe Biden campaign. It has affected the way people vote. We鈥檝e seen a lot more people request mail-in ballots. And each candidates鈥� response to the pandemic may certainly be one of the bigger factors on choosing which candidate they vote for.

In the last six presidential elections, [Florida has] voted three times for Republican, three times for Democrat and all six times for the winner.

Why is Florida such an important state in presidential elections?
AJ: Empirically, Florida has been the most important swing state over the last 24 years. In the last six presidential elections, we voted three times for Republican, three times for Democrat and all six times for the winner. The margin of victory for the winner has been the smallest of any of the 50 states. On average, the president who won Florida won by 2.6 percent over those six elections. Ohio is the only other state that has voted for the winner six times in a row and their margin of victory for winners has been 4.6 percent. We have 29 electoral votes, which is the most of any of the historical swing states. That makes Florida such an important and prime target, and the candidates are aware of that.

How does the Electoral College process work, and why do we have it?
AJ: We have it because it鈥檚 the way the framers of the Constitution set it up more than 200 years ago. The framers didn鈥檛 trust direct democracy 鈥� they didn鈥檛 want the masses to necessarily have the final say on who would be president because they knew based on history that in democracies, a lot of times the masses didn鈥檛 make considered choices. They also really wanted to protect the role of the states in choosing the president. Each state wanted to have some influence, and particularly the smaller states didn鈥檛 want the larger states to have all the say politically. So they came up with the Electoral College.

Each state gets electoral votes based on their membership in Congress. Even the smallest states get at least three electoral votes (one for each senator, and at least one for a representative). Larger states have more members of the House of Representatives so they get more electoral votes. So instead of a national popularity contest, we have a state-by-state race. It is a contest to win states and electoral votes of those states. As a candidate, you have to win a majority of electoral votes (270) to become president. There are 435 members in the House and 100 members in the Senate 鈥� that鈥檚 535, plus by constitutional amendment we give three electoral votes to Washington, D.C. As a president, you try to win enough states so that you can win at least 270 electoral votes.

In 48 of the 50 states, it鈥檚 a winner-take-all race. In other words, if you win the state of Florida by even just one popular vote, you win all 29 electoral votes. The two exceptions to winner-take-all are Maine and Nebraska. They have a congressional apportionment system. The statewide winner wins two electoral votes for the two U.S. senators and then the winner of each district will win one electoral vote. In 2016, Trump lost Maine statewide but he won one of the congressional districts, so he won one electoral vote from Maine.

What are the pros and cons of the Electoral College?
AJ: The biggest criticism is occasionally the winner of the national popular vote doesn鈥檛 become president. We鈥檝e had that happen twice in the last 20 years 鈥� in 2000 when George W. Bush beat Al Gore, and four years ago when Hillary Clinton won by more than 2 million votes but lost in the Electoral College. People argue, 鈥淭his is democracy? How can the winner of the popular vote not win the presidency?鈥�

But in terms of defending the Electoral College, it keeps a vibrant and important role for the states and particularly protects the role of small states 鈥� they have a larger percentage of power in the Electoral College system than they would have in just a national popular vote. When the original states agreed to form the country, that was part of the deal.

Is there a possibility of reforming the way elections are run?
AJ: There have been a lot of critics of the Electoral College. Those critics have usually been Democrats and more progressive because from their perspective, they鈥檝e come up on the short end of the stick twice in the last 20 years. It鈥檚 a difficult thing to change because it鈥檚 in the Constitution. To change the Electoral College means you鈥檇 have to have a constitutional amendment. We鈥檝e only had 27 amendments in more than 200 years, and 10 of them happened in the first two years right after the Constitution. So it鈥檚 not impossible, but it鈥檚 certainly a difficult road and a hard process to change.

Do you think we鈥檒l know the winner of the presidential race on election night?
AJ: It depends on how close the race is, and this year might take a lot longer to tabulate the results because of all the mail-in ballots. Florida is a little bit better off compared to a number of other states because we鈥檝e been doing mail-in ballots for a long time, and we have state laws that say the supervisor of elections can start tabulating those mail ballots before the election. But a lot of states do not have that rule. Some of them have a rule that you have to wait until election night. Historically that hasn鈥檛 been a problem for those states because they haven鈥檛 had huge numbers of mail-in votes but this year they probably will. There are also some states, like California and Oregon, that allow ballots to count as long as they are postmarked by the election. Those states historically vote for the Democratic candidate, so those mail-in ballots may not be a factor for them in projecting a winner for president, but in other more competitive states who have the same rule, it could be a factor if the race is close. So it鈥檚 really going to be interesting to see how all of this affects the process.

In light of the world鈥檚 COVID-19 pandemic, Wilk has turned the kitchen of her small studio apartment in New York City into a full-blown bake shop. Her inspiration: The brave first responders passionately dedicated to the safety of civilians. The treat: A variety of gooey, sweet cookies that Wilk considers to be her forte.

鈥淚 have no medical training, but I can bake a really, really good cookie for the people who do,鈥� Wilk says.

鈥淭his concept may have started with the coronavirus, but the sprinkling of joy made with love in the kitchen will go on forever.鈥�

After being furloughed from her job as a chef and instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education, she decided to use her time to provide tasty treats for local medical employees working long hours. Then she created#BAKEITFORWARD, a social media initiative to encourage others to give thanks through food to those on the front lines of the pandemic.

So far, Wilk has raised more than $3,500 on GoFundMe that will go toward a #BAKEITFORWARD cookbook, made with the intention of share her recipes to others so that they, too, can spread positivity during this time.

鈥淭his concept may have started with the coronavirus, but the sprinkling of joy made with love in the kitchen will go on forever,鈥� Wilk says. 鈥淲hen you have a bad day, or you want to bring someone else some happiness, this cookbook will serve as a template for doing that.鈥�

Despite her experience as a professional chef, Wilk鈥檚 degree in political science from the 麻豆原创 is what she points to as an important influence in #BAKEITFORWARD.

鈥淵ou wouldn鈥檛 think I鈥檇 be using a degree in political science as a chef,鈥� Wilk says, 鈥渂ut it is the perfect degree to blend my passion for nonprofit work with my passion for food.鈥�

Wilk鈥檚 love for both food and helping others began at a young age. When she was old enough to choose a university to attend for her bachelor鈥檚 degree, there was no doubt in Wilk鈥檚 mind 麻豆原创 is where she wanted to be.

鈥淚 loved everything about the school,鈥� says Wilk, who is from Miami. 鈥淔rom the experiences 麻豆原创 offers, to the campus, to being right around Disney, I was drawn from the get-go and I knew in my heart that this is where I wanted to be for school.鈥�

While in Orlando she also had the chance to frequent vegan restaurants in the area. When she decided to attend culinary school, she wanted to attend one where she knew she鈥檇 be making nutrient-dense food akin to that approach, leading her to the Natural Gourmet Institute.

But as her career progressed, Wilk says she learned that sometimes classic eggs, butter, and sugar cannot be beat.

鈥淭he cookies that I鈥檓 making for #BAKEITFORWARD are not vegan or nutrient dense, but right now that isn鈥檛 my focus,鈥� Wilk says. 鈥淢y focus here is to bring joy, and there is nothing more joyful than a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chip cookie made with classic pastry ingredients.鈥�

When she鈥檚 finished baking up batches in her kitchen, she hand delivers her goods to local hospitals and service departments. What Wilk loves most about this ritual is the humanity she gets to see on her walks to her destinations.

鈥淥n my way to drop off the cookies, I always see chalk on the sidewalk and free coffee deliveries being made, stuff like that,鈥� Wilk says. 鈥淚t reminds me that we are all human and all going through something totally new to us, not to mention terrifying. It鈥檚 the little things we do as human beings that can make a difference in someone鈥檚 life right now.鈥�

Frey leaves a long legacy of service to the United States and Central Florida. He had a hand in both establishing Kennedy Space Center as the home of the space shuttle program and appealing to President Richard Nixon to turn over McCoy Air Force Base to the city of Orlando. That base would later become Orlando International Airport.

The 麻豆原创 connection started with Frey鈥檚 donation of his congressional archives to 麻豆原创 in 2002 to create the Lou Frey Institute of Politics and Government. The institute promotes the development of enlightened, responsible and actively engaged citizens through experiential learning and civic education. That mission was boosted through a partnership with former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham to create the Florida Joint Center for Citizenship, which is housed in the Lou Frey Institute.

鈥淟ou appealed to so many in this state for his honor, his attention to constituents and his love of Florida and his country,鈥� says Stephen Masyada, interim executive director of the Lou Frey Institute and director of the Florida Joint Center for Citizenship.

Frey was an attorney by trade, holding positions as assistant county solicitor for Orange County and counsel for the Florida Turnpike Authority before running for office as a Republican. His tenure representing Central Florida extended five consecutive terms before retiring undefeated in 1979. He also ran for U.S. Senate and Florida governor.

His political influence continued long after leaving office, including stints as committee member on the presidential campaigns of Gerald Ford, Bob Dole and George W. Bush. Frey shared that wealth of knowledge as a frequent speaker through the institute on topics including homeland security, the space program, and church and state.

Senior Fellow Doug Dobson said Frey was happiest when he was surrounded by a group of students or teachers. His lectures extended beyond the surface level of 鈥渉ow government works鈥� to include the mental and physical toll of running for office and the demands of life in the public eye. The result was one of the strongest civic education programs in the U.S, which, in turn, is producing students equipped for politics, Dobson says.

鈥淟ou felt an incredible commitment to educating future public servants and passing along his experiences,鈥� Dobson says. 鈥淭hat was part of his life鈥檚 mission.鈥�

The value of civic education cannot be underestimated, says Kerstin Hamann, director of the School of Politics, Security and International Affairs, which houses the Lou Frey Institute. To fully exercise your rights as a citizen, you need to understand how the system works, what the Constitution represents, and our rights and processes, Hamann said.

鈥淭he Lou Frey Institute excels at providing K-12 students with the understanding they need to become educated citizens,鈥� Hamann says.

Growing up, the political sciences and biology double major and says, 鈥渕y version of the superhero was always that doctor that saves the day from a super disease that takes over the world.鈥�

That passion for science and geopolitics has only grown at 麻豆原创. Working under the supervision of G眉ne艧 Murat Tezc眉r, chair of 麻豆原创鈥檚 program, Dovydaitis has been working on an honors undergraduate thesis examining the medical and political ramifications of the Anfal campaign, an infamous chemical weapons attack perpetrated by Saddam Hussein鈥檚 regime in the late 1980s that resulted in the genocide of an estimated 50,000-100,000 Kurds.

The risk of chemical weapons being used in future terrorism attacks makes this a particularly salient topic for study, Dovydaitis says.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a saying that 鈥榖iological weapons are the poor man鈥檚 atom bomb,鈥� 鈥� she says. 鈥淭hese weapons are actually quite easy and inexpensive, from the science standpoint, to create. And so, a lot of terrorism scholars predict their usage is only going to continue as the future of war and conflict develops.鈥�

As she read the existing literature on Anfal, she learned about the lingering health consequences of being exposed to mustard and Sarin gas 聽鈥� a long list that includes chronic respiratory ailments, burns, damage to the eyes and an increased incidence of cancer.

鈥淏ut what I didn鈥檛 find a lot on was how a society recovers from such a massive incident of chemical warfare,鈥� she says.

To get those answers, she would need to go to Iraqi Kurdistan, a country nearly 7,000 miles away that she had never stepped foot in. Fortunately, her program of study gave her a way in.

鈥淭he Kurdish Political Sciences program is really well connected to the university system in Iraqi Kurdistan, and so we have many connections to professors and politicians in that area,鈥� Dovydaitis says.

Dovydaitis spent two weeks doing on-the-ground fieldwork this summer, shuttling between the capital city of Erbil and other areas affected by the genocide. There, she interviewed the former deputy minister of Anfal and Martyrs, Baravan Hamdi Hussein, as well as activists, politicians, medical professionals, town council members and government lawyers.

She also met with survivors, documenting first-hand accounts of the genocide鈥檚 emotional and psychological toll. In the mountainous rural town of Halabja, 鈥淚 met a mother who lost all of her children,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 met a father who lost his wife and children, people losing eight to ten family members in a day.鈥�

鈥淚t didn鈥檛 seem like anyone I met in that town wasn鈥檛 somehow affected by what happened.鈥� 鈥� Jenna Dovydaiti, 麻豆原创 student

鈥淚 can鈥檛 even begin to imagine how horrible that would be, to lose all of my siblings and the people I love in a single day. It didn鈥檛 seem like anyone I met in that town wasn鈥檛 somehow affected by what happened.鈥�

The experience left a profound impression.

鈥淚 had an academic understanding of my topics of study before I got there,鈥� Dovydaitis says. 鈥淏ut it really was quite different to meet the people who are actually affected by it, and to gain a sort of emotional understanding. And now I feel this great sense of responsibility to do them justice in my thesis writing.鈥�

Dovydaitis plans to work in government after going to medical school and says her thesis fieldwork was a 鈥渢ransformative鈥� experience.

鈥淚t鈥檚 different reading about it in books and doing assignments about your future career, and then doing something that would be like your future career,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 reassuring that what I鈥檝e been saying I鈥檝e wanted to do for a long time is actually what I want to do.鈥�

The students were spread out across 28 school districts that hosted mock elections this year using a ballot that reflected all the statewide races. The ballot was editable so that schools could include local races like school board or county commission. While limited in scale, students flipped the results of Tuesday鈥檚 election and sent Andrew Gillum to the governor鈥檚 mansions. While the real Senate race could be heading to a recount, students had no trouble selecting Bill Nelson over Rick Scott.

While the ballots don鈥檛 contribute to the real result, the value of mock elections is high, said Chris Spinale, Action Civics coordinator at the Florida Joint Center for Citizenship.

鈥淎ny time you鈥檙e able to model a civic experience, it sticks with the kids,鈥� Spinale said. 鈥淏y providing them the opportunity to participate in a mock election 鈥� students have shown a greater proclivity to engage in the real thing.鈥�

The mock election ballots are created soon after their official counterparts and distributed to schools across the state. Each school has a unique identifying number, so students can see the day after the election where their vote fits into the bigger picture. That sense of community is another shared experience with real voting, Spinale explains.

鈥淲hen the student understands their voice can make a difference, it starts to affect real change,鈥� Spinale said. 鈥淭hey start to understand their role in the process.鈥�

Doug Dobson, Ph.D., is director of the Lou Frey Institute, which advocates and educates for the development of civic and political skills. Voting is at the heart of American representative democracy, he said, and the mock elections allow students to 鈥渄evelop habits of citizenship that will stay with them throughout their lives.鈥�

Spinale echoes his thoughts on citizenship.

鈥淩ight now you can look at our students as citizen apprentices. When students better understand what it means to be a citizen, then we have a more effective society,鈥� Spinale said.

Kerstin Hamann, Ph.D., a Pegasus Professor and chair of the , added: 鈥淭his experience is invaluable as it enhances young people鈥檚 understanding of democracy and prepares them as future voters.鈥�

Her plea 鈥� along with her endorsement of two candidates in upcoming Tennessee races for U.S. Senate and House 鈥� coincided with more than 166,000 new voter registrations between the time she posted on Oct. 7 and noon on Oct. 9, according to Vote.org. About 42 percent of those registrants were between the ages of 18 and 24.

But are celebrity endorsements really a magic bullet for politicians?

Not necessarily, says Aubrey Jewett, associate professor of Political Science at 麻豆原创.

鈥淪tudies show that celebrity endorsements most often energize a fan base who were already leaning toward a certain politician. So maybe they go from planning to vote to attending a rally,鈥� Jewett says.

Jewett points to the close primary race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in 2008 as an example. Oprah Winfrey鈥檚 endorsement of Obama was estimated to be worth more than a million votes and a huge boost in fundraising.

On a broader scale, celebrity endorsements often serve as a bridge between a demographic and a candidate, explained Terri Fine, professor of Political Science and associate director of the Lou Frey Institute of Politics and Government at 麻豆原创. The Institute promotes civic engagement through educational programs, research and policy analysis.

Turnout and registration is often low with younger voters because they don鈥檛 frequently see candidates who mirror their age or demographic. Swift鈥檚 endorsement serves as a proxy for that lack of a familiar face, Fine says.

鈥淧eople recognize her, they like her, and that enables her to send a message,鈥� Fine says.

But celebrity endorsements have their drawbacks, too.

鈥淚t can actually have a net negative effect,鈥� Jewett explains.

Research shows in some cases voters will come out specifically to vote against someone a celebrity endorsed.

鈥淚t can hurt instead of help a candidate,鈥� Jewett says.

This year鈥檚 recipients are Rachael Rothstein-Safra 鈥�17, a history major and staff member for the 麻豆原创 Community Veterans History Project; Karla Aurazo, a political science and international relations double major; and Caleb Archie, an international and global studies major. All three worked with the Burnett Honors College and the Office of Prestigious Awards to apply for the fellowships.

Boren Fellowships聽provide funding up to $24,000 for immersive study of the language and culture of countries deemed critical to U.S. national security. In return, Fellows agree to complete a service requirement with the federal government. An initiative of the National Security Education Program, Boren Awards funds a broad spectrum of study that encompasses global challenges such as environmental and sustainability measures, economic practices, and even historical-culture analysis.

A Historical Approach to Political Rhetoric in Beijing

Rothstein-Safra used her undergraduate thesis as a jumping-off point for her Boren application. Her thesis was on medieval Chinese literature, and she is looking forward to honing her research skills and studying intensive Mandarin for a year at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China.

鈥淎s a historian, it is essential to understand the nuances of a language 鈥� so that you may then understand the society,鈥� Rothstein-Safra says.

History is not a common field of study for a Boren recipient, but Rothstein-Safra explains the ties between historical analysis and national security by stressing the importance of studying historic political trends. 鈥淎 lot of the current political rhetoric of the Communist Party of China draws on historical Chinese ideas and phrases,鈥� Rothstein-Safra says. 鈥淚t is key to understanding how they portray themselves to their people and the global arena.鈥�

A self-described nontraditional student, Rothstein-Safra took a different path to 麻豆原创. Dropping out of high school in 11^迟丑听grade, she attended Seminole State College before transferring to 麻豆原创. At Tsinghua University, she will design her own program of study, and credits working with the Burnett Honors College, the Office of Prestigious Awards, and her mentors in the history department for helping her to become a Boren Fellow.

Upon returning next summer, Rothstein-Safra plans to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in history at 麻豆原创.

Studying Russian in Kazakhstan

Currently a Francis Bok Human Trafficking Awareness Fellow for 麻豆原创 Global Perspectives, senior Aurazo channeled her knowledge about human trafficking and the issue of language barriers into a desire to learn Russian through a Boren Fellowship. As 麻豆原创鈥檚 first student to study abroad in Kazakhstan, Aurazo custom-tailored a program for her studies at Kimep University in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Aurazo describes the country as a sociological and geographic portal between Russia and China, causing it to be of great interest to the United States.

鈥淕iven that Kazakhstan is rich in resources and that they have been an ally in combatting terrorism,鈥� says Aurazo, 鈥淚 think we should continue working towards consistent cooperation with them.鈥�

In the future, Aurazo aspires to work as a U.S. foreign officer. 鈥淚 believe in 鈥� serving with my neighbor, and I find joy in doing so,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 believe in building bridges, not walls, across cultures and beliefs.鈥�

Learning Mandarin in Chengdu, China

Archie will explore the developing financial hub of Chengdu, China. He chose Chengdu, a city more than 1,000 miles west of Shanghai in the Sichuan province, because he wanted to study in a place where English is not a common secondary language, as that would motivate him to learn through cultural immersion.

Archie鈥檚 interest in China developed last summer during an internship with the U.S. Department of Energy where he explored nuclear cooperation with global partners. At Chengdu University, Archie plans to study advanced Mandarin, modern politics and Chinese governmental relations.

In the future, Archie also plans to work as a U.S. foreign officer and is grateful for the opportunities that a Boren Fellowship offers.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not just wanting to have American influence and regional security in a country, but it is about helping those people, by supporting them and their culture,鈥� Archie says.

If you are a student participating in or applying to a graduate degree program in the U.S. and are interested in applying for a Boren Fellowship, please contact the Office of Prestigious Awards at聽opa@ucf.edu.

Armed with a 4.0 GPA and international work experience, took steps to make herself competitive for a position in the U.S. Foreign Service, but with the current hiring freeze in the State Department, this goal seemed impossible 鈥� until now. Fleming recently received a Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship, which will provide her the opportunity to work with the State Department鈥檚 Foreign Service.

Fleming recently received a Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship, which will provide her the opportunity to work with the State Department鈥檚 Foreign Service.

This highly competitive fellowship provides academic funding up to $75,000 for its recipients for tuition, housing and books during a two-year master鈥檚 degree program focused on a field related to the Foreign Service. During the summer months between academic years, fellows also participate in two State Department internship programs, one in the United States and one abroad. After graduate school, fellows complete a minimum five-year service commitment in the Foreign Service.

Discovering a Love of Diplomacy聽

Fleming said her inspiration to begin this journey started at 麻豆原创. Her honors diplomacy course with Ambassador Harriet Elam-Thomas sparked her interest in public diplomacy and the Foreign Service. Elam-Thomas was the U.S. ambassador to Senegal from 2000-2002.

鈥淚n the ambassador鈥檚 class, I learned about the value of creating mutual understanding between people from different countries through international exchange programs,鈥� Fleming says.

鈥淚n the ambassador鈥檚 class, I learned about the value of creating mutual understanding between people from different countries through international exchange programs,鈥� Fleming says. 鈥淚 later had the opportunity to work on public-diplomacy initiatives through internships at the World Affairs Council of Central Florida and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.鈥�

After graduation, Fleming felt she needed to gain international work experience. She had earned a Teaching English as a Foreign Language certificate at 麻豆原创, so she spent five months teaching English in Thailand before she was awarded a Fulbright English teaching assistantship. From there, she spent 10 months teaching English in Vietnam.

鈥淟iving in Vietnam was a life-changing experience because I had the opportunity to really immerse myself in the country鈥檚 vibrant culture,鈥� says Fleming. 鈥淢y students were wonderful, and I deeply cherish the memories and relationships that I made there. The experience solidified my resolve to pursue a career bridging cultures.鈥�

Providing a Global Perspective

Fleming works in the at 麻豆原创. As the senior program assistant, she helps run programs that sharpen 麻豆原创鈥檚 international focus.

Fleming submitted her application for the Pickering fellowship in January 2017. She was selected as one of the 60 finalists, and completed a final interview and writing assessment through Skype while she was teaching in Vietnam.

In February, Fleming was informed that a spot had opened up and she was offered the opportunity to be a Pickering fellow. Now, she is preparing to start her journey with the State Department.

She has been accepted to two master鈥檚 programs, and her first hurdle will be deciding to attend either the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver or the School of International Service at American University. Once she finishes her graduate education, she will start her five-year service commitment in the Foreign Service.

Excited for the possibilities for service, Fleming is also grateful for the role that 麻豆原创 has played in her journey.

鈥淚 would not be in this position today without the help and support of my mentors at 麻豆原创,鈥� says Fleming. 鈥淭he Global Perspectives Office and the Office of Prestigious Awards have been instrumental in helping me to achieve my goals, even as an alumna. These two offices teamed together last spring to help me prepare for the Pickering interview, and I am so grateful for their guidance.鈥�

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Watch her , shown at the Black & Gold Gala, to learn more about Cynthia.

Neira is pursuing her bachelor鈥檚 degree while earning a minor in education and a certification in leadership studies. Aside from her undergraduate studies, she is heavily involved in the community.

She serves meals and builds relationships every Sunday night with people in downtown Orlando who are homeless, works with City Year Orlando to serve students at risk of dropping out of school, and guides students, faculty, and community leaders in meaningful experiences on campus such as the 20th annual Hunger Banquet.

“Alice is a thoughtful and poised young servant-leader who inspires those around her to be, know, and do more,” Florida Campus Compact said in announcing the award.

Neira moved from Peru to the United States when whe was 6. Her聽goal is to combine her knowledge of education policy and passion for community service to positively impact students in public school systems in and provide equal access to education, especially in underserved areas.

She plans to attend graduate school and acquire her Ph.D. in education policy. Neira also serves as the Volunteer 麻豆原创 hunger and homelessness director.

Florida Campus Compact is part of a national presidential membership organization comprised of more than 50 college and university presidents who are committed to helping students develop the values and skills of active citizenship through participation in public and community service.