Fitz Center for Leadership in Community
Who are the River Stewards?
The River Stewards program is the flagship program of the Rivers Institute administered by the Fitz Center for Leadership in Community at the University of Dayton. The three-year interdisciplinary program focused on leadership development and civic engagement is based on the model of learn, lead, and serve. River Stewards participate in weekly mini-courses, provide service to the community, and work together to develop a project their senior year. Interested students can apply to become a River Steward in the second semester of their freshman year. Please see the information brochure and application for more information. Currently there are over 45 River Stewards within three cohorts. The River Stewards come from over 25 different majors and represent all undergraduate academic units at the University of Dayton.
Apply now
We are now accepting applications for the 2025 River Steward Cohort.
Please attend one of two info nights:
- 7-8 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 3 at KU 211
- 7-8 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 12 at a location TBD
Application materials can be found below and deadline to apply is Feb. 15.
University of Dayton junior Claire Sullivan was awarded a Newman Civic Fellowship in recognition of her leadership and involvement in the Dayton community.
Read moreThe leadership development, awareness and appreciation of waterways, experiential learning and friendships forged are elements River Stewards alumni continue to remember even years after leaving campus.
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The University of Dayton and Fuyao Glass America have teamed up on a new course that utilizes sociology, political science and economics to study the effect of China's growth on its waterways, and includes a three-week tour to examine key waterways first-hand.
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When we celebrated our 10th cohort of River Stewards in Spring 2019, the Rivers Institute decided to embark on a project to find out where the River Stewards are now and what they are doing. A year later, an alumni GIS map is the final product. We look forward to adding more alumni through the years.