By Dave Larsen
University of Dayton student Nancy Garcia was named a 2025 Newman Civic Fellow for her exceptional commitment to civic engagement, with a particular focus on Latinx communities.
The Newman Civic Fellowship is a yearlong program that recognizes students who stand out for their leadership potential and commitment to creating positive change in communities.
Garcia, a senior psychology and criminal justice and security studies major from Chicago, is one of 150 student civic leaders from 38 states, Washington D.C. and Mexico in the 2025-26 cohort.
She was nominated for the honor by UD President Eric F. Spina and Center for Social Concern Director Meaghan Crowley. In his nomination letter, Spina said Garcia is a “thoughtful and courageous leader” who consistently fosters deep engagement, challenges injustice and offers unwavering support to others.
“Recognizing the power of collaboration, Nancy excels at uniting diverse perspectives to achieve innovative and inclusive outcomes,” Spina said. “As a Newman Civic Fellow, she will connect with other civically minded students, fostering growth and engagement in crucial dialogues and actions, allowing her to continue her vital work of bridging communities and amplifying marginalized voices with compassion and unwavering persistence.”
Garcia was introduced to civic engagement through the Fitz Center for Leadership in Community’s Dayton Civic Scholars program, in which students make a three-year commitment to engage with and serve the greater Dayton community.
As a Dayton Civic Scholar, Garcia actively develops her leadership skills, dedicating 30 hours per semester to local organizations. She is collaborating with the Victory Project, a privately funded mentoring and personal development program for disengaged young men in Dayton, for a capstone project, creating a curriculum that will expand its services to include young women.
Garcia is the UD Student Government Association’s representative for multi-ethnic student engagement and support. She also is president of El Orgullo Latino and an officer in the co-ed Latino fraternity Alpha Psi Lambda National, Inc. In addition, she leads immersive experiences such as REAL Dayton, a UD program through the Center for Social Concern that encourages students to explore and engage with the city of Dayton beyond campus.
“All of those things are super rewarding, knowing that what I’m doing is impacting people in a positive way,” Garcia said. “I want to support students and create meaningful experiences for them through events and community engagement.”
Garcia said being a Newman Civic Fellow is an opportunity to participate in civic engagement on a larger scale. The cornerstone of the fellowship is the Annual Convening of Newman Civic Fellows, a three-day event Oct. 16-18 in Chicago that offered intensive in-person skill-building and networking.
“Hopefully, I can take what I learned there, through their workshops and activities, and apply it to what I do at UD and, potentially, in the future in my career,” she said.
Garcia, a first-generation college student, plans to attend graduate school to become a mental health psychologist within the criminal justice system, with a possible focus on juvenile detention centers and immigration nonprofits.
She was inspired to pursue immigration-related work after a summer 2024 immersion trip to El Salvador and Mexico with the Center for Social Concern.
“Going on that trip and meeting with other organizations who are along the border, I discovered there’s such a need for support and help here,” she said. “If I can do that from a mental health perspective or in any other way, I feel like that’s a big interest that I never really had before, career-wise, so it’s definitely something I’m considering as well.”
Crowley said Garcia is committed to deep, sustained relationships and work within the campus and greater Dayton communities, putting her faith and spirituality into action to make them a better place for everyone.
“I think the thing that makes Nancy's work unique, however, is her ability to make every step of the process relational,” Crowley said. “She really embodies our Marianist charism through her relationships of depth, understanding of mutuality, and she makes working with her really fun.
“Nancy is passionate and committed to her community and shows up with love and intentionality but doesn't shy away from asking the deeper questions of why injustice is happening. It is a joy to walk with Nancy as she grows in her civic leadership and discerns what's next for her.”
Top photo: Nancy Garcia (center) at the 2025 Convening of Newman Civic Fellows.
Bottom photo: The 2025-26 Newman Civic Fellows cohort.