Derek Price, a freshman political science major from Howell, N.J., was named a 2016 Newman Civic Fellow by Campus Compact. The Newman Civic Fellows Award honors undergraduate and graduate students who have taken action in pursuit of long-term social change and who engage and inspire others in their communities. The award is sponsored by the KPMG Foundation and by Newman’s Own Foundation.

Price was honored for his efforts in establishing a pay-it-forward program known as “ONU’s One for You,” which encourages small gestures of kindness. The program allows people to pay for either a small coffee or a slice of pizza at select restaurants in the Ada community. Instead of receiving the food item they purchased, the individual receives a post-it note that is hung up on the wall of the participating restaurant. The post-it notes can be removed from the board and redeemed for either a small coffee or a slice of pizza at anytime. Price was inspired to create the program because he believes kindness should be a paramount trait in life.

“I have always believed that small acts of kindness have the power to bring about some of the biggest changes in the world,” Price said. “ONU’s One for You gives students, faculty and the citizens the chance to pay their good fortune forward, and it gives them the ability to put a smile on a stranger’s face. Together, we can better our community, one post-it note at a time.”

Price wants this communal program to become part of the culture at ONU and in the surrounding community. The program is an opportunity for students and community members to give back to the University and the village of Ada in a unique way.

College and university presidents across the country ⎯ all members of Campus Compact ⎯ have nominated 218 promising student leaders from 36 states who have demonstrated an investment in their community to be Newman Civic Fellows. Through service, research and advocacy, these Fellows are making the most of their college experiences to better understand themselves, the root causes of social issues and effective mechanisms for creating lasting change. As these students tackle community challenges, they provide fresh energy and perspective, inspire and mobilize others, and develop their own skills and potential.

ONU President Daniel DiBiasio, who nominated Price, said, “Derek is a civic-minded problem-solver with a specific focus on small communities. His passion and spirit toward seeing this process through have aided the community on a myriad of levels. This program has earned Derek respect as a leader, a problem-solver and an individual who is capable of achieving many more civic-minded projects that will, in turn, bring improvements to local communities and beyond.”

Campus Compact is a national coalition of nearly 1,100 college and university presidents who are committed to fulfilling the civic purposes of higher education to improve community life and to educate students for civic and social responsibility. For more information about the organization and the award, visit compact.org.