When Justin Bray decided to give college another try, he picked the University of North Georgia's (UNG) Oconee Campus as the place to start since it was close to his home in Athens, Georgia.
"Once I got there, I really enjoyed it," said the rising senior pursuing a degree in communication with a concentration in public relations. "I liked learning and getting to know the professors there."
Though he initially intended to transfer to a larger university, Bray remained at UNG.
"The intimate connections and smaller feeling I got at UNG made me stay," the 31-year-old said.
Many opportunities and student-related activities emerged for Bray. He joined the eSports Club and the Vanguard, the student newspaper on UNG's Gainesville Campus. Bray also applied for a couple of prestigious awards through the Nationally Competitive Scholarships Office. In March, he was selected by Campus Compact as UNG's Newman Civic Fellow.
"It was super exciting to get that email from Campus Compact," said Bray, who will be one of 212 students from 39 states, Washington, D.C., and Mexico in the 2021-22 academic cohort.
Campus Compact member institutions select the fellows who are community-minded student leaders on their campuses and demonstrate a commitment to finding solutions for challenges facing communities locally, nationally and internationally. The Newman Civic Fellowship is a yearlong program named in honor of Frank Newman, one of Campus Compact's founders.
Dr. Leigh Dillard, associate professor of English who nominated Bray, said he fits the requirements.
"Justin has a heart for service and community involvement," Dillard said.
That's apparent with Bray's full-time job. He is the program manager at Books for Keeps, an Athens, Georgia-based nonprofit that serves children in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade through the program called "Stop Summer Slide," and an opt-in peripheral program for sixth through 12th grades.
He hopes his job and path will lead him to graduate school.
"I am interested in public administration," said Bray, who plans to graduate in 2022. "I think I would like to lobby for change in the form of educational reform in public schools using the skills learned in public administration."
