IC People of Progress

IC sociology major Maria Bushby is a strong advocate for housing insecurity and homelessness. Her motivation is simple:

 

Through IC’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity and local organizations like Second Wind Cottages and the Ithaca Rescue Mission, Maria is a student leader in efforts to alleviate homelessness in Tompkins County, New York. She spends her summers volunteering with the Appalachia Service Project, an organization that repairs homes for low-income families in rural Central Appalachia.

Maria’s efforts have earned her national recognition. She is one of 262 college students named a 2019 Newman Civic Fellow by Campus Compact, a national organization devoted to advancing community service in higher education. Maria is part of a tradition of IC participation, making this the eighth straight year that an IC student has been named a Newman Civic Fellow—a strong indicator of the college’s ongoing commitment to civic engagement.

Through the fellowship, Campus Compact offers a variety of learning and networking opportunities, and provides fellows with access to exclusive scholarship and post-graduate opportunities.

“I am so thankful for the opportunity to become a fellow for Compact and to have the chance to work with people at the grassroots level to make positive changes surrounding homelessness and affordable housing,” Maria says.