Farmingdale State College (FSC) has announced that FSC student Jairo Orozco, ’25, an applied psychology major and sports management minor, has been named a 2024-2025 Newman Civic Fellow by Campus Compact, a national alliance of colleges and universities dedicated to advancing the public mission of higher education. 

The Newman Civic Fellowship is a year-long program that recognizes and supports student public problem solvers at Campus Compact member institutions. Fellows are nominated by their president or chancellor based on their potential for public leadership and their work with communities.  

“The Newman Civic Fellowship recognizes and supports students who are committed to creating positive change in their communities,” said Yetunde Odugbesan-Omede, PhD, director of the Office of Community and Civic Engagement (OCCE) and professor of global affairs and politics. 

Through the fellowship, Campus Compact provides selected students with opportunities for learning and networking to cultivate their development as civic leaders. The program focuses on fostering personal, professional, and civic growth, empowering fellows to collaborate effectively across disciplines to amplify their impact and drive social progress. 

Central to the fellowship experience is the Annual Convening of Newman Civic Fellows, a three-day event offering intensive, in-person skill-building and networking. Additionally, the fellowship, which receives generous support from The Allstate Foundation, offers access to exclusive opportunities, including mini grants to support scholarships and post-graduate endeavors. 

“The selection committee chose Jairo because he excelled as a scholar-leader on and off campus and was able to make tremendous impact in community service through the various organizations he belongs to and his dedication to utilizing his platform for social good,” said Odugbesan-Omede. 

Orozco, an FSC Research Aligned Mentorship (RAM) Program scholar, has also been recognized as an FSC IGNITE Symposium “spark speaker,” and nationally as a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) scholar, for his undergraduate research on how emotions modulate memories via an Emotional Pattern Separation Task (EmoPS).  

“This research was particularly interesting because we were also looking at how memories that are changed through our emotions differed in both males and females,” he said. “This inside lens of juxtaposing the two and seeing how the amygdala and the hippocampus work alongside each other. 

“I am still very far from understanding neuroscience and know that the road to mastery is just starting and my never-ending thirst for knowledge will always continue as a lifelong student,” added Orozco, who will serve as president of FSC’s Student Government Association (SGA) for the 2024-2025 academic year and plans to pursue a PhD in psychology after graduation.  

Looking ahead, Orozco said he plans to continue building on his foundation at FSC and giving back to its campus community.  

“It truly is remarkable everything I have accomplished since I stepped foot on this campus in August of 2021. I’d like to continue working heavily with SGA and making an impact on student life here on campus. I'd also like to enrich my relationship with the RAM Program alongside Director Dylan Gafarian, EdD, who has been a crucial piece to my success at FSC and whom I know will continue to be a key factor in my success well beyond college…the future ahead of me is, indeed, BRIGHT.” 

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