Irteza ’27 Named 2026 Newman Fellow

Aimal Irteza ’27, a double major in political science and public policy and political economy, has been named a 2026–27 Newman Civic Fellow by Campus Compact.

The Newman Civic Fellowship recognizes students who have demonstrated an investment in finding solutions to the challenges facing their communities. The yearlong fellowship provides training and resources to help students develop strategies for achieving social change, preparing them for the long-term work of public problem-solving and building equitable communities.

Irteza’s approach to civic engagement has been shaped by her liberal arts education and a range of academic and experiential opportunities at Rollins, most recently a summer internship with AdventHealth’s public policy team. There, she examined projections of how changes to social safety-net programs, including Medicaid eligibility, could affect patients and communities. The experience highlighted a disconnect that would become central to her civic work: the people most affected by policy changes are often the least involved in shaping them.

“There isn’t so much a gap in interest in the issues that affect our daily lives as there is a gap in understanding and political literacy,” says Irteza. “People often underestimate how much politics shapes their everyday lives. Civic engagement means informed participation—putting information in people’s hands, whether it’s a polling location or a legislator’s contact information—so that their everyday concerns can become actionable policy.”

Irteza’s academic work has allowed her to examine civic participation at both the individual and community levels. Her first-year honors course, Invisible Children, prompted her to consider the barriers marginalized communities face to quality of life and social and economic equality, while Social and Political Applied Ethics explored questions surrounding the moral duty to cast an informed ballot.

Mentorship has been another important part of her development as a civic leader, with political science professor and advisor Dan Chong helping her learn tailor information to different audiences and connect global issues to the campus community. Irteza applied that approach through Rollins Amnesty International, informing women on campus about their health rights.

Irteza’s work with the Democracy Project, a nonpartisan, student-led civic engagement initiative within the Center for Leadership & Community Engagement, has given her opportunities to put those lessons into practice. As student coordinator, she leads a team of 12 students working to raise awareness of civic issues and increase electoral participation on campus. She has also served as a peer mentor and as a democracy fellow with Campus Vote Project for four semesters, deepening her knowledge of Florida voting and election laws.

Beyond campus, Irteza has broadened her understanding of civic participation through hands-on political experience and research. She has worked in state and local politics as an intern in the legislative office of Florida Rep. Anna Eskamani and as a fellow on her campaign for Orlando mayor. Her research has further explored the factors shaping civic engagement—from analyzing historical voter registration data with Cornell University professor Richard Bensel to examining South Asian voters in Orlando alongside Rollins political science professor Tahmina Rahman.

These experiences have reinforced her belief that effective civic engagement means meeting people where they are.

“Making civic literacy more tailored to specific groups, and understanding and responding to their needs, is paramount to social change,” she says.

That approach will guide Irteza’s work during her Newman Civic Fellowship, particularly as Florida heads into the 2026 midterm elections. She hopes to ensure students have the resources and information they need to participate while expanding the Democracy Project’s reach to students who may not traditionally engage with the political process, such as international students.

“These issues still affect everyone,” says Irteza. “I want to find events that center their perspectives.”

Irteza will also bring that focus on dialogue and inclusivity to her work as one of Rollins’ 2026 Phoenix Ginsburg Fellows, a fellowship centered on facilitating civil discourse across differences.

Ultimately, Irteza plans to attend law school and pursue a career in health policy in Florida. She hopes to address barriers that prevent eligible Floridians from accessing programs such as Medicaid and SNAP, including eligibility rules and paperwork requirements.

“My liberal arts education has given me a multidimensional, holistic perspective: thinking critically about the different stakeholders on every side of a policy issue and engaging with them to incorporate solutions,” says Irteza.