Defiance College student named Newman Civic Fellow for 2020-2021

July 8, 2020

DEFIANCE, Ohio - Lucas Thomeier has been recognized as a Newman Civic Fellow for his passion for helping others, both locally and internationally. He was nominated by Defiance College president Richanne C. Mankey for this honor.

Lucas is a senior from Wickliffe, Ohio, double majoring in math and sport management with a minor in business. On the Defiance College campus, he is a service leader who accumulates an average of 150 hours of community service each year. He is an active member in multiple student organizations and works as a volunteer with young children at the local YMCA.

As a 2019-2020 McMaster Scholar to Belize, Lucas engaged in a yearlong, community-based research project instructing students, teachers, and parents about the symptoms and responses to traumatic brain injuries. He also taught invaluable emergency response skills to remote communities in rural Belize where isolated communities are at least three hours from a hospital and have no health care workers in the community.

The Newman Civic Fellowship is a one-year fellowship experience that provides access to training and resources to support the leadership of these recognized students and to help them develop strategies for social change. These resources include a national conference with other students, networking opportunities, mentors, and a monthly virtual event series. More information may be found at www.compact.org/newman-civic-fellowship.

Chartered in 1850, Defiance College is an independent, liberal arts-based institution in Northwest Ohio offering more than 40 undergraduate programs of study as well as graduate programs in education and business. Defiance College has received national recognition for its educational experience of service and engagement. The College is guided by the four pillars of its mission: To Know, To Understand, To Lead, and To Serve. The College website is www.defiance.edu.