Elvis Veliu wasn’t expecting to even be considered for the 2025 Campus Compact Student Leadership Award when Phi Theta Kappa Omicron Iota Advisor and Director of Student Activities, Todd Stowell and Erin Stegich, Manager of the Center for Experiential Learning told him he should apply. He was surprised and humbled that they wanted to nominate him.
Last month, Veliu received the news that he was one of six recipients of this year’s honor.
The Campus Compact Impact Award was founded in 1985 by a collection of people with the view that America’s democracy seemed to be in trouble. Presidents of Brown, Christina Hull Paxson, Georgetown, John J. DeGioia and Stanford, Donald Kennedy; this also included the President of Education of Commission William Bennett. Collectively they believed that higher education would help a better future. It is a celebration of students who are working towards building better communities and making a long lasting impact on campuses.
Students who receive the award lead change on their campuses and in their communities, inspiring their peers to do the same. Recipients of the Student Leadership Award are selected based on their leadership and community impact, ability to overcome adversity, commitment to learning and deep engagement with communities, and support from campus and community partners.
Veliu’s goal has always been working towards bringing community together, even his personal motives are working towards a greater good.
“I really hate not giving my best when I can,” said Veliu.
Veliu’s goal of building a better community really shines as he explains.When not in class or in PTK meetings, he can be found on campus attending club meetings and campus events.
However, Veliu did take notice early on that student engagement was difficult. He began to make events on or off campus to help bring students together. Sometimes it can be difficult to get engagement up, trying to get students to go do things. Veliu, detailed oriented and dedicated to his work on participating with students, pulled up a list of the hundreds of events he has attended on an excel sheet.
“I’m really working hard to make an impact,” said Veliu He continues to explain that engagement is one of the hurdles to overcome; unsure of where the problem truly starts. Though he does not let that stop him from problem solving.
In his submission to the Campus Compact Impact awards, one question was how do you measure success. Over time, Veliu thought the best way was by hours invested. Hebegan to explain in his essay, what he had done to bring students on or off campus. His idea was to explain how many hours he invested into leading our campus towards change. Veliu put together his ideas such as hiking at local parks and movie nights on campus. This further shows the dedication Veliu shows through action the dedication to solving the mystery of how to get students to participate more in the Schoolcraft community.
“His quiet confidence and determination as the president of the Omicron Iota chapter had earned him the respect of his peers, instructors, and advisors,” said Stowell in his letter nominating Veliu for the award. “Schoolcraft College was fortunate to have a leader of Elvis’s caliber and seemingly unending energy to help provide encouragement and direction to Phi Theta Kappa members and the community at large.”
Veliu and the other recipients of these awards will be recognized at Compact25, Campus Compact’s annual conference, which will be held in Atlanta, Georgia from March 31 – April 2, 2025.
