The Caldwell Fellows

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The Caldwell Fellows Leadership-development scholarship program at NC State University.

Meet Jack Proctor, Class of ‘28!Jack is our new co-teaching assistant for the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle service learning ...
10/08/2026

Meet Jack Proctor, Class of ‘28!

Jack is our new co-teaching assistant for the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle service learning team alongside Quinn Weidner!  Jack served on the team during his second year at State, partnering with the organization to learn more about food security and servant leadership. His time on the Food Team taught Jack that servant leadership is not always about making a huge impact in a single day. During one shift, Jack found himself harvesting lettuce that he and his team had planted nearly two months earlier. Seeing that full-circle moment helped him recognize how small commitments can build toward something much larger. “The lettuce head didn’t grow in a single day,” he reflects. “While sometimes it felt like we weren’t making a ton of impact in our short two-hour shifts, it allowed us to build toward something that we couldn’t quite see until it was finished.” Now, as a Caldwell TA and Outreach Coordinator with Feed the Pack, Jack is combining his experience to further integrate sophomores in service of our community. Through his work with food insecurity, Jack has learned that service can be uncomfortable, repetitive, or even boring, but that staying committed to a shared mission is what makes the work meaningful. His experiences have also changed the way he thinks about food and his community, showing him that there are “whole entire worlds out there that are behind a curtain you simply have to push aside, and once you do, they never really leave you.” Jack hopes to carry this perspective into his final year as a Caldwell Fellow and continue helping others find meaning in service.

Our application for the Caldwell Fellows Class of 2030 is now open! Join us for one of our upcoming October information ...
10/01/2026

Our application for the Caldwell Fellows Class of 2030 is now open! Join us for one of our upcoming October information sessions:

- October 5, 7-8 PM in Withers 145
- October 6, 6-7 PM in Withers 115
- October 13, 7-8 PM in Withers 115
- October 26, 5:30-6:30 PM in Withers 145

Visit our website for more information and apply on Pack ASSIST.

Meet Dylan Ferguson, Class of ‘28!Dylan is our new teaching assistant for the Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School Fir...
10/01/2026

Meet Dylan Ferguson, Class of ‘28!

Dylan is our new teaching assistant for the Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School First Lego League (FLL) service learning team! Dylan is helping launch this new STEM education-focused team after their original Housing Equity service learning team faced challenges finding a sustainable path forward. They have helped carry their experience from sophomore year into something new, creating an opportunity for Caldwell Fellows to serve through STEM education and mentorship. Their time on the Housing Equity team taught Dylan that servant leadership is no rigid thing. It involves ongoing discourse between those serving and those being served and requires flexibility when circumstances and community needs change. When needs changed for the Housing Equity team, Dylan did not give up. They adjusted and set course for a new goal. Now, as a TA, Dylan is focused on helping the next cohort develop their own agency as leaders. Their experience mentoring a high school robotics team will reinforced the importance of creating opportunities for young people to explore what leadership can mean to them. “I believe that a large component of leadership is the creation of experiences for those you lead’s growth, actualization, and agency,” they reflect “I think I’ve really grown to better know myself, perhaps not as an agent of change but at least of action. I think of myself increasingly in the present-tense, and as a little part of something far larger than myself. I’ve found a deeper connection with the world, by acknowledging the limits with which I can act on it, and really how I act through and with it.” Dylan is excited to bring that perspective to this new team of sophomore action agents and help build a new area of service for the Caldwell Fellows.

Meet Paige McCullough, Class of ‘28!Paige is our new teaching assistant for the Neighbor to Neighbor service learning te...
09/24/2026

Meet Paige McCullough, Class of ‘28!

Paige is our new teaching assistant for the Neighbor to Neighbor service learning team! After working with N2N as a sophomore, seeing the kids’ reactions when they learned the team only had two weeks left together really stuck with Paige. Their response showed her how meaningful the relationships they had built were and how even small moments of connection can make a lasting impact. The experience reshaped her understanding of service, imparting upon her that meaningful contributions do not always come in the form of major accomplishments. Sometimes, something as simple as a conversation or making a fun video with the kids can be just as impactful. Now, Paige is returning as a TA to continue her relationship with Neighbor to Neighbor and help the next cohort discover the same lessons that shaped her own journey. Her time with N2N also helped her recognize her passion for education, equity, and community-led change, inspiring her to pursue opportunities that connect those interests with hands-on service. As a TA, Paige hopes to guide new Caldwells through their own servant leadership journeys while creating space for them to learn, grow, and reflect. “Facilitating the service-learning experience has helped me see leadership as a way to create opportunities for others to learn and grow,” she reflects.

Meet Evan Byrd, Class of ‘28!Evan is our new co-teaching assistant for the Open Door Clinic service learning team alongs...
09/17/2026

Meet Evan Byrd, Class of ‘28!

Evan is our new co-teaching assistant for the Open Door Clinic service learning team alongside Eiad Yakout! After working with the clinic as a sophomore, one moment that stayed with him was arriving for a normally busy Tuesday morning and finding the clinic unusually quiet as staff called patients who did not feel safe leaving their homes due to events in the Raleigh area. Seeing the clinic’s leaders quickly reorganize their day around what their patients needed showed Evan what it means to lead for a community, rather than simply lead a community. The experience also gave him a deeper awareness of his own privilege and the importance of understanding the circumstances that shape the lives of those being served. Now, Evan is returning as a TA to help the next cohort build the same connections and shared experiences that made his time at the clinic so meaningful. “I benefit from shared struggle,” Evan reflects, remembering the moments of working alongside Eiad to communicate with a Portuguese-speaking patient and collaborating through group projects. He is excited to help the new cohort find that same sense of connection while developing their own approach to servant leadership. His service-learning experience has also reinforced the importance of body language and nonverbal communication, a lesson he continues to apply as he pursues a career in medicine.

The Caldwell Fellows had a great time hanging out at the Carmichael rock wall this morning before our September Dinner S...
09/13/2026

The Caldwell Fellows had a great time hanging out at the Carmichael rock wall this morning before our September Dinner Seminar!

Meet Eiad Yakout, Class of ‘28!Eiad is our new co-teaching assistant for the Open Door Clinic service learning team alon...
09/10/2026

Meet Eiad Yakout, Class of ‘28!

Eiad is our new co-teaching assistant for the Open Door Clinic service learning team alongside Evan Byrd! After volunteering as a Welcome Coordinator at the clinic as a sophomore, one experience that stayed with him was seeing the food bank line wrap around the entire building following changes to federal food assistance benefits. Witnessing the immediate impact of systemic changes on his local community deepened Eiad’s understanding of food insecurity and showed him how servant leadership requires understanding both the people being served and the larger factors affecting their lives. His time with the Open Door Clinic transformed the way he views the medical field and reinforced the importance of organizations that meet community needs directly. Now, Eiad is returning as a TA to help the next cohort discover the same lessons and develop their own understanding of servant leadership. “Understanding the principles of servant leadership is completely different than practicing and experiencing them first-hand,” he reflects, “which adds to the vital nuance of learning more about being a leader.” Through service-learning, Eiad has learned that effective leadership requires adaptability and that every leader develops their own approach. He is excited to help the next cohort find their own leadership values and understand how those values can shape the way they serve others.

Caldwell fellows take over the Windy City starting with a boat tour of the history and architecture of the city.
09/05/2026

Caldwell fellows take over the Windy City starting with a boat tour of the history and architecture of the city.

Meet Carina Elrod, Class of ‘28!Carina is our new teaching assistant for the Walnut Creek Wetland Center service learnin...
09/05/2026

Meet Carina Elrod, Class of ‘28!

Carina is our new teaching assistant for the Walnut Creek Wetland Center service learning team! After working with the Wetland Center as a sophomore, one of her favorite memories was painting old cinderblocks with the team to line the trail. Seeing everyone bring their own creativity to the project showed Carina the power of bringing different skills and perspectives together. The experience reshaped her understanding of servant leadership, showing her that leadership is not about one person having all the answers, but about listening to others and finding ways for everyone to contribute. “Servant leadership is not linear. There is no one way to lead, one style to follow” she discovered. After having such a meaningful experience on the team, Carina wanted to return as a TA to help the new cohort navigate their first year in Caldwell and build the same connections that made her experience so special. As a TA, Carina hopes to create an experience that is both fun and exciting while giving the new cohort space to learn, grow, and develop as leaders. Her time in Caldwell has also taught her the importance of vulnerability, showing her that asking for help is not a weakness, but an essential part of leadership. Carina is excited to bring that lesson into her role as a TA and help the next cohort discover that no one has to lead alone.

Meet Lelani Williamson, Class of ‘28!Lelani is our new teaching assistant for the Dorothea Dix service learning team! Af...
08/27/2026

Meet Lelani Williamson, Class of ‘28!

Lelani is our new teaching assistant for the Dorothea Dix service learning team! After working with the Dix Project as a sophomore, conducting the team’s first oral history interview became a defining moment that brought everything the team had been learning to life and showed the real impact of their work. The experience broadened Lelani’s understanding of servant leadership, showing that leadership can look different depending on an organization’s needs, goals, and mission. After connecting so deeply with the Dix Project, Lelani wanted to return as a TA for her second year in a row to help the next cohort find that same sense of purpose and gain something meaningful from their time on the team. Working as a TA has challenged Lelani to think about leadership in a new way, learning that facilitating a project does not always mean being hands-on. “I was able to provide direction as the facilitator and then take a step back and allow the team to take the project where they wanted and how they saw beneficial” she reflects. Lelani has discovered a passion for facilitating projects, building relationships with community partners, and creating opportunities for lasting collaboration, which she is excited to push even futher this year.

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NC State University
Raleigh, NC
27695

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+19195153837

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