UH Hilo biology major Lexy Ramos recognized nationally for civic service, leadership
Nominated by Chancellor Bonnie Irwin, junior Lexy Kaye Ramos was selected for Campus Compact’s 2026–2027 Newman Civic Fellows cohort.
A University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo undergraduate has earned national recognition for her commitment to making a positive difference in her community.
Puna resident Lexy Kaye Ramos was selected for Campus Compact’s 2026–2027 Newman Civic Fellows cohort, a national fellowship that supports students with strong potential for civic leadership and community engagement.
“I don’t fit the traditional image of a leader, but my commitment to my community has driven meaningful change,” says Ramos, who was born into poverty and grew up in a rural barangay, or village, in the Philippines before moving to Hawaiʻi Island in elemetary school (see her full personal statement). She is currently a junior majoring in biology with a chemistry minor and holds a 3.98 grade point average.
The cornerstone of the fellowship is the Annual Convening of Newman Civic Fellows, which offers intensive in-person skill-building and networking over three days. The fellowship also provides fellows with pathways to apply for exclusive opportunities, including mini-grants to help fund scholarships and post-graduate opportunities.
In nominating Ramos for the fellowship, UH Hilo Chancellor Bonnie D. Irwin praised her hard work, humility and dedication.
“Lexy embodies the university’s commitment to kuleana (responsibility) through service-centered leadership and community engagement,” says Irwin. “She views leadership not as authority, but as a shared responsibility to bring people together across differences and create meaningful change.”
Leadership through service
Ramos is a third-year UH Hilo Bonner Student Leader, part of the national nonprofit Bonner Program network whose mission is to help develop student leaders who will have a positive impact on their communities. Through paid employment with community organizations and on-campus units, students Bonner Leaders acquire real-world skills that help them build self-esteem and the confidence to successfully tackle their academic studies, while also helping them prepare for meaningful careers and fulfilling lives.
Ramos is a former member of the UH Hilo chapter of Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA)–Future Health Professionals.
Dedicated to addressing health disparities and expanding access to care, Ramos logs hundreds of service hours each year through community-based health education and outreach initiatives. Recently, she and her Bonner cohort conducted a semester-long participatory action research project, facilitating student focus groups to evaluate students’ sense of belonging and presenting actionable recommendations to campus leadership.
Aspiring to become a culturally-competent physician, Ramos views medicine and civic action as inseparable.
“My family often says an Ilokano proverb, ‘Ti tao nga nakaam-ammo ti rigat, isu ti makaawat ti padana,’ meaning those who understand hardship understand others,” she says. “Meaningful change begins at the intersection of personal experience and community need, and I will continue working alongside others to address barriers that shape health and opportunity.”
