Emily Hanrahan ’26 has spent her three-plus years at Merrimack College helping the Warrior and greater North Andover communities in any way she can. Now, she’s getting national recognition for her work.
For her selfless dedication to helping others, Campus Connect, a higher education civic and community engagement nonprofit, has named Hanrahan a Newman Civic Fellow for 2025. The year-long program recognizes and supports community-committed students who have demonstrated an investment in finding solutions for some of society’s toughest challenges.
“I’ll be going to a conference in Chicago this October,” Hanrahan said. “The opportunity to meet people from different colleges across the country is really cool. We’ll get to meet, share our ideas and see what we can do together.”
Hanrahan is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in human development and services with a minor in religion and theological studies. She serves as the chair of mission for the Austin Scholars, promoting student service projects and local partner organizations. After graduation, Hanrahan hopes to either pursue a master’s degree or start her career in the nonprofit sector.
“Food insecurity is something I’ve researched a lot,” she said. “My capstone this year is on how food insecurity impacts college students. I’m really hoping to find more people (at the conference) who are passionate about food insecurity and whether there are any initiatives I can bring back to Merrimack.”
Upon her return from the conference, Hanrahan will start preparing to go on two SEND trips this year. In spring, she’ll be leading a SEND trip to El Salvador.
“Community organizing is always my first step into addressing the root cause of social issues,” she explained. “My goal has always been to find the best way to establish a strong community that allows people to feel safe enough to discuss their issues and concerns and also their opinions on how they think they could help.”
