Campus Compact has appointed Bobbie Laur as its next national president, effective February 15, 2022. Laur currently serves as associate vice president for outreach at Towson University as well as executive director of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU). As Campus Compact’s president, she will lead the nation’s largest national organization dedicated to higher education civic and community engagement.

“The combination of deep place-based and national-level work make her the perfect choice to lead the Compact at this moment,” said Jonathan Alger, president of James Madison University and chair of Campus Compact’s Board of Directors. “Bobbie is an action-oriented leader with a proven track record of impact at both the institutional level and through her national leadership to expand and deepen the role of institutions as anchors in communities.”

Founded in 1985, Campus Compact develops member-driven resources for advancing community-based learning and partnerships; advocates for the critical role of higher education in achieving a just, equitable, and sustainable future; nurtures the growth of professionals, faculty, and students working in community and civic engagement; and serves as a platform for meaningful collaboration. Campus Compact’s coalition of member colleges and universities reflects the full spectrum of higher education, including public and private, two-year, and four-year institutions.

“I’m excited and energized to be taking on this role in a moment when the community and civic engagement mission of higher education has never been more important,” said Laur. “As our communities, students, faculty, and staff navigate the impacts and loss from this pandemic and address the systemic inequities that have plagued us for generations, there is both a need and an opportunity for Campus Compact to have a focused agenda that advances our collective work and provides a supportive home for higher education institutions and professionals committed to making a difference. I can’t wait to get to work.”

While serving as executive director of CUMU, Laur has overseen its growth to include more than 100 higher education anchor institutions. She has also expanded the association’s role as a valuable resource through its professional development, communications, and policy work. As the community engagement leader at Towson University, Laur works to connect the university with the region’s businesses, local and state government agencies, and community organizations.

Laur holds a B.S. in Business Administration–Finance from Towson University and is enrolled in the Doctorate in Public Administration program at the University of Baltimore. She will lead Campus Compact’s nationally distributed staff from the Baltimore/Washington DC area.