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The Civic Engagement Hall of Fame is an annual program sponsored by the President and the Center for Civic Engagement that recognizes individuals for their efforts in addressing social and environmental challenges facing communities. Inductees possess sustained commitment and passion for improving, assisting organizations through their civic engagement efforts. Nomination categories include undergraduate student, graduate student, faculty, staff/administrator and alumni.

This year’s inductees and nominees are below: 

Undergraduate Student Inductee, Aiden DeCaro

Aiden DeCaro (he/him) is a sophomore psychology and biology student at Salem State. After graduation, he hopes to pursue his Masters in cognitive neuroscience. He is involved on campus as a psychology research assistant, curriculum and writing tutor, and Civic Engagement Fellow.

Aiden is a dedicated peer mentor and mental health advocate, having been involved in several organizations providing equitable access to mental health resources. He first became involved in 2021 as a peer mentoring intern at Younity in Gloucester, Massachusetts, where he led inclusive community programming for local youth. Since 2022, he has worked for a suicide prevention and mental health education non-profit called The Nan Project. The Nan Project provides presentations and promotes access to mental health resources in middle and high schools across Massachusetts. Most recently, he assisted the SSU Civic Engagement Fellowship in leading their campaign “Dear Professor, I Am More,” which hosted a gallery of 30 student-submitted works and a discussion with faculty, staff, and administration about mental health.

Aiden’s Civic Engagement Hall of Fame community partner is Younity.

 

Graduate Student Inductee, Kiana Alexis

Kiana Alexis is a first-year graduate student in the Higher Education and Student Affairs Program and is a recent first-generation graduate of ������̳ (Class of 2024), where she received her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, with a concentration in Social Justice, and a minor in Media and Communication. Kiana was part of the Salem State Alliance all four years of her undergraduate degree including being Vice-President. She has continued to work with them as a Student-Faculty Advisor while she works as the Graduate Assistant for the Office of Inclusive Excellence. Kiana is a strong advocate for racial justice and contributed to the inaugural New England Hispanic and Minority Serving Institution (HSI-MSI) Conference.

Kiana’s Civic Engagement Hall of Fame community partner is Rosie’s Place

Faculty Inductee, Marcos Luna

Dr. Luna is a Professor of Geography & Sustainability and Coordinator of the graduate Geo-Information Sciences program at ������̳. He focuses on environmental justice and the analysis of social and environmental inequities. He has published research on the social inequities of natural gas leaks, drinking water inequities, urban noise mapping, transit equity, energy, air pollution, and environmental policy. In addition to academic research, he works with community organizations throughout Massachusetts, as well as local and state policy makers, on a range of issues including energy, residential housing and segregation, transportation equity, voter mapping and outreach, and climate change adaptation. He was the principal analyst for the Environmental Justice Legislative Table that defined environmental justice communities for the Commonwealth’s first legislation on environmental justice - "An Act creating a next-generation roadmap for Massachusetts climate policy." He is a governor-appointed member of the Massachusetts Environmental Justice Council and the Massachusetts Energy Transformation Advisory Board. He serves on the Board of Directors for GreenRoots Inc., an environmental justice organization serving Chelsea, East Boston, and surrounding communities, and he is also on the Board of Directors for Comunidades Enraizadas Community Land Trust in Chelsea.

Marcos’ Civic Engagement Hall of Fame community partner is Salem Alliance for the Environment (SAFE).

Staff/Administrator Inductee, Elizabeth McKeigue

Elizabeth McKeigue is Dean of the Library at ������̳, where she directs the Frederick E. Berry Library and oversees the ������̳ Archives. She has served on the Board of Trustees for The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association for 6 years and is currently President of the Board.

Before moving to the North Shore, she was the Associate University Librarian for Public Services at Santa Clara University, near San Francisco. She began her career as a librarian at Harvard University’s Widener Library, where she held increasingly responsible leadership positions. During that time, she also volunteered with Harvard’s Memorial Church, assisting their program that distributed grant funding to Boston-area non-profit social service organizations. Before Harvard, she worked in the library at The Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. While living in D.C., she volunteered as a teacher of English in a program that served new immigrants, as well as the families of foreign service officers.

Originally from Danvers, she holds a BA in English, an MS in library and information science, and completed coursework towards an MA in history, all at The Catholic University of America.

Elizabeth’s Civic Engagement Hall of Fame community partner is The House of Seven Gables Settlement Association

Alumni Inductee, Cynthia Boyd

Cynthia Boyd graduated Salem State in 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, with minors in Spanish and political science, and was a Resident Assistant during her time at Salem State. Cynthia can be found organizing in the North Shore area or engaging in campaign work around the state. With a strong background in political organizing, campaign management, and student leadership she is a dynamic activist with expertise in voter engagement, community outreach, and strategic communications. Cynthia believes opportunities for fostering unity and communication are key in the pursuit of justice.

Cynthia’s Civic Engagement Hall of Fame community partner is Neighbor to Neighbor

2025 Civic Engagement Hall of Fame Nominees

Undergraduate Students

Brielle Laurent

Kayla Lamont

Mikenna Avery

Angel Alexander Garcia

Elios Klefti

Alyssa Brown

Zayden Jensen

Liv Duarte

Annely Grullon Rojas

Graduate Students

Dariana Guerrero

Abigail Meneses-Delcompare

Faculty

Keja Valens

Kathleen Shlenz

Lisa Delissio

Staff/Administrators

Kaz Paglio

Kalei Ensminger

Alumni

Julio Mota

Donna Kausek