William Ross Brummett

Originally from Jefferson City, Tennessee, Will has spent his career at the intersection of civic leadership, community empowerment, and social justice.  As a Director of Student Engagement at Campus Compact, Will is dedicated to helping the next generation of leaders build sustainable communities while prioritizing the well-being and resilience of those doing the work.

Will’s academic foundation is rooted in a deep study of service and equity.  A proud Summa Cum Laude graduate of Elon University with a degree in Religious Studies and minors in Political Science and Nonviolence Studies, he furthered his expertise by earning a Master of Arts in Applied Social Justice from Carson-Newman University.  This specialized degree focused on the practical application of social change, equipping him with the tools to design programs that address systemic inequality through advocacy and community organizing.

His professional journey reflects a lifelong commitment to the East Tennessee region and beyond.  Will spent four years as the Student Development Coordinator at Carson-Newman, where he was the youngest recipient of the “Rebar Allstar Award” for Excellence – before moving to Boston to work at Brandeis University to coordinate service initiatives and serve as faculty for the Liberation School, a program dedicated to helping activists navigate burnout.

After moving to Washington D.C., Will served as the Program Manager of Service Initiatives at George Washington University, overseeing voter registration, community nonprofit partnerships, and civic leadership trainings. Today, he manages a national portfolio and leads hundreds of incredible student civic leaders for Campus Compact, including the Newman Civic Fellowship, the Fiscal Leadership Lab, and the Student Design Fellows.

Beyond his professional work, Will is a dedicated community leader.  He co-founded a men’s group focused on combating toxic masculinity and served six years on the board of Calvary Baptist Church in D.C.  As a proud Niswonger Foundation Alumnus, Will also returned every summer for ten years to Greeneville, Tennessee to assist the undergraduate Niswonger Scholars during their annual summer leadership institute.

Now settled in Richmond, Virginia, with his wife, Grace, and their dog-child, Fawkes, Will carries the values of East Tennessee with him in every project he leads, forever calling the mountains home.