Skip to content

Social and Civic Leadership Academy

Article

In Jalen’s eyes, college allowed him to understand himself and how he wanted to shape his life. It also revealed his passion for advocacy work.

Today, Jalen wants high school students to have the same opportunity. Therefore, he hopes to find ways to diversify his college campus by showing high school students from low socio-economic environments that they have the ability and drive to achieve great things.

Project Overview

Addressing the need for high school students of marginalized identities to have the ability to engage in challenging academic questions and real-world situations, the Social and Civic Leadership Academy is organizing a summer week-long programming for the high-schoolers. Planned are workshops focused on strengthening advocacy, social justice, and leadership skills. The program is set to take place from July 24-29, 2022.

Project Objectives

The Social and Civic Leadership Academy addresses the need for high school students of marginalized identities to have the ability to to engage in challenging academic questions and real-world situations led by faculty experts. Students will also get to explore the opportunities and resources provided by a college education. The goal is to allow students to be provided with education that will guide them in their college journey and finding equitable solutions for students to effectively flourish in a college environment.

“I want to find ways to diversify my college campus and the best way is to help high school students early.”

Progress & Next Steps

Jalen utilized Elizabethtown College resources for his project, where he worked as an intern for the Vice President of Enrollment Management. In this role, he was able to focus on the details for the summer educational program. With the marketing team and the President, they developed proper materials and secured funding.

The project is a week long from July 24-29. In its programming, students from local high schools will interact with faculty and staff and current college students, specifically Ubuntu Mentors (college students who are mentors of color) developing relationships and exploring careers in legal studies, political science, law, government, and advocacy/social justice.

At the end of the program, participants will have an opportunity to apply learning outcomes into a capstone project. Using information learned throughout the week, students will develop tools that can create institutional and social change within their communities. Collective ideas will be presented to lawmakers in Harrisburg and Lancaster.

As the next step, Jalen would love to reach out to other high schools in Pennsylvania and is currently looking for funding opportunities to expand the project.

Updated May 2022