Change Agent</h1> <article> <h1>Change Agent</h1> <p>tapplega — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 15:27:08 +0000</p> <span>Change Agent</span> <span><span>tapplega</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-09-19T11:27:08-04:00" title="Tuesday, September 19, 2023 - 11:27">Tue, 09/19/2023 - 11:27</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Jesse Kohler ’16 set foot in 91ֱ�� with a dream of baseball stardom. But like the unpredictable curveballs he threw from the mound, life directed him toward a path of public service, and the baseball enthusiast evolved into a beacon for community and national advocacy that took shape through his major in <a href="/node/3396">law and society</a>.</p> <p>Kohler hails from the outskirts of Philadelphia, where he was intimately exposed to the challenges many families face in raising children and making ends meet. Witnessing these difficulties up close fueled his desire to make a tangible impact and ultimately led him to pursue a career informed by trauma-informed care, a medical framework through which providers aim to connect with people who face negative consequences from past experiences. </p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-left"> <figcaption>Jesse Kohler pitched for three seasons on the 91ֱ�� baseball team.</figcaption> </figure> <p>91ֱ��’s culture of advocacy left an indelible mark on Kohler. “I came with cleats and gloves, thinking the field was where I’d shine,” he says. But the fertile sociopolitical climate on campus began to shape his aspirations. “Transitioning from my introductory <a href="/node/3366">psychology</a> classes to the depth of the law and society major broadened my horizons.”</p> <p>We caught up with Kohler to learn how his work at 91ֱ�� led to a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that employs scientific research to improve overall well-being among challenged populations.</p> <p><strong>What are you doing these days?</strong></p> <p>I’m the founder and president of The Change Campaign, a nonprofit birthed from my senior project at 91ֱ��. The campaign also works with government agencies and other organizations that have similar goals. Because of my work with The Change Campaign, I was selected as the executive director for the <a href="https://www.ctipp.org/">Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice</a> (CTIPP), a nationwide organization trying to create a resilient society by addressing the injustices that cause poor health and supporting the integration of resilience-building and healing activities.</p> <p>Apart from this, I’m on the board of the National Prevention Science Coalition to Improve Lives (NPSC) and an advisor for the Compassionate School Leadership Academy (CSLA) at Yale. My main aim is fostering a sustainable planet and a hopeful future. Early in my career, I’ve emphasized leadership that’s community-led, trauma-informed, and resilience-focused.</p> <p><strong>What led you down this career path?</strong></p> <p>My initial dream was to be a professional baseball player. My academic leanings were toward <a href="/node/3411">neuroscience</a>, <a href="/node/3366">psychology</a>, and <a href="/node/3391">political science</a>. However, my grades in Psych 100 challenged this path. Consequently, the law and society program at 91ֱ�� caught my attention, offering a blend of multiple disciplines and the chance of law school. My interest in the school-to-prison pipeline [the higher likelihood of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds being incarcerated] began here, and it led me to my work at an educational nonprofit. This, in turn, resulted in a master’s in educational leadership from Arcadia University and an influential internship with the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General.</p> <p><strong>What facets of your work are you most proud of?</strong></p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Kohler speaking at the Council for Tribal Employment Rights conference.</figcaption> </figure> <p>Supporting the development of CTIPP’s programs that have enabled some of those policy wins are some of the most rewarding experiences of my career thus far. I learned so much working alongside trauma-informed leaders throughout the United States to create programs that fill unmet needs in the field. I have been fortunate to have played a significant role in the development of CTIPP’s Community Advocacy Network (CTIPP CAN) to organize trauma-informed advocates across the country; PressOn envisions an infrastructure to connect and mobilize federal to state to local collaborations to propel the community-led, trauma-informed, prevention-oriented, resilience-focused, and healing-centered movement forward; and Ideas Lab, which promotes tools and resources to build the movement.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">How a senior project at 91ֱ�� became a life calling for Jesse Kohler.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-09-19T12:00:00Z">Tue, 09/19/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tyler Applegate</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2360">After 91ֱ��</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2368">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2771">Athletics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2382">Community Service</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3897">Internship</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25286">Psychology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25396">Law and Society</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25416">Politics</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/psychology" hreflang="und">Psychology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/law-and-society" hreflang="und">Law and Society</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/politics" hreflang="und">Politics</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pull-images field--type-list-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yes</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-cte-images field--type-list-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yes (Gallery Style)</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">courtesy of Jesse Kohler</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-32103" class="paragraph paragraph--type--pb-el-bq paragraph--view-mode--default"> <blockquote class="blockquote--quotemark" data-text-color-red data-text-size-giant> <p>91ֱ�� nurtured my curiosity, helping me understand the root causes of world problems. The interdisciplinary learning there became the foundation of my knowledge.”</p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-27789" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p><strong>How did 91ֱ�� equip you for your current roles?</strong></p> <p>The Change Campaign—my senior project—was a significant one. I had been working with [local nonprofit] <a href="https://www.oberlincommunityservices.org/">91ֱ�� Community Services</a> for a year and a half before the <a href="/winter-term">Winter Term</a> of my senior year. I was serving as a public health advocate when we wrote a grant to the Ohio Commission on Minority Health for $20,000 to fund a Text for Wellness program, making crisis counselors available for the state through text messages. I played a very minor role in that project but learned a ton. As I marinated on the experience, I realized that if 91ֱ�� students donated an average of $20, we could raise $60,000 of flexible funding for community services.</p> <p>91ֱ�� nurtured my curiosity, helping me understand the root causes of world problems. The interdisciplinary learning there became the foundation of my knowledge. Moreover, the deep introspection fostered at 91ֱ�� about my position and privilege has been invaluable in my professional journey.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Kohler's first professional experience after college was with 12+, empowering underprivileged students to succeed after 12th grade.</figcaption> </figure> <p><strong>How did you secure your first post-college position?</strong></p> <p>I met Rob Reed, the executive deputy attorney general for the Pennsylvania Office of Public Engagement, during my fellowship with 12+ [a nonprofit aiming to bring educational equity to K-12 students in Philadelphia]. Rob asked if I wanted to meet with him, and I came prepared to talk all about The Change Campaign. I told him all about the project and what we hoped to accomplish, and when I was done, he told me about the project he was working on—the Pennsylvania Trauma-Informed Care Network—and asked if I wanted to help him with its development. This was my introduction to trauma-informed care, and it changed my entire life. In that position, I met leaders of CTIPP when it was first coming together, and this led to me becoming CTIPP’s first official intern. </p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-left"> <figcaption>Kohler was a member of the 2015 team that won the NCAC Championship. </figcaption> </figure> <p><strong>What’s your fondest memory of 91ֱ��? </strong></p> <p>The 2015 91ֱ�� baseball team won the North Coast Athletic Conference. We were underdogs and went on an incredible run at the end of the season. I didn’t play a lot that season. I got a concussion earlier in the year when an errant throw hit me in the head, but I found a role serving as a bullpen catcher and tried to be the best teammate I could. This humbling experience taught me more than my successes did. The night after we won the conference championship, we drove back from Chillicothe and stayed up the entire night celebrating until the sun came up!</p> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Voice of Experience</h1> <p>tapplega — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 16:48:03 +0000</p> <span>Voice of Experience</span> <span><span>tapplega</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-06-27T12:48:03-04:00" title="Tuesday, June 27, 2023 - 12:48">Tue, 06/27/2023 - 12:48</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Véronique Harris ’23 chose to attend 91ֱ�� because of its history of progressive firsts and its deeply ingrained commitment to activism. During her time on campus, she deepened her own commitment to social justice and public service with a double major in <a href="/node/3431">Africana studies</a> and <a href="/node/3396">law and society</a>. </p> <p>Harris’ lifelong interest in public-service law has culminated in her receiving the prestigious <a href="https://www.thegatesscholarship.org/scholarship">William H. Gates Public Service Law Scholarship</a>. Named for the former prominent attorney, philanthropist, and father of Microsoft founder Bill Gates, the scholarship covers all expenses to the University of Washington School of Law and includes guaranteed internships for each recipient. In accepting the award, Harris has committed to working in public service for at least five years following graduation—a commitment that paves the way for her planned career as a civil rights attorney. </p> <p>“I have a lifetime of experiences that built up to this moment,” she says. “I have known that I wanted to be a lawyer since I was 14.” </p> <p>Raised in a suburb of Seattle, Harris was exposed to systemic racism and structural inequality from a young age. “I come from a family of blue-collar Black, white, and Filipino laborers,” she says. “My family is a microcosm of society’s failure to address the basic needs of BIPOC and working-class people; I grew up witnessing the impacts of these systemic failures daily.” </p> <p>Her father, a dedicated factory worker who was committed to providing for his family, was exposed to toxic chemicals in the workplace for decades. As a result, he developed an occupational lung disease, and his preexisting heart condition worsened. </p> <p>“I learned about the intersection of race, class, education—or lack thereof—as well as environmental racism and health disparities, and felt called to fight them at a young age,” Harris says.</p> <p>In high school, she devoted time volunteering, protesting, and grassroots organizing with groups such as the <a href="https://www.aclu-wa.org/">American Civil Liberties Union of Washington</a> and a local community youth council. While attending 91ֱ��, she ran a successful social media campaign and petition that resulted in her former high school replacing its Confederate rebel mascot. “Parents and students alike thanked me for my perseverance, expressing that the mascot change would promote a safe and inclusive learning environment for students of color,” she says.</p> <p>Deeply affected by the death of 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant at the hands of Columbus, Ohio, police, Harris raised more than $2,000 to assemble and distribute self-defense kits for Black women and femmes throughout the state. “I used the slogan ‘We protect us’ for the self-defense kit distribution because Black Americans cannot rely on police protection within a structurally racist system,” she says. Also at 91ֱ��, she was a member of <a href="https://oberlinstudentsforafreepalestine.wordpress.com/">Students for a Free Palestine</a>. The club’s work, and her experiences with lawyers fighting for Palestinian human rights, further fueled her desire for a career in public-service law.</p> <p>Today, Harris is more determined than ever to dismantle systemic racism and address socio-environmental challenges. After law school, she hopes to work in the NAACP’s Environment and Climate Justice Division or another nonprofit that supports her advocacy of decolonial frameworks to counter environmental racism. </p> <p>She credits her 91ֱ�� professors—including <a href="/node/4981">Charles Peterson</a> in Africana studies, <a href="/node/4931">Joyce Babyak</a> in religion, and <a href="/node/384671">Amanda Zadorian</a> in politics—for shaping her academic life and her career aspirations through their formal guidance and teaching, as well as through regular chats about current events during office hours.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Véronique Harris grew up a witness to inequality. Now she’s dedicating her life to eradicating it through a career in public-service law.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-06-27T12:00:00Z">Tue, 06/27/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tyler Applegate</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2409">Scholarships</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2392">Social Justice</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3897">Internship</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4821">Africana Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25396">Law and Society</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/charles-peterson" hreflang="und">Charles Peterson</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/joyce-babyak" hreflang="und">Joyce Kloc Babyak</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/amanda-zadorian" hreflang="und">Amanda Zadorian</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/africana-studies" hreflang="und">Africana Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/law-and-society" hreflang="und">Law and Society</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">courtesy of Véronique Harris</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-32094" class="paragraph paragraph--type--pb-el-bq paragraph--view-mode--default"> <blockquote class="blockquote--quotemark" data-text-color-red data-text-size-giant> <p>I am so very grateful for all of these wonderful professors. They have truly impacted my life in more ways than they know.”</p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-27741" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p>Harris praises Babyak, who also chairs 91ֱ��’s law and society program, in particular. “She helped me create a plan for studying for the LSAT, sponsored my <a href="/winter-term">Winter Term</a> projects, wrote many recommendations, and encouraged me throughout the law school application process.” </p> <p>As Harris embarks on her journey in public-service law, she carries with her the experiences and lessons from her young life. </p> <p>“I eventually would like my career to have an international reach,” she says. “I am very pleased that through the Gates Scholarship, I will have the ability to complete internships in the summers of my first and second years, so that I can see how different organizations are doing this work and how I can be of most use to the cause in the future.”</p> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Summer of Justice</h1> <p>anagy — Fri, 26 May 2023 15:57:30 +0000</p> <span>Summer of Justice</span> <span><span>anagy</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-05-26T11:57:30-04:00" title="Friday, May 26, 2023 - 11:57">Fri, 05/26/2023 - 11:57</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Darius Butler will devote four weeks this summer traveling between Washington, D.C.; Cape Town, South Africa; and Dublin, Ireland, to learn from the legacies of social justice giants who made global footprints. Now completing his third year at 91ֱ��, Butler is one of 12 U.S. college students selected to take part in the <a href="https://apnews.com/press-release/pr-newswire/colleges-and-universities-pr-newswire-b05008b7606183cac68b178365825993">Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship</a>.</p> <p>“To be selected as a Frederick Douglass Global Fellow is an incredible honor and something I am blessed to be a part of,” says Butler, originally from Lewis Center, Ohio, near Columbus. “Ultimately, this fellowship will help me heighten my sense of how to advance effective and tangible social change within my community.”</p> <p>The fellowship, co-sponsored by the government of Ireland, recognizes the <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/when-emancipated-slave-frederick-douglass-met-daniel-o-connell-in-dublin-1.4685990">historic convening</a> of abolitionists Frederick Douglass of the U.S. and Daniel O’Connell of Ireland in 1845. Their meeting was a notable marker for international solidarity between movements and fueled a practice of education and exchange between movement leaders that continues today. Douglass Fellows will examine the impact of the Emancipation Proclamation in the U.S. and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. </p> <p>Butler, an <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/africana-studies">Africana studies</a> and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/law-and-society">law and society</a> double major, is driven by his desire to make an impact in the lives of others. In his first three years on campus, he has assumed leadership roles in the <a href="/ahh">Lord-Saunders Afrikan Heritage House</a>, <a href="/religious-and-spiritual-life/communities">Voices for Christ</a>, and the <a href="/arts-and-sciences/resources-and-support/wap">Writing Center</a>. Away from campus, he led an annual toy drive for local children in collaboration with Mt. Zion Baptist Church. He has supported advocacy efforts as a legal intern for Columbus judge <a href="https://municipalcourt.franklincountyohio.gov/Judiciary/Judges/Judges-List/Stephanie-Mingo">Stephanie Mingo</a> and as a racial justice research fellow with the advocacy nonprofit <a href="https://www.asyousow.org/">As You Sow</a>. He plans to attend law school, continuing his passion for advancing racial equity through legal advocacy in the nonprofit sector.</p> <p>“The need for Black representation in the legal profession in the U.S. is imperative, because Black people have a lifetime of experience and perspective on what it’s like to be systematically excluded and discriminated against by institutional systems and structures,” says Butler. </p> <p>He credits 91ֱ��’s Africana Studies Department for supporting his growth as a scholar and advocate, and he is particularly grateful for the mentorship of professors Candice Raynor, <a href="/charles-peterson">Charles Peterson</a>, and <a href="/yveline-alexis">Yveline Alexis</a>—just a few of the many faculty and staff advocates he has leaned on during his time on campus. Their support, he says, is critical to his success thus far and in shaping his perspectives and ambitions moving forward. His appreciation for their leadership reflects his admiration of historical organizers, journalists, and movement leaders—figures such as James Baldwin, Ida B. Wells, Angela Davis, and Fred Hampton—whom he has long viewed as titans in the quest for racial justice. </p> <p>Butler is especially moved by the life and legacy of Hampton, the late civil rights activist who was a leader of the Black Panther Party and founder of the Rainbow Coalition before being killed in 1969. “I’m in awe when I listen to his speeches or interviews because of the power of his words,” he says. “The fact that he was the same age as me, yet could do such remarkable and impactful work, is incredible.” </p> <p>Butler’s fellowship will include opportunities to learn from human rights leaders of today. One of them is Mpho Tutu van Furth, an Anglican priest and activist who is the daughter of the late Bishop Desmond Tutu. </p> <p>“This will be my first time traveling outside the U.S.,” he says, “and I know the knowledge and relationships I will build during my time in Ireland and South Africa will last for a lifetime.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Darius Butler explores human rights across three continents through a Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-05-26T12:00:00Z">Fri, 05/26/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Henry Hicks IV</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2392">Social Justice</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3846">Engaged Liberal Arts</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4821">Africana Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25396">Law and Society</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/africana-studies" hreflang="und">Africana Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/law-and-society" hreflang="und">Law and Society</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Rising senior Darius Butler is one of 12 students in the United States selected to participate the in Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Jacob Strauss</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>One Big Service-Oriented Family</h1> <p>tapplega — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 16:18:37 +0000</p> <span>One Big Service-Oriented Family</span> <span><span>tapplega</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-04-27T12:18:37-04:00" title="Thursday, April 27, 2023 - 12:18">Thu, 04/27/2023 - 12:18</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>91ֱ��’s <a href="/node/55501">Bonner Scholars</a> program has been connecting classrooms to communities since 1993. Operated by the <a href="/node/4416">Bonner Center for Community-Engaged Learning, Teaching, and Research</a> and supported by the national <a href="http://www.bonner.org/">Bonner Foundation</a>, the scholars program provides four-year community service scholarships to approximately 60 91ֱ�� students who are the first in their families to attend college or come from underrepresented populations. Bonner Scholars participate in intensive, developmental community-engagement experiences throughout their time at 91ֱ��.</p> <p>Each year, 15 incoming first-year students are selected as Bonner Scholars. Their experience is guided by designated student leaders, who facilitate community projects and engage with the entire campus about service opportunities. </p> <p>Bonner leader Wyae’ Stewart is a third-year <a href="/node/3391">politics</a> major with minors in <a href="/node/3396">law</a> and <a href="/node/3431">Africana studies</a>. She is completing her service learning with the federal math education program <a href="https://www.census.gov/library/stories.html">America Counts</a> and has previously tutored local schoolchildren as a <a href="/node/56206">Ninde Scholar</a>, worked in the office of Congresswoman Nikema Williams, and with the National Society of Leadership and Success. A native of Atlanta, Stewart is committed to service in education and housing, and she’s taking the first steps to reform education across the country.</p> <p>We connected with Stewart to learn more about her work as a Bonner leader and how she fosters service at 91ֱ��.</p> <p><strong>What does the Bonner Scholars Program mean to you?</strong></p> <p>The Bonner Scholar Program is a family that is not only committed to doing work with one another throughout our communities, but assisting each other on a daily basis to become better people for and with others.</p> <p><strong>How has your service with Bonner corresponded to social issues you care about?</strong></p> <p>Even though I am not working directly with educational policy at America Counts, I have interacted with students, teachers, and parents and gauged their views on how these children are being taught. In particular, I enjoy working closely with the kids, as I remember feeling how they felt when I was that age. Through this experience, I know that when I go into policy, there are aspects that I want to target to ensure that our students are safe in all aspects!</p> <p><strong>How has your service with Bonner influenced your time at 91ֱ��?</strong></p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Stewart repairs a bike wheel<br> at the Ohio City Bike Co-op in Cleveland.<br> (courtesy of Wyae' Stewart)</figcaption> </figure> <p>I came to 91ֱ�� blindly, without a visit, and with little knowledge of the school. As soon as I arrived, the Bonner program was extremely welcoming, which made finding a service site easier. Through my service, I have found mentors who continue to support me and guide me through my 91ֱ�� journey.</p> <p><strong>What have you learned about the 91ֱ�� community through your service?</strong></p> <p>I’ve learned that 91ֱ�� is a tight-knit community that is very engaged. I saw this more recently while working with my on-campus organization, ABUSUA [91ֱ��’s Black Student Union], where we partnered with the Black Student-Athlete Group to sponsor a block party to welcome community members to meet and interact with students in the college. Since I work in the school system and know many students and their parents, I used that connection to get the community involved. This event turned out to be a success because a lot of the students and their parents participated! We are excited to continue this partnership through the years. I know that my service with America Counts helped sponsor this connection, and I am forever grateful for that.</p> <p><strong>Can you share a favorite Bonner memory?</strong></p> <p>One of my most cherished Bonner memories was the All-Bonner Retreat! Though this is not a regular event, it was where I bonded with so many other Bonners who I never had the opportunity to interact with outside of All-Bonner meetings. I enjoyed playing our favorite games such as Mafia and singing karaoke.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The Bonner Scholars Program eased Wyae’ Stewart’s transition to 91ֱ��. Now she’s easing the way for others.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-04-27T12:00:00Z">Thu, 04/27/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tyler Applegate</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2381">Bonner Center</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2382">Community Service</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25416">Politics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25396">Law and Society</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4821">Africana Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/politics" hreflang="und">Politics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/law-and-society" hreflang="und">Law and Society</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/africana-studies" hreflang="und">Africana Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">courtesy of Wyae' Stewart</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Darielle Kennedy ’22 Enters Public Affairs Arena with Coro Fellowship</h1> <p>anagy — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 17:27:51 +0000</p> <span>Darielle Kennedy ’22 Enters Public Affairs Arena with Coro Fellowship</span> <span><span>anagy</span></span> <span><time datetime="2022-06-08T13:27:51-04:00" title="Wednesday, June 8, 2022 - 13:27">Wed, 06/08/2022 - 13:27</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Law and justice scholar Darielle Kennedy ’22 has landed her first post-graduate position in public affairs through the highly selective <a href="http://www.corofellowship.org/about-the-coro-fellowship/">Coro Fellowship</a> program. </p> <p>As a member of the 2022-23 cohort in New York City, Kennedy will engage in public affairs work with the goal of amplifying and embedding the issue of mass incarceration into public discourse.</p> <p>“I applied to other fellowships that declined to endorse a candidate who wanted to take on this issue because it is too controversial for their organization, even though they assert in their mission statements that they aim to create social change. However, the Coro Fellowship embraced me and my collective and personal struggle with the criminal legal system and my passion to abolish it,” says Kennedy, a <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/comparative-american-studies">comparative American studies</a> major with a concentration in identity and diversity, as well as a minor in <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/law-and-society">law and society</a>. </p> <p>A native of the south side of Chicago, Kennedy enrolled at 91ֱ�� as a <a href="https://www.possefoundation.org/">Posse Scholar</a>. At 91ֱ��, she has chosen courses with a particular focus on how law is enacted in ways that disenfranchise Black and brown people. </p> <p>The Coro Fellows Program develops emerging leaders to work and lead across different sectors by equipping them with knowledge, skills, and networks to accelerate positive change. Using the city as a classroom, Coro Fellows learn through interactions with private, public, and nonprofit decision-makers and work as a group to develop critical thinking, analytical, governance, and leadership skills.</p> <p>Kennedy says her coursework and leadership in 91ֱ�� Student Senate has prepared her for her career journey. </p> <p>“My experience as president of the Student Senate has helped to cultivate my public service skills. I served as a liaison between senior administration and the student body, and helped create platforms and workshops that aimed to help embrace, uplift, and protect equity, diversity, and inclusion on campus.”</p> <p>In addition to serving as student senate president, Kennedy is a former racial equity liaison on student senate. She also served as a peer listener in the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/peersupportcenter/">Peer Support Center</a>. </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The Coro Fellows Program develops emerging leaders to work and lead across different sectors.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2022-06-09T12:00:00Z">Thu, 06/09/2022 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Amanda Nagy</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2355">Student Organizations</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3846">Engaged Liberal Arts</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25311">Comparative American Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25396">Law and Society</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/comparative-american-studies" hreflang="und">Comparative American Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/law-and-society" hreflang="und">Law and Society</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Darielle Kennedy '22 has been selected to the 2022-2023 Coro Fellowship cohort in New York City.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones '97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Iesha-LaShay Phillips ’22 Awarded Full Scholarship to Yale Law School</h1> <p>ygay — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 17:19:59 +0000</p> <span>Iesha-LaShay Phillips ’22 Awarded Full Scholarship to Yale Law School</span> <span><span>ygay</span></span> <span><time datetime="2022-04-25T13:19:59-04:00" title="Monday, April 25, 2022 - 13:19">Mon, 04/25/2022 - 13:19</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Phillips’ recent award follows an academic career accented with scholastic achievements. </p> <p>In 2021, Phillips, a <a href="http://www.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/departments/law-and-society">law and society</a> and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/africana-studies" target="_blank">Africana studies</a> double major, was selected as a Frederick Douglass Global Fellow, which provides a full scholarship to participate in a summer study abroad program focused on leadership, intercultural communication, and social justice. The <a href="/news/campus-compact-names-iesha-phillips-22-newman-civic-fellow" target="_blank">Newman Civic Engagement Fellowship</a> and <a href="https://www.truman.gov/" target="_blank">Harry S. Truman Scholarship</a> followed several months later. In addition to $30,000 for graduate school, Truman Scholars participate in several programs, including a leadership week, three-month summer institute in Washington D.C., and other programs that support Truman scholars throughout their public service careers.</p> <p>Immediately after graduating from 91ֱ�� in June, Phillips will participate in the <a href="https://www.seo-usa.org/law/our-program/fellowship/" target="_blank">SEO Law Fellowship</a>, the only program of its kind that places talented, underrepresented incoming law students in top law firms around the nation before they begin law school. </p> <p>“I am so excited for a summer of exploring my interests and gaining valuable legal experience that will prepare me for my legal career,” says Phillips. “I aspire to use my legal education to fight to end generational incarceration, prevent family separation, and give children a chance to live outside of the criminal legal system. I hope to work as a criminal defense attorney and eventually shift to impact litigation.”</p> <p>Service to others is essential in Phillips’ career goals and personal philosophy. She is a member of the Indigenous Peoples’ Day Committee, and has been involved with the <a href="/bcsl" target="_blank">Bonner Center</a> since her first year at 91ֱ��, serving as an associate at the <a href="/arts-and-sciences/resources-and-support/wap" target="_blank">Writing Center</a> and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/resources-and-support/wap/speaking-center">Speaking Center</a>, and was a writing tutor at 91ֱ�� High School, among other campus involvements. In her junior year, she volunteered at juvenile detention facilities throughout Ohio with Writers In Residence (WIR). This work, she explains, “is very important because it uplifts the often ignored voices of the youth in these facilities. Workshops allow them to reflect on their lives and tell their stories. These workshops also restore their humanity because these children are often disregarded in society and treated without basic respect, but this work forces others to see them as people, as children. To see that they deserve gentleness and kindness.”</p> <p>Phillips is currently studying peace, justice, and community engagement in a study away program that is traveling throughout Central America. The experience is allowing her “to learn from those typically left out of academia like Indigenous, Afro-Latinx, and poor communities,” she says. “We are typically based in a large city, but we take excursions to Indigenous communities and to rural communities to learn about social change and those most oppressed by their governments.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2022-04-25T12:00:00Z">Mon, 04/25/2022 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yvonne Gay</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>After earning full scholarships to nearly every law school she applied to, Iesha-LaShay Phillips ’22 has decided to pursue a fully funded law degree at Yale Law School in the fall.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2355">Student Organizations</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2376">Study Away</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2382">Community Service</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3846">Engaged Liberal Arts</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4821">Africana Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25396">Law and Society</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/africana-studies" hreflang="und">Africana Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/law-and-society" hreflang="und">Law and Society</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Iesha-LaShay Phillips.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Jonathan Clark '25</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Truman Scholar Plans to Challenge Systemic Injustice in her Community</h1> <p>ygay — Thu, 08 Jul 2021 16:10:32 +0000</p> <span>Truman Scholar Plans to Challenge Systemic Injustice in her Community</span> <span><span>ygay</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-07-08T12:10:32-04:00" title="Thursday, July 8, 2021 - 12:10">Thu, 07/08/2021 - 12:10</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Iesha-LaShay Phillips ’22 applied for the <a href="https://www.truman.gov" target="_blank">Harry S. Truman Scholarship</a> because of its emphasis on public service and vast network of scholars motivated by a desire to create change. As a Truman recipient, she hopes to pursue a law degree that will allow her to have a deep impact in her community.</p> <p>In addition to $30,000 for graduate school, Truman Scholars participate in several programs, including a leadership week, a three-month summer institute in Washington D.C., and other programs that support Truman scholars throughout their public service careers. This year, leadership week will be conducted remotely, and the in-person summer institute will take place next summer.</p> <p>Phillips, a double-degree <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/africana-studies" target="_blank">Africana studies</a> and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/law-and-society" target="_blank">law and society</a> major with a <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/rhetoric-and-composition" target="_blank">rhetoric and composition</a> minor, plans to apply to law schools in the fall. With a doctor of law degree she hopes to expand her impact in her indigenous communities by representing indigent people in court, advising them of their rights, and challenging systemic injustice in the criminal justice system.</p> <p>“The United States has an incarceration crisis. In Oklahoma, we have the highest incarceration rate of women in the world,” says Phillips, a resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma. “Ultimately, I want to fight the over-incarceration of women because it leads to the over-incarceration of youth. I hope to do this through working as a public defender for low-income women, then shifting my focus to impact litigation to change entire systems.” </p> <p>Phillips’ first contact with public service workers began at New Hope Oklahoma, a program for children with incarcerated parents. Workers there supported her single-parent family by providing them with basic necessities. “Every year since I was four, they bought Christmas presents for me and my siblings because they knew my mother could not afford any gifts,” Phillips explains. </p> <p>“Through the compassion of their volunteers, New Hope instilled hope, strength, and self-worth in my life. These gestures filled me with a passion to serve my communities and make the same difference in children’s lives. I honestly cannot imagine a life where I don’t serve my community and make life better for those who come after. This is why the Truman Scholarship is so important to me. I was also drawn to Truman for its professional development opportunities and vast Truman Scholar network, which includes change agents like Michelle Alexander, Stacey Abrams, Justice Gorsuch, and more.”</p> <p>Phillips currently volunteers at juvenile detention facilities throughout Ohio with Writers In Residence, which also piqued her interest in juvenile justice. At 91ֱ��, she is a member of the Indigenous Peoples’ Day Committee, serves as an associate at the <a href="/arts-and-sciences/resources-and-support/wap" target="_blank">Writing Center</a> and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/resources-and-support/wap/speaking-center" target="_blank">Speaking Center</a>, and is a writing tutor at 91ֱ�� High School, among other campus involvement. </p> <p>Besides the Truman Scholarship, Phillips is also the recipient of several other awards this academic year, including the <a href="/news/iesha-lashay-phillips-22-awarded-frederick-douglass-global-fellowship-study-abroad-dublin-0" target="_blank">Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship</a> and <a href="/news/campus-compact-names-iesha-phillips-22-newman-civic-fellow" target="_blank">Newman Civic Engagement Fellowship</a>. Other honors include the Nancy K. Rhoden Memorial Undergraduate Prize, Student Excellence in Community Engagement Award, and Mvskoke Mvnettvlke Onaya (Youth Visionary) award. Philips was also featured on the <em>Today Show</em>’s special about Toni Morrison in 2020. She is a SEO Law Catalyst Scholar, QuestBridge Scholar, Bonner Scholar, and Law and Justice Scholar. </p> <p> “I have always been a go-getter, but I have my mom to credit,” says Phillips. “Most of my life, she has been a single mother, but that didn’t stop her from making me the fierce and headstrong young woman that I am today. She taught me that I can do anything I set my mind to as long as I don’t give up, and she’s completely right! I haven’t had an easy life. I am a first-generation, low-income Black and Mvskoke woman who grew up with an incarcerated parent. I’ve survived all of these struggles that life has thrown at me through the support of my mom and my communities. This drives me to serve my communities and make life better for children in the same predicament.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2021-07-08T12:00:00Z">Thu, 07/08/2021 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yvonne Gay</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2381">Bonner Center</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4821">Africana Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25396">Law and Society</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25451">Writing and Communication</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/africana-studies" hreflang="und">Africana Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/law-and-society" hreflang="und">Law and Society</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/writing-and-communication" hreflang="und">Communication Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Iesha-LaShay Phillips ’22</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones '97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Jasmine Mitchell ’21 Awarded 91ֱ�� Shansi Fellowship and Critical Language Scholarship</h1> <p>ygay — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 20:39:34 +0000</p> <span>Jasmine Mitchell ’21 Awarded 91ֱ�� Shansi Fellowship and Critical Language Scholarship</span> <span><span>ygay</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-04-09T16:39:34-04:00" title="Friday, April 9, 2021 - 16:39">Fri, 04/09/2021 - 16:39</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>“I enjoy learning languages because it offers a window into the culture and history of the target language,” she says.</p> <p>Mitchell’s passion for Japanese language and culture sparked in a pilot elementary school program. Since then, she has taken numerous Japanese language courses and found ways to broaden her understanding of the culture by attending events in the Washington, DC area. However, the opportunity to travel to the country for firsthand exposure eluded her, until now.</p> <p>As an 91ֱ�� Shansi Fellow, Mitchell will spend two years teaching English at the J. F. 91ֱ�� University in Machida, Japan. She will also continue her research on Afro-Asian solidarity movements, and deepen her understanding of diversity within cross-cultural collaboration.</p> <p>As a Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) recipient, she will further develop her Japanese language skills through intensive language and cultural instruction, connect with distinguished alumni of the program, and learn about future career opportunities available with enhanced critical language skills in government, public, and private sector career opportunities. CLS, a U.S. Department of State program, is part of an initiative to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering foreign languages that are critical to national security and economic prosperity. </p> <p>“Growing up in a family full of public servants, the importance of service to others was instilled in me at an early age,” says the <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/east-asian-studies">East Asian Studies</a> major with a concentration in <a href="/international-affairs">International Affairs</a>. “In keeping with this commitment to the service of others, coupled with my passion for international relations and human rights, I hope to join the U.S. Foreign Service to dedicate my career to helping people across the world improve their political, economic, and societal realities.”</p> <p>Mitchell serves as vice-chair of <a href="https://sites.google.com/a/oberlin.edu/studentsenate/">91ֱ�� Student Senate</a> and is a member of the <a href="/about-oberlin/presidential-initiative-racial-equity-and-diversity">Presidential Initiative on Racial Equity and Diversity</a>, where she works on the Student Life and Learning Committee. As a student leader and committee member, Mitchell says she has taken an active role in conducting a series of focus groups to learn more about campus climate and students’ experience through cultural student organizations.</p> <p>“My role on the presidential initiative has given me the invaluable opportunity to engage with students, consult with student-facing offices, and facilitate programming that uplifts the presidential commission's charge,” she says.</p> <p>Mitchell, who also minors in <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/politics">politics</a> and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/law-and-society">law and society</a>, hopes to have a career as a U.S. diplomat.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2021-04-09T12:00:00Z">Fri, 04/09/2021 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yvonne Gay</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>An appreciation of Japanese history, culture, and language makes being awarded an 91ֱ�� Shansi Fellowship and Critical Language Scholarship a dream come true for Jasmine Mitchell ’21.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=245971">International Affairs</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25336">East Asian Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25396">Law and Society</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/east-asian-studies" hreflang="und">East Asian Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/law-and-society" hreflang="und">Law and Society</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Jasmine Mitchell ’21</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Jonathan Clark '25</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Campus Compact names Iesha Phillips ’22 a Newman Civic Fellow</h1> <p>swargo — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 20:41:22 +0000</p> <span>Campus Compact names Iesha Phillips ’22 a Newman Civic Fellow</span> <span><span>swargo</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-03-23T16:41:22-04:00" title="Tuesday, March 23, 2021 - 16:41">Tue, 03/23/2021 - 16:41</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Boston-based non-profit organization Campus Compact has released the names of the 290 students from across the country who comprise the 2021-2022 cohort of <a href="https://compact.org/newman-civic-fellowship/2021-2022-newman-civic-fellows/">Newman Civic Fellows</a>. </p> <p>Iesha-LaShay Phillips, a third-year <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/africana-studies" target="_blank">Africana studies</a> and <a href="/law-and-society" target="_blank">law and society</a> double-major, has been awarded the Campus Compact 2021 Newman Civic Fellowship after being nominated through the Bonner Center for Community-Engaged Learning, Teaching, and Research.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Iesha-LaShay Phillips ’22 Photo credit: Jonath Clark '25</figcaption> </figure> <p>The fellowship is a year-long program for students who have proven to be exceptionally committed to their communities. It is named for the late Frank Newman, who was a hard-working advocate for civic engagement in higher education. The program provides students with networking and learning opportunities to become the next leaders in civic engagement.</p> <p>Phillips has been involved with the <a href="/bcsl">Bonner Center</a> since her first year at 91ֱ��. She volunteers as a writing workshop facilitator with Writers in Residence, a program that connects college students with incarcerated youth. </p> <p>“These workshops are very important,” she says. “They not only advocate for youths’ voices and allow them to express freedom, but they provide them with positive role models in their lives so they can create goals for themselves. And we're not just there promoting writing. If they feel like they just want to talk, we allow them to talk. If they want to draw, we allow them to draw.”</p> <p>In addition to this outreach, Phillips tutors students at 91ֱ�� High School through the <a href="/arts-and-sciences/resources-and-support/wap" target="_blank">Writing Associates Program</a>, helping them develop confidence in their writing skills through one-on-one conversations.</p> <p><a href="/brandi-mcvety" target="_blank">Brandi McVety</a>, the acting program director at the <a href="/bcsl/programs/bonner-scholars" target="_blank">Bonner Scholars Program</a>, has worked closely with Phillips.</p> <p>“Iesha's sustained engagement with young people, particularly incarcerated and formerly incarcerated youth, her informed and community-centered approaches to that engagement, and her demonstrated commitment to future public service make her an excellent candidate.”</p> <p>Through the support of the fellowship, Phillips will develop plans for a summer camp for formerly incarcerated youth. </p> <p>“I want to put together a summer camp to give these youth an opportunity to go to camp, to swim, and just to be kids. So that they can go canoeing or fishing and hiking and do different things that they never had the opportunity to do. Also, to gain a support system with people who can care about them when they’re out of the detention facilities.”</p> <p>Phillips is excited to be a part of the program and hopes the national conference can be held safely as an in-person event next year.</p> <p>“I'm really excited to meet the other students in the fellowship. Being with them might allow me to brainstorm with people who might not have the same beliefs or not think the same as me. This could allow me to gain new ideas for the camp.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2021-03-24T12:00:00Z">Wed, 03/24/2021 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Jane Hobson '22</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2381">Bonner Center</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4821">Africana Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25396">Law and Society</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/africana-studies" hreflang="und">Africana Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/law-and-society" hreflang="und">Law and Society</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Gregory Pendolino</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Iesha-LaShay Phillips ’22 Awarded Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship to Study Abroad in Dublin</h1> <p>swargo — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 14:40:56 +0000</p> <span>Iesha-LaShay Phillips ’22 Awarded Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship to Study Abroad in Dublin</span> <span><span>swargo</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-03-22T10:40:56-04:00" title="Monday, March 22, 2021 - 10:40">Mon, 03/22/2021 - 10:40</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Third year <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/law-and-society" target="_blank">law and society</a> and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/africana-studies" target="_blank">Africana studies</a> double major Iesha-LaShay Phillips has been selected as a 2021 Frederick Douglass Global Fellow. The award includes a full scholarship to participate in a summer study abroad program focused on leadership, intercultural communication, and social justice.</p> <p><a href="https://www.ciee.org/about/blog/ireland%E2%80%99s-department-foreign-affairs-and-ciee-cosponsor-2021-cohort-frederick-douglass-global-fellows">Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs</a> will co-sponsor the 2021 <a href="https://www.ciee.org/go-abroad/college-study-abroad/scholarships/frederick-douglass-global-fellowship">Frederick Douglass Global Fellows</a> in Dublin, Ireland, to honor the 175th anniversary of the meeting between 27-year-old abolitionist Frederick Douglass and the Irish reformer Daniel O’Connell in Dublin in 1845.</p> <p>The <a href="http://ciee.org/">Council for International Educational Exchange</a> (CIEE) announced the 2021 cohort of Frederick Douglass Global Fellows in an online roundtable where Vice President Kamala Harris, Ireland Prime Minister Micheál Martin, and Nettie Washington Douglass, the great, great-granddaughter of Frederick Douglass, congratulated the Fellows.</p> <p>Phillips is one of 14 student leaders from across the country selected for this prestigious award. Hear from all 2021 Frederick Douglass Global Fellows in this <a href="https://youtu.be/WGJyOD_xqdw">video</a>.</p> <p>A <a href="/bcsl/programs/bonner-scholars">Bonner Scholar</a> from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Phillips was selected as a Frederick Douglass Global Fellow because of her academic excellence, communication skills, and commitment to social justice. Phillips works tirelessly to support her community, with a focus in social services and supporting Native American youth. As an ambassador of the Muskogee Creek Nation, she has used her platform to create cultural workshops to promote youth engagement and provide resources to support youth through culture.</p> <p>“Frederick Douglass inspires me because he escaped slavery to chase his goals, run towards learning and liberation, and expand his impact to a global scale,” Phillips said in her application video. “His life’s journey inspires my ambition to expand my small impact to a much larger scale.”</p> <p>In Ireland, Frederick Douglass Global Fellows will study leadership, effective communication, and strategies to affect positive social change as they explore the life stories and legacies of Frederick Douglass and Daniel O’Connell.</p> <p>“It’s fitting that this diverse group of young people will have the opportunity to develop their leadership skills in a place so special to Frederick Douglass,” said Nettie Washington Douglass, chairwoman and co-founder of Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives, and the great, great-granddaughter of Frederick Douglass and great-granddaughter of Booker T. Washington. “The welcome and respect with which Frederick was greeted across his tour of Ireland affected him profoundly. I can think of no better place for future American leaders to gain a global perspective and prepare to be agents of change.”</p> <p>“Frederick Douglass was transformed by his time in Ireland and returned to America in 1847 as a free man, spending the next 50 years of his life agitating for positive change in our world,” said James P. Pellow, president and CEO of CIEE. “We know this group of exceptional students will have a similar transformative experience in Ireland and return home with enhanced skills and passion to change our world for the better.”</p> <p>The Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship was launched in 2017 by CIEE to expand access to international education to underrepresented students.</p> <p>To learn more about the Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship, visit <a href="http://ciee.org/fdgf">ciee.org/FDGF</a>.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2021-03-22T12:00:00Z">Mon, 03/22/2021 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Scott Wargo</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25396">Law and Society</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4821">Africana Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/law-and-society" hreflang="und">Law and Society</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/africana-studies" hreflang="und">Africana Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Jonathan Clark '25</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> </main></body></html>