Drs. Shavonne Shorter and Robert J. Green from Bloomsbury University have a great program to support marginalized students. As we prepare for our summer programs, I watched this session again this evening with Amada (and bedtime routine). The title of Shorter and Green’s 2020 Lilly Conference asynchronous session “Increasing Marginalized Student Success Through the Frederick Douglass Institute” caught my attention. I watched the recording a couple of weeks ago and was reminded of how successful their program is while talking about our NSF REU this afternoon. The Frederick Douglass Institute has been around for some time and takes a team to make this institute with several programs run smoothly. Shorter is an Associate Professor and described the goal of the Institute to bring topics of social justice to campuses in the Pennsylvania system. Their debate team has coaches and helps support students of difference. All the topics they discuss center around social justice. Shorter described their tournament and winning the competition with the debate topic of removal of Confederate monuments. Shorter emphasized the skills teammates learn including communication, scholarly research, teamwork. Dr. Erin Brummett, a debate coach, talked about how the participants become a family engaged in social justice research, public speaking, and critical thinking. The team has events like documentary watching nights. Every week Brummett helps support students while engaging in important conversations. Dr. Green talked about how debate is part of the broader social practice and can help create change and promote equity. I love how Green spoke about including ethical and civic engagement aspects into conversations that strengthen the campus community. These conversations and community can happen, as Green puts it, because there is a clear plan and organization that motivates team members, faculty, and Institute alumni. Green explained how argumentation builds on expertise and the lived experiences… and helps students socialize during meetings, conferences, and sustained interactions with peers. Students participate in meetings and debates creating vibrant public events (and sometimes extra credit opportunities!). Green described some of the speakers they have invited to share their expertise with others. I see how this encourages professionalism and community. Shorter recommended reaching out to students and start meeting as a team… and then branching out to other campuses. Shorter explained how the program isn’t very resource intensive.
Shorter then described the Frederick Douglass learning communities. Students live in dormitories together and take courses with cohort members. Learning community members celebrate heritage months and are exposed to programming and career development opportunities. Social activities by the learning community include trips, events, bowling! Undergraduate student mentors help carry out the programming and are usually past participants. I love this! It reminded me of the Center for International Living (CIL) at Emory that Dr. Brad Shore led as faculty in residence. Shore, my apartment neighbor, had weekly dinners with fantastic speakers. I was able to interact with students (undergraduate and graduate), go on trips, watch documentaries, piano recitals… I remember the fun times and learning from peers. I also remember telling Shore I wanted his job one day! I wonder if we can do something similar here… Shorter went on to describe how students involved in learning communities on their cays tend to have higher GPAs! There is now an alumni learning community with students continuing to meet even after selecting majors. Frederick Douglass Institute students have started a social justice club, have high retention and graduation rates, and seem very engaged with their community. Dr. Brummett is the current director and talked about meeting with current mentors (three) and working on programming and advising. Mentors also put on campus-wide events. The one-on-one interactions Institute participants have with faculty mentors have helped students even during these challenging times. Brummett encouraged viewers to work with offices on campus to develop a learning community. Shorter mentioned that learning in the Institute extends beyond the classroom and happens in different events and interactions. I think this is key and certainly agree that, in my case, the CIL dinners at Emory were education beyond my graduate courses and research. Shorter ended by describing some of the Frederick Douglass Institute Director’s Choice programming. These events include symposia and events with speakers that educate and opportunities for students to express themselves. Shorter is committed to providing these opportunities to students and highlight social justice connections. What a fun and inspiring way to educate, support, and motivate students to learn on their own! Not once was assessment, assignments, or grading mentioned, yet these experiences seem to have allowed students to reach their learning goals and learn from each other. Yesterday we discussed ungrading, and I’m still thinking about that awesome session. Now the presentation by Shorter and colleagues helps me better understand what drives me to teach: community and learning. I wish I could have another dinner with the wonderful and inspiring CIL students!
