Whitney M. Young symposium

February 25, 2009
By Nathan Harmon
Staff Writer

A group of “highly motivated” scholars “committed to academic excellence” presented their service-learning projects at the Whitney M. Young scholarship symposium Friday, Feb. 20tin the Public Affairs Center.

Cecilia Cornell, Director of the Whitney Young fellowship and a professor in the History department at UIS, said that the goal of the symposium was to find new fellows that would be interested in applying for the scholarship and undertaking the 3- part commitment to academic excellence, seminar presentation, and service-learning.

Kamau Kemayo, Associate Director of the fellowship and chair of African-American studies at UIS, said that promoting the research of the scholarship fellows was one of the main goals of the symposium.

“We are trying to network with all constituencies of the campus and also the Greater Springfield community,” Kemayo said, “to provide the energy that these young scholars are able to provide.”

As for the scholars’ individual presentations, service was key, with Whitney M. Young’s legacy portrayed in each of the scholars’ efforts to make a positive impact on the community. Young, a former civil rights pioneer, has paved the way by example and he was honored here at UIS in students’ presentations about working to benefit the community.

Running the gambit of social service, students presented about their work from mentoring to interning to self-advocacy projects.

Beginning with Sarah Hays, a second-year graduate student in Communication at UIS, several students presented PowerPoint presentations.

“People fought and died for a better life and not to be judged by a disability,” Hays said in her presentation Friday. Hays, an epileptic, focused her service-learning project and presentation on self-advocacy. Her message to disabled people is to “take initiative and stand up for rights,” she said, as she worked to instill this message in young people through her service to the community.

Evelyn Ivy continued with a brief description of Whitney M. Young’s legacy and her service to the community, described as “fighting for creative thinking among students,” she said, as her emphasis was on education.
Some other presentations were given about mentoring, interning, and historic place restoration.

Still other students presented at stationed tables so people could go by and see what service the students’ had done for the community. Daniel McCarthy, a first year grad student in accounting, presented his work experience at the 5th Street Renaissance Center, while Toya Jackson and Curt Clemons-Mosby had presentations about mentoring and the effects of mentoring on the mentor.

“It was a great group of grad students to work with,” Cornell said.
According to Cornell, the symposium was an opportunity to reach out to current graduates early in their programs and undergraduates interested in graduate school. The fellowship gives scholarship awards to the underrepresented populations, like first-generation college students, racial/ethnic minorities, economically disadvantaged and otherwise disadvantaged graduate students or those entering graduate school.
This year’s deadline for applications to the Whitney M. Young fellowship is March 1st, 2009.