Greenhouses of Hope
Cultivating Youth for Social Justice at Rust College
Elizabeth Williams, PhD, Tennessee State University; Charles Williams, PhD, Rust College;
Hilda B. Williams, EdD, Rust College; Mohamed Kanu, PhD, MA, Tennessee State University
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Session Overview
• Describe the Greenhouse of Hope framework &
Rust College
• Describe Rust College’s youth leadership programs
• Consider dynamics related to Rust College’s
programs
•
•
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Youth engagement for social justice
Community-campus partnerships
Social science & humanities foci in social justice
programming design, implementation & evaluation
• Q& A
Greenhouse of Hope
• Genuinely embrace the gifts of youth and
young adults
• Cultivate young leaders who want to
change the world
• How social science and humanities inform
youth engagement programming
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Rust College
Connecting Faith with Purpose for Social Justice
Rust College
O Historically Black, coeducational Liberal Arts College
founded in 1866 by the Methodist Episcopal Church
O Currently supported by the United Methodist Church
O Academically prepares students in the humanities,
social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences,
business, technology and education.
Rust College Health Explorers
Program: A Greenhouse for
Youth Health Equity Leaders
Why a Health Explorers Program?
O 25% of U.S. college graduates are
from underrepresented ethnic
groups
O Health professions are the 3rd most
Growing our own
health
professionals in
Mississippi!
popular U.S. college majors; yet
historic lack of diversity in health
O Underrepresented students turn off
from health/science before
entering college
Why a Health Explorers Program in
Holly Springs, Mississippi?
O Holly Springs Schools’ HS graduation
rate is higher than Marshall County and
the State.
School
Year
Marshall County
School District
2013-2014
77.3%
Holly Springs Mississippi
School District
80.0%
74.5%
O Designated HS focuses on health
career exploration
O Holly Springs Career and Technical
Center
Why a Health Explorers Program in
Holly Springs, Mississippi?
O Holly Springs (Marshall
County) is a Health
Professional Shortage Area
(HPSA) w/increasing health
disparities
O Underrepresented students
from HPSAs often return to
serve as health professionals
in their own communities.
Holly Springs high school students
have questions about health careers…
and Rust College is pointing them
in the right direction to pursue
health careers.
Health Explorers Program Intents
O Increase HS students’ exposure
to health career options &
encourage HS graduation
O Excite underserved students
about health careers
O Create a “community of health
leaders” through learning &
mentoring from health
researchers, health
professionals and other students
Health Explorers
Program Partners
United Way of the MidSouth
The Honorable Mayor of
Holly Springs
Holly Springs Rotary Club
Holly Springs School District
Superintendent’s Office
University of Memphis
Byhalia Family Health Center
Master of Public Health Program
College of Health Sciences
Alliance Healthcare System & Foundation
Health Explorer Program Design
O HEP Club
O Bi-monthly half-day sessions
focused on specific health
careers, health professional Q&As
and learning activities
O 24 hours of instructional contact
from faculty & college near-peers
(March -June 2015; Jan-April
2016)
O Offering Saturday club & in-school
sessions for 2016-2017
Don’t just watch a Doc,
become a Doctor too!
Session Topics include:
 Leadership & Goal
Setting
 Behavioral Science
 Health Communication
 Health Disparities &
Health Inequity
 Epidemiology &
Surveillance
 Medical Ethics
While our scholars
represent some of the
most underserved in
rural Mississippi…
80% of
participants’
parents did not
complete high
school
(2014-2015 cohort)
Our scholars also
represent those with the
greatest promise to
succeed…
100% of
participants
want to pursue
health careers
(2014-2015 cohort)
HEP is showing Holly Springs
high school students there is a
world of health career
possibilities waiting for them.
See for yourself ….
21
Rust College Health Explorers
Program
O Capitalizing on 150 years of
educating students, Rust
College is investing in Holly
Springs’ high school
students.
O Working with partners, HEP
is “growing” future health
professionals right at home
in Mississippi.
Rust College Living Into Our
Future Youth Theology
Institute: A Greenhouse for Youth
Social Justice Leaders
Why a Youth Theology Institute?
O Youth have questions about faith
and contemporary challenges.
O Youth programs offer career
exploration often without
connection to a deeper call to
service.
O Youth want a “community” to ask
questions, be heard & understand
what faith means and looks like in
action.
Rust College’s Living Into Our
Future Youth Theology Institute
O Supported by a 3-year grant from the
Lilly Endowment’s High School
Youth Theology Institutes initiative
O 1 of 4 HBCUs participating
O LIOF is an intentional “community” for
youth to explore faith & how it
can/does respond meaningfully to
the world’s problems through social
justice & mercy.
“After three days they found him in
the temple, sitting among the
teachers, listening to them and
asking them questions. And all who
heard him were amazed at his
understanding and his answers.”
(Luke 2:46-47, NRSV)
Rust College’s LIOF Intents
O Conceive Theologically – “Who is God? “ “How do we
know/discern God?” “Who am I?” and “Where is God?” in
the world.
O Believe Vocationally – “What is our passion?” Explore
career fields and align professions to our vocations/call.
O Strive Spiritually – “What are our goals and
values?” Supports strategies to increase faith and discern
places/spaces for leadership with God.
O Achieve Relationally – “Live your faith!” See how
relationships with God are connected to relationships with
& service to others.
Rust College’s LIOF: Inside the
Greenhouse
O 10-day intensive onsite
immersion experience
O Covenant Groups
O Health & Healing
O Creative Writing & Performing
Arts
O Ministry and Public Service
O Business Professionals &
Entrepreneurs
O Groups are where “God-talk”
& questions happen,
exploration is encouraged &
leadership is cultivated
O Additional learn & lead
opportunities come
from:
O Bonding sessions
O Worship experiences
O Field trips
O Service learning
activities
O Recreational activities
Rust College’s LIOF: Inside
the Greenhouse
O 2016 cohort
O 41 youth
O Recruited from the
Southeast United
States (i.e., Mississippi,
Tennessee, Georgia, and
Louisiana)
O 15-19 years of age
O Rising high school
juniors and seniors
O 2/3 female (67.5%); 1/3
male (32.5%)
O 100% African American
O 12% Liberian American
Rust College’s LIOF Greenhouse
of Hope
O Issues LIOF examines:
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
Racism & poverty;
Violence and neglect;
Police brutality against young people;
Black Lives Matter movement & social
activism;
Invisibility and muting of youth of color by
adults;
Resisting stereotypes & (re)defining self;
Conflicts of being smart and Black; &
Hope in the midst of sadness & despair.
O LIOF connected these issues to theology,
career interests & youth social action as a
response
LIOF youth are leaders who
came to learn and left prepared
to serve.
What they learned and left with
included…
Faith Grows with Us
O “Coming into this class, I thought that you were going
to shove your own beliefs down my throat. Instead,
Mr. Redmond and Mr. Stovall let me choose what I
want to believe in with guidance. I was expecting that
this class was going to be boring because I was
losing faith in God. But because I’m in this class, I
am becoming a believer. I’m also questioning other
things I believe in. I am forever grateful for this class
and the professors.”
We Need a Community
O “I feel like I have grown as an individual. I’m open to
others every since I’ve been here. I’ve opened up
and made friends. I have grown to love these
people in creative writing. This group was great and
fun to be around. I have learned to just let loose
and show your talents. Also, I learned not to be so
quick to judge people by their looks or action
because you always might not know their story. I
have really enjoyed being here. I feel like I’m a
changed young lady.”
Called to Work with God
O “My experience at Rust has been one I’ll always come
back to reflect on. I’ve learned lessons I can use
inside and outside the classroom…Essentially, being
at Rust has given me the opportunity to expand my
faith and understanding of the Lord as well as explore
the talents the Lord has blessed me with. I was able
to realize that God isn’t a wish-granting factor and you
must put in work for God to help you. In addition, the
people I have encountered have taught me talent has
no face, no specific location, or a gender. “
Rust College’s LIOF: Cultivating
Youth Leaders for Today &
Tomorrow
O Building on the
College’s rich history of
cultivating leaders, Rust
is doing it once again
for youth leaders.
O LIOF connects faith,
heart, head, community
& service together for
social change.
Rust College
A Greenhouse of Hope for 150 years
Greenhouse of Hope Panel
• Benefits of youth engagement in social
justice
• Utility of community-campus partnerships
for youth social justice programming
• Emerge young leaders who can change the
world
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Questions?
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References
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