The All Civic Celebration is a unique event that brings together all current students in the Civic Scholars Program—newly selected sophomores, juniors and seniors—to facilitate relationships and celebrate major milestones in the Civic Scholar experience. This year’s event took place on Sunday, April 30, in the Women’s Building Formal Lounge.
“It has been such an honor to lead this program, to get to know the students who are a part of it, and steward their civic journeys. I know everyone is going to go off to do unbelievable things in the world,” said Alannah Glickman, Associate Director for Civic Engagement.
While senior Civic Scholars shared their post-graduation plans, juniors shared their Civic Summer plans, and current sophomores were able to bear witness to the learnings of their peers as they begin to formulate goals for their own civic journeys.
“I appreciate their dedication, their passion, and their opportunity to allow me to be a part of their group,” said co-instructor Dwayne T. James. “I have learned so much from each of them individually. And collectively, how they push back, how they educate, how they make me think of ways and efforts that I’ve never thought about before.”
“The Civic Scholars community of both alumni and students now totals 169 remarkable individuals. We all know that people can go far as individual leaders. But we also know that we can go further and be more effective by working together,” said Stephanie Kurtzman, Executive Director of the Gephardt Institute.
As part of the event, seniors also gave rocks, each with an affirming or supportive word on it, to a member of the newest cohort to motivate them during difficult moments. Community partners family members, and other supporter were also in attendance to encourage and celebrate the students.
“I feel so confident in what you all take away from this experience. And that civic leaders, one, are in this room, but two, are going to be entering communities all over the country, whether it’s med school, California, you all have a different future ahead, said co-instructor Stephanie Weiskopf.
“You believed in our capacity to create meaningful change,” said senior Otto Brown, thanking his instructors. “You took an interest in each one of our names and our stories and provided guidance to help us grow individually. And together as a cohort. You showed up and showed us how to engage meaningfully with different communities, share your own personal experiences, and make space for us to learn from you.”