“Together We Are Making a Lasting Impact”

My experience was incredibly enlightening, providing me with valuable insights into college life . . . This experience not only deepened my passion for education but also reinforced my confidence in navigating higher education in the future.

My work at Brown University is one of my most proud accomplishments. Teaching is my passion, and working with the high school students during the Summer@Brown Program facilitating the growth and development of young scholars reaffirms my love of being an educator. I remember when I first applied; at the time, I was nervous about my application submission because my current role at Tougaloo College is Associate Professor of Education. I submitted a proposal for an education course to be taught for two weeks in the summer program, and my course was accepted. I am most grateful for the Tougaloo-Brown Partnership opportunity. The long-lasting Partnership has given professors like me a chance to teach in a one-of-a-kind summer program that helps to shape the young minds of students from all over the globe. I am looking forward to the summers to come.

The Brown-Tougaloo Partnership has provided both faculty and students with several unique collaborative opportunities. I am associated with the Pre-College Summer at Brown Program and have been teaching Social Impact of Natural and Human-Made Disasters. This two-week course is designed to challenge the students at a university level while introducing the concept of disaster and its impact on society. Topics included are gender, geographic location, age, and health. I started teaching this course during the summer 2021 when the course was offered asynchronously online. Since summer 2022, I have had the pleasure of interacting with the students in person. I have been teaching at the college and university level for thirty-one years, and summer 2021 was the first time I taught a course geared towards high school students. My experience teaching high school students a college course was rewarding and simultaneously challenging. I had to consider their current academic level to design the curriculum and, at the same time, challenge the students to think critically. While introducing complex concepts to students, I had to balance between providing support and fostering independence so the students understand higher education expectations. I found that the students appreciate being treated as capable adults even though they are young. Another rewarding and enjoyable experience is the opportunity to meet and interact with students from across the country and the globe. Participating in the program helped me develop a collaborative network with the summer faculty from other institutions. Additionally, I have had the opportunity to meet and interact with the Sociology Department at Brown and to explore additional opportunities for both institutions’ student and faculty collaboration. Lastly, the program has given me an opportunity to visit the New England area.

My experience was incredibly enlightening, providing me with valuable insights into college life. I thoroughly enjoyed taking classes that aligned with my major in education and the opportunity to meet new people from all over the world. I was able to truly immerse myself in a diverse academic environment, engaging in thought-provoking discussions and collaborating with peers from different cultural backgrounds. Taking a college class at Brown University challenged me to think critically, manage my time effectively, and adapt to rigorous coursework. This experience not only deepened my passion for education but also reinforced my confidence in navigating higher education in the future.

Brown was a great experience. As far as the course is concerned, it was very fun and hands-on. I took a medical course where we learned about the body, specifically the brain. We went into an anatomy lab and looked at the bodies, organs, and bones. The last thing we did was actually talk to patient-actors and diagnose them. Overall, it was a very interesting experience, and I encourage students to attend!

Spending a week at Brown through the Summer@Brown Program was an unforgettable experience. The class I took, “Hands-On Medicine: A Week in the Life of a Medical Student,” gave me an incredible opportunity to dive into the world of science. I had the chance to look at cadavers, which were both fascinating and insightful, and learned about the intricate workings of the stomach and heart. Beyond academics, I loved the freedom to explore the charming town of Providence, make new connections with fellow students, and immerse myself in the vibrant campus life. The blend of learning, hands-on experience, and the ability to freely explore the town made it a perfect summer program.

We are deeply grateful for the Partnership, which has opened doors for scholars to participate in their prestigious Pre-College Program. This incredible opportunity is one that many of our scholars would not have been able to afford otherwise. For many of them, it is their first time flying, staying away from home, and stepping into a world of academic excellence that once seemed out of reach. This experience is transformative, not just in terms of the knowledge they gain, but in how it allows them to see themselves as part of an Ivy League institution. It challenges them to envision their future in a new light, where the possibilities are endless. Through this Partnership, we are not only providing a unique educational opportunity but also helping to shape the future leaders of tomorrow. We are immensely thankful for the continued support of Brown University, and its commitment to empowering students from all walks of life to dream bigger and achieve more. Together, we are making a lasting impact, and we look forward to many more years of collaboration that will continue to change lives.

Brown University has benefitted immeasurably from the Partnership between the Division of Pre-College and Undergraduate Programs (formerly part of the School of Professional Studies) and Tougaloo College’s Provost Office and faculty, as well as the JPS-Tougaloo Early College High School’s administration. Tougaloo College’s faculty have brought their enthusiasm, strong scholarship, and honed pedagogy to teaching Brown undergraduates during the credit-bearing summer session. As with any faculty member teaching at the University, Tougaloo faculty’s CVs and syllabi are reviewed by the appropriate sponsoring academic department and then are reviewed by the College Curriculum Council before teaching. Through this relationship, Brown undergraduate students have the opportunity to learn from faculty who bring their experience of living and developing their scholarly practice in a different part of the United States, providing a unique learning environment for these undergraduates. We are fortunate to have a significant number of Tougaloo College faculty also teaching in Brown’s Pre-College Programs in the summer, where their expertise is equally cherished. The Pre-College Programs relationship with JPS-Tougaloo Early College High School has yielded multiple of these high achieving high school students attending Pre-College Programs on the Brown University campus. These students consistently bring with them a combination of their excitement for learning, flexibility in navigating new environments, good humor, and deep inquisitiveness to their summer studies. All Pre-College students benefit from engaging with peers who bring their own experiences to their summer learning, and JPS-Tougaloo students are no different. In addition, as with many of the other students attending these programs, the JPS-Tougaloo students exhibit great bravery in venturing out of their home state into an area of the country none had yet been to.