The Bryn Mawr College Social Justice Pilot Program
What is the Social Justice Pilot Program? Conceptualized and run primarily by Bryn Mawr students, with faculty, administrative, and staff collaboration and support, the program supports students in completing two experiences in each of three interrelated realms - academic, personal, and leadership - over their four years at Bryn Mawr.
The following kinds of participation and analysis across these three realms constitute the work of social justice at Bryn Mawr College:
- Examine the hierarchies and relationships of power that shape our lives and how we shape them (academic);
- Learn to interact in ways that respect the dignity and worth of all people by developing and mastering tools necessary to work towards mutual understanding (personal); and
- Feel empowered to begin conversations that address these hierarchies in society and on Bryn Mawr's campus (leadership).
Who is involved and how? Each participant in the program works closely with a faculty/student or staff /student mentor pair. These mentor pairs are responsible for four to five student participants who constitute a cohort. Each student in the cohort meets with her mentors to develop a "contract" to map and document her "social justice journey." After this initial meeting, the cohort meets together on a regular basis throughout the academic year.
Why should I participate? This pilot offers students a unique opportunity to be part of an innovative experience, to develop skills for meaningful participation in College life and beyond, and to contribute to the development of an important program for the college.
What does it mean for my schedule and other activities? Courses taken to satisfy the requirements of the pilot program may also meet other academic requirements (e.g., College Seminar, divisional, etc.). Likewise, activities undertaken in the personal and leadership realms are those that Bryn Mawr students often already pursue. The additional time commitment includes regular meetings with your cohort and your faculty/student or staff/student mentors.
Do I get any credit for it? If not, what do I get? The program carries no additional credit now, but we are working toward that, and on the way students develop essential skills and get to create an innovative program that could serve as a model for other colleges.
Sample Programs
Sample 1:
Year 1: College Seminar (A), Diversity discussion (P)
Year 2: Retreat with the Office of Intercultural Affairs (L)
Year 3: Course within major division (A), Work with Student Union (P)
Year 4: Participation in leadership training through the Civic Engagement Office (L)
Sample 2:
Year 1: Winter Tri-college Institute (P)
Year 2: Course within major division (A), Work with The Women's Center (P)
Year 3: Project through the Teaching and Learning Initiative (L); Independent Study (A)
Year 4: Help facilitate Winter Tri-Co Institute (L)
Sample 3:
Year 1: College Seminar (A), Work with theater group, People In Color (P)
Year 2: Course identified and proposed by student (A), Diversity discussion (P)
Year 3: Participation in leadership training through the Civic Engagement Office (L)
Year 4: Project through the Teaching and Learning Initiative (L)
The Social Justice Pilot Committee
Allison Bates ‘09
Jody Cohen, Senior Lecturer, Education Program
Alison Cook-Sather, Associate Professor of Education and Teaching and Learning Initiative Coordinator
Florence Goff, Equal Opportunity Officer and Diversity Leadership Group Member
Shayna Israel ‘08
Christopher MacDonald-Dennis, Dean of Intercultural Affairs and Diversity Leadership Group Member
Mzimeli Morris ‘08
Maeve O’Hara ‘08
Nydia Palacios ‘09
Tiffany Shumate ‘08