First-year Ampersand program students partner with three St. Louis community organizations
As a continuation of a Spring 2021 initiative to incorporate community-based learning in the Ampersand Global Citizenship Program (GCP), 17 first-year students collaborated with local non-profits on a variety of different projects throughout the Spring 2022 semester. This year’s initiative reaffirmed the power of experiential learning and the importance of recognizing the ‘global’ in the ‘local’ context. We are grateful for and inspired by the partners who continue to work to empower our local-global community here in St. Louis.
Six GCP students sustained a previously established partnership with Vitendo 4 Africa, which works with the African immigrant community in St. Louis and the surrounding region. The GCP students partnered with high school students in a college-readiness program, which included a small visit to our weekly workshop and a short tour of Wash U’s campus.
In addition to continuing the partnership with Vitendo 4 Africa, the Global Citizenship Program began new relationships with LifeWise STL, a non-profit promoting individual economic well-being, and A Red Circle, an organization working toward economic development in North County through a racial equity lens.
At LifeWise, eight GCP students spent several Friday afternoons facilitating activities and games for an after-school program of approximately 50. Another four GCP students assisted A Red Circle with various community organizing initiatives in North St. Louis including the #ClosedMouthsDon’tGetFed campaign and a clinic helping residents apply for rental assistance.
This coming 2022-2023 academic year, the Global Citizenship Program will undergo several changes as Chelsea Viteri assumes the position of Program Coordinator for the Global Studies Program at Washington University. As the program transforms in exciting ways, community and local-global connection will remain core tenants.
Thank you to the individuals who made this collaboration possible…
- Patrick Wanyoko and Geoffrey Soyiantet, Vitendo 4 Africa
- Maggie Lohmeyer, LifeWise STL
- Chris Willcox, A Red Circle
