First-year students present plans, actions, and approaches to support change
April 2024 – Drew University Action Scholars explore real-world problems and solutions in the classroom and through their volunteer work.
The annual Action Scholars Town Hall event gives first-year Action Scholars the opportunity to present their creative “passion projects” and discuss collaborations for the common good.
Preparation for the Town Hall is a year-long process formulated during the fall and spring Action Scholars seminar courses, required of all first-year Action Scholars.
“We explore various concepts and frameworks to dive into a power analysis in terms of understanding the root causes of certain causes of social issues that play in our society,” said Mecca Madyun, faculty director for the Center for Civic Engagement. “Students let their passions guide them to propose projects. They delve into issues of identity, dealing with implicit bias and how it informs the way we develop projects and develop yourself as a person to work in community.”
Students provided one-minute elevator pitches and poster presentations, followed by 10-minute presentations to community members to define specific problems and issues and recommend possible solutions through conducted research and calls to action.
The ten student passion projects included:
Drew for Ukraine – To educate Drew students on Ukrainian history to avoid the spread of misinformation.
The Environmental Group – Providing an environment education experience to elementary school children to create mindfulness at a young age.
Fashion Action Scholars – Educating the community on conscious clothing sustainability practices.
Foster Fairies – Raising awareness of clothing insecurity for children in foster care.
Hair Me Out – Creating an inclusive and educational environment for Drew students surrounding curly hair care and associated disparities.
Inequalities in STEM Education – Bringing awareness of the benefits of a STEM education to all school-age children.
Melanated Mind Wellness – To expand upon the counseling services at Drew available to students of color at Drew.
Mental Health in Drew Student Athletes – Increasing awareness and resources concerning the mental health and well-being of student-athletes at Drew.
Mental Health in Elementary Schools – To provide a supplemental platform for elementary school children to address mental health issues.
Operation Clean-Up – To further beautify Drew’s campus by organizing trash clean-up events and providing education on the benefits of recycling.
