Social Change Scholars Overview

Social Change Scholars is a competitive, cohort-style program that exposes students to curricular and co-curricular experiences to examine the root causes of social issues. Students will become equipped with the knowledge and experience to address these issues head-on through service learning, volunteerism and public service. This program is offered in partnership with Volunteer Odyssey and The Public and Nonprofit Administration Program at The University of Memphis. Social Change Scholars will receive a $4,400 scholarship per year as participants in this program.

The only program of its kind at a public institution in Tennessee, Social Change Scholars will be taking its fourth cohort of students for the Fall 2021 semester. Applications for Fall 2021 will be available November 2020 and will be due by February 1, 2021.

Learning Outcomes:

• Develop an understanding of social responsibility and the implications of short-term community service versus sustainable social change; Recognition of the relationship between individual, group, community and societal well-being.
• Demonstrate the ability to translate thought into action through meaningful social change projects that engage policy, legislation, political mobilization, grassroots organizing, action research, and/or advocacy.
• Learn from and collaborate with community members, facilitate reciprocal access to and from community and university resources, and collectively build capacity for change.
• Build a classroom learning community in which enhanced critical-thinking skills are developed to better engage systems of power, privilege, and oppression.

Click to View Curriculum Highlights for all 4 Years