The Power of Up Close & Personal
“ What the students saw and learned showed them they each have the power to make a change in today ’ s world .”
- Omar Brown , Big Ten Conference ’ s Senior VP , Community & Impact Officer
The Power of Up Close & Personal
“ The overall impression was compelling for all of us ,” Brown said . “ What the students saw and learned showed them they each have the power to make a change in today ’ s world .” Jernigan echoed Brown , noting the difference that comes from connecting with these sites in person . “ We have multiple college-age groups who come do these visits annually , and it ’ s cool to watch young people viewing the photos of these Civil Rights warriors and figuring out how young many of them were ,” she said . “ They are often surprised but also excited to see they can impact change too .”
Jordan Robinson , a sophomore on the UCLA track team , called the visit “ eyeopening .” “ It showed me how we [ young people ] need to look beyond thinking about ourselves ,” she said . “ We can stand up now . We don ’ t have to wait for older people to do it . We can be the change we want to see .”
Hamsika Arnipalli , a sophomore on The Ohio State University fencing team , noted the intricate details gleaned from seeing history ( not just reading about it ) at the Legacy Museum . “ As a person who is not part of the Black community , most of what I learned about slavery came from public school ,” she said . “ Seeing more of the personal aspects was shocking and gut-wrenching . You feel there is still more work to do .”
This year ’ s tour included multiple meaningful presentations or attraction stops including the Museum of Alabama and the Edmund Pettus Bridge .
In 2022 , when University of Michigan students were in the ASU Interpretive Center , they noticed photos showing past Wolverine students standing up for civil rights alongside others in Montgomery . “ That really drove it home for them ,” Brown said .
Individuals are motivated by the spiritstirring details of the 1950s and 1960s fight for inclusion , but these trips can provide teambuilding too . Following the 2022 visit , several of the student-athletes commented on how the shared pursuit strengthened team bonds .
A group of 2023 guests observe an exhibit at the Museum of Alabama .
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