Community
Connections
Gandhi, King, Ikeda Community Builders Prize
By Kwabena Siaka, CRDEUL Graduate Research Assistant
One of the memorable community events this year for me was being
in attendance as Dr. David Taylor, dean of University of Minnesota’s
General College, received the Gandhi, King, Ikeda Community Builders
Prize. This very prestigious award is presented to individuals who
represent the community and demonstrate an unwavering commitment
to the advancement of humanity. Previous notable recipients include
Rosa Parks, civil rights activist; Prince Hussein of Jordan, chairperson
of the Club of Rome, an international human rights organization;
H.M. Taufaahau Tupou IV, the King of Tonga; and Michael Nobel, chairperson
of the Nobel Peace Prize Foundation.
The award is presented by Atlanta’s Morehouse College, the
alma mater of Dr. Martin Luther King. Lawrence Edward Carter, Sr.,
dean of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Chapel and professor of philosophy
and religion at Morehouse, personally presented the award. Dr. Carter
said that Dr. Taylor was selected for his “outstanding leadership
of General College and its commitment to nonviolence and peace and
for his extraordinary efforts to promote educational opportunities
for all Minnesotans.”
In his acceptance speech, Dr. Taylor stated, “I was surprised to be nominated
for the award.” He added that he is not the only one in General College
making a difference. “There are a lot of people in the college here who
have been drum majors for social justice and are really concerned about issues
surrounding diversity…it’s part of our culture.”
Accompanying the award was international traveling exhibit, “Gandhi, King,
Ikeda (GKI): A Legacy of Building Peace.” While many know about the work
of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, less known is Daisaku Ikeda, an international
peace activist in Japan and the president of Soka Gakki International. Ikeda
has been advocating for a nonviolent solution to the world’s problems for
over 50 years, in the tradition of Gandhi.
The Hubert H. Humphrey Job Corps Center:
An Alternative Delivery Model for Developmental Education
By Sherry Loyd, Graduate Student, Certificate Program in Postsecondary Developmental
Education
To most people in the Twin Cities, Snelling Avenue is famous for the state fairgrounds.
However, Snelling Avenue has other historic sites, including an older brick building
that, from the street, appears to have once been a school or another official
building. At certain times of the day it is old and silent, and at other times
it is full of people and excitement. This building houses the Hubert H. Humphrey
Job Corps Center (HHJC).
I have had the opportunity to work as a substitute teacher for the HHJC. When
we talk about developmental education, we need to look at the Job Corps’s
contribution over the last 37 years. The Job Corps has a successful partnership
in place with the U.S. Department of Labor to achieve academic and vocational
training. Many people would argue that it is a job-training center and focuses
mainly on training students for a particular job. This is only a small piece
of what the Job Corps provides.
Job Corps provides basic education in a way that can only be conducive to developmental
education. Students do not need to have a high school diploma in order to enter
the Job Corps, but once enrolled, they have to obtain a GED. All students are
required to take the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE). This test allows the
center to see where the students’ educational strengths and weakness lie.
Students are then assigned to classes to develop skills in their areas of weakness
and add more armor to their strengths. Like many traditional postsecondary education
programs, there are classes in math, reading, and writing. To be the best in
whatever field they choose, students will need these basic skills.
HHJC is available to women and men ages 16 to 24. No one with a criminal record
is allowed to join the Job Corps. Benefits offered to prospective trainees are
room and board, single-parent dorms, medical and dental services, and an opportunity
for college. The Job Corps specializes in developmental education by helping
young people plan for futures to which they would not otherwise have access.
I am impressed by the dedication and diversity of both the teachers and students
at HHJC. These are young adults who have made a conscious decision to succeed
using the knowledge they have and will acquire through vocational training. Working
with some of the students, I have seen a lot of personal pain, but also a lot
of personal gain. It is a very strict program and requires the staff to consider
both the emotional and educational needs of the students. The Job Corps encourages
students to complete their secondary education and helps those students who wish
to go on to college with counseling and support.
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Kwabena
Siaka
CRDEUL graduate research assistant
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