The Institute for Responsible Citizenship announces its Class
of 2014. These twelve talented young men will participate in
the Institute’s intensive program in Washington, DC during the
summers of 2013 and 2014. They will live together on the
campus of American University, work at high-level internships
in their fields of interest, participate in the Lynde and
Harry Bradley Seminar on Constitutional and Economic
Principles, and meet some of the nation’s most prominent
public and private sector leaders.
They will join a network of more than one hundred alumni who
have earned honors such as Rhodes Scholarship, Truman Scholarship,
Udall Scholarship, Luce Scholarship, Rotary International Scholarship, Phi
Beta Kappa Scholar, Golden Key International Scholar,
valedictorian, student body president, and numerous other
awards.
Listed below are the members of the Class of 2014.
Scholar
College
Major
Career Goal
Jerrel Baker
Morehouse College
Political Science/Economics
Law
Michael DeVore
Claflin University
Business
Administration/Accounting
Business
Wesley Dixon
Yale University
Environmental Engineering
Health Policy
Robert Fisher
University of Tennessee at
Chattanooga
Political Science
Law
Caleb Jackson
Hampton University
Journalism
Journalism
Julian Lane
Johns Hopkins University
Neuroscience
Medicine
Khallid Love
Princeton University
Math
Higher Education
Elijah McDavid, III
Morehouse College
Religion
Ministry
Andrew Mulinge
University of Maryland
Government
Education Policy
Ronald Taylor
Syracuse University
Political Science/Policy
Studies
Law
Alex Whisnant
George Washington University
Psychology
Psychology
Alex Williams
Skidmore College
Management and Business
Law
Bios
Jerrel
Baker attends Morehouse College,
where his only grade other than “A” has been one “A-.” He is
majoring in Political Science and Economics and hopes to
practice law in the future. He is a Bonner Scholar, signifying
that he receives a prestigious scholarship that rewards him
for committing time to community services that he might
otherwise need to spend at work to support himself through
college. Jerrel completed over 700 hours of community service
during his first semester at Morehouse. He has volunteered for
Habitat for Humanity in Atlanta, and assisted in a relief
project in Tuscaloosa, Alabama after a tornado devastated that
community in 2012. He is a member of the National Society of
Collegiate Scholars and the Alpha Lambda Delta honor society.
He is also a writer and editor for the campus newspaper.
Jerrel is a native of Atlanta, Georgia.
Michael
DeVore maintains a 4.0 GPA at Claflin
University, where he majors in Business
Administration with a concentration in Accounting. On campus,
he actively participates in the National Association of Black
Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants. He also serves on the fundraising committee for
the Black Executive Exchange Program. In the surrounding
community, he works on service projects sponsored by the
Rotary Club and tutors children at the Boys and Girls Club in
Orangeburg, SC. Michael is an entrepreneur who H enjoys
innovation and hopes to head a technology corporation in the
future. Michael hails from Estill, South Carolina.
Wesley
Dixon is a sophomore at Yale University,
where he is majoring in Environmental Engineering. While
completing the requirements for that degree, he hopes to begin
his pursuit of a Master of Public Health degree. In addition
to his academic work, Wesley is quite active as a coordinator
of the Social Justice Network at Yale. He is a member of the
executive board of the Black Solidarity Conference, the
nation’s largest student-run intercollegiate conference. He is
a research assistant at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and
Obesity, and he is a student manager at the Afro-American
Cultural Center at Yale. While in high school, Wesley spent
two summers as a Telluride Association Scholar and
participated in a program that brings together talented
students from around the world who demonstrate intellectual
curiosity and motivation. Wesley’s hometown is Pembroke Pines,
Florida.
Robert
Fisher attends the University of Tennessee at
Chattanooga, where he maintains a 4.0 GPA as a
Political Science major and History minor. His outstanding
high school academic record earned him recognition at UTC as a
William E. Brock Scholar and a Provost Scholar, His
outstanding collegiate record have catapulted him into
leadership roles in the university’s Honors Program, where he
has served as co-chairman of the recruitment committee and as
the program’s liaison to the undergraduate admissions office.
He is also very active in student government, having served as
a Senator and currently as Student Body Treasurer. He was the
Federalist Party Presidential nominee at American Legion Boys
Nation and the Congressional Debate State Champion during his
high school years. He has volunteered on mission trips in
locations from New Orleans to Guatemala. The aspiring
attorney’s hometown is Clarksville, Tennessee.
Caleb
Jackson majors in Broadcast Journalism and serves as
a staff writer for the student newspaper at Hampton
University. Because of his outstanding high school
record, he was named a Hampton Scholar, which carries a
four-year scholarship to that institution. He serves as the
sophomore class representative to the Scripps Howard School of
Journalism’s Executive Board and is also a Senator in the
Student Government Association. He is also a member of
Hampton’s Freddye T. Davy Honors College. His peers at Hampton
elected him Mr. Sophomore, in recognition of his numerous
contributions to campus life. He tutors children at the Eva C.
Mitchell Childhood Care Center and has joined his fellow
Hamptonians in delivering clothing, food, and toys to New York
after Hurricane Sandy. His hometown is Dallas, Texas.
Julian
Lane majors in Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins
University. While taking a challenging set of
courses, he participates on the varsity track and field team
as a High Jump athlete. He is also very active in a group of
minority male students who are dedicated to helping fellow
undergraduate men of color complete their degrees at Hopkins.
In preparation for a career in medicine, Julian participated
in the Summer Medical and Dental Education Program at the
University of Virginia in 2012. He was one of 35 undergraduate
students chosen to participate in a class offered by the Johns
Hopkins School Medicine to introduce undergraduates to the
culture of medical school. He has also shadowed the director
of the Pituitary Tumor Center at Hopkins. He is a resident of
Glen Burnie, Maryland.
Khallid
Love is a Mathematics major at Princeton
University, where he arrived with ambiguous career
plans. While taking classes, he realized that he had a passion
for math, which he traced back to his childhood experience of
computing sales taxes without the use of a cash register in
his mother’s store. He now plans to pursue a PhD in
Mathematics and become a college professor. Currently, he
serves as a math tutor and a math grader for undergraduate
courses at Princeton. Khallid also volunteers as a math coach
through Let’s Get Ready, a program that helps underprivileged
high school students prepare for the SAT. Khallid’s hometown
is Charlotte, North Carolina.
Elijah
L. McDavid, III majors in Religion at
Morehouse College. He is a College Board AP Scholar,
a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society, and
a mainstay on the Dean’s List. Elijah has interned at several
churches, including the historic Alfred Street Baptist Church
in old town Alexandria, Virginia, where he became a licensed
minister last summer. At Morehouse, he is a Chapel Assistant
at the Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel. He was
inducted into the Academy of Preachers in January 2013. He is
an accompanist and vocalist in the Morehouse College Glee
Club. Elijah hails from Arlington, Virginia.
Andrew
Mulinge attends the University of Maryland
and majors in Government and Politics and hopes to work one
day as an education policy expert. He has been named a W.E.B.
Du Bois National Honors Society member and received other
scholarships in recognition of his academic achievements in
high school, where he was elected student body president. As a
member of the Du Bois Society, he founded a mentoring program
for middle school children in Adelphi, Maryland, a community
close to his university campus. Andrew promotes his major to
prospective students as a College of Behavioral and Social
Sciences Ambassador. He also chairs the student organization
Community Roots, where he arranges events that promote
community. Andrew volunteers for organizations such as America
Reads/America Counts. His hometown is Clarksburg, Maryland.
Ronald
James-Terry Taylor is the recipient of the
Chancellor’s Award for Public Engagement and Scholarship at
Syracuse University. He is a Syracuse
University Coronat Honors Scholar, in which he received one of
the four-year merit scholarships that was presented to the top
students admitted to the College of Arts and Sciences. He also
represents his university as an Opportunity Nation Scholar. As
a testament to his outstanding academic ability, he served as
a teaching assistant in the Public Affairs Program during the
spring of his freshman year at Syracuse. The aspiring lawyer
serves as a research volunteer with the Cold Case Justice
Initiative. He is also the founder and president of a youth
mentorship program, the Community Project Rejuvenation, which,
among other things, provides summer tutoring for kindergarten
through third grade students in his hometown of Hempstead, New
York. He also founded a similar program to serve middle and
high school students in Syracuse. Ronald hopes to become Mayor
of Hempstead.
John Alexander Whisnant is enrolled at
George Washington University as a Psychology
major. He is involved in the university’s Honors Program and
is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.
While working hard to earn top grades, he works in customer
service for the GW Office of University Events and as a
community service aide for the campus police department. He is
a member of the George Washington Voice Gospel Choir. Upon
graduation, Alex will continue his studies to become a
psychotherapist. Alex is a resident of Suitland, Maryland.
Alex
Williams attends Skidmore College
and majors in Management and Business. On campus, Alex serves
as an executive committee member on the Skidmore College
Honors Forum, a distinction earned by the college’s top
students. He is also active in the Summer Search Leadership
Development Program, a five-year program in New York City that
prepares students for academic success and civic engagement.
Last summer, Alex interned for the National Urban League and
News Corporation. The aspiring lawyer and politician began his
preparation for those roles when he met former New York
Governor David Patterson on the subway. Governor Patterson was
one of his recommenders for the Institute. Alex is a native of
Bronx, New York.
A Network of
Exemplary Young Men
Nicholas Hall, I4RC'12, talks about his summer
experience in the Institute. Nicholas
attends
Vanderbilt University,
where he is an Ingram Scholar.He is a Human and Organizational Development
major.A member
of Vanderbilt’s Mock Trial team, he hopes to attend
law school and become an attorney.Nicholas is involved in student government and
serves as a residential advisor.As president of the Tavis Smiley Foundation’s
Youth Advisory Council, Nicholas organized a
leadership program at UCLA for 200 youth.
In 2010, he
spent two months in Africa working for a non-profit
that supports Ugandan children.
He worked as an
intern for AT&T last summer and in 2012, he interned
for Living Social, an online marketplace that allows
consumers to locate special deals for local
businesses.
Nicholas’ hometown is Collierville, TN.
Institute Celebrates 10th Anniversary
The Institute for Responsible Citizenship celebrated its 10th
Anniversary on June 3rd with an event at the
Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC. This event
highlighted the accomplishments
of the 150 scholars. The weekend also marked the Institute's
Alumni Weekend. See slide show by clicking the image.
Preparation for
Summer '13
The Institute for Responsible Citizenship is preparing for next
year's session. The announcement will post on this website within
the next few weeks. An "Application" tab will be available on the
navigation bar of the home page. Revisit the website
periodically for further updates.
We invite all interested students to view our website for general
information about the programs we offer. Should any
questions remain, feel free to contact John Saunders, Chief
Program Officer, at 202-659-2831 or by email to
jsaunders@i4rc.org.
Summer 2013 will mark another milestone as the Institute
looks forward to graduating its 10th Anniversary class.
Institute Scholar Awarded 2012 Truman
Scholarship
William A. Keyes, president of the
Institute for Responsible Citizenship, is proud to congratulate
Ryan Carter on his designation as a 2012 Truman Scholar. The Harry
S. Truman Scholarship is a competitive scholarship for college
juniors who have demonstrated leadership and commitment to public
service.
Ryan Carter double-majors in Economics and
Psychology at Hampden-Sydney College. He maintains a perfect 4.0
Grade Point Average while playing on the college’s varsity
baseball team. Ryan is a peer mentor to first-year college
students and is the head resident advisor to campus freshmen.
During the summer of 2010, he served as a residence counselor for
middle and high school students at the W.E.B. Du Bois Scholars
Institute at Princeton University. During his first summer in the
Institute, he interned for Morgan Stanley Smith Barney.
Institute Announces 10th Anniversary
Class
The Institute for Responsible Citizenship is proud to announce the names
of twelve college sophomores who will participate in the 10th summer of
the Institute’s rigorous leadership program for high-achieving African
American men. The students will participate in the Institute during the
summers of 2012 and 2013. See
press release.
The Institute for Responsible Citizenship is an
intensive leadership program for America’s best and brightest African
American male college students. Our mission is to prepare men to be
exemplary citizens and leaders. We inspire them to pursue extraordinary
career success not simply for their personal benefit, but as a platform
from which they can serve others.
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Jerrel
Baker attends Morehouse College,
where his only grade other than “A” has been one “A-.” He is
majoring in Political Science and Economics and hopes to
practice law in the future. He is a Bonner Scholar, signifying
that he receives a prestigious scholarship that rewards him
for committing time to community services that he might
otherwise need to spend at work to support himself through
college. Jerrel completed over 700 hours of community service
during his first semester at Morehouse. He has volunteered for
Habitat for Humanity in Atlanta, and assisted in a relief
project in Tuscaloosa, Alabama after a tornado devastated that
community in 2012. He is a member of the National Society of
Collegiate Scholars and the Alpha Lambda Delta honor society.
He is also a writer and editor for the campus newspaper.
Jerrel is a native of Atlanta, Georgia.
Michael
DeVore maintains a 4.0 GPA at Claflin
University, where he majors in Business
Administration with a concentration in Accounting. On campus,
he actively participates in the National Association of Black
Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants. He also serves on the fundraising committee for
the Black Executive Exchange Program. In the surrounding
community, he works on service projects sponsored by the
Rotary Club and tutors children at the Boys and Girls Club in
Orangeburg, SC. Michael is an entrepreneur who H enjoys
innovation and hopes to head a technology corporation in the
future. Michael hails from Estill, South Carolina.
Wesley
Dixon is a sophomore at Yale University,
where he is majoring in Environmental Engineering. While
completing the requirements for that degree, he hopes to begin
his pursuit of a Master of Public Health degree. In addition
to his academic work, Wesley is quite active as a coordinator
of the Social Justice Network at Yale. He is a member of the
executive board of the Black Solidarity Conference, the
nation’s largest student-run intercollegiate conference. He is
a research assistant at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and
Obesity, and he is a student manager at the Afro-American
Cultural Center at Yale. While in high school, Wesley spent
two summers as a Telluride Association Scholar and
participated in a program that brings together talented
students from around the world who demonstrate intellectual
curiosity and motivation. Wesley’s hometown is Pembroke Pines,
Florida. .jpg)
Robert
Fisher attends the University of Tennessee at
Chattanooga, where he maintains a 4.0 GPA as a
Political Science major and History minor. His outstanding
high school academic record earned him recognition at UTC as a
William E. Brock Scholar and a Provost Scholar, His
outstanding collegiate record have catapulted him into
leadership roles in the university’s Honors Program, where he
has served as co-chairman of the recruitment committee and as
the program’s liaison to the undergraduate admissions office.
He is also very active in student government, having served as
a Senator and currently as Student Body Treasurer. He was the
Federalist Party Presidential nominee at American Legion Boys
Nation and the Congressional Debate State Champion during his
high school years. He has volunteered on mission trips in
locations from New Orleans to Guatemala. The aspiring
attorney’s hometown is Clarksville, Tennessee.
Caleb
Jackson majors in Broadcast Journalism and serves as
a staff writer for the student newspaper at Hampton
University. Because of his outstanding high school
record, he was named a Hampton Scholar, which carries a
four-year scholarship to that institution. He serves as the
sophomore class representative to the Scripps Howard School of
Journalism’s Executive Board and is also a Senator in the
Student Government Association. He is also a member of
Hampton’s Freddye T. Davy Honors College. His peers at Hampton
elected him Mr. Sophomore, in recognition of his numerous
contributions to campus life. He tutors children at the Eva C.
Mitchell Childhood Care Center and has joined his fellow
Hamptonians in delivering clothing, food, and toys to New York
after Hurricane Sandy. His hometown is Dallas, Texas.
Julian
Lane majors in Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins
University. While taking a challenging set of
courses, he participates on the varsity track and field team
as a High Jump athlete. He is also very active in a group of
minority male students who are dedicated to helping fellow
undergraduate men of color complete their degrees at Hopkins.
In preparation for a career in medicine, Julian participated
in the Summer Medical and Dental Education Program at the
University of Virginia in 2012. He was one of 35 undergraduate
students chosen to participate in a class offered by the Johns
Hopkins School Medicine to introduce undergraduates to the
culture of medical school. He has also shadowed the director
of the Pituitary Tumor Center at Hopkins. He is a resident of
Glen Burnie, Maryland.
Khallid
Love is a Mathematics major at Princeton
University, where he arrived with ambiguous career
plans. While taking classes, he realized that he had a passion
for math, which he traced back to his childhood experience of
computing sales taxes without the use of a cash register in
his mother’s store. He now plans to pursue a PhD in
Mathematics and become a college professor. Currently, he
serves as a math tutor and a math grader for undergraduate
courses at Princeton. Khallid also volunteers as a math coach
through Let’s Get Ready, a program that helps underprivileged
high school students prepare for the SAT. Khallid’s hometown
is Charlotte, North Carolina.
Andrew
Mulinge attends the University of Maryland
and majors in Government and Politics and hopes to work one
day as an education policy expert. He has been named a W.E.B.
Du Bois National Honors Society member and received other
scholarships in recognition of his academic achievements in
high school, where he was elected student body president. As a
member of the Du Bois Society, he founded a mentoring program
for middle school children in Adelphi, Maryland, a community
close to his university campus. Andrew promotes his major to
prospective students as a College of Behavioral and Social
Sciences Ambassador. He also chairs the student organization
Community Roots, where he arranges events that promote
community. Andrew volunteers for organizations such as America
Reads/America Counts. His hometown is Clarksburg, Maryland.
Ronald
James-Terry Taylor is the recipient of the
Chancellor’s Award for Public Engagement and Scholarship at
Syracuse University. He is a Syracuse
University Coronat Honors Scholar, in which he received one of
the four-year merit scholarships that was presented to the top
students admitted to the College of Arts and Sciences. He also
represents his university as an Opportunity Nation Scholar. As
a testament to his outstanding academic ability, he served as
a teaching assistant in the Public Affairs Program during the
spring of his freshman year at Syracuse. The aspiring lawyer
serves as a research volunteer with the Cold Case Justice
Initiative. He is also the founder and president of a youth
mentorship program, the Community Project Rejuvenation, which,
among other things, provides summer tutoring for kindergarten
through third grade students in his hometown of Hempstead, New
York. He also founded a similar program to serve middle and
high school students in Syracuse. Ronald hopes to become Mayor
of Hempstead.
Alex
Williams attends Skidmore College
and majors in Management and Business. On campus, Alex serves
as an executive committee member on the Skidmore College
Honors Forum, a distinction earned by the college’s top
students. He is also active in the Summer Search Leadership
Development Program, a five-year program in New York City that
prepares students for academic success and civic engagement.
Last summer, Alex interned for the National Urban League and
News Corporation. The aspiring lawyer and politician began his
preparation for those roles when he met former New York
Governor David Patterson on the subway. Governor Patterson was
one of his recommenders for the Institute. Alex is a native of
Bronx, New York.