Student Leaders from Campuses in MD & DC Graduate from 2024-2025 Transform Mid-Atlantic Civic Fellowship Program
(Washington, D.C.) -- On May 2, ten student leaders from a cross section of Transform Mid-Atlantic member campuses participated in a day-long retreat in Washington, D.C. to celebrate the conclusion of the 2024-2025 TMA Civic Fellowship Program. The retreat included a visit to the office of Senator Chris Van Hollen (MD), a guided tour of the U.S. Capitol Building, and a visit to the Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery. Each member of the cohort recently completed a capstone project focused on an issue rooted in their own campus and community. The culmination of their work is a digital Capstone Yearbook, published on the TMA website, which allows readers to learn about the “what, why, and how” behind each project and their connections to the concept of sustainability. The yearbook includes links to videos, resources, and other interactive tools to immerse readers in the problems and issues that the fellows have been grappling with, and to learn about and hopefully even borrow from their solutions and work.
In DC, the fellows had the opportunity to present their projects to staff from Senator Van Hollen’s office, sharing why their work is important and what solutions, support, and policy changes they would like to see at the federal level. “It was inspiring to listen to this year’s group of fellows talk about their projects and share what they wanted Senator Van Hollen to know about their work,” said Anthony Wagner V, Director of the TMA Civic Fellowship Program at TMA. “It was a reminder that these students are not the ‘next generation’ of leaders, but are already improving the civic and community life of our region. We have a lot to learn from their perspectives and example.”
The 2024-2025 TMA Civic Fellowship cohort included:
- Kya Moore, Class of 2026, Baltimore City Community College
- Angelina “Angie” Jones, Class of 2025, Carroll Community College
- Rachael Michalski, Class of 2025, Frostburg State University
- Sewell Cooper, Class of 2026, Johns Hopkins University
- Nadia Colón, Class of 2027, Loyola University Maryland
- Joann Dubois, Class of 2027, Notre Dame of Maryland University
- Bongani Ndebele, Class of 2025, The George Washington University
- Sabrina Pereira, Class of 2025, University of Baltimore
- Meron Aga, Class of 2025, University of Maryland, College Park
- Stephen Hook, Class of 2025, Washington College
The 2024-2025 cohort was the third group of student leaders to participate in the program since its inception in 2022. Throughout the year, they participated in monthly sessions with guest speakers, as well as skill-based professional development workshops and opportunities to engage in reflection and dialogue about their own work. They join a growing number of program alumni who have gone on to attend graduate school, participate in national service programs, pursue prestigious fellowships, and use their leadership skills and experiences by working in the public, private, and non-profit sectors.
Listen to 2024-2025 TMA Civic Fellow Kya Moore reflect on the program and her capstone project!
About the TMA Civic Fellowship Program
The TMA Civic Fellowship Program, launched in January 2022, is a highly selective leadership development program focused on convening and shaping the next generation of community-engaged leaders in our states and region. Presidents of TMA member colleges and universities in MD, DC, DE, WV, and VA may nominate one deserving student from their campus to participate in the program each year. The fellows receive advising and mentorship from TMA staff members, engage in monthly sessions with a dynamic set of guest speakers, participate in professional development workshops, and propose and complete a capstone project focused on a topic or issue that aligns with their academic and professional interests. Previous guest speakers include leaders from a broad range of organizations, agencies, and institutions, including the Urban Institute, Empower DC, Baltimore City Office of Sustainability, Oxfam Great Britain, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Delaware Community Foundation, and many more.
About Transform Mid-Atlantic
Transform Mid-Atlantic is a non-profit membership association of public, private, 2- and 4-year colleges and universities, including many HBCUs and minority serving institutions. Transform Mid-Atlantic provides leadership to colleges and universities in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Delaware by advocating, supporting, and encouraging institutional participation in academic and co-curricular based public service and civic engagement programs.
Transform Mid-Atlantic strengthens the capacity of member institutions to enhance student learning and to meaningfully engage with communities. Transform Mid-Atlantic is supported through a combination of institutional dues, federal and private grants, donations, and in-kind contributions. The Transform Mid-Atlantic office is located at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland.