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Welcome to our e-newsletter
Minds in Motion
T.S. Eliot famously wrote, "April is the cruelest month." At Free Minds, we think it may be the sweetest. We are recruiting a new class, preparing for graduation, and celebrating new programs for alumni and the community. Plus, a student's joyful poem offers the final word. Enjoy! |
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Applications for the 2013-14 Class Are Now Available!
Free Minds is looking for adults who are ready to embark on a year of exploration in the humanities and get a jumpstart on college. If this describes you or someone you know, visit our website to learn more about the class, eligibility requirements, and the application process.
Contact our office to arrange a presentation at your organization.
Apply by July 5, 2013.
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(From left) Students Angelique Martin and Liz Buck
are excited to recruit next year's class!
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Spring Creative Writing Workshop Draws Community
When the new creative writing workshop kicked off last Tuesday evening, facilitator Hana Silverstein asked each member of the group to say a few words about why they were there. For Jennifer Jarding it was the neon flyer that first caught her attention as she was browsing in the public library; she picked up the very last one and took it as a sign. Cynthia Donnell explained that as a grandmother and great-grandmother, she has the strong desire to leave her stories behind for future generations. When it was Rosalie Goodwin's turn to speak, she said that she sees writing as a way to organize her thoughts. And she added "I was so excited for this workshop to start, I could barely get to sleep."
From seasoned writers to those trying out the practice of free writing for the first time, from Foundation Communities residents and employees to Free Minds alumni, from graduate students to retirees, it is clear that members of this diverse group have much to teach and learn from one another. We look forward to seeing what they create together over the next eight weeks. Happy writing!
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Free Minds Launches Mentorship Program
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(From left) Mentorship Committee members Charlotte Nunes, DeAunderia Bowens, and Mary Cafferty. Members not pictured are Tiffany Eagan,
Michelle Faires, and Clair Norton.
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This spring for the first time, newly graduated Free Minds students will be paired with mentors from the business, educational, and cultural fields as part of a year-long transitional program designed to help graduates build on the momentum of their Free Minds experience and continue to pursue their aspirations.
This program has been in the making for several years, with an intern and an Americorps VISTA researching mentorship best practices throughout the 2011-12 year. Since Fall 2012 a committee of dedicated Free Minds volunteers has been meeting monthly to further outline program logistics. "Mentorship is a great opportunity for our graduates, but it also a terrific way for community members to become involved in Free Minds," says Project Director Vivé Griffith. "It's been heartening to see this group of volunteers come together to launch this new program."
If you have skills to share and are interested in helping a Free Minds graduate to refine and pursue her/his educational, career, or artistic goals, please consider applying to be a mentor. You can learn more by visiting the mentorship page of our website.
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Please join us for
The Free Minds Class of 2013
Graduation Ceremony
Monday, May 20
7:00 pm
Prothro Theater
Harry Ransom Center
The University of Texas at Austin
Contact the Free Minds office to RSVP.
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Special Thanks
With two community workshops kicking off this month and a very special master class to boot, we're especially grateful to our partners and volunteers who have made this programming possible. Big thanks to:
Margaret Burke
Arts Educator
Harry Ransom Center
Karinna Perez Cantu
St. Elmo Neighborhood Project Director
Foundation Communities
Jennifer Cohodes
Learning Center Coordinator
Foundation Communities
Jennifer Furl
Freelance Writer
Advisory Committee Member
Free Minds
Hana Silverstein
Volunteer Workshop Facilitator
Free Minds
If you are interested in volunteering with or supporting Free Minds, you can find more information on our website. |
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YOUTUBE: Stacey Kennedy, Free Minds '12, and her son Richmond talk about their journey from homelessness to college.
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Minds in Motion
Archive
March 2013
The semester is coming into bloom with plenty of opportunities to grow with Free Minds.
February 2013
A whole host of reasons to love Free Minds!
This spring, Free Minds explores what it means to be American.
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The Final Word
Catrina Williams, '13, Shares the Poem She Performed at Carnival ah!
How Did You Get Here?
How did you get here?
From a 17 year old virgin and a 19 year old newly enlisted soldier.
How did you get here?
From a 1989 graduate from a small town high school USA to a historically black college.
How did you get here?
From one failed marriage to a successful case of single parenthood.
How did you get here?
From over 15 years of customer service to unemployment.
How did you get here?
From a flyer, a dream, and a whole lot of determination.
How did you get here?
From free books, free tuition, and professors who really care.
How did you get here?
From a 2007 customized green LeSabre.
How did you get here?
From books like The Great Gatsby, plays by Shakespeare, to poems for critical writing.
How did you get here?
From fresh baked king ranch chicken and salad to 30 minute workshops to improve all aspects
of life.
How do I succeed here?
From voting for the first time, access to computer labs, free writes, to guidance and preparation
for perfect papers.
How do I end here?
From freeing my mind, freeing my mind, to Free Minds!
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A program of the UT Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, in partnership with the UT Humanities Institute, Austin Community College, and Foundation Communities, Free Minds offers a two-semester college course in the humanities for Central Texas adults who want to fulfill their intellectual potential and begin a new chapter in their lives.
Free Minds Project
Community Engagement Center
1009 East 11th Street, #218
Austin TX 78702
Project Director: Vivé Griffith Program Coordinator: Amelia Pace-Borah Ph: 512-232-6093 F: 512-236-1729
www.freemindsaustin.org |
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