Pictured: 2021 Journey Scholars Welcome Dinner
In only its third year at Augustana University, the Journey Scholars Program has seen significant growth. A total of 46 prospective students applied, and among those students, 27 committed to the program. That’s more than double the number of students who participated last year.
“We saw a huge jump in interest in the program and students talking about it, high school counselors becoming more familiar with it and being able to direct students to it more clearly,” said Assistant Director of Admission Haley Elness. “Word is getting out, and we're very excited.”
The Journey Scholars Program made its debut in the fall of 2019 as a way to provide systematically marginalized first-year students with resources, peer mentors and advice to assist in their transition and success. Since then, the program has undergone a transformation. Based on feedback from Augustana students, the Journey Scholars Committee restructured the program to focus solely on students of color. The renewed purpose is to support and empower the students as they navigate their first year at Augustana.
“We got a lot of feedback from our current Augustana students of color about their experience at Augustana and the things that went well, as well as the things that were really hard for them as they adjusted to the community — especially since we are a predominantly white campus community,” said Elness.
Interested first-year students of color are considered for the program after completing a brief application. Those selected for the program are invited to move to campus a few days before Augustana’s first-year student Move-In Day. This allows them additional time to begin connecting with peer mentors and other Journey Scholars before the school year begins. Journey Scholars then participate in orientation and programming that empowers them to take responsibility for their educational experiences.
“Everything that we do is both educational and social,” Elness said. “We plan a balance of making sure students have that community to get to know each other and have those friendships.”
The students also have the opportunity to hear from members of the campus and Sioux Falls communities, as well as alumni.
“They’re all people of color to really make sure the students are seeing themselves as members of the campus community, as students with potential to go on and be entrepreneurs and leaders within Sioux Falls and beyond,” Elness said.
Journey Scholar Bre Bostick ‘24 first learned about the program through Admission Counselor Wendy Mamer and Assistant Dean of Students for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Willette Capers.
“Willette was a very inviting person, and I liked the goals she had for Augustana regarding diversity and inclusion,” Bostick said. “I also liked that the Journey Scholars Program would connect me to both the campus and my peers who have a similar background as me.”
Bostick said the program provided her with essential skills, such as effective study habits and financial planning.
After orientation is over and the school year begins, the Journey Scholars meet twice a month during the fall semester and once a month during the spring semester. The meetings during the school year incorporate different programming themes — such as microaggressions, student panels and financial aid information — to further the students’ involvement and education.
A vital piece of the program is the Journey Scholars’ connections with peer mentors. Each scholar is assigned to a mentor, an upper-level Augustana student of color.
“It is huge for students to have that person, a fellow student of color, guide them as they adjust to where their courses are and how often they need to study and just the things that come up throughout their first year that all students adjust to,” Elness said.
Sydney Capers ‘21, a biology major from Rancho Cucamonga, California, was one of these peer mentors — having guided students since the program’s inception.
“I knew, through my experiences freshman year, that strong and helpful mentorship from the right individuals on campus could drastically change how many students of color remained on campus,” Capers said.
Capers said that his experience mentoring others was gratifying and turned into a new passion for him.
“To see students accomplish such large feats — it's inspiring,” Capers said.
Capers said his favorite memory from the program was meeting one of his peer mentees, Mekhi Moore ‘23.
“Meeting Mekhi on his first day on campus, he had big dreams and aspirations,” Capers said. “Now, Mekhi is the Augustana Student Association (ASA) vice president. It was extremely cool to see him early on and see what he's become today! Yet, I cannot take credit for any of his success as he was a stellar student and engaged community member from the day I met him.”
For Bostick, an elementary education major, an emphasis on diversity was at the top of her list during her college search.
“Augustana was not originally on my radar as being a school of inclusion,” Bostick said. “However, in my discussion with Willette Capers, I discovered that Augustana not only promotes diversity through what they say, but also in what they do. After hearing where Augustana currently stands in terms of diversity and inclusion, challenges, future goals and the Journey Scholars Program, Augustana became my top choice. The Journey Scholars Program is not just words, it is action.”
Students who participate in the program receive additional scholarship opportunities from the university. The Fall 2022 application for the Journey Scholars Program will open on August 1.