Today, forty-four scholars (twenty-two seniors and twenty-four juniors) were welcomed to the Institute by Mr. William Keyes and staff. As the students arrived at American University, Mr. Keyes greeted the students and their families with open arms as he exclaimed, “Merry Christmas.”
For him, the day that the students arrive on campus is one of the most exciting days of the year. It symbolizes the time and effort put into recruiting and selecting the incoming class of students.
Each year, the Institute staff spends several months traveling across the country to the top colleges and universities to identify the most talented African American males and invite them to Washington, DC for a challenging summer. The staff also works hard to arrange high profile internships, organize rigorous courses in political science and economics, and schedule intimate discussions with some of Washington's most prominent individuals.
Following an Institute tradition, the staff and local alumni hosted an evening of dinner and games at the ESPN Zone to welcome the new and returning scholars. The highlight of the evening was Mr. Keyes’ speech, in which he highlighted the accomplishments of the alumni in attendance while explaining the mission of the Institute.
Orientation weekend continued on Sunday morning with breakfast at a local restaurant and a scavenger hunt that took the scholars to most of the major landmarks in the nation's capital. The day culminated with dinner and concurrent informational sessions conducted by Mr. Keyes and the summer fellows.
The Summer Fellows are alumni of the class of 2007 who assist the staff with the management of Institute events. It is an honor to be selected for this important role. This year's Summer Fellows are outstanding young men. Calvin Hadley graduated from Howard University in May, will spend one year teaching English in Senegal, and will begin graduate school in the fall of 2009.
John Harper took only four years to complete a five-year dual degree program at Oberlin College and the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. He will spend the year auditioning for programs in Voice and will begin his graduate studies in the fall of 2009. Chuck Redmond graduated from the University of South Carolina in May and will enroll at Harvard Law School in September 2008.