Past Summer Bridge Participants
About Summer Bridge
PhD students in the humanities at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign use their strengths to make an impact while learning new skills and exploring new career paths. Students selected to participate in the program will spend 8 weeks in the summer contributing to a community organization in the Champaign-Urbana area.
Summer Bridge Program 2023
- Alana Ackerman (Anthropology), community partner: Immigrant Services of Champaign-Urbana. Immigrant Services of Champaign-Urbana's purpose is to help immigrant families overcome their adversities and together build a future where their assets and talents fulfill their hopes and dreams.
- Victor A. Ruiz-Divas (Education Policy, Organization, & Leadership), community partner: Krannert Art Museum. Krannert Art Museum (KAM) serves the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the communities of East Central Illinois. All are welcome to enjoy KAM's rich collection of fine art from across the globe, vibrant exhibitions, and engaging programs.
- Samuel Froiland (History), community partner: The Land Connection. The Land Connection’s mission is to train farmers in resilient, restorative farming techniques; inform the public about the sources of our food and why that matters; and work to protect and enhance farmland so that we, and generations to come, will have clean air and water, fertile soil, and healthy, delicious food.
- Priyanka Zylstra (History), community partner: Education Justice Project. EJP is a vibrant community of incarcerated students, educators, formerly incarcerated individuals, and others who are committed to a more just and humane world. We believe that providing quality post-secondary education within prisons is an important step towards that vision.
- Omar Agustin Hernandez (Anthropology), community partner: Strides Shelter: City of Champaign Township. Strides operates as a low-barrier emergency shelter and resource center for adults experiencing homelessness. The program strives to reach a population of community members who are often seen but overlooked.
Summer Bridge Program 2022
- Breanna Escamilla (Anthropology), community partner: Driven to Reach Excellence & Academic Achievement for Males (DREAAM). DREAAM builds trauma-informed programming for boys and young men in the C-U community aimed at sustaining a culture of achievement, engagement and behavioral health.
- Victoria Fields (Communication), community partner: Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD). Within CUPHD, the Equity Council addresses various forms of systemic oppression and racism in carrying out public health initiatives in the Champaign-Urbana community.
- Rayven Morrow (Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership, with a concentration in Gender and Women's Studies), community partner: CU Freedom School at Garden Hills Academy. CU Freedom School is a summertime and after-school literacy and cultural enrichment program for K–5 students.
- Suzanne Valentine (English), community partner: Champaign County Mental Health Board. CCMHB coordinates and evaluates the comprehensive local system of mental health, developmental disabilities and substance abuse services for Champaign County.