Interdisciplinary Leadership for Social Change
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Dana Powell '96 spent the summer putting her passion to work for Guilford's fledgling Interdisciplinary Leadership for Social Change Program. By reconnecting with social change organizations and alumni working in the field, Powell laid the groundwork for a future position funded by the college's Initiative on Faith and Practice. The Initiative, funded by a $2 million Lilly Endowment Inc.grant, seeks to identify and prepare committed leaders for vocations as agents of transformation in the world.
"Guilford has deep relationships with social change organizations which help educate and provide networking and job opportunities for our students," Powell said. "We have many alumni working in these organizations and we need to strengthen our connections for the benefit of our students today and in the future."
Working with student assistants, Powell began collecting information to build a database of information about social change organizations connected to the college. "In some cases, we simply need to thank them," she noted.
She interviewed alumni working for social change,finding that, "our former students are carrying their values into everything they do, and every one of them talks about ongoing relationships with our faculty."
Powell was assistant manager of the activist musical duo,Indigo Girls,the past four years,and completed a tour last spring of eight college and university campuses that raised awareness around Native American environmental issues.
She earned a bachelor's degree in religious studies at Guilford, with a minor in sociology and anthropology and interdisciplinary studies concentrations in African studies, peace and conflict studies and women's studies. She began work on a doctorate in sociocultural anthropology at UNC-Chapel Hill in August.