Brady Program in Ethics and Civic Life
Our outstanding group of sophomores did excellent work in the three-course seminar sequence, engaged in wonderful discussions at teas, and created exactly the sort of inspiring cohort community that we hope to see. They learned about the city of Evanston and decided to undertake a project attempting to address educational needs of youth facing housing insecurity.
In the winter term, we welcomed most of our juniors back from their studies abroad. They met several times throughout the winter and spring terms for dinner discussions of ethics and literature, as well as getting down to work on their ambitious senior project. Working together with Clarence and Wendy Weaver, of C&W Market and Ice Cream Parlor, they hope to support the launch of a full-scale grocery store in their senior year. This year they focused primarily on grant applications and other fundraising endeavors.
Meanwhile our seniors executed their inspiring capstone project, working with Rainbows for All Children. Rainbows is a nationwide organization that works with children experiencing grief and trauma. It is headquartered locally, where it runs on a shoestring budget out of an office located above a garage in one of Evanston’s alleyways. Our seniors worked to create information networks publicizing Rainbow’s services to students in Evanston’s school districts and raised money for the organization. Some Brady scholars also trained to facilitate groups of students served by the organization and began meeting with these groups online.
In addition to sending our amazing seniors out into the world, we are saying goodbye to Postdoctoral Fellow, Libby Southgate, as she takes up a tenure track faculty position at Franklin and Marshall College next fall. Next year we will welcome incoming Postdoctoral Fellow, Yvonne Tam, a recent graduate of UC-Riverside, whose work focuses on Kantian ethics. We also welcome Professor Viv Soni of the department of English, who has graciously agreed to serve as interim director during Kyla Ebels-Duggan’s upcoming research leave.