Students In Action: Mentoring Youth Leaders Through Service-Learning
Partner
Who is our collaborator?
Students In Action (SIA) is a unique youth service, leadership, and recognition program that supports, trains, and empowers today’s youth to be leaders, problem solvers, entrepreneurs, and impactful global citizens. Through the Transformative Scholarship Research Generator (TREKS) at Purdue, the John Martinson Honors College, undergraduate scholars mentor middle and high school students through community-based service-learning projects.
Opportunity
What needs to be addressed?
Students in Action is more than a program—it is a model for how higher education can cultivate socially conscious leaders. Through a model of tiered mentorship, undergraduates guide youth in designing and leading service projects, gaining practical skills in communication, leadership, critical thinking, and project management. This initiative supports the TREKS research generator’s growth as an example of what can happen when purposeful student leadership drives change.
Connection
How did Purdue get involved?
Nate Albin, Sawyer Brashear, Catherine Joven, Hannah McCallister, Jackson Stone, and Colin Wellington hosted three Students in Action Conferences for four local K–12 schools (Oakland Academy, Tecumseh Junior High School, Jefferson High School, and McCutcheon High School). The students had one national conference presentation, as well as one in-press journal article. Purdue undergraduate students played an active role in mentoring youth, planning conferences, and managing an event, while simultaneously creating meaningful connections between higher education and local schools.
Want to engage with Purdue’s resources?