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| The September 2025 newsletter shares the recent appointments of leaders in the Andrew Young Center, including the director of the Institute for Social Justice Research and Policy, Dr. Marisela Martinez-Cola, and the assistant director of the AYC - Higher Education in Prisons Program, Dr. Shari Mackinson. We also announce the promotion of Ms. Jeanine White to Assistant Director of the Office of International Education.
This issue highlights the study abroad programs that took place over the summer 2025 with a special focus on Morehouse students’ experience at The University of Manchester in July 2025.
The Andrew Young Center for Global Leadership seeks to extend the legacy of Ambassador Young and expand the footprint of Morehouse into the community and the world. The Center is home to programs designed to inspire and prepare the men of Morehouse to create and implement solutions to social justice challenges and to become global leaders prepared to advance social, economic, and educational equality in the U.S. and abroad. |
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| | New Leadership Appointments |
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| | Dr. Marisela Martinez-Cola, JD/Ph.D., named Director AYCGL Institute for Social Justice Research and Policy |
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| The Andrew Young Center is pleased to announce the appointment of Marisela Martinez-Cola, Ph.D., as the director of the Institute for Social Justice Research and Policy. Dr. Martinez-Cola is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Morehouse College. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and African American Studies at the University of Michigan, her Juris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, and her Doctorate in Sociology from Emory University. Dr. Martinez-Cola first encountered Morehouse College as a Mellon Mays Teaching Fellow during her final year in graduate school, from 2017 to 2018. She fell in love with Morehouse College and hoped to return in the future. In the Fall of 2021, her dream came true, and she joined the faculty at Morehouse College. She outlines this journey in her most recent publication, “At an HBCU I’m a Scholar: A Chicana Feminist’s Academic Journey from Performance to Peace.” |
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| Her research focuses on critical comparative race studies, where she examines a social phenomenon across different racial groups using critical race theory. In 2022, she published her first book, The Bricks Before Brown: The Chinese American, Mexican American, and Native American Struggle for Educational Equality (The University of Georgia Press), in which she examined school desegregation cases filed before the landmark Brown v. Board of Education in 1954. She is currently co-editing the fourth edition of Race and Racisms: A Critical Approach with Oxford University Press and working on her second book, The Beginnings and Branches of Critical Race Theory with Routledge. She has also been published in several journals, including the Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, Journal of Law and Society, Latino Studies, and Teaching Sociology. In 2024, Dr. Martinez-Cola was awarded the 2024 Anna Julia Cooper Early Career Award by the Sociology of Education Section of the American Sociological Association. Her current research focus is on race and comedy in the United States, where she plans to interview comedians from diverse racial backgrounds to explore how they approach humor related to race. |
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| In this role, Dr. Martinez-Cola aims to support her brilliant colleagues at Morehouse College in advancing social justice research and policy, while also inviting inspirational colleagues from around the country and the globe to share their research. |
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| | Shari Mackinson, Ph.D., named Assistant Director AYC-Higher Education in Prisons Program |
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| The Andrew Young Center - Higher Education in Prisons Program [AYC-HEP] is pleased to announce the appointment of Shari Mackinson, Ph.D., as the Morehouse-BPI Faculty Fellow and Assistant Director of the AYC - Higher Education in Prisons Program. A graduate of Howard University (BS), the University of Michigan (MPH/MSW) and Emory University in Atlanta (MDiv/PhD). |
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| Dr. Mackinson joined Morehouse College in July and serves as a faculty member in the Division of Humanities, Social Sciences, Media, and Arts (HSSMA). As a graduate student at Emory University, Dr. Mackinson taught at Arrendale women's prison and was a student chaplain at Metro Transitional Center. |
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| In addition to her work inside the prisons served by the AYC-HEP Program (i.e., Burruss, Metro, Atlanta Transition Center, and the FCI-ATL), Dr. Mackinson will teach courses on social justice leadership and religion at Morehouse College. Dr. Mackinson brings expertise and commitment that will help to expand and enhance the AYC-HEP Program and provide outstanding training and educational experiences for Morehouse College students. Dr. Mackinson says, “This is a dream opportunity. HBCUs should be at the forefront of higher education in prisons, and I’m elated to be a part of Morehouse’s contribution to this ongoing mission.” |
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| | Ms. Jeanine White promoted to Assistant Director Office of International Education |
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| The Andrew Young Center is pleased to announce that Ms. Jeanine White has been promoted to Assistant Director of the Office of International Education. Ms. White has served in a number of roles during her over 20 year tenure at Morehouse College. Most recently, she served as the Program Director for Faculty-led Programs in the Office of International Education. |
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| In her new role, Ms. White collaborates to set the vision for the Office of International Education. She will continue her outstanding work in leading our faculty-led study abroad programming and will collaborate with faculty to support integration of global education into study abroad experiences and the curriculum. Ms. White leads, co-leads, and/or supports on-campus initiatives that enhance Morehouse’s global experiences for students. Finally, Ms. White will implement and provide oversight of new Business and Finance processes that will be implemented for study abroad. |
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| | | The Andrew Young Center is committed to creating and implementing programs that deepen learning and develop leadership through high impact experiences that take students out of their comfort zones, allowing them to grow as individuals and impact the broader community and world. These programs occur both in the United States and abroad. |
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| | | This summer Morehouse College students participated in six faculty/staff-led study abroad programs. Students traveled to China, Germany, South Africa, Brazil, Spain, and Mexico. Additionally, 10 students participated in a new program hosted by the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom. This month the AYCGL newsletter highlights several of these programs. |
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| | Humanities International Summer SchoolUniversity of ManchesterJuly 2025 |
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| From July 19 - 26, 2025, Morehouse students joined peers from Spelman College, Vassar College, and Xavier University for the one-week Faculty of Humanities International Summer School at the University of Manchester. Students engaged in academic sessions conducted by leading experts, sharpened their research skills in vibrant settings like the John Rylands Research Library, and explored Manchester’s historic sites, arts, music, and food culture.
Reflecting on the experience, Morehouse student Braxton Broady shared, “The past does inform the future and I think that looking at Manchester’s cityscape is the perfect example of that. Sometimes just walking one block can feel like you’ve walked through 600 years of history… Manchester, when talking about historical context, is a great version of moving forward, correcting its mistakes, and looking to the future equitably.” Students left inspired by the city’s layered history and its vision for an inclusive future. |
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| Reflections on the Humanities International Summer School Experience Jordan Turner, ‘26, Communications Studies Major
This summer I had the amazing opportunity to represent Morehouse College and the Andrew Young Center for Global Leadership at the University of Manchester's Humanities Summer School in England. While this was my first time traveling to Europe, I truly resonated with the mission of the summer school, which was giving us subjects for the day on the history of the transatlantic slave trade that fueled the city's growth, starting with themes of challenging legacies, understanding our past, and planning the future. We had amazing guest speakers like The Guardian newspaper editors and amazing field trips like visiting the People’s History Museum, along with having a personalized America and Manchester tour led by students who were studying abroad for their master’s program at Manchester. The Luncheon Learns that were held at the Manchester Museum, School of Business and the John Rylands Library allowed us to interact with not only the leaders of the community but also the historians who are keeping track of everything that fuels the city of Manchester today.
My favorite experience during the trip was getting to watch a play at the Royal Exchange Theatre called Liberation, where we not only got to introduce and talk with the writer but also have a conversation with the actors who played the various leaders that were featured and present at the Pan-African Conference of 1945 in Manchester. This summer school gave me the opportunity to understand why it's important to stay in touch with our roots and understand the many different ways history can be impacted from anywhere across the globe. I hope moving forward I can motivate all future Morehouse students looking for the chance to travel abroad to take the leap of faith and go on a trip! |
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| | Summer 2025 China Study ProgramFaculty Lead: Ruihua Shen, PhD, Director of the Chinese Studies ProgramMay 10 - 31, 2025 |
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| The Summer 2025 China Study Program, held from May 10 - 31, 2025, provided 15 Morehouse students with an immersive cultural and academic experience in Beijing and Henan Province. Hosted by the University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB), the program aimed to enhance students' Chinese language proficiency while deepening their understanding of Chinese history and culture through classroom instruction, cultural activities, and educational excursions—including a trip to Henan Province, the cradle of Chinese civilization and located 700 kilometers from Beijing. Participants explored iconic UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, as well as the Longmen Grottoes and the Shaolin Temple in Henan. The group also experienced China’s renowned high-speed rail system, adding a modern dimension to their journey.
Two key highlights of the program were the rigorous yet rewarding language classes—praised by students for their quality and immersive approach—and the Language Partner Program, which fostered meaningful cross-cultural exchanges with USTB peers. Students gained not only language skills but also invaluable insights into the lives of Chinese college students, adaptability, and the formation of friendships that transcended cultural boundaries. Many reflected on the program as transformative, citing personal growth, newfound confidence in their abilities, and a broader perspective on global interconnectedness. The program’s success underscores the value of experiential learning and cultural immersion in fostering academic and personal development. |
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| | Morehouse in Germany: German Language, Culture and (Black) HistoriesFaculty Lead: Matthew Lange, PhD, Department of World Languages May 17 - June 8, 2025 |
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| Thanks to a generous grant from The Halle Foundation, the “Morehouse in Germany” study abroad program exposed participants to German history and culture. Visiting Assistant Professor of German and European Studies, Matt Lange, and six students began the adventure in the spring semester with bi-weekly meetings to learn about major historical developments since the middle-ages with particular emphasis on intersections with the African diaspora.
Shortly after exams ended, Assistant Professor of Music, Robert McNichols, joined the group as a chaperone as they flew to Berlin. The group eased into their new “home” for two weeks in the German capital. The mornings consisted of language instruction and afternoons were filled with tours of sites connected to W.E.B. Du Bois, Martin Luther King, Jr., Audre Lorde, and they encountered the legacy of colonialism, World War II, and the Cold War. In the third week, the group took to the rails down to Atlanta’s sister city Nuremberg while overnighting in Halle and Erfurt to allow for day trips to Magdeburg, Leipzig and the Buchenwald concentration camp, whose liberation in 1945 was photographed by Morehouse alumnus W.A. Scott III. In Halle the group visited a memorial to Anton Wilhelm Amo, the first African to attain a doctorate in Europe. A day trip to Magdeburg allowed the group to view the first statue of an African in Europe in the figure of St. Maurice, the patron saint of the Holy Roman Empire. Another outing to Leipzig gave the cohort a chance to lunch at Auerbachs Keller, a scene in Goethe’s drama Faust. In Nuremberg the group visited the imperial castle, the courtroom and museum of the eponymous war crimes trial, and the Nazi rally grounds, which had been overtaken by a rock concert that weekend.
All in all, the students learned to identify major events and figures in German (cultural) history including elements of the African diaspora and developed confidence in speaking German and navigating daily life in Germany. Of particular interest were meetings with several members of the Black Student Union in Berlin and with members of the local chapter of the Initiative of Black People in Germany in Nuremberg. |
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| | Oprah Winfrey South Africa Leadership Program Faculty Leads: Jann Adams, PhD, Corey Stayton, PhD, and Keisha Tassie, PhD May 18 - 31, 2025 |
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| In May 2025, the Oprah Winfrey South Africa Leadership Program included 16 scholars who experienced an unforgettable journey to Johannesburg, Pilanesberg, and Cape Town, South Africa. A highlight of the program was a visit to the Nelson Mandela Foundation where scholars met with the director of the foundation and reviewed the archives of President Nelson Mandela, including letters sent by Mandela from Robben Island, Mandela’s Nobel Peace Prize, and hand-written excerpts from Mandela’s autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom. |
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| Program activities included meetings with community leaders and university officials, faculty, and students. University visits included the University of South Africa, the University of Pretoria in Johannesburg, the University of the Western Cape, and the University of Cape Town. Engaging and informative visits to the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Desmond and Leah Tutu Foundation allowed scholars to explore the lives, accomplishments, challenges, and leadership philosophies of these great leaders. Visits to historic sites and organizations documenting the history of Apartheid and preserving the legacy of the fight for freedom and justice in South Africa included the Apartheid Museum, the Hector Pieterson Museum, and Mandela House. Scholars experienced Cape Town’s Iziko Slave Lodge to learn about the enslaved peoples from other parts of Africa, China, and Malaysia who built South Africa. |
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| A day of service at Boundless Academy, a youth initiative focused on increasing technical skills and job readiness, and the Kliptown Youth Program (KYP) in Soweto, allowed scholars to tutor, support classroom activities, paint community members’ homes, serve food, and play soccer with the children. Finally, scholars appreciated the opportunity to enjoy the natural beauty of South Africa through excursions to Table Mountain, the Cape of Good Hope, and Pilanesberg National Park to experience game drives to view wildlife. |
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| | Office of International Education Summer 2025 Photo Contest |
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| This summer the Office of International Education held a photo contest to allow scholars to share their favorite photos from study abroad experiences across the world. Some photos from this year’s winners are included here: |
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| | | | | | Social Justice Scholars Program ApplicationApplications are due on Friday, September 12, 2025 at 11:59pm. The Social Justice Scholars Program is an initiative of the Andrew Young Center’s Institute for Social Justice Inquiry and Praxis. The purpose of this opportunity is to expose students to fields and training related to local and global social justice issues. The social justice program takes a holistic approach to training students to pursue careers related to social justice. |
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| | | | | AYCGL Equal Justice Initiative Study TourSaturday, November 1, 2025. Time TBD. Morehouse College students and faculty will travel to Montgomery, AL to visit the Equal Justice Initiative Legacy Sites, including the Legacy Museum, National Memorial for Peace and Justice, and the Freedom Monument Sculpture. |
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| The Andrew Young Center for Global Leadership’s video podcast More Conversations was initiated in the fall 2020 and aims to put scholars and subject matter experts in conversation about topics that are important to both the collegiate and broader communities. |
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| | | A Note of Gratitude to Our Sponsors |
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| The work of the Andrew Young Center for Global Leadership is made possible by the generous support of our sponsors, including The Coca Cola Company, Bank of America, Ms. Oprah Winfrey and the Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation, The Julian Grace Foundation, Delta Airlines, the Microsoft Corporation, and the Cigna Foundation. We wish to thank these donors for their sustained support of the AYCGL. |
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