The “Our Campus, Our Voice” Challenge
Generation Hope’s “Our Campus, Our Voice” Challenge is an initiative to create more family-friendly college campuses and invest in the advocacy and leadership of parenting college students. By putting both resources and decision making in the hands of student parents, who are disproportionately students of color, Generation Hope is also addressing the racial inequities that exist within our higher education system. Through the Challenge, current Generation Hope Scholars or alumni receive $500+ in mini-grants to help fund their (COVID-safe) projects, which address gaps in supports for student parents at their institutions or alma maters.
Funding for this effort came from our founder and CEO’s 2020 Black Voices for Black Justice Award.
Press Release
Meet the 2021 “Our Campus, Our Voice” Challenge Winners
Meet the Review Committee
“Our Campus, Our Voice” Challenge Outcomes
The purpose of this microgrant initiative is to:
Reinforce the tremendous assets that student parents bring to their campus community.
Put resources and decision-making power into the hands of those who are most impacted by the barriers to success in higher education -- a practice that gender inequities and systemic racism have historically prevented.
Engage young parents in the quest for solutions while building their career, advocacy, and leadership skills.
Plant seeds for authentic student-parent efforts on DC-area college campuses.
“We want to reinforce the tremendous assets that student parents bring to their campus community and equip them with what they need to create change on these college campuses. By putting both resources and decision making in the hands of student parents who are disproportionately students of color, Generation Hope is also addressing the racial inequities that exist within the higher education system.”
- Nicole Lynn Lewis, Founder & CEO
2021-2022 “Our Campus, Our Voice” Challenge Winners
Alicia Price
Trinity Washington University
Alumna
Chelsea Callender
U. of Maryland Global Campus
Scholar
Ericka Best
Trinity Washington University
Alumna
Nija Simmons
Wilson College
Alumna
Bri Whitfield
George Washington University
Alumna
CiCi Felton
Morgan State University
Alumna
Joseph Yusuf
Howard University
Alumnus
Sholachauntel Shoda
Trinity Washington University
Scholar
Carla Rocha
George Mason University
Alumna
Colleen Forsee
George Mason University
Alumna
Naraya Omar
Northern VA Community College
Alumna
Yoslin Amaya
University of Maryland
Alumna
Meet the Review Committee Members
A Review Committee composed of student parents outside of the Generation Hope Scholar Program, funders, advocates, educators, and other stakeholders assisted in reviewing and scoring applications.
-
Alice Johnson Cain
Executive Director
The Moriah Fund -
Dr. Adrian K. Haugabrook
Executive Vice President and Managing Director, Social Impact Collective
Southern New Hampshire University -
Gail Cornwall
Freelance writer, former public school teacher and lawyer
-
Jesus Benitez
Ascend Parent Advisor
The Aspen Institute -
Quanic Fullard
Program Officer
The Annie E. Casey Foundation -
Lesley Del Rio
Recruitment Specialist
AdvanceEDU -
Lindsey Reichlin Cruse
Senior Fellow, Postsecondary and Workforce Education
National Skills Coalition -
Mia Bernardino
VC / Impact Investor
Imaginable Futures -
Nahla Walker
Student
The Ohio State University -
Rosario Torres
Program Officer
ECMC Foundation -
Sara Levy
Program Manager
Michael & Susan Dell Foundation -
Traci Lewis
Assistant Director
ACCESS Collaborative -
Yazmyn C. Smith
ACE Coach/Instructor
Southeastern Louisiana University