Marshall University will have two second-grade classes from Peyton Elementary visiting 9:30 a.m. Friday to interview students from the Society of Black Scholars.
This trip was scheduled Feb. 20 for a Black History Month case study, but was rescheduled due to snow days.
Maurice Cooley, associate vice president of Intercultural Affairs, said around 20 black scholars originally volunteered to be interviewed. Due to the cancelation and busy schedules of the scholars, seven scholars and one other student are being interviewed.
Barbara Maynard, program director of the June Harless Center, said the elementary school students were studying famous African-Americans during Black History Month and asked to borrow books from Marshall.
The students were looking for famous African-Americans specifically from West Virginia for their case studies when the idea of interviewing the Society of Black Scholar students was created.
“Right now they are doing a case study in order to provide students with role models of as many ethnicities, genders and occupations as possible,” Maynard said. “They also want to highlight the role of African-Americans in our community.”
The Marshall student will be grouped with two to three children who will ask the Marshall student three questions each about any struggles or obstacles the student has faced in their life being a minority.
The elementary students will ask the Marshall students questions pertaining to his or her strengths and accomplishments.
The students will tour the John Deaver Drinko Library and take a class picture in front of the John Marshall statue.
The interviews will follow in Corbly Hall and Marshall’s golf coach will show the children how to putt before they leave campus.
“I think it will be amazing for the second-graders to have an opportunity to be on campus and see that opportunity is there for them, that they can go to college,” Maynard said. “I think in interviewing the students, particularly about any challenges they’ve had in their life, these children may have had challenges as well or may face challenges and will be able to have a mentor that’s overcome those challenges.”
The June Harless Center, College of Education and Professional Development, Cabell County Schools, Peyton Elementary principle Ryan McKenzie, Peyton Elementary teachers Stephanie Cade and Melanie Grobe, Maurice Cooley and the Society of Black Scholars worked together to plan this event.
Caitlin Fowlkes can be contacted at [email protected].