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Welcome to our e-newsletter
Minds in Motion
With just a few weeks left before the start of the semester, we are in the thick of our preparations--the Class of 2016 is in the making, we've got new faculty to welcome, as well as an engaging new lineup of alumni activities. And in the Final Word, hear how alum Faith Barrs used Free Minds to springboard a great educational journey. Read on! |
Free Minds Welcomes Michael Rosenbaum
 "I know how challenging it is to pursue an unconventional route to higher education," says Michael Rosenbaum, the Free Minds writing instructor for the 2015-16 academic year. Michael took a roundabout path to college himself and spent nearly a decade working on his undergraduate degree at UT El Paso. Before arriving at Texas State to pursue his MFA in Fiction, he worked as a laborer and union rep and pursued his passion for rock climbing and skydiving.
Now he focuses his energy on endeavors less death-defying but no less important. As an instructor in the English Department at Texas State, Michael says he dedicates his time to "proving to students just how capable they are of thinking critically and writing effectively." He brings that faith in students and their abilities to the Free Minds classroom, where he will guide our new class through a year of exploring writing and critical thinking. We trust his years of falling from airplanes have prepared him for the adventures ahead, and we are glad to have him with us! |
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2nd Saturdays Return this Fall!
Last year Free Minds held discussions over breakfast on the second Saturday of each month as a way for the broader Free Minds community to share in dialogue about topics of interest. We are thrilled about our entire fall lineup. Check it out and mark these Saturdays on your calendar now!
All events will be held at M Station Apartments from 10 am - noon. Child care is available.
September 12: Writing Our Stories
Poet and writing coach Laurie Filipelli will help us re-purpose our life stories for personal statements and scholarship essays.
October 10: The Bechdel Test, Gender, and Film
UT professor of media studies Suzanne Scott will walk us through what the Bechdel test is and what it can tell us about Hollywood's take on gender.
November 14: The Myth of Race
UT history professor and Pulitzer Prize finalist Jacqueline Jones will share the work behind her book A Dreadful Deceit: the Myth of Race from the Colonial Era to Obama's America.
December 12: Quinceañeras and Latino Identity
Rachel Gonzalez-Martin, professor in UT Austin's Department of Mexican American Studies, will explore what quinceañera culture reveals about Latino/a identity.
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Recruitment Roundup
Summer is the time for outreach. From speaking to managers at Austin Public Library to flyering door-to-door, Free Minds staff and volunteers spend May and June busily spreading the word about the program all over Austin.
As of our July 6 deadline, 95 people had submitted applications to be part of next year's class. This group heard about the program from supervisors at their workplaces, case managers, Free Minds graduates, and advertisements.
Each application receives a thorough review. On July 8, a group of Free Minds faculty, graduates, staff, and advisory committee members met over dinner to screen and score all applications. The interview and selection process for well-qualified applicants is currently underway, and we look forward to welcoming our Class of 2016 this August!
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Special Thanks
We would be lost without those organizations and individuals that share information about Free Minds with their circles. Big appreciation to:
Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders,
AISD, Any Baby Can,
Ascend Center for
Learning, Austin Public Library, Breakthrough, Caritas, City of Austin
Communities in Schools,
Dress for Success,
Frameworks Community Development,
Goodwill Industries,
Gus Garcia Young Men's Leadership Academy,
Housing Authority of the City of Austin,
Maplewood Elementary,
SafePlace, St. Louise House, Travis County,
Truth Be Told,
United Way Capital Area, UT Elementary, The Villager Newspaper,
If you are interested in volunteering with or supporting Free Minds, you can find more information on our
website.
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The Final Word
For Faith Barrs, '09, Free Minds Launched an Educational Journey
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Faith Barrs (far left) with her family at her son's graduation.
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My mother always preached to me, "Get an education. Life will be easier." She also led by example. She herself graduated from The University of Texas at Austin. However, I decided to take a different path. Even without a degree I had accomplished some of my goals, working for the State of Texas for 14 years and purchasing my own home by the age of 31. But by the time I heard about Free Minds, I was ready for a change. I had two beautiful children, a four-year-old daughter, Dianna, and a 16-year-old son, Storm. There was more to life than going to work and applying for jobs to attempt to climb the career ladder. I wanted an education. It didn't sound or look right to me to tell my son that he had to go to college if I hadn't completed my degree. Free Minds helped me to fill that emptiness I once had and opened up my mind to learning and enjoying things I never would have imagined. Once I graduated I applied to Ashford University online and was able to transfer my college credits from Free Minds towards my degree. In 2014 I received my bachelor of arts in Human Resources Management, and I am now pursuing my master's degree in Organizational Management. My son has received his degree from Oregon State University, and my daughter is going into her last year of elementary school. For me and others, Free Minds is an experience that will give you the tools to motivate you to achieve it if you believe it. It also helped me finally take my mother's good advice.
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A program of Foundation Communities, in partnership with The University of Texas at Austin and Austin Community College, Free Minds offers a two-semester college course in the humanities for Central Texas adults who want to fulfill their intellectual potential and begin a new chapter in their lives.
Free Minds Project
Foundation Communities
3036 South 1st Street
Austin TX, 78704
Project Director: Vivé Griffith Program Coordinator: Amelia Pace-Borah Ph: 512-610-7961 F: 512-447-0288 www.FreeMindsAustin.org |
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