Rolling Seminars Gone By…

Check out these OACS Rolling Seminars of the Past:

Freedom Ride  -  Iowa Caucus  -  Highlander Center

January 2007 – Freedom Ride Rolling Seminar   
Four Gray Line buses carried 191 students, faculty and staff from Nashville, TN, to Montgomery and Birmingham, AL, retracing the Freedom Rides of 1961, which were part of the movement that led to the end of segregation in the South.

The group toured important landmarks of the civil rights movement and several of the original Freedom Riders and Civil Rights Activists shared their experiences. Distinguished guests included Congressman John Lewis, D-Georgia, Jim Zwerg, Bernard Lafayette, Diane Nash, C.T. Vivien, James Lawson, and former assistant to Attorney General Robert Kennedy, John Seigenthaler.

Read about our coverage in the New York Times (click here).

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January 2008 – Iowa Caucus Rolling Seminar
Fifty-three students rode to Des Moines, IA to take part in the 2008 Iowa Caucuses. Over the course of three days they volunteered on presidential campaigns, attended political rallies, attended seminars led by Vanderbilt faculty, and observed the Iowa Caucuses at multiple precinct locations.

Students returned to campus and planned the first-ever VU Caucus to vote for the nominees to represent Vanderbilt’s student body demonstrating their commitment to active citizenship.

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February 2008 – Highlander Rolling Seminar
Twenty-five students traveled to New Market, TN to learn about the historical context and current relevance of the Highlander Center. Workshops were led by historian John Egerton, civil rights activist, Reverend James Lawson, Sociology Professor Dan Cornfield, and ACLU Director Hedy Weinberg.

Workshops included the Mission of Miles Horton and Highlander, A Brief Guide to Creative Activism, and Becoming a Change Agent. The program was a success and students learned from the leaders and from each other how they can make a difference today.

Read about the program from the Vanderbilt Hustler (click here).