Morehouse Advocacy Reaching Capitol Hill (MARCH) Program
Sponsored by the Morehouse College Office of the Provost (Kendrick T. Brown, Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs)
As a preeminent national liberal arts college dedicated to educating Black men and men of color, Morehouse College has produced outstanding, talented graduates for over 156 years. Many of those graduates have gone on to distinguished careers in public advocacy, policy, and political representation. They started their illustrious careers with a conviction that communities can be improved by engaged citizens knowledgeable of political processes and public policies.
VISION
The MARCH Program serves as the centerpiece of Morehouse’s project to engage more Men of Morehouse in public advocacy and policy work. For this reason, we envision MARCH as an ongoing program that will benefit students in perpetuity and advance Morehouse’s mission of educating Black men and men of color to pursue lives of leadership and service to their communities.
PROGRAM GOAL
Morehouse strongly believes that a valuable leadership and service pathway for current Morehouse students should exist through a program designed to expose them to the nuances of public policy. Students can do so by interacting with government officials and advocating for legislation on important issues affecting communities dear to the students. The Morehouse Advocacy Reaching Capitol Hill (MARCH) Program is designed to facilitate such interactions for Men of Morehouse.
PROGRAM TIMING
The MARCH Program occurs annually in late Fall with a four-day trip to Washington, D.C., preceded by almost two months of training and a follow-up session after the trip.
MARCH AMBASSADOR TRAINING
Morehouse students selected to be MARCH Ambassadors meet weekly on campus with dedicated faculty/staff and receive advocacy training from Holland & Knight LLP advisors who serve as lobbying representatives for the College. Training sessions enable the students to hone legislative knowledge, communication skills, and advocacy techniques for effective interactions with public and government officials.
MARCH AMBASSADOR MEETINGS
During their Capitol Hill visit, MARCH Ambassadors meet with several Senate, House of Representatives, White House, federal agencies, media, and think tank staff members to advocate for legislation and policies that enhance the lives of communities about which the students care deeply.
MARCH AMBASSADOR OUTCOMES
The MARCH Program imparts to students an appreciative understanding of the legislative and advocacy process, confidence in communicating and interacting with public officials, and an expanded network allowing for the pursuit of internship and employment opportunities on Capitol Hill in the future.
SUPPORT NEEDED
Enabling the MARCH Program to fulfill its commitment to Morehouse students and develop a robust pipeline into public advocacy and policy requires the committed support of the College’s friends and donors. Among several costs to be covered through philanthropy are: (1) air travel for all MARCH Program students, faculty, and staff to and from Washington D.C.; (2) hotel accommodations for four nights in a Washington, D.C., hotel close to Capitol Hill; (3) transportation to/from airports and while in Washington, D.C. to/from hotel to program locations; and (4) food expenses to cover three meals per day for all March Program students, faculty, and staff while in Washington, D.C.
Please join us in developing this vital program and pipeline that will allow Men of Morehouse to consistently lead as knowledgeable, committed advocates for community betterment.
Your gift to the Morehouse March Program will also support the $500 million “Making Men of Consequence” Campaign for Morehouse College to expand support for student scholarships, innovative academic programs, athletic programs, faculty research and recruitment, and campus improvements,
For more information on the Campaign for Morehouse, click here.
