Telluride Association Summer Seminars at Cornell University: Black Freedom Beyond Borders
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United States, New York, Ithaca
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Requirements
image Official Transcript
image Several Essays
image Writing Sample
image 1 Recommendation
image Online Application From
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Jun 26 — Aug 06
Price range
0 USD
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image
Need Help?
Learn more about the application process in the Blog or by scheduling a free consultation with the Summer Program adviser
Speak with an adviser Learn more in the blog
Telluride Association Summer Seminars at Cornell University: Black Freedom Beyond Borders
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Key Facts

TASS-CBS is one of the few summer programs in the country to offer seminars in Critical Black Studies. In Black Freedom Beyond Borders course students engage in college-level discussions to explore African and African American history, identity, traditions and relationships between the two populations.

Interest Areas:
Arts, Architecture, Design
Humanities, Literature, Philosophy
Law, Government, Politics
Performing Arts (Music, Film, Theater)
Social Sciences
Exploration, Interdisciplinary programs
Grade:
Grade 11
Other features:
image Non-credit
image Residential
image Accepts International Students
image Financial Aid
Academics

What is TASS-CBS?
This summer, high school juniors (“rising seniors”) will participate in six-week educational program related to Critical Black Studies.

Telluride works with faculty to create exciting courses designed to inspire young people to explore the histories, politics, literature, and art of people of African descent.

Black Freedom Beyond Borders
Seminar Description: When an African and an African American meet, solidarity is often presumed. Yet the complex history of African and African American encounters belies simplistic notions of an essential or “natural” relationship between the two populations. In this course, we will consider how Africans and African Americans have envisioned and interacted with each other over the course of the 20th century.

This seminar rests on the idea that the meaning of the African and African American encounter is never fixed or settled, and must be reimagined and reconstructed by every generation of African and African American thinkers. Awareness of Africa and attitudes toward the continent and its peoples have profoundly shaped African American identity, culture and political consciousness. At the same time, Africans have long been compelled to define and redefine their relationship to black America. Stereotypes and myths on both sides have complicated efforts to establish (or reestablish) bonds between the two groups. However, neither group has escaped the proposition that their fate was tied, at least in part, to that of the other.

Examining how Africans and African Americans have constructed notions of commonality and difference as they regarded—and occasionally encountered—each other reveals a rich body of social, cultural and political thought. We will explore some of this material using the lenses of history and literature. We will consider the part historical forces such as slavery, colonialism and pan-Africanism played in shaping how African and African American writers, artists, activists and travelers have understood the African and African American relationship. We will analyze the work of figures such as Maya Angelou, Chimamanda Adichie, Richard Wright, Eugene Robinson, Philippe Wamba, and Malcolm X. We will also study music, poetry and film. This multidisciplinary approach will enable us to contemplate such concepts as “homeland,” “citizenship,” “kinship,” “exile,” “return” and “reunion” in African and African American traditions.

This course will prepare students to contemplate the meaning of human solidarities, past and present.

Format

What do participants do?
If you participate in TASS-CBS, you will attend a three-hour college-level class each day, which will typically include discussions, small-group work, lectures by faculty, and other activities. You will be expected to read books and articles, view films and art, and participate in other class activities. You will also write essays during the summer, with help and feedback from the instructor team. Outside of class, you will participate in a public speaking program with your classmates and hear lectures from guest speakers visiting the TASS-CBS house. You and your classmates will also have a say in what the program does. You will work together democratically to create an inclusive environment, manage money, and make other important decisions.

Who teaches TASS-CBS?
Two faculty members teach each class. All of our faculty are enthusiastic about the program, and they often rank TASS as one of their most rewarding experiences as teachers. There will also be a teaching assistant for each class. They will lead writing workshops and provide additional help to students with critical reading and writing skills.

In addition to the instructor team, there will be two resident advisors assigned to each program. Many of these resident advisors attended TASS themselves and chose to return to give back and share this transformative experience with others. They live with the students, helping them create a tight-knit environment where students can explore the principles and practices of community living and democracy.

Program Details

What will I get out of TASS-CBS?
At TASS-CBS, you will improve your reading, writing, speaking, and critical thinking skills as you explore your interests in and out of the classroom. In order to encourage students in their love of learning, the program does not assign grades. You will also learn about and explore topics and ideas within Critical Black Studies. Finally, you will gain experience with community living and democratic decision-making.

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Eligibility

All current high school juniors (eleventh grade) are eligible to apply for the program. You do not need to be a United States citizen or attend a US high school to apply. If you do not attend an American high school, you should apply one or two years before you expect to graduate from high school. Similarly, if you are home-schooled, you should apply one or two years before your expected graduation.

You do not need any academic experience with the topic of your TASS program, and we do not expect you to have any.

Application Components
image Official Transcript
image Several Essays
image Writing Sample
image 1 Recommendation
image Online Application From

• Application form
• Essays
We do not consider test scores and high school grades important for the TASS application process. Instead, the most important part of the application for us is the essays. The TASS application essays give applicants a chance to show us their personalities and demonstrate their thoughtfulness, critical thinking, curiosity, and interest in social and political issues.

If you are selected for an interview:
• Transcript
• Letter of recommendation
• Additional essay you wrote for school

 

Deadline

Last year the applications were due on January 5th. Deadline for 2023 will be released in the fall.

Tuition & Aid
Telluride Association Summer Seminars in Critical Black Studies (TASS-CBS). Black Freedom Beyond Borders
image Jun 26 - Aug 06
image 6 weeks
residental-icon Residential
0 USD

TASS Is Completely Free!
We cover all of the program costs—tuition, books, room and board, and field trips—for every student. If you need, we can help pay for all or part of your travel costs to and from the program.

 

Financial Aid

We understand that you may normally spend time in the summer working at a job, taking care of family members, or supporting your family in other ways. If this is the situation for you, we can provide additional financial aid to help replace earnings from your summer job. Financial aid decisions are made separately from decisions about program admission, so needing financial aid won’t affect whether you are accepted to the program.

 

 

 

Telluride Association Summer Seminars at Cornell University: Black Freedom Beyond Borders
image
image
United States, New York, Ithaca
image
Requirements
image Official Transcript
image Several Essays
image Writing Sample
image 1 Recommendation
image Online Application From
image
Jun 26 — Aug 06
Price range
0 USD
image
image
Need Help?
Learn more about the application process in the Blog or by scheduling a free consultation with the Summer Program adviser
Speak with an adviser Learn more in the blog

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