About the Program
Knowledge for Freedom: Civics, Community, and the College Experience is a cost-free, eleven-month program intended to help rising seniors from San Antonio high schools engage advanced ideas about democracy in a university context. The first five weeks of the program is residential, offering the students an opportunity to be immersed in the experiences of university student life on-campus. All students will receive free room and board during the residential period. Following that period, students will receive expert guidance from UTSA’s outstanding Knowledge for Freedom staff. They will assist students with the college application and scholarship processes and guide them all through a successful civic engagement project that will truly make them stand out in the eyes of university admission officers.
Academics
During the first four weeks, students will experience what a real college seminar is like. Our award-winning professors will lead a team of high-achieving, well-trained student mentors to engage participants in learning about the history and philosphy of western democracy. The curriculum assigns primary texts from some of the most prominent authors and political theorists in world history, following a canon which spans more than 2,000 years. After reading the assigned texts, students will participate in Socratic discussions, led by our professors, with the aim of using the gained knowledge to foster a stronger sense of civic leadership.
College Preparation
In the year following the summer program, participants will be paired with a university student mentor who worked with them throughout the summer. They will work to answer any questions students might have about the college application process, assist with clarifying the many questions that arise during such a major life change, and offer direction as to where UTSA can offer the best resources.
Civic Engagement Project
Post-seminar, students will work in small teams to design and implement a civic engagement project that has a direct impact on local populations in San Antonio. Working with our trained staff and student mentors, Knowledge for Freedom participants will meet to build and execute a project that will demonstrate their ability to positively affect our inclusive democracy.
