Two students from the Music Humanities course at Otis Bantum Correctional Center on Rikers Island, offered through Columbia's Justice-in-Education Initiative, were recognized by the Core Scholars Program for their exceptional essays on their experience in the Core. Emil Bowman was named a Core Scholar and awarded a $200 cash prize, and Prince Bradley received an honorable mention. Columbia College’s Core Scholars Program is a yearly competition open to everyone who has taken a Core class. Students who create exceptionally creative and well-executed reflections are honored as Core Scholars. In their essays, students described their experiences taking Music Humanities with Dr. Audrey Amsellem, connecting the broader themes of the Core to their own life goals and conveying the special significance this educational opportunity holds for them.
Emil and Prince were honored at the Core Scholars ceremony on April 25 in Hamilton Hall. Their families accepted the recognition on their behalf.
Dr. Amsellem and her teaching assistants, Roselyn Juma, Amanda Lee Morrill and Ben Wasserburg, would like to offer a heartfelt congratulations to Emil and Prince. This is the first time JIE students have both participated in and won the Core Scholars award. Special thanks to Mia Ruyter (JIE’s Education and Outreach Manager) for coordinating Core classes on Rikers Island.
