On March 14, a group of juniors and seniors from Maynard Jackson High School in Atlanta visited the Woodruff Library at Emory University. These students are part of the International Baccalaureate program at MJHS and come to the Woodruff Library 2-3 times per year to work on their research papers. This year, research topics ranged from global dance styles and the appropriation of culture, just to name a few. 

Graduation Generation has been a partnership with the Atlanta community and the Emory community for many years now and this particular research workshop started in the fall of 2014 and is constantly growing. Students said that they are happy to come to campus and for some, this is their first exposure to college. Many are overwhelmed with all of the information that’s available to them and find that the Library gives them more online access than they have available to them, in addition to providing them with the opportunities to see what the possibilities are for them. Overall, the students found the experience gratifying and Emory University a great place to be.

Dr. Barbara Coble is Emory’s Graduation Generation Education Partnerships Manager and told us that the partnerships between the Maynard Jackson High School IB/AP teachers, the Emory Woodruff Library librarians, and Graduation Generation are imperative and wants the University, the Atlanta Public Schools, and the community to understand the importance of K-12, University-Community partnerships. There are so many resources available at the University that can support the K-12 population and other community organizations to help not only increase the high school graduation rate, which is what Graduation Generation’s mission is, but to support academically, socio-, and emotionally the students who are in the community. There is so much good that the universities in the Metro Atlanta area can do in the community. And, this is an example of a successful partnership that exemplifies the deep engagement in Metro Atlanta.

Program directors said that this is a mutually beneficial experience for Maynard Jackson High School and Emory University. They’ve found that more of their students are applying to Emory now. The Emory librarians said there is definitely a need for this collaboration.