College Station, Texas, December 22, 2022 – On Wednesday, November 9th, at 6:30, a student group by the name of XL Academy hosted their 2nd annual Thinking of a Master Plan Showcase and Graduation Ceremony!
XL Academy is an extension of Excellence uniting Culture, Education, and Leadership (ExCEL), where college student success is interconnected with establishing a sense of social belonging and mattering. XL Academy uses the conduit of racial identity, leadership development, social and civic responsibility, and community building to explore and establish belonging at Texas A&M through a semester-long experience. It is a student organization housed within the Department of Multicultural Services.
Their mission is to aid students in becoming leaders who possess the tangible skills to define their beliefs, perceptions of themselves, and social interactions as they relate to black racial identity. Their organizational goals are to: develop students who have a well-established and powerful sense of self; develop students who can lead teams and organizations; and contribute an act of citizenship by meeting the fundamental need of having developed leaders within society.
During the Thinkin’ of a Master Plan showcases, the new members of the organization, known as the Diplomats, presented their different ideas for programs meant to tackle some major issues within the African American community.
“The Diplomats work really hard through the semester to formulate a plan that tackles a major community issue,” said Jadyn Driver, an Administrator for XL Academy. “The Thinkin’ of a Master Plan Showcase is an opportunity for them to share their ideas with the community and present them to community leaders.”
This showcase connects back to the organization’s goal of fostering leadership and community responsibility. The presentations for this year’s showcase included two after school programs meant to target students in lower income communities to give them useful tools for success. The first group’s presentation was entitled “Finding Your Path” and it was an after school program that aspired to give 8th graders an opportunity to learn more about their identity. The second group’s presentation was entitled “Essentials for YOUth” and it was focused on teaching high school students life skills such as changing their own, managing money, and knowledge about nutrition.
After the showcase presentation, the diplomats are acknowledged for their hard work through a commencement ceremony. For the members of XL Academy this night is both significant and rewarding because they utilize what they learn throughout their semester-long program and get to showcase their development as leaders.