ACLU offers Summer Advocacy Institute, applications open now

By Marianne Nacanaynay, 2018-2019 TEMPO Executive Editor|January 20, 2016

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is on the verge of launching its Summer Advocacy Institute (SAI) program, open to students entering their junior and senior years. The week long program will be held for the first time on the campus of Georgetown University in Washington D.C.

“It was started to bring together rising seniors from across the nation to cultivate their knowledge of civil liberties through experiential learning,” Special Assistant for the ACLU Mimi Clara said. “Through demanding classroom work, debate, group discussions, projects, guest lectures, and excursions, the summer institute prepares students to be the next generation of civil liberties advocates and experts.”

The ACLU looks to utilize the program to expose participants to the issues in the world of American politics and law. With presenters having backgrounds as lobbyists, activists, journalists, lawyers and other professions, students are anticipated to become experts on activism and advocacy by the end of the program.

So far, executive director of the ACLU Anthony D. Romero, co-founder of the United We Dream Network for immigrant youth Cristina Jiménez, senior editor at EBONY magazine Jamilah Lemieux and whistleblower Edward Snowden are expected to speak at the event.

Applications for SAI opened on January 11. Applicants will need a recommendation either from a high school teacher or counselor, a 500-word (or less) essay about civil rights and a $50 application fee.

About the Writer

Marianne Nacanaynay, 2018-2019 TEMPO Executive Editor

For Marianne Nacanaynay, involvement in journalism began in the fourth grade, when she asked a friend to start a newspaper with her. After that, Nacanaynay began working with her middle-school publication and freelanced along the way.

In her freshman year of high school, Nacanaynay joined the Hawkeye staff.

She served as Op-Ed Editor her sophomore and junior years and worked on the yearbook as Editor of TEMPO her junior and senior years.

Throughout that time, among other things, Nacanaynay learned to design and podcast, covered a Trump presidential campaign rally and got her work published in a New York Times' newsletter.

After school, she volunteers for Habitat for Humanity, is president of ASL Club, serves as a representative on the school board and is on the business team for Terrace's robotics program.

The Hawkeye thanks Nacanaynay for her contributions and wishes her the best as she continues her studies at Gonzaga University and pursues her dreams of working abroad.