The theme of the PURPOSE program is, “Social Justice: Using Research to Address Inequities in Education”. Students from FSU and FAMU will have opportunities to develop their own research projects during the yearlong fellowship by engaging research problems targeting educational injustices. One of our program outcomes is a value for participating in the process of social justice, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that all groups of people can fully participate in a society that meets their needs, beginning with an equitable education.

In the spring and summer semesters, fellows will participate in proseminars that focus on social justice topics including culturally relevant pedagogy and research design, tools for analyzing oppression, critical race theory, multicultural leadership, and tools for social change and action, which are led both by PURPOSE mentors and guest speakers from both institutions.