Harvard Debate Council Diversity Project
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF HDCDP?
Study at Harvard– Students accepted into this program are simultaneously accepted into Harvard Debate Council’s summer residential program at Harvard College. This exclusive educational experience provides unmatched future advantages to our students. The HDCDP board is raising scholarship funds in an effort to cover each student’s tuition, room & board, and travel.
Enhance college application & professional resume – Academic achievement is not enough for top-tiered colleges & universities; they desire students with leadership acumen. HDCDP students gain exclusive leadership experiences that will enhance their college application and build their professional resume.
Pre-collegiate training – In Atlanta, students will acquire advanced enrichment through a rigorous academic program in which they will explore content higher than what is available in a traditional high school setting. From January thru June, students will undergo intensive training by Harvard instructors in preparation to study at Harvard College in July.
WHAT DO WE DO?
HDCDP is an Atlanta-based diversity pipeline program designed to raise the young social & political voice in urban Atlanta and matriculate African-American students into the Harvard Debate Council’s summer residential program at Harvard College in Cambridge, MA. We accomplish this goal through accelerated education and interactive field experience. HDCDP seeks to develop the young social and political voice through our 3 pillars:
1.) Scholarship: An incubator for academic excellence– Our goal is to train citizens and leaders of the world, which requires global consciousness. Students will explore international issues through a rigorous curriculum centered on critical thinking, research, analysis, and academic debate. Students are taught by Harvard instructors, during which they identify, cultivate, and use their voice in matters of social and political justice.
2.) Leadership: A launchpad for young leaders – The fact that young people do not have a vote in elections does not mean they shouldn’t have a voice. This program provides exposure to the challenges that confront today’s voting public through unique non-partisan experiences engaging in local politics and community activism in the city of Atlanta.
3.) Culture: A hub for cultural pride – We seek to cultivate cultural ambassadors that reform the meaning of scholarship into one that is appealing and accessible to black youth. We endeavor to foster a sense of cultural pride through the exploration of African-American history, leadership, and erudition. Our charge is to develop students that will embody the principle, “Lift as you climb” – ascending the ranks of social status while reaching back to pull others up, too.