“The Blount program was the most transformational experience I had at the Capstone. The faculty and students in the Blount program expanded my critical thinking skills, challenged my culture competency, and instilled in me a drive to better understand myself and the world around me. Whether it’s fostering dialogue about community violence with my students and their parents, challenging my own implicit bias in my classroom, or calling one of my closest friends for personal or professional advice, I use the skills and network I acquired in Blount every single day.”
“Blount gave me a home. As an out of state student, I knew no one at the university when I began. I was so nervous about moving twelve hours away from my family that I got sick in three separate airports on my way to Tuscaloosa! But as soon as I entered the dorm on move-in day I was greeted like a member of the tribe. I did not have to find a community; I already had a place. Blount professors became my teachers, advisors as well as shaping the focus and scope of my academics. Junior fellows were lifelines when I needed a paper edited the night before it was due! My fellow students became close friends I treasure still. It was because of Blount that I have remained in this state and have happily called Alabama “home” for the past eight years.”
“With our first year exposure to Plato, Augustine, and others, Blount created my interest in classicism, providing essential context for my research in the neo-classical forms of the Renaissance. The intensive first-year classes prepared me for the close reading and philosophical grappling that remained always a part of my college experience. Even more than these in-class benefits, the friends I made through Blount remain intellectual partners with whom I enjoy discussing the cross-disciplinary associations of our fields.”
“My professors and peers in The Blount Program were outstanding. Our weekly discussions challenged my assumptions about the world and helped me become a better member of my immediate communities and society at large. Additionally, Blount’s well rounded curriculum augmented my studies in Quantitative Economics and Political Science by inspiring new insights and conclusions about the applicability of my interests. The education I received served me well both as an educator through Teach for America and currently as a Master of Public Policy student at The University of Chicago. The Blount Program provides one the best educational opportunities for students at The University of Alabama. I will always remember my time as a Blount student as one of my most valuable educational experiences.”
“Blount was the most fulfilling experience of my collegiate career. More than a program of study or collection of courses, it was a comprehensive environment which challenged how I thought and enabled me to critically approach the world. I cannot recommend Blount highly enough to thoughtful students who want to enhance their educational experience at the University of Alabama.”
“As a graduate of the Blount Program and a former instructor for the course, I can say definitively that Blount provided me with the skills to succeed academically and professionally. Our rigorous course work demands the highest intellectual accountability and nurtures creative thought that graduate schools and future employers will value. I was able to take my first choice position because of their training and network of capable professionals. I am forever in their debt for making me who I am and helping to get me this far.”
