Institute for Responsible Citizenship

The Institute for Responsible Citizenship is an intensive leadership development program for talented African-American men. Its mission is to prepare men to be exemplary citizens and leaders.

Core Beliefs

The Institute was founded on five core beliefs:

• Men with the greatest potential should be challenged to pursue the highest achievement.
• Men who work hard to achieve academic success should be recognized and rewarded.
• Men who are destined for leadership should understand fundamental economic and constitutional principles.
• Men who strive to make a difference can have a greater impact by working together
• Men of character should be encouraged to pursue success as a platform for service to their communities, our nation, and the world.

History

The Institute for Responsible Citizenship was founded in 2003 by William A. Keyes, IV.^[1] Recipient of the 2010 Mac A. Stewart Distinguished Award for Service presented by The Ohio State University, Keyes has previously worked in the legislative and executive branches of the U.S. Federal Government and public affairs consulting.^[1]

Programs

From hundreds of applications, the Institute selects some of the nation's best and brightest African American male college students to participate in an intensive two-summer program. It includes:

• High-level internships in their fields of interest
• The Lynde and Harry Bradley Seminar on Economic and Constitutional Principles
• Comprehensive leadership seminar with the Institute's founder
• Private briefings with some of the nation's most prominent public and private sector leaders
• Service as teachers and mentors in the Institute's Youth Scholar Academy.

The Institute supplements these activities with extensive support from the Institute's alumni, staff, and friends. Most importantly, scholars become a part of a genuine network that will support them throughout their lives.

Each summer, the Institute also welcomes several groups of high school boys to Washington, DC to participate in the Youth Scholar Academy. YSA is a summer enrichment and college prep program that prepares high-potential young men to thrive in high school, college, and life. Each group participates in a week-long session led by Institute scholars. The boys:

• Take classes in subjects such as a U.S. Government and Economics
• Participate in specialized sessions focused on personal growth and development
• Visit area colleges and learn about the admissions process
• Live in a residence hall at American University and eat in a campus dining hall
• Visit national landmarks and institutions
• Benefit from meaningful engagement with the Institute's scholars and alumni who provide positive images of academic success and exposure to life's possibilities.

Alumni

Since 2003, the Institute has grown to serve more than 150 scholars and alumni across the country. They have a wide variety of interests and represent small liberal arts colleges, large universities, Ivy League institutions, and historically Black college and universities. Alumni have been accepted to all of the nation's top law schools and many of the nation's leading graduate programs.

Alumni of the program include a Rhodes Scholar,^[2] numerous Truman Scholars,^[3][4] and other successful professionals working in the legal, business, education, non-profit and artistic sectors.

References