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Students attending a RAPP field trip to the Holocaust & Humanity Center

RAPP field trip to the Holocaust & Humanity Center

RAPP

RAPP prepares students to create social change while also learning how to interact with people who are different from them- so we can live in a more just world.

RAPP is a 7 month social change leadership program that takes place on Wednesday evenings about twice per month, with optional field trips along the way. The primary outcome for the program is for participants to complete group social change projects of their choosing, based off of their shared values and interests. All social change projects must be completed with racial equity in mind. 

RAPP is based off of the Social Change Model of Leadership Development. In this model:

  • Leadership is about making change on behalf of others and society.
  • Leadership is viewed as a collaborative process, and not a position.
  • Leadership should be values-based.
  • All students are potential leaders, including those who do not hold formal leadership positions.
  • Service is viewed as an effective tool for developing leadership skills.

Values are emphasized throughout the RAPP experience. RAPP's program values are based off of the "7 C's for Social Change": 

  • Consciousness of self: Articulate the beliefs, values, identities, and personal experiences that motivate one to take action.
  • Congruence: Behave with consistency, genuineness, authenticity, and honesty towards others.
  • Commitment: Demonstrate motivational energy to serve in the community as a change agent. 
  • Collaboration: Collaborate appropriately and effectively with others in a common effort. 
  • Common purpose: Identify shared values when working with others on a common effort.
  • Controversy with civility: Respond to controversy with civility. 
  • Citizenship: Demonstrate a commitment to being an inclusive leader who will create social change within their home, campus, and/or community.
  • *Change: This is the "8th C"; the outcome of the program. 

However, RAPP is different from other Social Change programs because it intentionally emphasizes a 9th C:

  • Challenging biases: Challenge personal biases, prejudices, and streotypes about people who are not like them. 

Why Join RAPP? 

There are so many benefits to joining RAPP: 

  • You make social change in the community while building community with other Bearcats!
  • All program materials are provided. 
  • RAPP is a pre-approved honors experience. 
  • Students have an option to receive course credit for their involvement in the program. Students can earn 1 credit hour of ORGL 4095 in the fall and 2 credit-hours of ORGL 4098 in the spring. Both courses are independent studies and they fulfill the field experience requirement for UC’s Nonprofit and Community Leadership Certificate.
  • Participants who successfully complete the program are eligible for a $500 book award that can be used the following academic year AND a “Social Changemaker” co-curricular certificate, which can be added to their resumes!
  • Students who successfully complete the program also have the option to continue their social change journey under the consultation of CCE staff who will work with them to secure an individualized placement in a paid service co-op, an unpaid community-based internship, or a community-based action research project!

Who is eligible to participate? 

RAPP participants must be: 
  • Enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate at UC (full-time or part-time) from any campus
  • Sophomore level or higher
  • Enter with and maintain a 2.5 GPA throughout the academic year
  • Have a passion for social justice and a desire to create social change
  • Able to attend all 9 meetings

Note that this program is limited to 25 participants per academic year. 

How long is the program?

RAPP is a 7 month commitment, so it is intense but doable! 

  • Our 7-month program consists of 9 meetings, in addition to optional field trips throughout the academic year. 
  • Meetings and optional field trips are held in the evenings during the school week. Most meetings are about 3 hours long. 
  • RAPP members are expected to attend all meetings. Participants must attend at least 6 meetings in order to successfully complete the program. 
  • There are some optional field trips that are offered during weekends throughout the academic year. 
  • The commitment we ask of each member accepted into the program is that they "commit to being present in body and mind at all meetings as well as complete short tasks between sessions"  (for example, reading a chapter, reading an article, completing an online assessment or inventory, etc.). 
Required Meetings: 
  • Meeting 1: Wednesday October 12, 2022, 6-9PM
  • Meeting 2: Wednesday October 26, 2022, 6-9PM
  • Meeting 3: Wednesday November 9, 2022, 6-9PM
  • Meeting 4: Wednesday November 30, 2022, 6-9PM
  • Meeting 5: Wednesday January 18, 2023, 6-9PM
  • Meeting 6: Wednesday February 8, 2023, 6-9PM
  • Meeting 7: Wednesday February 22, 2023, 6-9PM
  • Meeting 8: Wednesday March 8, 2023, 6-9PM
  • Meeting 9: Wednesday April 19, 2023, 6-9PM

Our attendance policy requires participants to attend all 9 meetings, and if needed, they can miss no more than 3. Participants who miss more than 3 meetings will be removed from the program. Note that in order to maintain eligibility for the book award, participants must attend at least 8 out of the 9 required meetings. 

RAPP field trips are optional (but highly encouraged), and include: 

Events sponsored by UC offices and departments: 

AACRC events:

Ethnic Programs and Services events: 

Center for Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation events: 

Nathaniel R. Jones Center for Race, Gender, and Social Justice events:

LGBTQ+ Center events: 

Women's Center events:

 

Other intercultural resources: 

  • RAPP Intercultural Learning Guide: This resource contains a list of local intercultural experiences, including university activities, personal interactions, media, travel, and cultural sites. 
  • RAPP Supplemental Media Guide: This resource contains books, movies, TV shows, and podcasts on the following topics: ability/ neurodiversity, gender identity, sexual orientation, race/ ethnicity, class, national origin/ immigration status, and body type. 

 

 

Apply today!

The appliction for the 2023-2024 RAPP cohort in the spring of 2023 is live on CampusLINK.

Apply to RAPP
RAPP participants completing an activity during a RAPP meeting.

RAPP participants completing an activity during a RAPP meeting.