By Shaniah Taylor

Over the last few years, Greensboro College has become increasingly civically engaged, thanks to the Civic Leadership Program (CLP.) The CLP was created by Xypher Pino as part of his 2024–2025 North Carolina Civic Impact Fellowship. This year, the program welcomed three new ambassadors, each bringing exciting ideas and projects to the table.

The first-year ambassadors – Ashlie Linker, Arthur Colon and Kaylyn Pageot – developed three distinct service projects as a part of their ambassadorship. The Collegian spoke with members of the CLP to learn more about their initiatives and the inspiration behind these projects.

“I am very excited to finally see the ambassadors do their individual project,” Pino stated. “Over the past two semesters, I have seen them become more active and involved, and now is the time to finally put what they have learned into action.”

With the first upcoming project, Linker organized a week-long series of events beginning April 10, focused on student-athlete mental health and breaking the stigma associated with it. As our students and staff know, GC is very athlete-dense with a majority of our population participating in sports. As a member of the GC women’s soccer team, Linker has a clear passion for sports, but those who attend CLP meetings know she is equally passionate about mental health and accessibility to athletics. The creation of Mental Health Awareness Week at GC could spark campuswide change for years to come, shifting the ways we think about mental health in athletics.

Pageot’s project follows Linker’s. This project centers a community connection with the Abbotswood Senior Living Center. After volunteering there with a few other ambassadors, she had the idea of launching a gardening club open to Abbotswood memory care patients and Greensboro College students. This project will connect students with an organization in the community that is also trying to make an impact. An interest meeting will be held April 6 and the grand opening of the garden will be April 10. From the start, Pageot wanted to create something community-based in Greensboro – a way to unite different groups – and this project reflects that vision.

“I hope that starting this program will give students the opportunity to get involved off campus while doing something they enjoy,” Pageot said. “I want to help GC build connections with our local community while also getting to know the people we grow with.”

Colon took a more unconventional approach by focusing on the CLP’s brand and creating a website. He has already been working to strengthen the organization’s connections with outside groups, such as the Black Child Development Institute (BCDI), and sees the website as a natural next step. Improving how the CLP presents itself online will help raise awareness of the program and expand its impact.

While creating his project, Colon saw a large gap in awareness of the CLP as a program and in how many people participated in its events.

“In most cases, a freshman would have no idea of the Civic Leadership Program, while a senior would be very familiar,” he said. “However, the familiarity only comes with being exposed to the Civic Leadership Program, and there is no way currently for a student to understand the ideals and opportunities of the program without word of mouth, flyers, social media or attending an event. If there were a website, detailing our values, beliefs, goals and events, then students and faculty would be familiar with the program, before even coming to Greensboro College.”

With these exciting projects underway, there is a lot to look forward to from these student leaders. They have changed a lot since starting their first year in the program and attending these events. Looking at these projects can give you a glimpse into where GC is headed and the impact students can have when they get involved.

Bell, the current leader of the CLP and an NC Civic Impact Fellow, has watched their growth firsthand.

“All their projects are telling a story, and I am very excited for GC to see them all,” Bell said. “I have seen growth in each ambassador as they have learned how to handle various situations, learned about new issues in our world and gained a stronger understanding of what issues they care about. Our program is tailored to the ambassadors’ needs and the GC community’s. Not only have the ambassadors grown through community engagement, but they have also learned about budget expenses, public speaking and have innovated ways to promote our events and collaborate with different non-profits off campus in Greensboro.”

As a fairly new program, the CLP has had a lot of firsts. This is only the second group of first-year ambassadors, and this will be the first year of a CLP graduating class, as Pino, a senior, graduates at the end of this semester. Reflecting on the program Pino stated: “With this being my final semester as a part of the Civic Leadership Program, I cannot help but feel emotional about everything we have done as a group. This is exactly what I envisioned when I started this organization a couple of years back. I am glad that we have created a platform for students to explore their civic interests and be able to make a positive impact in the community.”

Every year, the Civic Leadership Program hosts interest meetings and interviews for new ambassadors, and the beginning of next semester could be your chance to get involved – just as these first-year ambassadors have. Not all leaders are born; some need guidance, and the CLP is the perfect environment to learn and grow while making an impact. Join us at the ambassadors’ events and consider how you could help make a difference, too.