Empowering student voices at the REP4 Midwest Regional Summit

Over 200 high school learners from across Michigan gathered at Grand Valley on July 24-25 for the 2024 REP4 Midwest Regional Summit. Participants came together from a variety of schools and youth-serving organizations to generate ideas and develop a deeper understanding of themselves and their futures.

REP4, which stands for Rapid Education Prototyping for Change, Learners, Community, Equity, is a national alliance founded by GVSU and eight other higher education partners across the country.

MORE: President Mantella and other REP4 leaders showcase the alliance to U.S. officials in Washington, D.C..

The two-day summit was one of eight REP4 Regional Summits that will take place throughout the summer. Students were challenged to improve the transition from high school to college. After an intense week of workshops, conducting interviews and developing ideas, the groups presented their pitches to a panel of GVSU students. Ideas ranged from a peer mentor program connecting incoming students with current students, to quizzes designed to match students with clubs and organizations that best align with their interests.

“I do feel this experience has elevated my voice and team-building skills,” said Sema’Ja Shanks, a student from Muskegon High School. “Since we've been in it, I've learned that you can talk to people without feeling judged. I'm the type of person that doesn’t talk unless I know the people. But I actually pitched in this week and made my voice heard, so I feel like in the future I can definitely be outspoken when I need to be.”

President Philomena V. Mantella spoke at lunch both days of the summit, thanking students for participating and inviting them to ask her questions about Grand Valley and her experience as a university president. 

“This is not a program, it’s a movement,” said Mantella. “REP4 should not be a revolutionary concept. It's a simple concept that says, we've got to listen to our students. We've got to look at education in the way you want to experience it. So we are creating a space where we invite students before they get to college to talk about the ways that education could improve. Our intention is also to help you build your own skills, your own journey, your own voice, your own capacity to direct the education that you want.”

REP4 is also a chance for many students to experience higher education for the first time. For some, the summit was their first visit to a college campus. For others, their GVSU student mentors became a resource to learn about the logistics of college life. 

“Our mentor told me that he relied on scholarships to get through college, and I think that's something I'll have to do in the future,” said Omar Deleone Jr, a student at Muskegon High School. “Higher education looks like this big entity that you have no idea about. But I'm learning a lot more than I knew before, about the importance of scholarships; about different majors. It makes me want to come here even more.”

Participating learners will end their REP4 experience with an earned college credit to take to their chosen institution. They are also able to take advantage of expanded college opportunities from GVSU upon completion.