As a Journalism Major turned PR, I have plenty of stories that show the richness of our communities. Here are some of my favorites, and how to use them to connect with others.
As writers, we have lots of past stories that we've written for assignments, special events, or even just for fun. When trying to create a folder of stories that show that we can all relate, it is necessary to choose those that awake emotions in each of us. This way, those who see the story will want to read it, as it awakes their empathy and want to belong.
Find Stories that evoke love
When using past stories to show the communities and people we care about, it is important to find ones that other people will also be able to relate to. This requires working with a person's sense of pathos and connection. This could be anything from a story about a lost puppy, or in my case, an organization that helps first-generation/low-income youth be able to go to college.
Miracle Mindset: Making OU accessible one resource at a time.
With a population of over 20,000 students, it is only reasonable to assume that the University of Oklahoma is a highly desired post-secondary school for many high school students.
However, with the University’s expensive tuition costs of $25,000-30,000 for the average in-state student, and around $45,000 for out-of-state students, this desired school does not seem like a realistic possibility.
This is where an organization like Miracle Mindset comes in. The website describes the organization as “an early outreach program that serves first generation/low income high school students… [who’s] purpose is to eliminate the achievement gap and the lack of access to educational resources, information, and opportunities.”
The organization, which was created by OU graduate Carson Ball and Miguel Chavez during their time at OU prior to 2019. Currently, the program is led by senior Devin Brown, who joined the program because of his closeness to the organization’s core values.
“I was low-income but I had a dad who really pushed academics. Without that, I wouldn’t be where I was, so coming into college, I wanted an opportunity to use what I had and turn around and give it to others that had even less than me, and Miracle Mindset was my first opportunity to do that,” Brown said.
The program works to provide resources for high-school, college-bound students, such as scholarships, computers, access to informational webinar sessions, workshops, and their Young Scholars Program, as well as a College Prep Summit. The program also works to provide mentors for students who are new to college applications and the requirements that come with it.
Chair Devin Brown explains why students who join the organization find it so rewarding, and why it has such an impact on his life, as well as others.
“People join Miracle Mindset for the mission, but they stay because it’s like a family. I think leadership does a good job of cultivating a community, and so going [to the meetings] on Thursday nights feels like I’m going to see family.” Brown said.
Devin Brown joined during the second semester of his freshman year, and has stayed a part of the leadership of the organization ever since. At the time he joined, the organization had 7-10 members leading the group. Since then, there are now 7 committees (Public Relations, Programming, Recruitment, Family Leaders, Academic Success, Finance), with students working beneath the 10 members of the leadership team.
The organization organizes two major events each year. Their Young Scholar program is designed for high school freshmen, and occurs each fall. The College Prep Summit is designed for high school juniors and seniors, and offers many opportunities for students to grow, as well as scholarships.
The organization has grown throughout their 4 years of existence, with the number of students participating growing in groups of 50 each year. The only exception was in 2020, in which the organization worked to create a completely online version of their programs so that students would not miss out on opportunities.
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