A letter from our Board President, Jack Judson
Dear Imagine Scholar Supporters,
When I left South Africa seven years ago, both the Imagine Scholar Curriculum and Project Center were in their nascent stages. But now, returning home after my most recent trip to the Nkomazi, I am astounded at the development and accomplishments of the program. Imagine Scholar is truly extraordinary.
When people ask me my take-aways from visiting Imagine Scholar, I describe the feeling as both heartwarming and mind-expanding. To see the innovative Imagine Scholar Curriculum in action inspires me. From watching students grapple with the pitfalls of perception and consciousness, to hearing about their community innovation projects, to teaching a crowded voluntary seminar on literary analysis, to engaging in philosophical lunch conversations about morality and ethics, to writing impromptu haikus about friendship, I was continually amazed at the level of intellectual curiosity and compassionate inquiry displayed by the Imagine Scholars.
While there, I also had time to interview a number of Imagine Scholars about their thoughts on the program. Time and time again, students returned to the notion of community. What they love most about the program is the sense of family the program provides. They cherish the way in which Imagine Scholar challenges them to develop a sense of humility and empathy, while at the same time nourishes and supports their independent growth. Though students know that being a member of Imagine Scholar grants them access to elite opportunities that will advance their individual lives, what they love most about the program is the community — the sense of belonging the program creates. It is this community that energizes the students. It is this community that inspires them to go out and accomplish remarkable achievements, but that also inspires them to give back to Imagine Scholar by either returning as a facilitator or venturing out into the greater global community and seeking to make it a better place.
I am honored to support Imagine Scholar not simply because the program creates smart, driven, and successful future leaders and innovators, but because Imagine Scholar creates leaders and innovators who are genuinely kind people, and who passionately yearn to make the world a better place.
Kind Regards,
Jack Judson | Board President of Imagine Scholar
Jack Judson is a writer and teacher. He has degrees from New York University and Harvard University. He specializes in developing educational curriculum that utilizes the humanities and creative arts to teach critical analysis and self-improvement. He has served on the Board of Imagine Scholar since it’s inception.
