For an Adelphi Junior, an Opportunity to Lead Keeps Leading to More Leadership Opportunities

One of the most valuable things Adelphi offers students is the opportunity to learn and grow in a smaller academic community. It allows students to get a personalized education they wouldn’t find at larger schools. It also gives them an ideal chance to make a difference on campus by stepping forward to take leadership roles.

Antonette White, a junior majoring in political science, has taken full advantage of those opportunities. The president of Black Students United, she has worked tirelessly to increase understanding and create an inclusive environment on campus. Her dedication has recently brought her honors that will help her take on even greater leadership roles. In March, she was awarded a prestigious Newman Civic Fellowship and, a month later, she received one of Adelphi’s highest honors when she was named a Jaggar Community Fellow.

“Adelphi gives you so many opportunities, and accessing them is simply a matter of being present and doing some networking,” White said. “When I got to Adelphi, I saw that students of color struggle more. I wanted to help while addressing the societal issues that make it harder for students of color to succeed.”

She decided to do that by joining the campus group Black Students United. President since the beginning of this school year, she has worked to get students of color fully involved in campus life. At the same time, she promotes awareness of their experience and draws attention to issues of concern to them. She has a winning ability to treat situations as teachable moments that unite rather than inflame—something that is particularly important in this difficult and divided moment on campuses and across the country.

White has found other ways to make an impact on campus too. She’s a resident assistant in one of the University’s residence halls, offering support to more than 300 students in the building and encouraging them to become involved in campus activities. She is also a tutor in the Writing Center, paying particular attention to students in the Bridges to Adelphi program for people with autism spectrum disorder.

As a Newman Civic Fellow, she will enjoy yearlong learning opportunities, networking events, mentoring and an annual conference. The program’s goal is to help foster the next generation of civic leaders while building a national network of young people dedicated to achieving equitable communities.

White’s mentorship through the Newman Civic Fellowship program won’t be her first. Since last spring, she’s been working on her leadership skills with a member of Adelphi’s administration. Her dedication to the process won them the Mentee/Mentor of the Year Award from Adelphi’s mentorship program.

Being named a Jaggar Community Fellow is White’s latest honor. The program is competitive and provides for a paid summer internship at a nonprofit organization in the New York area. It gives students an experience that can be life changing.

Just notified that she has been chosen, White hasn’t settled on her internship yet. She does have a good idea of what she’d like to do after graduation, though.

“I’m hoping to go to law school and then to work in an organization devoted to criminal justice and policymaking,” she said. “I may take a semester off to get more hands-on experience in a Fulbright program.”

If the past is any indication, White will continue to build her leadership skills and inspire those around her.