Two WashU sophomores are among 12 scholars selected nationwide by the Institute for Responsible Citizenship Washington Program, a highly selective national initiative for talented Black male college students. They will participate over the next two summers.
Bralin Duckett, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. is majoring in political science and in sociology in Arts & Sciences. Duckett serves as speaker of the Congress of the South 40 and is a founding member and secretary of WashU’s NAACP chapter. Last summer, he worked with U.S. District Judge Steven D. Grimberg in Georgia, studying RISE (Reentry through Integrity, Strength & Empowerment), a federal court initiative designed to help individuals successfully reintegrate into their communities after incarceration.
Spencer Snipe, of Atlanta, a political science major in Arts & Sciences, is an Ervin Scholar, a member of the Bears football team and co-president of the Association of Black Students. As a Gephardt Institute Goldman Fellow, he interned with the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, conducting expungement case studies in the 21st and 22nd judicial circuits, which cover St. Louis County and St. Louis. Upon graduation, Spencer plans to attend law school and become an attorney.
Da’Juantay Wynter, a junior studying education and American culture studies in Arts & Sciences, was selected for the program in 2024.
The institute’s Washington Program scholars complete a Washington, D.C.-based internship; participate in a seminar about economic and constitutional principles; meet leaders in the public and private sectors; and attend personal and professional development workshops. Founded in 2003, the Institute for Responsible Citizenship has served more than 250 students from large and small universities and colleges.
