Second Interim Report: MLK Program in Colombia

Fellowship Program in Colombia addresses the structural problem of social, economic, and ethnic inequality in higher education and employment opportunities. The program aims to break the cycle of underrepresentation of Afro- and Indigenous Colombian graduates by preparing them to compete nationally and internationally. The program's primary focus is on leveling the playing field for well-deserving professionals from underprivileged communities. The current cohort of the program consists of 128 high-achieving university students from Afro- and Indigenous Colombian heritage, aged 17 to 24, from five cities in Colombia: Barranquilla, Cali, Cartagena, Medellin, and Quibdo. The majority of the students come from low-income families, with 83% belonging to social strata 1 and 2. The students are pursuing undergraduate studies in public and private universities, with the main academic areas being education, engineering, law and political science, and business. The program's academic component focuses on English language skills, with students taking 8 English courses for a total of 288 hours of instruction. The students have shown great progress in their learning process, with 89% reaching the first two top ranks of academic performance. The Common European Framework level of the students ranges from A1 to B1, with some students achieving the highest level of A2. The leadership component of the program has been implemented with a positive response from the students. The program has organized several academic events, including the 2015 Martin Luther King Day Conference and an academic event on linguistics aspects of the Palequero language. These events have been well-attended by the local intellectual community, with over 120 people attending the conference and over 100 attendees at the linguistics event. The program has also recognized outstanding students who have shown excellent performance in the English classes and great qualities as leaders. These students have been highlighted for their commitment, passion, and responsibility. The program has also faced some challenges, including two special cases where students faced financial difficulties and had to repeat a course. Overall, the Martin Luther King Jr. Fellowship Program in Colombia has shown satisfying results in its academic component, with students making significant progress in their English language skills. The program's leadership component has also been successful, with students demonstrating great qualities as leaders. However, the program has faced some challenges, including financial difficulties faced by two students.