Bright Futures: A University–Community Partnership Nurturing Possible Selves among Young Underrepresented Students

This Practice Highlights column describes a university–community partnership program aimed at fostering possible selves among young elementary students from groups underrepresented in higher education. Drawing on Kolb’s Experiential Learning (Thomas et al., 2022) and Markus and Nurius’s Possible Selves (Dunkel & Kerpelman, 2006) theories, the project’s goal is to inspire students to envision themselves in future educational and career paths through interactions with a large research-intensive, land-grant public university. As part of a three-year Restore. Reinvest. Renew (R3) grant from the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority awarded to the fourth author of this column (Dr. Kevin Tan) to deliver socioemotional programs and services, 11 students, some accompanied by their caregivers, spent a half-day at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign during their 2023 spring break. This column discusses the background for this visit, the “bright futures” theme, and key experiences, reflecting the promise of university–community collaboration.