Rising senior Emily Cinquemani attended the Furman Emerging Public Leaders (EPL) program that ran June 20-26. This highly selective summer program, offered free of charge to a select group of rising high school seniors who want to get involved and make a difference, featured sessions with local, state, and national government leaders, as well as members of the faculty of Furman's Department of Political Science. Students attended lectures, participated in off-campus trips, and interacted with speakers and faculty.

"Participating in Emerging Public Leaders was definitely an amazing experience," stated Cinquemani. "I was able to have a lot of fun and meet other students who genuinely wanted to make a difference in their communities. Furthermore, I was able to learn from my counselors and from the many wonderful speakers we had throughout the week. One of my favorite speakers was Dr. Cynthia King. Dr. King's session taught me a lot about public speaking and gave me the tools to become a more effective public speaker. I was very inspired by the dedication and passion of the leaders in our community."

During the week, each participant developed a plan for a student-led project addressing a need in the community. Students returned home to begin working with local residents and peers on the implementation of their projects. Students will then be invited to return to Furman next spring to present their completed projects.

"At first, I had no idea how I was going to start my service project and get other people involved," concluded Cinquemani. "At EPL, I learned how to make a budget, create a timeline, and involve others. I left confident that I would be able to create and implement my service project. I am honored to have had the opportunity to participate in Emerging Public Leaders."