Student Involvement & Leadership hopes to expand students’ understanding and broaden perspectives of the Birmingham community during the final Spring 2017 installment of Birmingham 101 – a special off-campus edition in historic Ensley.

Birmingham 101: Ensley will take place on Tuesday, April 18 at the Ensley Live Entertainment Loft (located at 816 Ave. E.). The schedule features an open reception with refreshments at 5:45 p.m., panel discussion at 6 p.m., and panel Q&A at 7:30 p.m. This event is free, open to the public and Blazer Express shuttles will be available.

“We hope this Birmingham 101 will provide attendees an opportunity to learn more about Ensley and how relevant it is to Birmingham as a whole,” said David Dada, coordinator of UAB’s Leadership and Service Council. “This is the first of these events to be held off-campus. So we’re really excited about educating students about the Magic City, namely outside of the area immediately adjacent to UAB.”

The Birmingham 101 series aims to broaden students’ experiences of Birmingham’s diverse neighborhoods by using the local high schools as a focal point, because – in the urban context – neighborhoods often mirror the makeup of their schools. The program also seeks to deepen students’ knowledge of the social justice issues that impact Birmingham communities. Each installment includes panel discussions from alumni of the featured school; many of which span across multiple decades.

The April 18 event boasts a full panel of Ensley High School graduates and notable community champions, including:

• Mr. Antonio Spurling - Attorney at Antonio Spurling & Associates LLC
• Mrs. Marquita Spurling – Local businesswoman and philanthropist
• Dr. Jennifer Wycoff – Program Administrator at UAB Collat School of Business
• Dr. Lonnie Hannon – Professor of Sociology at UAB
• Mr. Tony Petelos – Jefferson County Manager and former Mayor of Hoover
• Ms. Monica Agee – Attorney at Law Offices of Monica Agee
• Dr. Angela Day – Coordinator of Human Capital at Birmingham City Schools
• Dr. Charles Willis – Principal of G.W. Carver High School

Blazer Express shuttles will be available to transport attendees to and from UAB campus on event day. Sign-up for shuttle transport will be available on the following dates/locations:

• April 11, Hill Student Center (1st floor) – 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
• April 13, Hill Student Center (1st floor) – 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
• April 17, Hill Student Center (1st floor) – 11 a.m.- 12 p.m.

The Birmingham 101 series is coordinated by the Civic Engagement Committee of the UAB Leadership and Service Council. The event features two schools per semester, panel discussions and post-event documentaries to frame each discussion.

Watch past Birmingham 101 mini-documentaries and learn more about the event here.