Milford resident named ‘Social Justice Scholar’ at Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice

Milford resident Hallela Hinton-Williams has been named a 2023-2024 Social Justice Scholar at Penn’s School of Social Policy and Practice (SP2). This fall, Hinton-Williams joined SP2’s third cohort of Social Justice Scholars, a competitive scholarship program with the aim of enhancing SP2’s ongoing commitment to the recruitment and retention of students with a particular interest in and demonstrated capacity for social justice leadership in their field.

Social Justice Scholars receive full tuition benefits, are supported through an enriched structure of mentorship and additional training opportunities, and are part of a dynamic cohort of scholars. SP2 Associate Professor Dr. Yoosun Park is the faculty director of the program and Dr. Jessie Harper is the director.

SP2 welcomed the first cohort of three Social Justice Scholars in the fall of 2021, and the program has since experienced tremendous growth, with nine students in the 2023-2024 cohort. Scholars’ social justice leadership interests range from socioeconomic inequality to anti-racism to community development.

Hinton-Williams is currently working toward a Master of Science Degree in social policy at SP2. In 2021, she received her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and religious studies, with a concentration in American studies from Grinnell College. To SP2, she brings her experience in nonprofit management, community development strategy, and educational innovation from her role as an operations manager at the Center for Black Educator Development. Prior to this role, she developed her knowledge in nonprofit administration and school improvement strategy via her experience at BARR Center (Building Assets, Reducing Risks) and KIPP DC.

After receiving her master’s, Hinton-Williams hopes to focus on community development initiatives, program evaluation, and educational justice advocacy. She also enjoys reading, writing, and discovering new music.