Helping Black Men Succeed as Students Is Focus of Community-College Meeting

[Serious]

April 23, 2013
Helping Black Men Succeed as Students Is Focus of Community-College Meeting

By Katherine Mangan

San Francisco

Marilyn L. Riley is still haunted by a teenager named Dante, who came reluctantly and angrily to her summer program for black men and ended up nearly walking away with five credits from Mesa Community College, in Arizona.

The first few days, he slouched in his chair and glared at his instructor, his cap sideways, his pants sagging.

"Sweetie, in my world, this isn't going to work," the petite adjunct professor and clinical psychologist, who is also black, told him. "You've got all this leadership potential, but no one's going to relate to you when you're looking like a thug."

By the end of the summer session, she said, he was sitting up straight in his chair, was demonstrating critical-thinking skills, and was within striking distance of earning five college credits. But before that could happen, his mother packed up and moved the family to New Mexico, and he had to withdraw.

Ms. Riley told that story here on Tuesday at the annual meeting of the American Association of Community Colleges, in one of several sessions devoted to the challenges of recruiting and retaining black men.

Thirty-nine percent of black men earn a credential or transfer within six years of enrolling at a community college, according to the U.S. Department of Education. That compares with 45 percent of all students.

The program Ms. Riley helps run, "Students Striving for Excellent Performance," is offered by Mesa Community College, the largest of 10 community colleges in the Maricopa County Community College District.

Karen Hardin, chair of the counseling department at Mesa, said a key to the program's success is selecting faculty members who not only are content experts but also are "approachable and have a passion for what they're doing."
'Fear and Anxiety'

Last summer 28 high-school students completed the five-week program. Since its start, in 2008, 99 students have earned a total of 374 college credits through the program, and about half have gone on to enroll at Mesa after graduating from high school.

To help familiarize students with support services like advising and tutoring, groups of students are sent off with a list of a half-dozen offices with instructions to interview someone there and report back to the class. "It takes away the fear and anxiety of the unknown and gets students used to talking to adults face to face, not just by texting or Facebooking," said Ms. Riley.

Students take two required courses during the summer, each of which earns them three college credits. One covers basic college-success skills, like time management and study techniques.

The other—"African-American Pride and Awareness"—delves into students' cultural roots, prejudices, and feelings about how they fit in to society. "We want them to feel that they belong here and that they can control their own destiny," Ms. Hardin said. Instead of dwelling on the poverty or fractured family that may be working against them, "we want to empower them to rise above it."

Handing out brochures at track meets and speaking to church groups, the program's tiny staff recruits students and their families, and interviews them together to get a sense of family dynamics. Advising and teaching is tailored to the needs of each student, and successful graduates are brought in as peer mentors.

One such mentor resisted joining but is now pursuing a doctoral degree at Arizona State University. "His friends are all back where he left them, out on the street, doing drugs, having babies," said Ms. Riley. "We can preach it all day long, but when they hear it from their peers, they get it."
'Reluctant to Ask for Help'

Finding ways to help black men succeed in college was a theme of several sessions at the annual conference.

In a session on Monday, J. Luke Wood, an assistant professor of administration, rehabilitation, and postsecondary education at San Diego State University, described his research on black male students in community colleges.

He visits community colleges to administer surveys and advise them on strategies for recruiting and retaining minority men.

Mr. Wood said that faculty members tend to pay more attention to students who speak up in class and that many black men, in particular, lack the confidence to do so. In addition, "a lot of men are reluctant to ask for help because it makes them look weak," he said. "You have to be proactive in establishing relationships with these men."

The community colleges' association lists 77 minority-male success programs on its Web site, but Mr. Wood estimates that there are probably 70 more that aren't listed.

During one presentation, LaTonya Jones, a student adviser at Houston Community College, described intervention strategies it is using, including community-service and bonding activities for black men to help them feel connected to the college and to one another. On Chivalry Day, for instance, participants in the Men of Honor program, which offers tutoring to local schoolchildren, wear their club shirts and ties and pass out carnations to women.

Ms. Jones is working on a proposal to offer college classes geared specifically to the needs of black men, to help ensure that they make it through the first year. An economics class, for instance, might cover financial planning for black men, while a history or English class would encompass black history and literature.

"If we can get them through the core," she said, "they'll graduate."

Helping Black Men Succeed as Students Is Focus of Community-College Meeting - Students - The Chronicle of Higher Education

Good read, @ that statistic...

 

[88m3]

It wasn't rap dog, it was crack that put the racks on the Range.

 

[PartyHeart]

1 reply for this, and none from the pro-Black nationalists who spend all their time blaming Black women for everything. Sad.

 

[Black smoke and cac jokes]

Well the overall statistic is 45% so this isn't only a black problem. Other than that, I like their initiative and hopefully they help students not only graduate from CC but also encourage them to pursue a 4yr degree.

 

[NZA]

i went to mesa cc. not enough black men there to make a big deal out of it, really. i took a black history class and it was about half white dudes.

 

[Marvel]

First of all... are they doing in Mesa, AZ.

At this point, it is cultural. Being educated does add to manhood in poor black communities which is where most black men are raised in. Being an educated black man is seen as something that makes one soft or feminine. Being an educated black women adds to womanhood in the black community. A black woman getting her degree is another mark of being an independent, strong black woman.

Being educated Asian or Middle Eastern communities adds to your manhood in these communities. In many of these communities if you don't have a degree you are the butt of jokes and will have a hard time being respected. Same can be said in many Caribbean and African communities.

I do a lot of work within higher education and because of it I see what employers are looking for and black men are being left behind because they don't understand the economic game until later in life 30s 40s. Sometimes it is too late and they are in the belly of the beast.

The drive towards education for kids starts in the home, not in the classroom. If your parents aren't going in on you about school, you are probably not going to care much about it.

 

[VerbalIntercourse]

I think there just needs to be MORE black students and More faculty at Community Colleges.

I remember taking Black History at my Community College. It was very crazy. The professor was an Italian guy. He barely had control of the class.

Most of the class was black. There were a few Black students that were serious about the Instruction, but for most part, that class was loud, rowdy and eventually had sparse attendance after the Final withdraw date (conveniently placed after some minimum attendance date for next year's financial aid qualification). I was the only Asian Guy in there. I felt uncomfortable, and I just kept quiet. Usually, I am very loud and active in class discussion. I just felt it was out of my bounds to speak about the subject especially around a class full of black people. What would my classmates think If was always the one talking (which I usually am), and I am not black for all intents and purposes? Anyways...I am sidetracking.

I dropped out of school that semester, and worked full-time. I needed a lot of money for a car (stupid mistake). I retook the class the following semester, and this time, the instructor was a Black Man. The class atmosphere was totally different. It was in the early morning, and that may been a contributing factor. However, The class was always very quiet and attentive. It was so different from the Italian guy's class. I heard someone comment about the other class once, and he said something like, "why do they have a white guy teaching that class?"

In short, I think Black Kids need to see black faculty and teachers for them to feel comfortable. I think there is a lot of alienation in the Black Student body, and Black Instructors help alleviate that stress. However, not only does faculty need to be more black, so does the student body.

I took a lot of my calculus classes at Community College, and there was one black guy in my Calc 1 and 2 classes (out of nearly 50-80 people). One time, his test results came into my view ( i don't purposely look at other scores) and he had a big F written on his exam. I never really talked to him, but he was a cool guy--definitely not a thug or anything. I wonder if he felt more pressure and stress being the only black guy in the class? I think that type of stress is unfair honestly. There was an old study that seemed to show that black students performed worse on tests when they were surrounded by other races.

I ended up seeing that black guy's face on TV months after Calc 2. He was working as a security guard at a Mexican club and someone shot and killed him. Sucks.

 

[Kid McNamara]

I think there just needs to be MORE black students and More faculty at Community Colleges.

I remember taking Black History at my Community College. It was very crazy. The professor was an Italian guy. He barely had control of the class.

Most of the class was black. There were a few Black students that were serious about the Instruction, but for most part, that class was loud, rowdy and eventually had sparse attendance after the Final withdraw date (conveniently placed after some minimum attendance date for next year's financial aid qualification). I was the only Asian Guy in there. I felt uncomfortable, and I just kept quiet. Usually, I am very loud and active in class discussion. I just felt it was out of my bounds to speak about the subject especially around a class full of black people. What would my classmates think If was always the one talking (which I usually am), and I am not black for all intents and purposes? Anyways...I am sidetracking.

I dropped out of school that semester, and worked full-time. I needed a lot of money for a car (stupid mistake). I retook the class the following semester, and this time, the instructor was a Black Man. The class atmosphere was totally different. It was in the early morning, and that may been a contributing factor. However, The class was always very quiet and attentive. It was so different from the Italian guy's class. I heard someone comment about the other class once, and he said something like, "why do they have a white guy teaching that class?"

In short, I think Black Kids need to see black faculty and teachers for them to feel comfortable. I think there is a lot of alienation in the Black Student body, and Black Instructors help alleviate that stress. However, not only does faculty need to be more black, so does the student body.

I took a lot my calculus classes at Community College, and there was one black guy in my Calc 1 and 2 classes (out of nearly 50-80 people). One time, his test results came into my view ( i don't purposely look at other scores) and he had a big F written on his exam. I never really talked to him, but he was a cool guy--definitely not a thug or anything. I wonder if he felt more pressure and stress being the only black guy in the class? I think that type of stress is unfair honestly. There was an old study that seemed to show that black students performed worse on tests when they were surrounded by other races.

I ended up seeing that black guy's face on TV months after Calc 2. He was working as a security guard a Mexican club and someone shot and killed him. Sucks.

I love taking them test surrounded by whites and Asians. The look on their faces after peeking at my score and seeing that A is worth every bit of the side comments you get before taking the test.

But at that man having potential and being shot to death. It's real out there.

 

[Slaimon Khan Shah]

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE BLACK MEN IN THE MOSQUE INSTEAD OF IN PRISON.

 

[NZA]

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE BLACK MEN IN THE MOSQUE INSTEAD OF IN PRISON.

i'd rather see arabs worshipping the orishas

 

[Slaimon Khan Shah]

i'd rather see arabs worshipping the orishas

BISMILLAHIR RAHMANIR RAHEEM. THOU SHALL NOT PUT PARTNERS WITH GOD. WE HAVE BEEN COMMANDED IN THE QURAN (THE FINAL REVELATION) TO DIRECT ALL OF OUR ACTS OF WORSHIP TO THE MOST HIGH CREATOR. I INVITE YOU TO ISLAM (SUBMISSION TO GOD)NZA.

 

[Serious]

I think there just needs to be MORE black students and More faculty at Community Colleges.

I remember taking Black History at my Community College. It was very crazy. The professor was an Italian guy. He barely had control of the class.

Most of the class was black. There were a few Black students that were serious about the Instruction, but for most part, that class was loud, rowdy and eventually had sparse attendance after the Final withdraw date (conveniently placed after some minimum attendance date for next year's financial aid qualification). I was the only Asian Guy in there. I felt uncomfortable, and I just kept quiet. Usually, I am very loud and active in class discussion. I just felt it was out of my bounds to speak about the subject especially around a class full of black people. What would my classmates think If was always the one talking (which I usually am), and I am not black for all intents and purposes? Anyways...I am sidetracking.

I dropped out of school that semester, and worked full-time. I needed a lot of money for a car (stupid mistake). I retook the class the following semester, and this time, the instructor was a Black Man. The class atmosphere was totally different. It was in the early morning, and that may been a contributing factor. However, The class was always very quiet and attentive. It was so different from the Italian guy's class. I heard someone comment about the other class once, and he said something like, "why do they have a white guy teaching that class?"

In short, I think Black Kids need to see black faculty and teachers for them to feel comfortable. I think there is a lot of alienation in the Black Student body, and Black Instructors help alleviate that stress. However, not only does faculty need to be more black, so does the student body.

Interesting.

I took 3 courses of AA American studies, at a local JC. The professor was a black female.

Each semester I was met with several moments, as non-black students overwhelming scored higher, than African American students.

In the past, I've encountered, non-black students, who ask overreaching questions, and the results are as expected. It sent many African American students into an uproar. It only made matters worse, when one dude, resembled the build of an atypical old fat racist dude. He dropped the class shortly, after getting slandered fellow peers, for making some smart comment about why blacks smelled during the trans-Atlantic voyage to the Caribbean.



Going back to the classroom dynamics, inside my AA studies classes, the professor always had to quiet the black students, tell them to quit being disruptive. I remember we'd talk after class, about how paradoxically Africans Americans are being out-performed in our own subject ( ). She said it kind of hurt inside, to see black students, not fully be engaged. Being one of the few black professors on campus, she always did a great job of nurturing minority students.

I took a lot my calculus classes at Community College, and there was one black guy in my Calc 1 and 2 classes (out of nearly 50-80 people). One time, his test results came into my view ( i don't purposely look at other scores) and he had a big F written on his exam. I never really talked to him, but he was a cool guy--definitely not a thug or anything. I wonder if he felt more pressure and stress being the only black guy in the class? I think that type of stress is unfair honestly. There was an old study that seemed to show that black students performed worse on tests when they were surrounded by other races.

I ended up seeing that black guy's face on TV months after Calc 2. He was working as a security guard a Mexican club and someone shot and killed him. Sucks.

sad sh*t. That's how life is sometimes. I'm going through a similar stage now. At times, I feel like I have to worker harder than my peers. I'm the only black male in most of my courses; and far too often the only black person as well...

It can be disheartening at times but nevertheless, I don't succumb to pressure. I know what, I want out of life and how to get there.

Until recently, I was in denial about having a slight advantage over many other of my fellow black peers, until I read up on ontogentics. Given my socioeconomic background and upbringing, clearly intensified my chances for doing well in life.

Throughout my life, I've always had a very diverse group of friends as well as transitioned into affluent environments more easily than others.

I really can't even speak on "true" urban demographics, because the disconnection is so far.

Properly implementing a successful solution, to boost the rate of AA's succeeding in Academia seems far more complex now...

Point blank, the black community needs individuals with all types of majors and advanced skills. I don't care if people major in art history or drama, enrich the mind is all that matters...

 

[Slaimon Khan Shah]

BLACK MEN. I INVITE YOU BROTHERS TO ISLAM (SUBMISSION TO GOD).

 

[88m3]

BLACK MEN. I INVITE YOU BROTHERS TO ISLAM (SUBMISSION TO GOD).

don't you worship a meteorite?

 

[FaTaL]

L