Ohio University’s New Program to Boost Black Male Enrollments and Graduation Rates

ohio-uOhio University in Athens has established the African American Male Initiative on campus. The goal of the program is to increase the number of Black men who enroll and graduate from the university.

The African American Male Initiative aims to connect its more than 40 students to academic support services on campus. It also is working in tandem with student organizations, student affairs, and the Athens community to establish a welcoming environment that young Black males can call home.

pattonJamie Patton, assistant dean of students, says that “it is important that these students see someone who looks like them early on, both inside and outside of the classroom, to aid in their sense of belonging.”

caldwellChris Caldwell, co-chair of the African American Male Initiative, adds that “coming into a predominantly white university is tough for all students of color, and specifically for Black males, for two reasons. All students have to adjust to the academic rigor and the burden of too much time, but Black males also have to adapt to cultural differences in their residence halls and in their classrooms.”

Caldwell notes that “nationwide, the African American male community is the largest college-going population with the lowest graduation rate. We want to turn that around and Ohio University wants to develop a model that other institutions can follow to help reverse this trend.”

The African American Male Initiative is funded by a two-year grant from the Konneker Fund for Learning and Discovery.

Related Articles

3 COMMENTS

  1. Ohio is doing a better job of addressing this unfinished business. I am proud of the work that President McDavis has done over the years.

  2. This is great to see a renewed focus on such a basic need. During my time on campus in the early 2000’s we established an organization with a similar aim called SAAB (Student African American Brotherhood). I can credit that and other organizational involvement for my success on campus and launching into the “real world.”

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

Howard University Achieves R1 Status While North Carolina A&T State University Falls Short

Howard University has received the prestigious R1 Carnegie Classification, making the institution eligible for major federal grants. NCA&T University narrowly missed the achievement, averaging just three less annual doctoral graduates than the classification's requirements.

Three Black Scholars Selected for Endowed Faculty Positions

The new endowed professors are Eddie Chambers at School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Stefanie Dunning at the University of Rochester in New York, and Kizzmekia Corbett-Helaire at Harvard University.

North Carolina Central University Establishes Early Assurance Program With the UNC School of Pharmacy

Students at North Carolina Central University now have the opportunity to apply to an early assurance program for the doctor of pharmacy degree program at the University of North Carolina's Eshelman School of Pharmacy, the top-ranked pharmacy school in the United States.

Five Black Administrators Taking on New Roles at HBCUs

The appointments are Anthony Neal at Florida A&M University, Tara Cunningham at Dillard University in New Orleans, David Camps at North Carolina A&T State University, Michael Meyers at Paine College in Georgia, and Sidney Brown at Tuskegee University in Alabama.

Featured Jobs