1. African American Male Success
Dr. Keith Curry
CEO
Compton
Community College District
Dr. Dyrell Foster
Dean
Student Affairs
Rio Hondo College
Dr. Erin Vines
Assistant Superintendent
Vice President, Student Services
Antelope Valley College
Fostering change to improve the access, retention
and success of African American males in higher education

2. Session Agenda Setting the Context Establishing the Need Our Research
The Challenges
Emergence of A2MEND
A2MEND Programs
Discussion & Questions

3. Setting the Context California Community Colleges:
1 of every 14 African Americans who are enrolled in higher education in the U.S. attends a California Community College
1 of every 7 African Americans enrolled in community colleges in the U.S. attends a California Community College
82% of all African American males enrolled in public, postsecondary institutions in CA, are enrolled in the CCC system
(Community College League of California (2004). California Community College Pocket Profile. 4th Edition.)

4. Establishing the Need
(Harris & Wood, 2014)

5. Setting the Context percentage of certificates and degrees earned
African American men throughout the California Community College system are the lowest performing subgroup when one considers:
percentage of certificates and degrees earned
transfer rates
persistence rates
average cumulative GPA
(Allen, Bonous-Hammarth, & Teranishi, 2002; Bush, 2004)

6. Establishing the Need
African American men are less likely than African American females to earn a college degree
African American women also academically outperform their male counterparts
African American women graduate at higher rates than their male counterparts
(Allen, Bonous-Hammarth, & Teranishi, 2002; Bush, 2004)

7. Establishing the Need
(Harris & Wood, 2014)

8. Establishing the Need
Course completion rates for African American men in California Community Colleges:
Basic Skills Math 13.7%
Basic Skills English 23.8%
(Scorecard Metrics, 2013)
(Harris & Wood, 2014)

9. Establishing the Need
African American men in CCCs, when compared to other subgroups are:
more likely to express boredom in class
were less likely to participate in campus activities
more likely not to participate in the campus orientation process
had not encountered peers in college that could help them adjust to college
Bush, 2004

10. Student Engagement
The notion of student engagement has been found to be an important indicator of student success (Kuh et al., 2006)
Student engagement literature suggests that what students do while in college, such as the activities in which they engage and the company they keep, are important factors in their persistence and success
Enhancing student engagement may be an effective strategy for increasing the persistence, retention and academic achievement of African American males

11. Student Engagement Student engagement has two central features:
Student Behaviors and Institutional Conditions
Student behaviors include the time and effort students put towards their studies, interacting with faculty, utilizing campus resources, and quality peer interactions
Institutional conditions include campus environment, resources, and educational polices, programs and practices
Kuh, 2004; Kuh et al., 2006

12. Student Engagement
African American males are most likely to be disengaged from educational activities on college campuses when compared to similar peer groups
These non-engaging student behaviors are found to have a negative impact on student success, achievement, and persistence
African American males have greater amounts of dissatisfaction and are least likely to engage in purposefully educational activities when compared to all other subgroups in California Community Colleges (Bush, 2004)

13. Student Interviews
Investigate the experiences of African American males in engaging in educationally purposeful activities in a community college
Examined the students’ experiences regarding:
use of time on campus outside of class
peer interaction
faculty interaction
utilization of institutional resources

14. Findings
Having a clear educational goal and an identified path in which to achieve it
Academic engagement and social engagement
Notion of independence determines whether or not they take the initiative to seek assistance on campus
Asking for help and are less reliant on themselves or their peers are more engaged academically
Environment that students perceive as being open, welcoming and supportive

15. Findings Use of time on campus outside of class Academic engagement
Connections with professors, tutoring and informal study groups had a significant and positive effect on college satisfaction and academic performance
Peer interaction
Students were not able to successfully do both, it was an either, or situation.
More likely to turn to their peers to obtain information or assistance than approach their instructors or utilize student support services.
Academically focused and structured peer groups

16. Findings Faculty interaction
Importance of initially perceiving their instructors as being open, welcoming, and receptive of their efforts
If this interaction is negative or if it does not occur, students are more likely to feel marginalized 
Perceived as unsupportive and unwilling to assist them, they will not make an effort to ask for assistance.
Not the frequency of interactions that matter, but rather the quality of these interactions that impact student success.

17. Findings
Engaged by faculty who genuinely care, show passion and energy, and utilize various teaching styles enhances academic engagement
Receiving positive reinforcement, encouragement and validation enhances engagement experiences

18. Findings Utilization of institutional resources
Self-reliance does not always pay off
Some students subscribe to this mentality in college and rely solely on themselves to get by, which seems to conflict directly with the notion of student engagement, almost creating, intentional “dis-engagement” experiences within the college environment
African American males who have someone to keep them on track are more engaged academically
Culture of Success

19. Work/family responsibilities Campus/Classroom climate
The Challenges
Cost of textbooks
Financial need
Work/family responsibilities
Campus/Classroom climate
High Expectations
Negative stereotypes
Need to prove them wrong
Identity development and self-perception
Coping Strategies & Validation

20. The Emergence of A2MEND (Began in Summer 2006) The Vision
To be the nation’s leading organization in fostering African American Male success in community colleges
To achieve our vision, we strive to: 
provide expertise to build, support, and sustain institutional capacity that effectively addresses the needs of African American men
hold the community college system accountable for the success of African American men

21. The Organization To achieve our vision, we strive to:
promote research in the area of African American male academic achievement in the community colleges
serve as a network for African American educators
support African American men in their career development, advancement, and success

22. The Organization Annual Conferences Workshops & Speaking Engagements
Mentor Programs
Student Scholarships

23. African American Male Summit
A²MEND hosts an annual African American Male Summit Conference each spring to bring together policy makers, trustees, administrators, superintendents, faculty and teachers, staff, and current students in college to identify the barriers that African American men face in community colleges today, discuss best and promising practices, and implementation strategies.
The conference is open to anyone
interested in the success of African American men.

24. African American Male Summit
Identify solutions to the barriers that African American men face in community colleges today
What should community colleges do to increase the success of African American male students?
Faculty, Administrators, Student Services & Students

25. Faculty Responsibilities
Be mindful of delivery, as well as subject matter
Point out the relevancy of the content; help students to connect subject matter to real life
Connect with your students; get to know them
Use active learning strategies; kinesthetic learning and group work
Show passion and enthusiasm
Make an effort to make a difference; be patient
Show students that your care about their success
Positive feedback, validation and encouragement

26. Institutional/Administrator Responsibilities
Assess the campus climate
Obtain qualitative data from your students (focus groups)
Get the data; disaggregated by both ethnicity and gender
Examine student equity, identify areas of disproportionate impact, develop goals and initiatives to address areas of concern
Address this issue in the program review, institutional effectiveness process, and accreditation; formalize it
Make time for African American male students; serve as a mentor

27. Department/Program Responsibilities
Climate and mission—The events, messaging, websites, and other means by which a program conveys its openness and inclusivity of all students
Human resources—The ability of the program to recruit and retain a diverse workforce, including faculty, staff, tutors, lab techs, etc.
Efforts toward equity—Other initiatives, grants, and programmatic elements that further the goals of equity and diversity within the program and its stated outcomes.
Curricular and co-curricular inclusion—The extent to which principles of multiculturalism are incorporated into the curriculum of a program.
(CCC Statewide Academic Senate paper: Student Equity: From Dialog and Access to Action, 2010)

28. Student Recommendations
More role models in the colleges
More mentor programs on campus
Hire more African Americans in the classroom and in leadership positions
More personable & engaging faculty
Hold faculty accountable when they are unprofessional
More programs that interest students; ask us what we want
Provide workshops for success: professional preparation & leadership
Provide recognition for students who do well; motivation

29. Student Mentor Program
Most impactful component of A2MEND
Work with A2MEND members who are committed to their personal development, professional growth and academic success
Have worked with over 90 African American male students within the California community college system and beyond with clarifying their educational and career goals to achieve success

30. Student Mentor Program
Student engagement behaviors
Navigating campus culture; social capital
Focus on the success of African American men; not the failures
High expectations and accountability (with support)
Career and educational goal setting
Positive reinforcement, encouragement and validation
Positive peer groups
Positive role models
Bigger purpose; reaching back and bringing others along

31. Student Mentor Program*
American River College
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
California State University, Dominguez Hills
California State University, Los Angeles
Contra Costa College
El Camino College - Compton Center
Los Angeles Southwest College
Long Beach City College
Rio Hondo College
Solano Community College
University of La Verne
University of Southern California
West LA College
* 28 student mentees

32. Questions, Comments & Discussion
Thank you
Questions, Comments & Discussion