Programs aim to keep Black males in college

WASHINGTON (NNPA) - It was Joshua Almond's first semester grade point average of 3.53 that gave him the inspiration to strive to maintain it throughout his undergraduate years at West Georgia State University. But, he had help also from the Black males at the Center for African-American Male Reseach, Success, and Leadership (CAAMRSL).When he arrived at West Georgia State in 2006, the men greeted him with open arms. Almond said CAAMRSL is committed to making a difference in the lives of African-American males and is shaping the University into a production factory of intelligent, resourceful, and great African-American males. He doesn't believe he would have made it as far as he has without the support of the organization.

He is not alone. In higher education Black males have lagged behind Black women for decades. Since 1990 Black women have increased their four-year college graduation rate to 48 percent. For Black men1s college graduation rate lags at 37 percent.

Despite the disparities in the graduation rates of Black males, there are strides across the country to help them get into and stay in college.

CAAMRSL is part of the Georgia State System African-American Male Initiative (AAMI), to narrow the gap between the enrollment, retention and graduation rates of African-American male and female college students.

Arlethia Perry-Johnson, the director of the Georgia State System AAMI, said that in 2006, the initiative received a $100,000 grant from the Lumina Foundation and this year it will receive a grant for $500,000 to support its efforts.

There are many similar initiatives across the country. For example at Clemson State University, in South Carolina, has Call Me Mister program, which focuses on recruiting Black male teachers. The University of Nebraska houses the Melvin W. Jones Scholars1 community, which is designed to help minorities adjust to college life.

The City University of New York has a Black male initiative that focuses on increasing admission and retention of Black male students. At the University of Maryland, Nyumburu Black Male Initiative has Black male students retention rate from 28 percent in 2005 to nearly 50 percent today.

Solomon Comissioning, assistant director for student involvement and public relations for Nyumburu, graduated from the University of Rhode Island where he got help from the Black Student Union.

The odds are stacked against them once they get here," Comissiong said. "A lot of Black men are attracted to schools for athletic reasons and when they get to college it1s a complete culture shock. If there isn't a BSU or another place for them to turn to, many of them either transfer or drop out."

Rin McGrew, information technology support assistant and facility supervisor, said that a lot of the problem is what some Black men are lacking before they get to college. Guidance is not something you get as young man," McGrew said. 3It has to be instilled in you in junior high school, high school, and again in college."

A part of the Nyumburu Black Male Initiative means reaching out to youth at middle schools, high schools and juvenile facilities to prepare them for the college culture. After his third semester at Howard University, Aaron Bradshaw found himself on academic probation because of a low GPA. I blame myself first," Bradshaw said. "I had horrible study habits, I wasn't focused, and I wasn't prepared." Still Bradshaw would like to see a stronger support system for Black men at Howard.

Howard, like other HBCUS, is re working on the problem. In the school of communications, there is the Man Up program, founded in 2005 to focuses on the retention of Black Males. If a male student1s GPA falls below 2.0, he is required to join Man Up.

"If they need help and we can't give it to them we find it for them, we make sure they get it," said academic advisor Lincoln Brown. Man Up is a platform where they can come to address the issues that they are facing.