A-B Tech Community College Creates Minority Male Leadership Academy
Staff reports
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College has created a Minority Male Leadership Academy to increase graduation and retention rates among minority males.
Developed by Dr. Joseph Fox, Business Administration Chair, and Paul Knott, the Director of the BioNetwork BioBusiness Center, A-B Tech’s program is based on the development of academic abilities, basic business interests, and skills for male minority students. “This is an important issue for all of the community colleges across North Carolina,” Fox said.
Building on the College’s two-year Entrepreneurship degree
program and a recent transfer agreement with Western Carolina
University, the mentoring will assist students in completion of programs
such as accounting, business administration, entrepreneurship,
marketing, and human resources management.
Male students from the African American, Native American, and
Hispanic/Latino student populations are invited to participate in the
program. The participants will be provided with advice, assessment,
counseling, tutoring, and other learning support resources. College
professionals and peers will be trained to serve as coaches, counselors,
or instructors.
The academy will engage students in programs, counseling
sessions, and self-directed work. Students will focus on self-analysis
to examine personal strengths, weaknesses, skills, knowledge, and
abilities related to student and entrepreneurial success.
A-B Tech established the Academy through a $25,000 Minority Male
Mentoring Grant from the North Carolina Community College System
designed to support current or new programs geared toward creating
success among minority males.
“From 2005 through 2008, more than 600 students participated in
Minority Male Mentoring Programs at community colleges,” says Dr. Sharon
Morrissey, N.C. Community College System Senior Vice President and
Chief Academic Officer. “Colleges have reported marked increases in
retention among minority males who participate in these programs. The
enhanced support services and increased evaluation resulting from this
funding can only lead to greater success for these young men.”
For more information about the Academy, contact Fox at [email protected] or call 254-1921, ext. 7664.
