SANFORD - Central Carolina Community College has been awarded a $30,000 Minority Male Mentor program grant by the North Carolina Community College System.

Minority males are underrepresented in higher education, according to the NCCCS. For example, almost two-thirds of African-American students in college are female. The goal of the Minority Male Mentor (3M) program is to develop a support system for minority males enrolled in curriculum courses that will improve their retention and graduation rates.

At Central Carolina Community College, minority males (African-American, Hispanic, Native American and Asian) are about 9 percent of the student population. Using year-to-year fall enrollments as a comparison, only about 37 percent of minority male students re-enroll for a second year, compared to 41 percent for the general student population.

“The college has been interested in having this program,” said college President Bud Marchant. “We want to see that there are opportunities here for success for everyone.”

Central Carolina’s 3M program is known by the acronym, “ON TRAC.” The acronym underscores the concept that, as the college provides full educational Opportunity and Networking between students and mentors/role models, the students will become Teachable, Respectable, Accountable, and Capable, according to Dwane Hodges, the college’s grant writer and 3M program coordinator.

“In the same way that the college listens to and analyzes businesses and tailors our curriculum to reflect changes, we also need to listen to and analyze our diverse student populations and tailor our support services to reflect their changing needs,” he said.
Mentors and role models are at the heart of the program. Mentors are college personnel who volunteer to work one-on-one with the selected minority students. Each mentor will meet individually with their student at least four times a month, providing the personal support to help him adapt and succeed in a college environment. Members of the community who volunteer in the program are referred to as “role models.”

Minority males are the specific target, but the program will enhance the college community as a whole. According to Hodges, events, such as lectures, may be scheduled for those in the ON TRAC program, but would be open to any student.

The NCCCS began its 3M program in 2003 with just five of the system’s 58 community colleges receiving grants. The number of colleges participating has grown each year. For 2008-09, Central Carolina received one of 17 new grants awarded. Grants for continuation of the program at 15 other community colleges were also awarded.

For more information about the program or to apply to be a mentor or role model, contact Hodges at dhodges@cccc.edu or by phone at (919) 718-7205.