College gets $600,000 to help young black men

Lance Martin
Herald Senior Staff Writer

WELDON — Black male students at Halifax Community College will receive extra help through a $600,000 federal grant.

The college could receive another $600,000 in the second year of the Freedom to Learn Initiative, said HCC President Ervin Griffin Monday during a press conference at the college.

“This program focuses on the education of African-American males and increasing their graduation rates,” he told faculty, staff and students assembled in a college conference room. “We will have a number of workshops. This will allow students to go out to business and industry. It will allow students to have special tutoring. They will be able to have job coaches.”

The aim of the program is to increase the retention rate among black male students by 5 percent and increase the graduation and transfer rate by 5 percent. The program also aims to decrease the number of students dropping out for financial problems by 5 percent and increase their satisfaction by the same percentage.

Another goal of the program is to decrease the failure rate of these students in the program by 5 percent.

Griffin said during the press conference a Freedom to Learn committee made up of faculty, staff and students will be formed along with a community committee which will meet four times a year.

The program is expected to begin Nov. 1 with the hiring of a project director, administrative assistant and three learning coaches.

“I think it’s an amazing thing for African-American males at the school,” Cornelius Dickens, a student who plans to be an attorney, said following the press conference.

John Foriest, the JobLink manager for the college, who will be closely involved with the program, was also pleased with the announcement. “The workshops will allow students to go in the community for part-time jobs.”

History instructor Shaun Stokes said he was also pleased with the announcement. “It will help achieve the educational goals of African-American males,” he said. “It will create a new found respect for the community college system.”

Through the program, up to 150 at-risk black male students will be paired with one of three learning coaches while up to 55 will be placed in internships or part-time jobs. Up to 95 will be supported through mentoring programs and up to 100 will be assisted through professional tutoring, Griffin said.

Griffin said after the press conference he wanted to see the graduation rates of black males improve. It is currently 25.4 percent. “We want to get that up to 45 percent,” he said.