RELEASE DATE:  April 4, 2008

 

Community college conference to focus on minority males
Mentoring, community involvement, and best practices highlighted


Raleigh - Minority males are underrepresented in higher education and the North Carolina Community College System is working to change that statistic. On Monday, hundreds of participants will gather for a conference that is designed to get more minority men in the classroom and keep them there.

The North Carolina Community System hosts its fourth conference focusing on Minority Male Mentoring on April 7-9, 2008, at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center in the Research Triangle Park. The conference, “Changing the Image of Education: A Call to Action!” will offer best practices and initiatives to improve the success of minority males in education, family and community life. The overall focus of the conference is to have representatives from public and private sectors to develop a system of support for minority men, on state and community levels, that will improve college graduation and retention rates, enhance preparedness for the workforce, and strengthen family and community involvement.

The conference will feature keynote presentations, workshops, issue forums, health screenings, exhibitors, and a 3M Awards Banquet recognizing outstanding achievement in the areas of education, mentoring, and community leadership. Concurrent session topics include mentoring, fatherhood, community involvement, professional development, student leadership and student success. The workshops will be interactive and participants will leave with a strategic plan of action to implement in their communities, organizations and schools.

Several national and local experts on the issue of minority male engagement are scheduled to speak, including Dr. Belle S. Wheelan, president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), Dr. Tyrone Bledsoe, founder and director of Student African-American Brotherhood (SAAB), and Dr. Simon Whittaker, co-founder of the Whittaker Institute for Success and Enrichment.

For additional information, contact Monty Hickman at the North Carolina Community College System at (919) 807-7195 or hickmanm@nccommunitycolleges.edu.

A conference agenda can be found at www.3mconference.com.

 




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