San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) has strategically increased its support of Hispanic and Black men in the last few years, making the district a leader in improving outcomes for the historically underserved groups.
Through programs such as Mesa Academy/Umoja, Puente, Hermanos Unidos/Brothers United (HUBU) and the Extended Opportunity Program and Services, the district engages men of color in ways that enhance their experience on campus, interrupt cycles that may place them in remedial courses and provide support tailored to their needs.
SDCCD faculty members receive training to better support and work with challenged groups that community colleges serve: first-generation students, students with food or housing insecurities, students of color and, particularly, men of color.
“Every single college in the district really has a very strong leader who is very equity-minded,” said Dr. J. Luke Wood, drector and Distinguished Professor of Community College Leadership at San Diego State University. “Not from a standpoint of ‘This is cool, this is something we should do.’ But for them, it’s their core commitment. It just looks different here than it looks at a lot of other places.”
As a result of intentional efforts to support men of color, Dr. Ashanti Hands, vice president of student services at Mesa College, said the institution has seen outcomes gaps close. Between the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 academic years, completion rates for Black and Hispanic students increased from 37 to 40.4 percent, and 43.7 to 50.1 percent, respectively.
“It’s not just about access,” she said. “We can get you there, but we want to make sure that we can keep you there and pull you through.”
After assessing institutional data on student outcomes, Mesa leaders developed programs and efforts with their Black and Hispanic students in mind. The wealth of support programs that evolved as a result created learning communities for Black and Hispanic male students.
