MICUA

More than half of the MICUA State-aided institutions have narrowed or eliminated the achievement gap between underrepresented minority students and the total population. This means that underrepresented minority students have retention and graduation rates that are comparable to all students enrolled at the institution. This success is primarily due to excellent student support services, including effective orientation programs, academic support, and mentoring. Early placement testing identifies students who may need additional academic support, such as tutoring and study skills, in order to successfully complete college courses.

Many MICUA institutions offer first-year seminars or other student orientation programs. First-year seminars are designed to ease the first-year student transition to college. The learning objectives are realized through readings, class discussions, and class projects that explore diverse cultures. Students develop cultural fluency and develop an appreciation of cross-cultural differences. In addition, seminar faculty closely monitor first-semester performance and students who may be at risk academically.

Student orientation programs often include ice breakers and residence life activities designed to encourage discussions about diversity, inclusiveness, and tolerance. Often, a book is assigned to read prior to the orientation session, and students discuss their individual reactions to the readings. Sometimes the book selection involves a controversial topic and invokes a wide variety of viewpoints.

The Trailblazers program at Notre Dame of Maryland University was developed to encourage academic and social success among first-generation students. Each of the 33 enrolled students has a big sister mentor, who serves as a source of information and is also a first-generation student. The students attend workshops to foster academic success, such as developing study and research skills, utilizing campus resources, finding internships and employment, conducting proper internet and social media behavior, and completing a service-learning project. The University also offers a Summer Bridge program, which is a two-week intensive head-start program for 20 pre-nursing students. Students benefit from a deeper introduction to college life and a review of mathematics and science to ensure academic success and retention.

The Buddy Program at Hood College pairs new students of color, including international students, with upper-class students. This program contributes to the environment of support—both academically and socially—for underrepresented ethnic groups. Intentional strategies are developed to reach these students at key times throughout the year, such as mid-semester breaks, pre-exam periods, and end of the semester/year. In addition, Hood provides opportunities for students of color and international students to make connections with the greater Frederick community through special programs.

Loyola University Maryland provides many services to students of color at the institution. The Office of African, Latino, Asian, and Native American (ALANA) Services fosters the academic, cultural, personal, spiritual, and leadership development of students. The goal of ALANA is to create and maintain an environment of respect and awareness, while advocating for ALANA students and responding to their needs. The ALANA services staff developed a program of support and mentoring particularly for African-American male students. The program pairs students with African-American male faculty and administrators and promotes conversations about academic success and life choices. The program has been in place for a several years and has successfully aided in retention at Loyola.

During orientation at Washington College, first-year students attend a program called Making the Transition that incorporates cultural diversity through skits performed by peer mentors. Following the skits, faculty and peer mentors lead discussions on the diversity issues addressed in the skits.

Sojourner-Douglass College discusses issues impacting the success of students of diverse backgrounds and difficult circumstances during its orientation sessions. In addition, the College operates a Wellness Center to provide support and counseling to students to improve retention and ensure an institutional environment that is encouraging and accommodating for all students’ needs and circumstances.

McDaniel College uses an extensive system of Peer Mentors who assist first-year students with orientation, first-year seminar, and other transition issues. Careful training of Peer Mentors and Residence Assistants in diversity issues is a part of the preparation training in August of each year. The Dean of First-Year Students works closely with Peer Mentors to support their mentees throughout the semester. Orientation itself includes several events focused on diversity awareness, such as the Color Orange, an improvisation performance piece; New Faces of America, highlighting diverse perspectives and experiences; as well as invited speakers.

For more than 15 years, the Office of Multicultural Affairs at Johns Hopkins University has used the Mentoring Assistance Peer Program (MAPP) as the premier tool to enhance the transition of underrepresented minorities during their freshman year. Approximately 200 freshmen participate annually, along with upper-class student mentors assigned to each freshman. The mentors go through extensive training during the summer and assist underrepresented students with academic excellence, career development, social connectivity, cultural exploration, and community involvement throughout the year.

Stevenson University offers a first-year transition program, known as the Partnership in Academic Student Success (PASS) program. PASS provides mentoring, support services, and strategies for academic success. The program also encourages student engagement in campus activities.

FOSTER is an early-immersion program at Goucher College, which examines issues of diversity, power, oppression, and privilege. The aim of FOSTER is to develop community-based open dialogues for first-year students. After students participate in an intensive retreat, they travel into Baltimore for practical application of the knowledge that was learned. First-year students also learn about diversity at Goucher through its Connections seminar, which includes, among other activities, a diversity-focused speaker who challenges them to think about how they will learn from individuals whose identity and culture is different from their own.