When Dr. Daniel Jean talks with young male scholars at Montclair State University (MSU) in Montclair, NJ, he asks them to raise their hands if they know someone who died from street violence.
“Nine out of ten raise their hands,” said Jean, assistant provost for special programs at MSU.
Dr. Daniel Jean, assistant provost for special programs at Montclair State university.
“His untimely death is a stark reminder about the importance of our work,” said Jean. “It impacts us emotionally, but we’re using that to repurpose, to move forward intentionally. We recognize our responsibility at MSU and in New Jersey to try to impact these urban centers.”
Jean’s work at MSU helps him connect with some of these populations. His Future College Graduate Academy targets potential scholars from low-income homes that earn less than $55,000 a year and sees them through graduation. It helps roughly 100 students complete college each year.
Now, thanks to the support and push from MSU president Dr. Jonathan G. S. Koppell and administration, MSU is hoping to expand its outreach to young males of color, particularly Black and Brown youth in urban areas in New Jersey. It’s launching its Male Education and Graduation Alliance (MEGA), a workgroup charged with developing strategies for the recruitment and retention of Black and Latinx males.
MEGA’s first event on November 16 will gather together nearby male high school students and their counselors to share their concerns about college and what might compel them to pursue higher education. What Jean and other MEGA scholars learn from that day will be shared on March 3, 2023, when MSU will host its first MEGA Symposium, which will provide stakeholders in and outside higher education a chance to come together and develop partnerships and pipelines that will see an increased number of Black and Latinx men on track to graduation. The event has received strong support from a number of organizations, including the Center for Advocacy and Philanthropy at the Educational Testing Service (ETS).
