El Camino College Joins Group Dedicated to Supporting Men of Color Enroll and Graduate
Program offers personalized assistance to help students succeed in higher education
El Camino College’s Men of Color Action Network (MOCAN) was recently selected to participate in a program that helps students enroll
and graduate from college.
As one of five community colleges in California to join California State University’s (CSU) Young Males of Color Consortium (YMOC), El Camino College will work within the Network Improvement Community in partnership with YMOC, Carnegie Foundation, and CSU Dominguez Hills. The partnership is dedicated to creating systemic changes in higher education that improve outcomes for young men of color. Being a member of this consortium will help El Camino create a distinct pathway to a variety of higher education options, while offering students personalized assistance both at the community college and university level.
The collaborative approach, which includes two-year community colleges and four-year colleges and universities, is designed to increase access and opportunities, ultimately leading to greater racial equity and success.
“I am deeply grateful for our new partnership – these collaborations are vital in creating seamless transfer pathways for men of color in higher education,” said Robert A. Williams, a MOCAN founder and student equity counselor at El Camino College. “This initiative will not only support men of color in achieving equitable educational outcomes, but also highlight El Camino College’s commitment to erasing equity gaps and serving as a model for other California Community Colleges.”
YMOC aims to change the college experience for men of color. Research shows that degree attainment for Black, Latino, Asian Pacific Islander and Native American males remains disproportionally impacted. Additionally, most men of color begin their college journey at a community college with the intention to transfer; most do not. Those who do transfer predominantly enroll at California State University. This student group often experiences a range of racial inequities in their academic journey, starting from pre-K through higher education.
El Camino College will assemble a team with representatives from all campus areas to work directly with CSU Dominguez Hills; each community college in the consortium will partner with its local CSU campus.
In the 2023-34 academic year, MOCAN served 161 students. The program works to optimize the success of male students of color by advocating for them while focusing on the academic, political, and social change needed to cultivate a learning environment where this student group can excel.
In addition to access to resources designed to help them earn degrees and graduate, students in MOCAN gain invaluable leadership experience as they join the group’s efforts and help build the program to serve even more students. For more information about opportunities and support through MOCAN, view www.elcamino.edu/support/resources/men-of-color-action-network/ or contact 310-660-3593, Ext. 3819.