MOCAN Joins Consortium Dedicated to Help Men of Color Enroll and Graduate
El Camino’s Men of Color Action Network (MOCAN) was recently selected to participate in a program that helps students enroll and graduate. As one of five community colleges in California to join the CSU Young Males of Color Consortium, El Camino will work within the Network Improvement Community in partnership with YMOC, Carnegie Foundation, and California State University, 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.
The consortium 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. 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.