An Overview of our Student Mentoring Program

Victor Saenz, PhDAssociate Professor &

Executive Director, Project MALESUniversity of Texas at Austin

Engaging a Campus, Serving a CommunityLonghorn Center for Civic Engagement

March 27th, 2014

© 2014 Victor B. Sáenz

Research Agenda

Project MALES Student Mentoring

Program

Latino Male Educational Success

(K-16)

Student Mentors/

Work-Studies

*NEW*Texas Education

Consortium for Male Students of Color

Summer 2013 Launch;14 institutional

members (K-16)

Project MALES Student Council

WHAT IS Project MALES?

© 2014 Victor B. Sáenz

What are the goals forProject MALES?

Develop a research-based mentoring program to advance the success of Latino

males across the educational pipeline

Increase year-to-year retention and graduation rates for Latino male

students at UT-Austin

Provide a safe space and nurturing environment for Latino male students (and

allies) at UT-Austin and beyond

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© 2014 Victor B. Sáenz

Project MALES Student Mentoring Program

CURRENT PARTNERSUniversity of Texas – Austin

◦Division of Diversity and Community Engagement Project MALES Longhorn Center for Academic Excellence UT Elementary School (*new partner)

Communities in Schools – Central Texas◦XY-Zone

Travis High School (Austin ISD) Lanier High School (Austin ISD) Reagan High School (Austin ISD)

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© 2014 Victor B. Sáenz

Project MALES Student Mentoring Program – Brief History

2011-2012 (Pilot Year)

• 1 Mentoring Staff Member

• 0 Grad/Professional Mentors

• 15 Undergraduate Mentors (0 Fellows, 15 Mentors)

• 15 High School/XY-Zone Participants (Travis HS)

2012-2013

• 2 Mentoring Staff Members

• 20 Grad/Professional Mentors

• 40 Undergraduate Mentors (10 Fellows, 30 Mentors)*

• 40 High School/XY-Zone Participants (Travis HS & Lanier HS)

• Student Officers (Project MALSES Student Council)

2013-2014

• 1 full-time Director

• 3 Mentoring Staff Members (site coordinators)

• 8 Undergraduate work-study students (*new)

• 40 Undergraduate Mentors

• 20 Grad/Professional Mentors

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© 2014 Victor B. Sáenz

Project MALES Student Mentoring Program

STRUCTURE

Staff/FacultyGrad StudentsUpperclassmen

Community Volunteers

Project MALESStudent Mentors

XY-ZoneHigh School

Student

Project MALESWork-Studies

XY-ZoneHigh School

Student

XY-ZoneHigh School

Student

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© 2014 Victor B. Sáenz

Project MALES – LEARNING OUTCOMES/SKILLS

Community Awareness and

Engagement• Raising awareness of Latino male educational challenges across the nation

• Motivating and empowering mentors to address issues impacting the Latino community

Leadership Development

• Providing guidance, resources, and opportunities for students to active lead peers

Counseling and Mentoring

• Training students to become advocates, counselors, and role models for young Latino males

Graduate and Professional

Preparedness• Educating students on graduate school and professional opportunities available upon completion of their undergraduate degree

• Preparing students for successful entry into their graduate/law/career paths

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© 2014 Victor B. Sáenz

Project MALES - ACHIEVEMENTS Funding/Support

◦ Greater Texas Foundation◦ Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation◦ Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board◦ UT- Austin Division of Diversity and Community Engagement

National/State Recognition◦ College Access Award, Hispanic Scholarship Consortium◦ Mentoring Award, UTSA Mentoring Summit (Jan. 2014◦ Mentions in: Diverse Magazine, Think Progress, Chronicle of Higher

Education, Journal of Hispanic Higher Education◦ Partnerships with College Board & Institute of Higher Education Policy

Community Engagement/Raising Awareness◦ Annual UT Latino Male Symposium ◦ Feria Para Aprender – since 2012◦ Con mi MADRE◦ Fathers Active in Communities & Education (FACE)◦ Techcommunidad @ Dove Springs neighborhood◦ TG, College Access and Affordability Telethon

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© 2014 Victor B. Sáenz

Project MALES - FUTURE

Service Learning Course – Fall 2014 ◦ Through College of Liberal Arts◦ Reading assignments and critical discussions on

mentoring and experiences of male youth in schools

Local Expansion of Mentoring Efforts◦ Middle Schools and Elementary Schools

Already at U.T. Elementary School◦ Partnership with Male Mentoring Initiatives

African American Male Research Initiative (AAMRI) @ UT-Austin ACC & AISD efforts

Statewide Collaborations◦ Texas Education Consortium for Male Students of Color

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10© 2014 Victor B. Sáenz

FOUR-YEAR INSTITUTIONS 1. University of Texas2. Texas State University3. University of North Texas4. University of Texas San Antonio5. Prairie View A&M University*

Consortium Membership

TWO-YEAR INSTITUTIONS1. El Paso CC District2. Austin Community College District3. Palo Alto College4. San Antonio College5. Northeast Lakeview College6. South Texas College7. Tarrant County College District8. Lone Star College District

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS

1. La Joya ISD2. Austin ISD3. El Paso ISD** New members

© 2014 Victor B. Sáenz

The GOOD NEWS: A Growing Chorus

• College Board Advocacy & Policy Center• Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP)• Excelencia in Education• Gates, Kellogg, Helios, Spencer, Lumina,

Kresge

National Organizations

are taking notice• President Obama’s new initiative, My

Brother’s Keeper• State of Texas: Closing the Gaps 2010

Action Plan• Department of Education increased

focus on Men of Color in higher education (NSF)

State/Federal policymakers

see the challenges

• From Awareness to Research to ActionWhere do we go from here?

© 2014 Victor B. Sáenz

What can we do about academic success for males of

color?

Understand the

Research

Lead the Conversati

on

Programming &

Support

Awareness, Research,

Action

Thank You! For more info:www.projectmales.org

Project MALES Executive Staff

Victor B. Sáenz, PhD, Exec. Director

Associate Professor, UT-Austin

Enrique Romo, PhD, Director, Project MALES, UT-

Austin

Luis Ponjuan, PhD, Co-Director

Associate Professor, Texas A&M University

Victor B. Saenz, Ph.D.vsaenz@austin.utexas.edu

Program StaffSarah L. RodriguezClaudia Garcia LouisJorge SegoviaJose Del RealMike Gutierrez