University System of Georgia Awards New AAMI Grants
KENNESAW , Ga. — The University System of Georgia’s (USG) African American Male Initiative (AAMI) has awarded new grants to 11 programs addressing the educational needs of Black males.
The grants mark the fourth round of program funding awarded to USG AAMI programs since the initiative began in fall 2002.
The 11 winning proposals were selected from 19 entries that competed for $200,000 in grant funding. The grants range from $10,000 to $28,500, and will support both new and existing AAMI programs. All of the programs must include mandatory community partners focused on achieving AAMI’s goals, and must match the AAMI funding it receives, dollar-for-dollar, with institutional and/or external funds.
A seven-member review panel, comprised of USG and K-12 officials, evaluated how well the proposals met stated guidelines and articulated measurable strategies to enhance the recruitment, retention and graduation of Black males within University System institutions.
Funded programs are aimed at increased enrollment of Black males in college-preparatory programs, summer bridge programs to provide exposure to college campuses, as well as learning communities and other interventions to enhance the retention and graduation of Black males on USG college campuses.
“This round of funding helps us both broaden the network of AAMI programs operating in the USG, and strengthens existing initiatives that are working well,” said Arlethia Perry-Johnson, AAMI project director. “As a result, we now have 24 unique AAMI programs in operation on 19 different USG campuses addressing the educational needs of Black males at the middle-school, secondary and post-secondary levels.”
The newly funded programs and the amounts of their grant awards are as follows:
- Coastal Georgia Community College received $15,500 for its “Minority Outreach Program” which provides tutoring, mentoring via an intensive six-week summer academic curriculum in language arts and mathematics to students from Camden, McIntosh and Glynn county schools.
- Fort Valley State University received $10,000 for its “Four Pillars” program, designed to identify 40 young, African-American males from Peach County High School for college and careers preparation through tutoring, mentoring and training.
- Gainesville State College received $10,000 for its “Reaching Out and Pulling Up” program, designed to mentor and tutor Black males from sixth grade through college, and involves parents in their academic pursuits.
- Georgia College and State University received $22,000 for its “Academic Initiative for Males Academy,” created to provide leadership training, writing workshops, standardized testing preparation and college preparation for African-American males between the ages of 14 and 17.
- Georgia Highlands College received $12,500 for its “Georgia Highlands AAMI program,” designed to provide counseling, advising and mentoring to African-American males enrolled at GHC.
- Georgia Perimeter College received $24,000 for its “African-American Male College Transition Program,” a summer bridge program for African-American males aimed at increasing their preparation for college-level work.
- Georgia Southwestern State University received $10,000 for its “African-American Male Institute,” a comprehensive mentoring and academic program designed to increase African-American male graduation rates at GSSU, and to enhance participants’ engagement in student life.
- Kennesaw State University received $24,000 for its “African-American Male Initiative,” which provides mentoring opportunities and leadership training, and encourages the achievements among its African-American male participants.
- Southern Polytechnic State University received $28,500 for its “Success Through Advanced and Resourceful Students (STARS)” program, designed to widen the pipeline of African-American males entering science, technology engineering and math disciplines, ultimately increasing the number of African-American students enrolled at SPSU.
- The University of Georgia received $22,500 for its “Gentlemen on the Move” program, a developmental and comprehensive initiative that transforms African-American adolescents academically and socially, to enhance their preparedness for post-secondary education.
- University of West Georgia received $21,000 for the Center for African-American Male Research, Success and Leadership’s “Blacks With Initiative” program, and other initiatives focused on empowering, training, motivating and inspiring young men to become future leaders and successful adults.
The awarded institutions will conduct these programs over this summer (2008) or during the 2008-2009 academic years.
Since the USG’s AAMI was launched, the enrollment of Black males in the University System has increased by 24.5 percent, from 17,068 students in fall 2002, to 21,249 in fall 2007. Black male graduation rates also have improved significantly, and improvements in retention also have been achieved.
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For more information on the USG'S AAMI, please visit the project's website at http://www.usg.edu/aami.