Edmonds College has been selected as one of 15 finalists for Takeoff: Institutional Innovations for College Men of Color and will receive a $75,000 grant to help the campus’s Men of Color Scholars program. Edmonds’ submission was one of 152 applications from 31 states received by the committee.

Takeoff: Institutional Innovations for College Men of Color is a project led by the USC Race and Equity Center to fund and provide technical support to community colleges nationwide that are advancing initiatives to support men of color on their campuses. The project is made possible by support from the ECMC Foundation and its commitment to transforming the higher education experiences for Black, Latinx, Southeast Asian, and Native American men.

“We are committed to developing a program that enhances a sense of belonging and provides the Men of Color Scholars with the necessary services and resources to support them with reaching their goals,” said Edmonds College Vice President for Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Dr. Yvonne Terrell-Powell.

The Men of Color Scholars Program (MoCSP) at Edmonds is an initiative started in 2021 to create a supportive environment that keeps students engaged, creates a sense of belonging, and boosts academic success, retention, and graduation. Participants in the program have opportunities to connect academically and professionally with other scholars, students, staff, faculty, and members of the community.

“Our Men of Color Scholars Program plays an important role on our campus,” said Edmonds College President Dr. Amit B. SIngh. “The Takeoff grant will enable us to grow our services, connecting our students with career development, counseling, and mentorship programs, helping them achieve their goals, and allowing us to continue the great work that we started in 2021.”

Takeoff funding will expand and scale the MoCS Program beyond its current pilot stage. Some funds will be utilized to assign a case manager to each student to provide individualized academic and career support. The MoCSP also hopes to increase students’ sense of belonging through a peer, industry, and community men of color strengths-based mentoring program. Additionally, funds will help the campus work towards institutional anti-racist transformation, highly visible and with full college leadership support.

For more information, visit edmonds.edu/go/mocsp.