“… we live in a web and world of interdependence and

that freedom, dignity, well-being and other goods should and must be shared goods for everyone, if there is to be any peace, justice and security for anyone in the world.”

-Dr. Maulana Karenga (1966)

In 2007, a pilot program called Ensuring College

Success (ECS) Umoja was established and supported with funding in 2009 from the Basic Skills Initiative at Grossmont College. The Umoja program was developed with the deliberate intention of providing African American students with addition academic support to ensure academic success.

Umoja Program

The Umoja Community Program is dedicated to

enhancing the cultural and educational experiences of African American and other students through a curriculum and pedagogy that embraces the legacy of the African Diaspora. As a result, the voices and histories of students are deliberately and intentionally recognized, which promotes students’ development of self-efficacy that leads to a foundation for academic success (Umoja, n.d.).

Mission Statement

To support student matriculation through counseling, tutoring, and

monitored student progress To improve persistence and success of its students To utilize an African-centered pedagogical and holistic education

approach to enhance cultural and education experiences to develop the student

To increase student self-efficacy through the recognized voices of African/African American and other student experiences

To promote civic engagement and responsibility through the integration of learning and service

To provide experiential learning activities that build personal growth, and self actualization

6 Key Program Goals

Increased Achievement Cultural Awareness Sense of Belonging - (theme) connection with peers;“I know when I first started going here I came from a different

high school, Point Loma and that is far away from where this is and so joining Umoja I got a good foundation of friends that I knew I could count on and I'm not just a lonely person in a sea of students I don't know”.

Retention College Awareness

a) Identify 5 go-to-peopleb) Develop an education plan c) Identify services and tutoring

Program Outcomes

Put green chart here.

Planning for Delivery of Outcomes

  OUTCOMES COHORT

INDIVIDUALCOUNSELIN

G

GROUP COUNSELIN

G

CULTURAL ACTIVITIES/

EVENTS

FINANCIAL AID/

SCHOLARSHIPS

COMMUNITY

SERVICE

LIFE MANAGEMENT

SKILLS

MENTORING

1) RETENTION

X X X   X   X X

2) SENSE OF BELONGING

X X X X X   X   X

3) CULTURAL AWARENESS

  X X X   X X X

4) INCREASED ACHIEVEMENT

X X X X X X X X X

5) COLLEGE AWARENESS

  X X X X X   X

5a-Identify 5 go to people

                 

5b-Develop and education plan

                 

5c-Identify services tutoring offers

                 

For the purposes of this program evaluation we conducted two focus group sessions. Group 1 participants consisted of 7 students, (5 African American males), (1 African American) and (1 Mexican female)Group 2 participants consisted of 4 students; (2 African American females) and (2 African American males). Each group of participants answered 10 questions related to their participation in the Umoja program. The goal was to determine what effects, if any, that participating in the Umoja program had on their academic careers. Members of Grossmont College's Umoja program were asked to participate in these sessions and incentives such as pizzas, books, and gift cards were utilized to entice participation. The focus group meetings lasted approximately 60 minutes each and were completely transcribed and coded for emerging themes with the following program outcomes in mind:

Increased achievement Sense of belonging retention college awareness cultural awareness.

Evaluation Methods

For the purposes of this program evaluation we conducted two Coordinator sessions. Co-Coordinator 1 participant consisted of 1 African American FemaleCo-Coordinator 2 participant consisted of 1 African American Male. During each interview, 10 questions were addressed that related to their participation in the Umoja program. The goal was to determine what effects, if any, that the coordinating of the Umoja program had on student success. The interviews lasted approximately 40 minutes each and were completely transcribed and coded for emerging themes with the following program outcomes in mind:

Increased achievement Sense of belonging retention college awareness cultural awareness.

Evaluation Methods

For the purposes of this program evaluation we conducted

sessions that include the following sessions:

URL -

Evaluation Methods

Limited student participating associated with

the timing of scheduled focus group observations related to campus closure for holiday break.

Limitations

Implementation of Evaluation

Pilot Results

Appendices