Men of Color Initiative

History:
The Men of Color (MOC) Initiative arose from a group of individuals committed to the retention and graduation of African American and Latino males at DePaul University and is the result of a critical need to support and enhance the number and proficiency of men of color graduating from colleges and universities.

MOC Program Goals

The main goal of the MOC initiative is to increase the retention and graduation rates of all men of color so that they are in line with their female counterparts.  To that end, the MOC also works to foster a sense of community among male students of color and promote a campus culture of care and support. In conjunction with Vision twenty12, the MOC Initiative also strives to do the following:

1. support and challenge men of color to achieve academic excellence
2. encourage and support men of color in engaging in the “DePaul Student Experience”
3. promote involvement and inclusion in leadership activities
4. promote intergenerational mentoring
5. promote community service and engagement, in particular through the CPS Male Initiative Project

This initiative will engage the entire DePaul University community to support MOC members by merging academic support, extracurricular activities and programs, and community engagement.

Program Opportunities
The MOC Initiative strives to provide numerous opportunities for our participants to both engage with each other and learn tangible skills that will enhance their experience at DePaul University.   These programs fall under the following categories:

1. Orientation and Summer Programming – Our hope is to meet every incoming male student of color during their DePaul Premiere experience.  By creating a supplementary program during orientation, we hope to recruit participants for the MOC academic year program.
2. Academic and Career Development – Through providing academic support, we hope to assist students in achieving academic excellence within the university.
3. Social and Leadership Development – By creating a series of programs that target both community building and leadership skills we hope to create an environment that supports involvement.
4. Intergenerational Mentoring and Community Engagement – Not only is it important for the MOC participants to be mentored, it is just as important for them to engage in the mentoring process with younger men of color, in particular with high-school aged young men of color.

Instruction and Assistance in Navigation of University Support System – It is important for the MOC participants to gain a working knowledge of the University and the support system embedded within it.