Jordyn Morris graduated from her Maryland high school this past spring with a 4.1 GPA and a scholarship to the University of Toledo, where she plans to major in pharmaceutical science.
But Ms. Morris, who is African-American, was eager to get a jump start on college and increase her chances of excelling academically.
She is one of 30 students participating in UT’s summer bridge program, which aims to help freshmen minority students matriculate. Students in the program live on campus and take summer courses for six weeks.
“Coming to college I didn’t have an idea what I was going to get myself into this fall,” she said. “So I thought this would prepare and help me get used to the college dorms, making friends, and being away from family.”
Students take a social science course, an English course, and partake in a math camp, which prepares them for collegiate level math. In addition to their coursework, they have social activities and mandatory study hours four days a week.
“I feel like minorities don’t get a lot of support and encouragement, and I feel like that’s what this program is allowing us to have and get a head start and support from people here at the university so when we start we feel more confident,” said Demma Contreras, an 18-year-old UT student.
Willie McKether, vice president for diversity and inclusion, said that when he joined UT in 2006 as an assistant professor, he recognized that students of color in his anthropology course were not performing on par with white students.
And with the support of UT administration, he and two other faculty members founded UT’s summer bridge program in 2015.
All minority students admitted to UT are informed of the program. A group of students is accepted from those who apply.
“We try to get students with a variety of GPAs, test scores, and people outside Ohio,” said Malaika Bell, program manager. “So our goal is to prepare these students not only academically but culturally.”
The program costs between $175,000 to $200,000 to operate each year, Mr. McKether said.
About 18 percent of full-time African-American students who entered UT in 2009 graduated within six years,compared with 35 percent of Hispanic students, 52 percent of white students, and 41 percent of all students.
Nationally, 38 percent of black students finished their degree in six years while 62 percent of white students graduated, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.
Preliminary results suggest the program is succeeding. According to UT, roughly 77 percent of students who attended the summer bridge program since its inception remained in school. That number is higher than the retention rate for all university students.
Emir Moore, 20, a junior at UT, said participating in the summer bridge program helped him transition into the fall semester.
“When you get to the fall it’s way easier because you already have your routine, you already have your study habits down, and you already know how to move through college successfully,” he said.
Recruiting and retaining minority students and faculty was a cornerstone of the university’s diversity plan released in 2016.
“The university is committed to educating all students and ensuring that everyone can be successful,” Mr. McKether said.
Contact Javonte Anderson at janderson@theblade.com, 419-724-6065, or on Twitter @JavonteA.
First Published July 30, 2018, 10:30 a.m.
