BCCC reenergizes Minority Male Mentoring Program | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Thanks to a Student Development Services grant from the North Carolina Community College System, Beaufort County Community College is in the process of reinvigorating its Minority Male Mentoring program and reestablishing it as the Men Mentoring Men, or M3, program.

    The leader of the recently rejuvenated M3 program is Milton Cobb. Cobb is now in his second year as a business student at BCCC and also serves as the President of the Student Government Association.

    "I wanted to change attitudes and encourage my peers to stay in school," said Cobb when asked why he wanted to be involved with the program. "I have seen many students get frustrated and quit college because they don't have the resources or contacts to help them navigate the system when things get difficult. I want to help them build networks and solve problems before they become insurmountable."

Pictured above, from left to right, are Aaron Browning, Demeterus Cox, Donté Lawrence, Kenneth Worsley, Milton Cobb, Malcolm Polk, Phillip Horton, Sue Brookshire, Willie Lane and Michael Cobb. They are all active in the recently re-invigorated Minority Male Mentoring program at Beaufort County Community College. Brookshire is the staff advisor and Milton Cobb is the group leader, as well as a mentor. Worsley and Michael Cobb are also mentors for the program.

    To date, there are three trained mentors at BCCC--Cobb, Kenneth Worsley and Michael Cobb (Milton Cobb's nephew). The mentors were required to undergo eight hours of face-to-face leadership training and view a number of instructional videos. Upon completing the training, each mentor was assigned two mentees. The mentors meet with their mentees each week. The entire group meets once a month.

    Now, two months underway, the new mission of the M3 program is to enhance the life experiences of minority male students at BCCC. The program serves as a support system and resource for students with the end goal of maximizing their levels of achievement at BCCC and beyond. Planned activities for the group include: mentoring, counseling, seminars, workshops, educational tours, cultural events and service projects. Additionally, M3 participants will become involved in academic planning and career mapping to facilitate their transferring to four-year institutions.

    The goals for the group in the 2010-2011 academic year are as follows: identifying and achieving personal goals, negotiating in the academic world, improving self confidence, developing skill sets to handle and overcome obstacles, and developing character and leadership.

    The M3 members agreed to volunteer as a group for the Beaufort County Special Olympics on April 20 and met with Bishop Samuel Jones to learn about his Purpose of God program. Several more M3 programs are being planned for the current spring semester.

    The M3 coordinator and advisor is Sue Brookshire. Brookshire is the Director of Retention Services at BCCC and is hopeful that this program will become a mainstay at BCCC. Currently, students come to the program through their own desire to join or by being referred by a BCCC faculty member.

    "I am working with these young men to build a program that will encourage the mentee to become the mentor," said Brookshire. "These mentoring skills will go with our students and serve their respective communities long after they graduate. This program will also serve as a valuable retention tool once it takes root."

    For more information about the M3 program, or to volunteer time with the mentees, contact Brookshire at 252-940-6328.