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“I’m here on behalf of our college so we that we can begin to identify the key factors that will help us in reaching (minority students). The missing factor right now is minority men. Why is that important to me as a trustee? Because when you look at graduation rates, only 3 percent of minority men graduate. We want to get where they are and create ways to bring them back to community college,” commented Robin Smith, chairperson of the board of trustees at Michigan’s Lansing Community College at the annual convention of the American Association of Community Colleges in Philadelphia recently. LCC is a public two-year college initially established to fulfill the growing demand for specialized and technical education opportunities for the state’s workforce.

“We have a very good (student) retention rate, especially as it relates to health care services. We’ve had to expand our programs so that we can add accelerated programs. (The college) has one of the highest success rates, not only in terms of students graduating, but also being able to pass those credential exams that are required,” explains Smith. “Lansing is a very diverse community — we’re working on programs to reach the K-12 [students]. We have a program for students to come to, so that we aren’t a school of last choice, we are a school of first choice.”

Smith, who received her bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University, a four-year institution adds, “I took my math classes in the summer from junior colleges because you have small classes and great instruction, and a more personal experience. I think that’s very attractive to students. Many students don’t want to go to a school where they are just a number.” -roz edward

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