Media Contact
Kenya King
Director
Public Relations and Marketing Communications
Perimeter College
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DECATUR, Ga.--Rique Denson experienced success as a semi-pro basketball player just after graduating high school in 2010. Yet, when he enrolled at Georgia State University’s Perimeter College a few years later, the affable 6’3 father realized that he’d need a winning strategy for the classroom, too.
It wasn’t long before Denson learned about Perimeter’s Black Male Student Mentoring initiative, a program designed to help improve math success and pass rates for African American male students.
“Oh my gosh, man, I'm learning so much from these guys, these outstanding professors … and I’m just so appreciative for the mentorship,” Denson said about getting involved with the initiative after struggling in a statistics course.
“Innovative Mentoring Plus Academic Success Coaching Transforms to Success,” or IMPACTS, is the official name for the program. It’s part of a $3 million U.S. Department of Education grant that connects Black male faculty as mentors to African American male students enrolled in introductory mathematics courses at the college.
In addition to mentoring, the program includes academic advising and the development of life skills. Dr. John King, principal investigator for the DOE grant, as well as mathematics professor and department chair for mathematics, computer science and engineering at Perimeter, emphasizes that the program is focused on mentoring, not tutoring.
“Research shows that improving students’ non-cognitive skills, such as goal setting, time management, stress management, work-life balance, cultural awareness and growth mindset can positively impact a student’s academic performance,” King said.
“These mentors can have a significant effect, not only on their mentees’ academic performance but also their personal lives and families.”
Dr. Jessie Adolph, assistant professor of English and Africana Studies at Perimeter, is a program mentor. In July, he along with other mentors and community partners, including Fathers Matter ATL and DadCypher: Remixing the Dad Narrative, presented a Reimagining Fatherhood resource and education fair for dads and their sons on Perimeter’s Decatur Campus. The event focused on helping young college fathers and other Black males navigate the complexities of life’s challenges and opportunities.
“What Black Male Student Mentoring stands for is beyond just the skills we’re learning in school,” Adolph said. “It’s about the holistic approach, like how do we get emotional intelligence and spirituality and how do we help these young men to learn from oftentimes our negative experiences.”
Denson has participated in multiple mentoring initiative activities, including serving as a panelist alongside Perimeter College professors. He attended the Reimagining Fatherhood event with his 11-year-old son Isaiah who he calls the biggest inspiration for him wanting to complete college.
Denson is on track to graduate in May with an associate degree in business administration, making him the first in his family to earn a college degree. He hopes to expand his photography business and, possibly, the work he’s doing in education for a local school district.
Denson credits the Black Male Student Mentoring initiative with helping push him to success.
“The Black men’s mentoring group has done more for me throughout my college trajectory than I could ever ask for,” he said.
Story by Kysa Anderson Daniels
Photo by Bill Roa