Program Seeks to Encourage Black Men to Finish College

Steve Coleman at the Piedmont Technical College in Greenwood, South Carolina, isn’t just a teacher.  For some, he works to be a savior who can change the trajectory of black boys everywhere by convincing them to finish college.

“The enrollment, retention and completion rates of African-American males has always been very low,” said Coleman.

Coleman knows that, nation-wide, only about a third of black men who go to college actually finish.  In many cases, financial problems, a lack of preparation or inadequate role models serves as the reason that they go home early.

“As an educator who’s in a position to do something about it, it makes me feel responsible,” said Coleman.

Coleman helped to create Project Genesis, a set of activities designed to help the black men at PTC get out with a degree in hand.  Coleman has received $2.4 million dollars to get the black men through the program by providing mentorship, counseling and leadership development.

“The simple answer is taking these students’ start dates, projecting when their completion dates would be, and sitting in the auditorium and watching them walk across the stage to get their degrees,” said Coleman.

We wish him the best in this important job.