University of Kansas to Expand Minority Retention Program - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

Black Issues in Higher Education, July 5, 2001

LAWRENCE, KAN.

Boasting an 85 percent retention rate, the University of Kansas is expanding its School of Business minority retention program across the entire university.

The Multicultural Business Scholars program was created to provide comprehensive mentoring and scholarship opportunities to students of color who were interested in becoming business majors. The program has succeeded in its goal of educating and graduating students who have entered the business world and become leaders in their communities.

The expanded program will grow gradually with another two to four academic units participating each year for the next three years. Support for scholarships and activities will come from private gifts. While elements of the program will vary across the participating units, all will adopt the basic format developed for the business school's program.

The format includes:

Direction by a tenured faculty member;

* Regular one-on-one meetings between the director and students;

* Monthly group meetings followed by attendance at cultural and arts events;

* Group events attended by family members, friends and donors;

* A monthly meeting of faculty directors with program's director.

Renate Mai-Dalton, associate professor of business who originated the Multicultural Business Scholars Program in 1992, will serve as overall director of the expanded effort while remaining a business faculty member. Mai-Dalton says the program has graduated 32 students since 1992, and 12 this year. Of the 12 graduating students, seven were Hispanic, four were African American and one was American Indian. She says the program has been a great success, with students going on to business programs at schools such as Harvard and Northwestern universities.

"To be able to extend this remarkable program is a tribute to Renate Mai-Dalton, and to the vision of those great friends of the university whose generosity have made this possible," says KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway, who requested that the program be expanded.