2013-2014
Wealth, if you use it,
comes to an end;
learning, if you use it,
increases. ~ Swahili
proverb
Calendar of Events
Northern California
Regional Symposia
UC Davis
March 14, 2014 Southern California
Regional Symposia
Chaffey College
April 4, 2014 HBCU College Tours
Apply now for a
Scholarship
http://
blackcollegetours.org
For more information visit:
http://umojacommunity.org/
[1]
HISTORICALLY
BLACK COLLEGES
AND UNIVERSITIES
(HBCUs)
Partnerships
WILBERFORCE JOINS THE
UMOJA COMMUNITY
Wilberforce University in Xenia, Ohio, a Historically Black College University
United Negro College Fund member (HBCU) experience at Wilberforce, one of
institution, has officially partnered with the the oldest HBCUs.
Umoja Community of California
An Umoja scholarship will be offered
Community Colleges. This partnership is a to a student transferring to Wilberforce
win- win for both California Community University for the fall 2014 semester.
College students and for Wilberforce
University.
Wilberforce University and Fisk
University have officially joined the Umoja
Students who apply to Wilberforce, Community Pipeline Program Partnership.
will have their application fee waived and Other HBCUs that have partnered with the
will receive priority consideration for Umoja Community include, Albany State,
transfer scholarships and housing. Bennett College, Clark Atlanta University,
Wilberforce University also accepted the Dillard University, Fisk University (Umoja
C a l i f o r n i a C o m m u n i t y C o l l e g e also offers a scholarship for a Fisk transfer
Intersegmental General Education Transfer student), Hampton University, Howard
Curriculum (IGETC) to fulfill lower division University, Morehouse College, Spelman
general education requirements.
College, Johnson C. Smith and Talladega
Community college students can have College.
the opportunity to have a true the
[2]
Summer Learning Institute 2012
classes, or (2) attended at least one meeting of a positive
Nearly fifty faculty and staff representing 17 different colleges
resulted in a notation on the student's official record, or (4)
attendance class, or (3) were enrolled in at least one class that
attended the week long Umoja Community 2012 Summer
Learning Institute held in Santa Rosa.
received a service from one of the college’s categorical programs
The week’s festivities
and have a "positive" status for one or more of the data elements
included simulated activities and immersion in the 13 Umoja
included in the Special Populations data record. (MIS Webinar,
Practices—culturally responsive techniques which can be used
March 2011)
in or outside of the classroom. Participants were also treated to
The Umoja Community Governing Board worked closely with
special presentations by Dr. Shawn Ginwright, an Associate
the state Chancellor’s office to ensure that a special data element
Professor of Education in the Africana Studies Department and
was included for Umoja Community programs. The data collection
Senior Research Associate for the Cesar Chavez Institute for
which began on a trial basis in Summer 2011 became mandatory
Public Policy at San Francisco State University and Dr. Daniel
beginning with Summer 2012 data submissions.
Walker, professor of history at El Camino College and Board
webinars were scheduled for Umoja Coordinators which provided
Chair of the BLU Educational Foundation, and President/CEO of
Perfect Works.
Special
instructions on how to appropriately identify students for data
collection purposes. All Umoja Community Programs are required
The weeklong professional development experience also
steeped participants in ritual activities focused on building
to identify their program students every term.
Student Success
data reports will be generated beginning Summer 2014 which will
community and also provided participants the opportunity to
highlight the effectiveness of these special programs.
develop strategies to apply the principles and practices in their
Dr. Erainia Freeman’s Joins the Umoja
Governing Board
own Umoja programs. All participants were asked to wear white
for the culminating ceremony where board members honored
each participant for the unique gifts, talents and abilities shared
during the week and presented each with a Pempansie pendant.
Pempansie is a West African Adinkra symbol and represents
readiness, hardiness and steadfastness.
The “design of the
symbol resembles links of a chain, and implies strength through
unity as well as the importance of being prepared”
www.adinkra.org/htmls/adinkra/pemp.htm) .
(http://
SLI participants
continued their participation through a year-long experience
gaining additional knowledge through webinars, teleconferences
and campus site visits.
experience in counseling and teaching Psychology, Counseling,
and Human Services courses in the California Community College
System.
She is currently a Professor/Counselor at Long Beach
City College and the Academic Advisor of the SANKOFA Scholars
Student Organization. Dr. Freeman specializes in helping people
develop high self- esteem, as well as motivating, and inspiring
others to exceed their personal limitations, and she enjoys training
people to seek extraordinary lives, free of insecurities and
limitations.
MIS Special POPs
She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State
In Spring 2011, the California Community College Chancellor’s
office approved a new MIS data element for special populations
to include the following student groups: Veterans, Foster Youth,
MESA, Puente and Umoja.
Dr. Erainia Freeman is an educational expert with over 19 years of
The reporting domain for Special
Populations data includes all students who (1) were enrolled in at
least one class as of first census for daily or weekly census
University Long Beach, a Master’s of Art degree in the field of
Psychology from Pepperdine University, and a Doctoral degree in
Counseling Psychology from Argosy University.
Dr. Erainia Freeman has conducted extensive research on
Childhood Obesity and is committed to creating programs that can
help people develop healthier lives.
[3]
If you want to go quickly, go
alone. If you want to go far,
g o t o g e t h e r. ~ A f r i c a n
proverb
Umoja Scholarship Updates
Article written by E. Elaine Moore
Conference and the Northern California Regional.
She
Scholarships have been awarded to three Umoja Community
additionally served as a peer mentor for the Trio Program at
transfer students for the 2012 – 2013 academic year.
ARC.
Jelessa Cruz a transfer student from the Project Success
Jovon Duke will be receiving the first Umoja/UNCF
program at El Camino College will begin the University of
Partnership Scholarship to Fisk University. Jovon was an active
Nevada, Las Vegas for the fall semester. While at El Camino
student in the Project Success program at El Camino College.
College., Jelessa presented at workshops at the Umoja
He worked as a Math tutor for the EOP&S program and as a peer
Conference and attended an Umoja Regional Symposium.
mentor for the Umoja/Compton High School Initiative.
Jelessa also worked as a student ambassador and was a
participation in the Umoja High School Mentor program helped
volunteer peer mentor for students at Compton High School.
encouraged several young men to continue their education
Danielle Brickman, an alumna of the Umoja Sakhu program
beyond High School.
The Umoja Community is very proud of our transfer
at American River College (ARC), is transferring to the University
of California at Davis as a Human Resources major.
American River College,
While at
she participated in the Umoja
His
scholarships students and wish them the very best in their
academic and life pursuits.
A Project Success Love Story
There are always two sides of the same story. Usually, I
and there she was again. I always sat in the front and
am the one to disclose the details of “The
she said in the back with her best friend.
As
Washington Love Story.” This time, I decided to
time passed by, I became the Project Success
include my husband’s rendition of the story. I
math tutor and she needed my help. Slowly,
hope you enjoy the other side of the story.
we became friends and in 2005 we became
She was standing in line at McDonalds, so
husband and wife.
I decided to ask her if I could buy her a
We now have two
children named Sasha and Kaiya who are the
Mcchicken for lunch. She said the words that I did
results of Project Success.
not want to hear “I just got out of a relationship.”
Currently, Chris teaches Biology, Chemistry,
Where did that come from? I just wanted to buy her
Physics, Life Science and Computers at Pacific
lunch, and I was not asking for a relationship. The next day, I
Lutheran High School. Nikki is a counselor coordinator of
was rushing to Project Success’ Human Development 10 class
[4]
Project Success at El Camino College.
E. Elaine Moore Retires from El Camino College
El Camino College Counselor Wins Ford
Freedom Unsung Award
E. Elaine Moore, one of the founder of Project Success (an Umoja
Affiliate), retired from El Camino College after 32 years. Ms Moore
El Camino College counselor Elaine Moore was recently honored served as the coordinator of Project Success for the first twenty
by the Ford Motor Company as a winner of the annual Ford years of its existence. Her involvement continued as the
Freedom Unsung Award, celebrating individuals who have made academic and career counselor for second and third year Project
significant contributions in their communities.
Success students. She also taught Human Development classes
Awards were presented to individuals in the areas of for first year Project Success students.
community, education, military, and youth. Honorees were
She was succeeded as coordinator by, Brian Mims who
selected based on outstanding accomplishments, including served four and one half years, followed by former Project
unique and valiant acts that positively impact lives in their Success alumni Nikki Barbara and experienced counselor Ken
immediate or widespread community. Key. “I can leave Project Success knowing that it is in the hands
Moore, who recently retired after 31 years at El Camino of caring and experienced counselors and will continue to greatly
College, was selected as an honoree in the education category. Moore is one of the founders of El Camino College’s Project
impact the lives of students” Elaine Moore reports.
During her tenure at El Camino College, Elaine Moore also
Success, a program designed to increase the retention, developed Transfer Admissions Agreements with 12 Historically
persistence, academic performance, and graduation success Black Colleges and Universities. Many Project Success students
rates of inner city students transitioning to college. These goals took advantage of the agreements and are now experiencing
are achieved by promoting student-centered learning and academic success outside of California. The Transfer Agreements
assisting in the development of diverse learning communities. models have now been replicated at several California
Project Success also provides multicultural faculty, staff and peer Community Colleges.
mentoring, university and cultural heritage field trips, counseling,
“I was blessed to have had a tremendous career at El Camino
early alert mid-semester grade reports, math tutoring, student College and working with the Project Success program has been
fundraising activities and scholarships, and required cultural and a labor of love” says Mrs. Moore.
student success classes.
Elaine Moore currently serves on the Umoja Community
As faculty coordinator and counselor, Moore has provided board which provides guidance, training and support to the 30
exemplary leadership to Project Success for 26 years and her programs state wide that are similar to Project Success.
work has resulted in the development of a state model for other
educational institutions’ multicultural support programs.
A campus and community leader, Moore developed a transfer
agreement program in 2010 that simplifies the admissions
process for ECC students seeking transfer to Historically Black
Colleges and Universities. The program is modeled after the
agreements between El Camino College and the University of
California and California State University systems. These
agreements have assisted thousands of ECC students transfer
successfully to universities within the state.
The HBCU transfer agreements specify the number of
transfer units and specific grade point averages required for
admission. Some of the institutions also offer priority
consideration for housing and transfer scholarships, in addition to
waiving application fees.
Moore has also served on numerous committees in support
of education and student success. Among her other awards and
accolades, Moore is the 2010 recipient of the prestigious John W.
Rice Diversity Award by the California Community Colleges Board
of Governors.
[5]