Monroe College Hosts 8th Annual Male Empowerment Event to Inspire Local High School Seniors to Pursue their Academic and Personal Goals
Bronx, NY (PRWEB) May 04, 2017 -- Monroe College, a national leader in educating urban and international students, today held its 8th annual “Male Empowerment Event” to inspire seniors from local high schools to develop the confidence, courage, and conviction to pursue their academic, personal, and professional dreams.
The College began this annual workshop eight years ago to help combat a deep-rooted problem within American higher education -- the weak enrollment and even weaker program completion rates for urban minority men, specifically African-Americans and Latinos. Programming is designed to encourage students to reject unhealthy social pressures, continue their education, and lead positive, productive lives.
Approximately 200 minority students from local high schools in the Bronx attended this year’s event. Its theme -- “Tying into Manhood” – was chosen to reflect the journey the participants have started as they prepare to graduate high school and transition into adulthood. Keynote remarks from Sherman A. Browne, a recognized advocate for improving academic, personal, professional and social outcomes for young men of color, and Dean Meminger, a respected journalist with NY1, emphasized the importance of academic excellence, personal accountability, character, and community service.
Small group mentoring provided by approximately 30 accomplished male role models followed the guest speakers’ stirring remarks. Monroe College faculty and staff, as well as judges, lawyers, doctors, members of law enforcement, bankers, and entrepreneurs served as the mentors. They spoke with students about their personal challenges and career opportunities, and encouraged them to similarly open up about their goals and plans to achieve them.
The event concluded with a Tie Ceremony, during which the mentors presented each of the students with a blue and gold tie and taught them how to properly tie it. As part of this tradition, the young men, their mentors, and other men involved in the program then pledged their commitment to lead by example in their communities.
Monroe College’s 8th Annual Male Empowerment Event was held in King Hall’s Mintz Auditorium on the College’s Bronx campus. A similar event for young high school women was held in late March.
ABOUT MONROE COLLEGE
Founded in 1933, New York-based Monroe College is a nationally ranked private institution of higher learning with a student-centric learning approach that prioritizes hands-on academic experiences, practical and relevant academic programs, flexible learning schedules, best-in-class instructional technologies, and committed and engaged faculty to ensure that students are well positioned for career success upon graduation. Monroe is among the leading higher education institutions in the country for graduating minority students.
Monroe College offers Certificate, Associate, Bachelor's, and Master's degree programs. It has campuses in the Bronx, New Rochelle, as well as in the Caribbean nation of St. Lucia, with programs offered through its Schools of Criminal Justice, Information Technology, Nursing, Education, Business & Accounting, Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts, and Allied Health, as well as through its liberal arts and continuing education programs, and its King Graduate School. For more information and admissions criteria, please visit http://www.monroecollege.edu.
Jacqueline Ruegger, Monroe College, Public Affairs, +1 914-740-6455, [email protected]
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