Men of Color Initiative
Overview
The Men of Color (MOC) Initiative seeks to support first-generation and/or low-income, male students of color in their academic endeavors at DePaul University.
The MOC Initiative strives to do the following:
- Support and challenge men of color to achieve academic;
- Encourage and support men of color in engaging in the DePaul Student Experience;
- Promote involvement and inclusion in leadership activities;
- Promote intergenerational mentoring; and
- Promote community service and engagement.
The MOC Initiative is divided into four separate components designed to best serve students depending on where they are in their DePaul Experience.
- The MOC Recruitment phase;
- The MOC 1st-year Program for Academic Retention and Transition (1st-PART);
- The MOC Upperclassman Experience; and
- The MOC Beyond DePaul Component
MOC Recruitment
(there will be a video link in this section. I am still working on this part, but if we can put "under construction" in this section, we will update it as soon as possible.)
MOC 1st-year Program for Academic Retention and Transition (1st-PART)
The MOC 1st-year Program for Academic Retention and Transition (1st-PART) was developed as a way to specifically target first-year students at DePaul University. As first-year students, there are three ways to get involved in MOC’s 1st- PART, including:
- The Peer Mentoring component;
- The MOC Academy; and
- Through an optional Discover Chicago course entitled Being a Man of Color: Exploring Race, Gender and Masculinity in Chicago.
Peer Mentoring
All incoming first-generation, male students of color are invited to participate in the Peer Mentoring component of the MOC Initiative. Through this component, first-year students are paired with a paid MOC Peer Mentor to assist in their transition to DePaul. Participation in the Peer Mentoring program is not required, but we believe that if a student chooses to become an active mentee in the program, he will learn how to be successful at DePaul in his first year.
MOC Academy
The MOC Academy is a weekly, seminar style meeting designed to give first-year students the skills and information necessary to be successful at DePaul. Topics range from registering for classes to studying for finals to using the university library. The MOC Academy meets every Friday throughout the Academic Year from 1-2:30pm. Locations vary between the Lincoln Park Campus and the Loop Campus.
"Being a Man of Color: Exploring Race, Gender and Masculinity in Chicago"
The last way a student can become involved in the Men of Color Initiative is through an optional Discover Chicago course entitled "Being a Man of Color: Exploring Race, Gender and Masculinity in Chicago".
The MOC Upperclassman Experience (UCE)
The MOC Upperclassman Experience (UCE) focuses on providing male upperclassmen of color with opportunities for life-skills attainment, intergenerational mentoring, graduate and career preparation and civic and community engagement. Through monthly meetings, volunteer opportunities and workshop presentations, the MOC engages upperclassmen as they move towards graduation.
Participants in the UCE are strongly encouraged to utilize the services offered by the University and the Office of Multicultural Student Success. For example, all sophomore students given the opportunity to enroll in the PATHS Sophomore Success program, which is a life discernment program designed to help students decide on their path (either career or graduate/ professional school) after graduation.
The MOC Beyond DePaul Component
Why are you here? The answer to that question should be to graduate. Ultimately students attend DePaul to obtain a college degree. Through the Beyond DePaul component of the MOC Initiative, we provide students with the opportunity to reflect on their lives after college. As participants get closer to graduation, we connect them with DePaul alum in their respective fields. We also encourage them to give back to the DePaul University and the MOC Initiative by becoming active alumni.
Are you close to graduation and want to get connected to someone in your field?
Are you a DePaul alum and looking to become involved with the MOC Initiative?
If so, contact Eric Mata at 773.325.7325 or via email at emata3@depaul.edu
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