By Tashawn Gray

The Male Resource Center (MRC) was established at Queensborough in the Spring 2023 semester at QCC, with Jamal Biggs serving as the founder and current director. Dedicated to increasing the retention and graduation rates of male students, its particular focus ison self-identified Black and Latino males who are disproportionately impacted by opportunity barriers along their academic journey. The center aims to promote a positive image of masculinity and gender equality by encouraging members to be themselves.

Jamal was inspired to start this program because during his undergraduate experience he felt how important it was to have support from the campus. He didn’t receive it initially and when he did, his questions weren’t answered and, in fact, he was given the wrong information. That drove him to want to make sure that students like him would have a better pathway moving forward.

The center builds on initiatives such as the Black Male Initiative (BMI) program, which now falls under the MRC’s umbrella. The creation of the MRC stemmed from a QCC climate survey, conducted in collaboration with University of Southern California, which highlighted that Black and Latino males were graduating and being retained at much lower rates than other student groups. A deeper analysis of the survey responses revealed that many students felt a lack of belonging and did not perceive the college as having a safe space for them.

Located in the upper level of the QCC student union building, the MRC contributes by having a physical space on campus where all students are welcomed. Students have access to music, streaming services, workshops, and events that promote both gender and inclusiveness on campus. The MRC also collaborates with all student clubs, and student support offices on campus.

The MRC works hard to disprove society’s perception of masculinity and provides male students with the knowledge to know that they aren’t alone in wanting to ask for help. The MRC provides a space to eliminate stereotypes, false societal expectations and perceptions and to create a real narrative of what a Black male is– that there is no one thing that defines a Black male student.  

THE MRC’S IMPACT ON QCC STUDENTS

The Male Resource Center has demonstrated a significant positive impact on student persistence and retention, particularly among Black and Hispanic male students. In the Fall 2023 full-time freshmen who were part of the MRC yielded a persistence rate of 54%. The persistence rate for Black male students in the MRC was 50% while the persistence rate for Hispanic male students was an impressive 78.94%.These numbers stand in stark contrast to the persistence rates of non-MRC first-time, full-time freshman students in the same cohort. Among the Black male students in this group, 46.59% persisted, while 52.54% of Hispanic men persisted. The MRC cohort’s persistence rates were consistently higher, with the most substantial improvement seen in the Hispanic male group. The numbers for Black males in the MRC are particularly influenced by the intentional recruitment of Black male students in Fall 2023 and  Spring 2024 from a cohort of students flagged for probationary status. 

Jamal explained that students were already facing academic challenges, which impacts metrics such as GPA, persistence, and retention rates. Despite these obstacles, the MRC’s tailored support has proven effective, as shown by the persistence and retention rates being higher than their non-MRC peers. Additionally, the Fall-to-Spring persistence rate for MRC students enrolled in Fall 2024 is an impressive 87.6%. The one-year retention rate for non-MRC Black and Hispanic males who enrolled in Fall 2023 is 61.2%, while the retention rate for MRC Black and Hispanic males is higher, at 66.7%. This further highlights the positive influence of the MRC on student success, particularly in supporting students facing additional challenges such as probationary status. 

Also, as part of the MRC’s intentional recruitment practices, the numbers for Black males in the MRC are particularly influenced by students who have taken a break during their college journey. These students may have started college late after taking a break after receiving their diploma/GED or taken a break after attending school due to a family emergency, financial issue, or mental health issue. One of the biggest challenges in supporting students is financial resources for covering past due tuition balances. Some of the MRC members work to pay for college or may not currently be eligible for financial aid and incur a balance that they can’t pay now which causes them to stop out the following semester. 

The MRC has begun working with a Financial Specialist in the Bursar office to identify students earlier and work with them to provide financial resources to ensure that they can return to QCC the following semester. The MRC provides academic coaching through partnerships it has developed with campus-based tutoring, advice and career services. Career Services also has assigned a specialist who offers office hours in the MRC once a month to provide 1:1 support on job exploration, resume building, mock interviews and internship opportunities. The MRC also has liaisons with Financial Services, and Financial Aid to provide support to students when needed. The Center organizes Mental Health workshops for its members in collaboration with QCC’s Counseling Center as well as partner with College Discovery for a recurring workshop titled Mastering Emotions Now (M.E.N.) that works to help men fight back against the different stereotypes and roles that men are expected to have in society. Also helps men understand their emotions and how to express them in a healthy manner.

MRC PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

The MRC offers a range of support services specifically designed to help male students succeed in their academic journey and more. These services include events like barbershop day where students receive free haircuts, and professional headshot day, where they can get free professional photos for LinkedIn or Handshake to enhance their career. Additionally the MRC hosts financial literacy workshops to help students manage budgeting, savings, and understanding debt and credit..  Upcoming events include:

Financial Wellness: Understanding Credit, April 21,12-1pm : RSVP

Mastering Emotions Now (MEN) Apr. 23 12-1pm

Beyond the Mask: Balancing Professional Growth and Cultural Identity: Find Success without Losing Yourself in the Process, April 29, 1-3

Financial Wellness: Identity Theft Solutions, May 5, 12-1pm, RSVP here