Residence Life has created two social support groups for historically underrepresented students living on campus.
With a financial boost from a $25,000 college completion grant, the Department of Residence Life at Texas A&M University has created two programs to help Hispanic and African-American students living on campus feel more comfortable and confident in their college experiences.
About 3,000 Hispanic and 500 African-American students live on campus, and many are the first in their families to attend college.
The Department of Residence Life, part of the Division of Student Affairs, used the grant to create Aggie Familia and AFAM. During activities scheduled every three weeks, student and staff mentors interact with students to answer questions about the challenges they may be facing.
“The idea is to create new Aggie families,” said Carol Binzer, director of administrative and support services in the Department of Residence Life. “We are creating networks in which students feel safe enough to ask some challenging questions instead of toughing it out on their own.”
During the fall 2017 semester, 242 students participated in at least one of the programs and 26 student-mentor pairs were created. Just over 59 percent of those students returned for one or more programs.
Mentors include other students, faculty and staff members who had similar experiences at Texas A&M. Tiana Okonkwo ’90, visitors and tours coordinator for Texas A&M University Libraries, is an AFAM mentor who has a daughter studying at Mays Business School. Okonkwo knows what many underrepresented students are going through at Texas A&M, since she was one herself. She attended the first AFAM gathering last year.
“The ice-breaker activities, for example, really helped me connect with a student because she had a specific question.” Okonkwo said. “I was able to follow up on her question through email, which gave me another chance to get to know her, and we’ve stayed in touch since then.”
Okonkwo went the extra mile to find the student’s email, answer her question, and create a lasting and mutually beneficial connection. All the Aggie Familia and AFAM mentors show the same Aggie value of selfless service.
In total, 27 events have been hosted with 973 students attending.
If you are a student, staff or faculty member interested in getting involved with Aggie Familia or AFAM, contact Carol Binzer at carolb@tamu.edu for more information.
Related Res Life Events for Spring 2018
Know and Use your Learning Style
March 7, 6–7 p.m., Hullabaloo Hall 117A
Family Weekend Reception
April 13, 6:30–8 p.m., University Club (11th Floor Rudder Tower)
End-of-the-Year Celebration
April 25, 6–7:30 p.m., White Creek Community Center Multipurpose Room
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Media Contact: Carol Binzer at 979-862-3158 or carolb@tamu.edu; or Elena Watts at 979-458-8412 or elenaw@tamu.edu
