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community. The faculty director should have experience working with Black males, and
if a research faculty member, the research agenda should focus on the LLC as well as the
Black male experience in education. A communication strategy should be implemented
not only with the university spokesperson but also with senior administrators. Communicating
the same (strengths-based) narrative and having all stakeholders be informed
about the creation of a Black male LLC disrupts any negative or faulty information that
can reflect on Black males or the institution.
Practice
Making an early arrival program (EAP) part of Black male LLCs can increase the chances
of these students succeeding in college. At The Ohio State University, Black men arrive
on campus a few days early, and the Todd Anthony Bell National Resource Center on
the African American Male offers programming that helps them make the transition
and learn about the various campus resources that can contribute to their academic
achievement and social adjustment (The Ohio State University Office of Diversity and
Inclusion, 2021). An early arrival program can make Black males aware of departments
such as the Office of Financial Aid and can help them develop social capital by meeting
campus stakeholders like Black male professors who can serve as mentors. Black male
LLCs should also offer a first-year experience course that acclimates these students to
campus. This course should incorporate guest speakers from different units across
campus that first- and second-year Black males would interact with, such as individuals
from the career center, academic advisors, and directors from writing and math tutorial
centers. Additionally, faculty and senior administrators should be incorporated into
the learning community so that Black males can develop relationships that may lead to
research and leadership opportunities.
Success coaching, career development, and internship opportunities must be a
mainstay in this community. The focus is to ensure that students are in a major that
leads to a career and that they receive enough encouragement to persist if they run
into academic, financial, and social obstacles. Success coaches also serve as resources
to help Black males map out their curricular plans, seek out assistance on campus,
and be motivated to continue on the path to successfully graduating. In addition, Black
male LLCs should include a study abroad component that is culturally relevant as well
as activities connected to Black culture in history.
Higher education institutions need to prioritize the mental health of Black males
when developing an LLC. Black males experience racism, trauma, accusations of acting
White, and other challenging adjustment issues. Mental health counselors can teach
them techniques of self-care as well as informing them of the many resources that the
counseling center offers; if possible, colleges and universities could designate a mental
We need evaluations of LLC programs that employ both quantitative causal
and qualitative methods to explore what components of the program
are working for the participants and why.
Volume 49, No. 2 * 2023 77

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