Multicultural Scholars Program expands, adds two new units

Janet Murguia, executive vice chancellor for university relations, speaks to members of the Multicultural Scholars Program and their program directors during a reception last month in Summerfield Hall. The program recently expanded, adding two new academic units and bringing the total number of scholars to 60. R. Steve Dick/University Relations

The Multicultural Scholars Program, recognized as one of the most successful retention programs for students of color in the nation, is expanding this spring to add two academic units, bringing the total number of scholars to 60.

Expansion of the program, which originated in 1992 in the KU School of Business, correlates to a 12 percent increase in minority enrollment at KU in fall 2002. A total of 2,606 minority students enrolled in fall 2002, compared with 2,326 the previous year. KU’s total enrollment is 28,849.

Originally established to provide comprehensive mentoring and scholarship support to students of color interested in earning a bachelor’s degree in business, the program first expanded in 2001 to KU’s education and journalism schools. It now includes minority students in the departments of human development and family life and of African and African-American studies.

Janet Murguia, KU executive vice chancellor for university relations, addressed the 60 scholars and their program directors during a reception Jan. 29 in Summerfield Hall. Following Murguia’s talk, the scholars and their directors attended the KU-Nebraska women’s basketball game.

“This year our increase in minority enrollment is due in part to the success we have had with the Multicultural Scholars Program,” Murguia said. “We are especially grateful to the donors who have supported this program and those whose recent gifts will make it possible to expand the program a second time.”

In the past 11 years, the program has had an undergraduate retention rate of 85 percent and has seen 50 students earn bachelor’s degrees, said Renate Mai-Dalton, KU associate professor of business who founded and now directs the Multicultural Scholars Program for KU. The 50 graduates include three from the School of Journalism’s Multicultural Scholars Program.

“We have expanded as money has been available from donors,” Mai-Dalton said. “This year we also have received $70,000 for administrative costs through an allocation from the tuition increases last fall.”

Mai-Dalton structured the program to give students of color at KU the resources to easily access other students, faculty and staff for help and support.

The students are highly motivated by one another’s success, Mai-Dalton said. This fall the Multicultural Business Scholars had a grade-point average of 3.22.