ILEA Equity Plan | Elgin Community College (ECC)

A highlight of the program is being inducted as a scholar after meeting the requirements. A
ceremony is held at the end of each semester and members earn their cardigan sweaters,
which are coveted and worn with pride. Once a scholar, students are paired with a mentor to
prepare to transition outside of ECC. An emphasis is placed on building a personal brand (how
one speaks and how one treats people) so they can enter the next stage of their education or
career with the necessary skills to navigate life’s challenges as well rounded individuals poised
for success.
National research shows that males of color who start college as a freshman are less likely than
either sex of any race or ethnicity to complete their degree. At ECC, we found this to be
consistent. Our Black/African American males had the greatest gap. Whether being compared
to female Black/African American students or being compared to other men of color (Latinx),
Black/African American male students’ completion rates are disproportionately lower and have
not improve over time as we have seen with other student subgroups. We learned from
student focus groups conducted at ECC in 2018 that male students of color sometimes feel they
are targets of microaggression in the form of stereotypes based on pejorative perceptions
(Solórzano et al., 2000). With the TRIUMPH mentoring program we believe we will be able to
reach and engage these students to close the gap on completion. Mentoring is a way to give
individual attention and connection with each student.
TRIUMPH is a new strategy for the college and was first implemented in Fall 2019. During this
planning semester, there are already 13 students in the program. Recruiting efforts are
continuing. By the second year, participation is expected to be 100 men of color.
The TRIUMPH program is connected to other institutional efforts and supports ECC’s strategies
in our 2018-2022 Strategic Plan. See Table 9 for specific strategies that are aligned.
The Success Indicators used to demonstrate this strategy is having an impact are:
• Student completion of course and programs
• Student progression through coursework
• Student job attainment
• Transfer to subsequent educational institutions
• Student engagement and satisfaction with college programs and services
• Student mastery of learning outcomes
• Enrollment of identified target populations
• Degree of fit between students’ goals, skills, and experiences and college programs and
services
• Preparedness of graduates for transfer and/or employment
• Employer and community satisfaction with college programs, services and graduates
Peer to Peer Mentoring Program
The Peer Mentoring Program is intended for both female and male African American students
and runs for the entire academic year. Student participants serve as both the coaches
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ILEA Equity Plan
Institutional Strategies