Jan. 29, 2003

Contact: Renate Mai-Dalton, Multicultural Scholars Program, (785) 864-7566.

KU's Multicultural Scholars Program expands for second time in 11 years

LAWRENCE -- The Multicultural Scholars Program at the University of Kansas, 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, will address the 60 Multicultural Scholars and their program directors during a reception at 5 p.m. today in Summerfield Hall. Following Murguia's talk, the 60 scholars and their directors will attend the KU-Nebraska women's basketball game at 7 p.m. in Allen Fieldhouse.

"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 the program in her school and now directs that program and 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," she said. "This year we also have received $70,000 for administrative costs through an allocation from the tuition increases last fall."

Funding for the HDFL Multicultural Scholars Program was provided by a gift from William and Marilyn Taylor of Overland Park to the KU Endowment Association. Gifts from Doug and Audrey Miller of London, England, continue to fund the journalism and education programs. KU Endowment provided funding for the Multicultural Scholars Africana Program.

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 each other's successes, Mai-Dalton said. This fall the Multicultural Business Scholars had a group grade-point average of 3.22.

Attending a women's basketball game is one of many group activities the program includes to foster cohesion among the scholars. In addition to one-on-one mentoring with the program directors, students in the program meet monthly to attend cultural and arts events and meet with family groups and leaders in their academic area.

Multicultural Scholar graduates are not only in the business world but several also are attending graduate programs at KU, Harvard University, the University of Michigan and Northwestern University, for example.

"KU has identified the increase of diversity as one of its important goals," Mai-Dalton said. "And the Multicultural Scholars Program assures not only the retention of students of color but also their outstanding performance while at KU. I am grateful to the chancellor and the provost for placing emphasis on expansion of the programs and to the donors for making these expansions possible."

Mai-Dalton said the program is growing gradually, and more academic units will participate as funding is located.