University of Illinois Looks to Boost Black Student Retention Rates

Blacks make up 6.6 percent of the 31,000-member undergraduate student body at the University of Illinois. But the black student graduation rate of 65 percent is 21 percentage points below the rate for white students.

The University of Illinois has begun a new program designed to boost retention and graduation rates among African-American freshmen. The program, entitled 100 Strong, attempts to get black students more involved with activities on campus. The program provides mentors to guide black students through the maze of extracurricular activities available on campus.

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