Call Me MISTER Program Expanding to Mississippi

The Call Me MISTER (Mentors Instructing Students Toward Effective Role Models) program originated at Clemson University in South Carolina in 2000 with the goal of placing more male teachers from diverse backgrounds into the nation’s classrooms. The program has expanded to 14 colleges and universities in South Carolina and has contributed to a 40 percent increase in the number of Black male teachers in South Carolina public schools.

Roy Jones is the founder and executive director of the Call Me MISTER program at Clemson University. He has been named one of the “Most Creative Teachers in the South” by Oxford American magazine.

Dr. Jones is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He holds a master’s degree in educational psychology from Atlanta University and a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Georgia.

In recent years, the Clemson program has also expanded to colleges and universities in Florida, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Missouri, and Georgia. Now, funded by a $200,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the program will be expanded into the state of Mississippi. The Call Me MISTER effort in Mississippi will be located at Jackson State University.

Less than half of young Black males graduate from high school in Mississippi and only 5 percent of the state’s K-12 teachers are Black men.

Here is a video which discusses the Call Me MISTER program:

Related Articles

2 COMMENTS

  1. I congratulate Dr. Roy Jones for his innovative and effective program to increase the proportion of black males in the classroom.

    Call Me Mister Program, in my view ranks alongside, The Voter Registration Act, Affirmative Action policy and programs, the election of President Barack Obama, as the single most powerful program to affect the life chances of not only black young males, but more importantly, the number of black students, whose minds and lives they have, and will impact for good in the years to come.

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

California State University Sacramento Launches Black Honors College

Officially launching for the fall 2024 semester, the Black Honors College will support students from all backgrounds who study Black history, life, and culture by providing them with a specialized curriculum and mentoring opportunities.

Higher Education Gifts or Grants of Interest to African Americans

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

In Memoriam: Norman B. Anderson, 1955-2024

Dr. Anderson was the assistant vice president for research and academic affairs at Florida State University at the time of his death. He had an extensive career in clinical psychology, which led him to become the first African American chief executive officer of the American Psychological Association.

Georgia State University Launches Program to Support Black Women in Tech

While Black women account for roughly 29 percent of the Georgia State University undergradaute student body, they represent only 10 percent of the university's computer science majors and 18 percent of the computer information systems majors.

Featured Jobs