Xavier University hosted almost 100 students from 21 states for its Magnificent Male Weekend.The event, which approximately 500 people applied for, is aimed to empower young Black men to reach their full potential.Each student selected for the program comes to New Orleans for mentorship, networking opportunities and workshops. The students must then complete monthly, virtual sessions from September through May. Everyone who does so will receive guaranteed admission to Xavier and a $5,000 scholarship.”This program allows the university to walk alongside these young men and their parents from their sophomore, junior and senior years in high school to get them ready for not only coming to Xavier but going to any college,” said Curtis Wright, vice president of Student Affairs. He added that the larger goal is to remind young Black men that they are in control of their future.”There is some data point that’s like 1 in 3 African American men will find themselves interacting with the criminal justice system,” said Wright. “We want to disrupt that school to prison pipeline.”This is the third year for the Magnificent Male Weekend but the first with a reach outside Louisiana.WDSU spoke with one attendee from Washington D.C. about his takeaways from the event.”You can do anything you want to do in life,” said Kavon Strong, 17. “Just be great at it.”
Xavier University hosted almost 100 students from 21 states for its Magnificent Male Weekend.
The event, which approximately 500 people applied for, is aimed to empower young Black men to reach their full potential.
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Each student selected for the program comes to New Orleans for mentorship, networking opportunities and workshops. The students must then complete monthly, virtual sessions from September through May. Everyone who does so will receive guaranteed admission to Xavier and a $5,000 scholarship.
“This program allows the university to walk alongside these young men and their parents from their sophomore, junior and senior years in high school to get them ready for not only coming to Xavier but going to any college,” said Curtis Wright, vice president of Student Affairs.
He added that the larger goal is to remind young Black men that they are in control of their future.
“There is some data point that’s like 1 in 3 African American men will find themselves interacting with the criminal justice system,” said Wright. “We want to disrupt that school to prison pipeline.”
This is the third year for the Magnificent Male Weekend but the first with a reach outside Louisiana.
WDSU spoke with one attendee from Washington D.C. about his takeaways from the event.
“You can do anything you want to do in life,” said Kavon Strong, 17. “Just be great at it.”
