Greensboro College Earns Grant to Create iBelong Male Mentorship Program on Campus

In partnership with the North Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities (NCICU), Greensboro College was awarded a grant from the NCICU to bring its iBelong Male Mentoring Program to campus.

NCICU’s iBelong Male Mentoring Program provides funding to implement strategies designed to increase the persistence, retention, and graduation rates of minority male students on campus through programmatic efforts to mentor, coach, and make forums available for its students to explore various career opportunities.

In total, there are 12 campus participants across the state of North Carolina in the iBelong Male Mentoring Program.

iBelong is directed by the students in the program, along with support from the Office of Retention, led by Warche Downing, Senior Director of Student Retention and Engagement.

“I am grateful for the NCICU iBelong Male Mentorship Grant along with the support of colleagues at Greensboro College that work alongside this important and unique effort,” said Downing. “Mentorship, such as the Greensboro College Lion Walkers Program, our unique name for the grant that was given to us [in part inspired by the GC Athletic mascot, The Pride], allows students the opportunity to enhance their leadership skills, gain career exposure, refine professional etiquette, gain financial literacy, build a supportive community, and much more.”

“Mentorship is a game changer; it causes all to benefit and moves the needle on holistic success.”

 iBelong will provide engaging measures to retain male students of color while exposing them to different major options, mentorship, career exploration, cultural identity, and more. Plans for the program include providing materials and supplies, academic workshops, and networking opportunities.

“The iBelong Male Mentoring initiative provides the space for young men on GC’s campus to be more engaged and involved,” said Alexis Moore, Student Success Coordinator and member of the iBelong mentor committee. “It has been rewarding to witness the members feel a stronger sense of mattering to the GC community because they are surrounded by like-minded peers with a common purpose. I look forward to seeing how the organization will grow in the years to come.”

So far, the iBelong Program has had several activities, including meeting with a representative of the Greensboro Swarm to discuss career pathways on the administrative side of the NBA G-League Team, as well as the sports and entertainment industry. To help alleviate the burden of classwork without a laptop, iBelong students have also been able to be issued laptops.

The formal induction ceremony of iBelong, where Marcel Anderson, Project Director of the iBelong Male Mentoring Program, was the keynote speaker, was held in January 2023.

“It has been a fantastic opportunity to extend to our students who have taken the initiative and made this opportunity one of their own,” said John Felton, Director of Residence Life and iBelong mentor committee member. “Naming themselves the Lion Walkers and taking charge of the principles, I know that what has started will have a lasting impact on the students, campus, and future Lion Walkers who choose to walk this path of success.”

Greensboro College provides a liberal arts education grounded in the traditions of the United Methodist Church and fosters the intellectual, social, and, spiritual development of all students while supporting their individual needs. Founded in 1838 and located in downtown Greensboro, the college enrolls about 1,000 students from 29 states and territories, the District of Columbia, and seven foreign countries in its undergraduate liberal arts program and six master’s degree programs. In addition to rigorous academics and a well-supported Honors program, the school features a 17-sport NCAA Division III athletic program and dozens of service and recreational opportunities. Learn more at greensboro.edu.

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