TOLEDO EXCEL: Annual Conference for Aspiring Minority Youth
The
20th Annual Conference for Aspiring Minority Youth, January 2004,
highlighted the overall success of the conference and the TOLEDO EXCEL
Program. Initially, impetus for university-community cooperation arose
from a variety of concerns focused on improving educational opportunities
for aspiring minority youth. It was clear in the early ’80s that Black
students were underrepresented in local universities. Although one study
reported that 75 percent of Black high school graduates aspired to
post-secondary education, actual admission and retention fell far below
that level. Something needed to be done to prevent this loss of talent.
Stimulated by encouragement from various community groups as early as
1983, the First Annual Conference for Aspiring Minority Youth was held on
January 19, 1985. Initiative for this event derived from the leadership of
Helen C. Cooks at The University of Toledo, Edrene B. Cole of Alpha Kappa
Alpha Sorority, Inc., and the Toledo Public Schools. Mrs. Cole was able to
enlist the cooperation of Toledo Public Schools and ten community groups
to supplement funds generated by Dr. Cooks within the University. The
conference quickly established itself as an important event. The first
conference attracted 210 students and parents, as well as Toledo school
and University participants. By the fourth conference in 1988, attendance
had grown to 1,647.
The planning group for the first conference formally became the
University’s Joint Committee on April 29, 1985. Totaling 38 persons, it
included the University Vice Presidents and Deans, public and parochial
school administrators and other interested persons from various community
groups. Because of the success of the conference, it appeared that the
University would need to create some specific follow-up programs to
attract the students who attended the event. In September 1987, with
support from the Joint Committee, Dr. Cooks wrote the first EXCEL draft
proposal and Dr. Jon Patton assisted in preparing the final proposal. Dr.
William Free and Dr. Lancelot Thompson delivered it to University of
Toledo President James McComas. However, before the first group of EXCEL
students was selected in Summer 1989, other matters needed attention. Dr.
McComas was interested in showing the University’s commitment to Toledo’s
minority community.
At a critical meeting of the Joint Committee on January 14, 1988,
President McComas reiterated his support for university-community
cooperation. He endorsed the EXCEL concept, and allocated $50,000 to begin
the PREP program at Old West End and Robinson Junior High Schools, using
University students as tutors. The College of Education staffed that
program as well as the SHAPE program at Scott High School. Also at that
meeting, supportive statements for EXCEL came from Dr. William Free, then
Vice President for Academic Affairs at The University of Toledo and Dr.
Lancelot Thompson, then Vice President for Student Affairs at The
University of Toledo, Mr. Crystal Ellis (TPS Superintendent), Mr. Rick
Sullivan (Toledo Diocese), and from the community, Mrs. Cole and Mrs. Lola
Glover, Director of Toledo’s Coalition for Quality Education.
After Dr. Frank Horton became President of The University of Toledo in
January 1989, one of his first meetings was with a sub-committee of the
Joint Committee. Dr. Horton pledged his support for EXCEL, agreeing that
50 ninth grade minority students would be accepted annually into the
program, which would be administered with EXCEL activities and classes
conducted mainly on the University campus. Upon completion of high school,
students meeting EXCEL criteria are eligible to receive academic
scholarships to The University of Toledo. This year’s recruitment process
determined students for TOLEDO EXCEL Group XVIII.
