The day George Floyd died — May 25, 2020 — became a pivotal moment. The viral video that captured his death by police officers sparked widespread outrage at police brutality and sounded an alarm to issues of social injustice and systemic racism. Kalonji Saterfield and AC Campbell, both professors at Santa Ana College (SAC), saw a need to address these issues, specifically the educational disparity impacting the African American student population.
To take action, and with the assistance of a team of SAC faculty, staff and administrators, they initiated the U2 Scholars Program. A program aimed at providing resources, services and a supportive community for the personal, professional and academic success of SAC's Black and African American students. Support services include specialized counseling appointments, campus tours, personal and professional workshops, events pertinent to the Black experience, financial assistance, and access to the U2 Scholars Center.
Professor Kalonji Saterfield, Student Kosi Nwambuowor, Student Sonia Carnal and Professor Alondo Campbell
“We love what we do, and we love educating all people, but one of the continual areas of frustration for us is that we don't often get to help students who look like us," said Saterfield, associate professor of communication studies and co-coordinator of the U2 Scholars Program. “And when we looked at the data as far as student success rates of Black and African American students at Santa Ana College, it's always been low and it's never progressed or gotten any better. So, we decided to try and see what we could do to change that."
At Santa Ana College, in 2018–19, 48% of the student population was Hispanic/Latino; 18% White/Caucasian; 8% Asian; and 2% Black/African American, one of the smallest ethnic groups represented. The average success rate for course outcomes for Black/African American students was 63.3%, the lowest average among all ethnic groups represented at SAC. Santa Ana College is just one institution among many in higher education that continues to see low enrollment, low retention and lower student success rates among Black and African American students.
To address these issues, professors Saterfield and Campbell started the U2 Scholars Program in early 2021, which is now officially affiliated with the statewide program known as Umoja, a California statewide program that is targeted to the development of African American students attending community colleges. Umoja, which is a Kiswahili word meaning “unity," is a community and critical source dedicated to enhancing the cultural and educational experiences of African American and other students.
“More than just being professors, we're in fields where we are involved with human beings," said AC Campbell, sociology professor and program co-coordinator. “We could see people who are struggling. We could see groups who are struggling, so the humanitarian part of us — that will to serve the community and to serve the underserved is already in us — and not being able to see that in the spaces that we're in, bothered me. And it bothered me to the point where I had to do something."
Professor Kalonji Saterfield, Research Analyst Paula Kincaid,
and Professor Ernie Bridges
Since the program's start, nearly 30 students have become members. There's also a U2 Scholars Center, a physical space for students, staff and faculty to gather, as well as a core team made up of Black and African American staff, faculty and administrators.
“When students see all these faces that look like them — in prominent roles — they're like, 'I had no idea this many Black folks were at Santa Ana College,'" Saterfield said. The core team meets once a month and serves as a think tank for the program, offering support to the coordinators and serving as a resource for students.
Both professors want to see improvements on several fronts among SAC's Black and African American students, including increased recruitment, greater enrollment, higher rates of course and degree completion, and more successful transfers. More than anything, they said, this is what they want to hear — that Santa Ana College creates a sense of community for Black students.
“We are here to help, and we would appreciate any support that the community can give us," Campbell said.
Click here for more information on the U2 Scholars Program.
