Andre Brown

Retaining students of color through graduation got major emphasis from the second finalist for the position of Office of Multicultural Affairs director at Kansas University.

Especially for underprepared or first-generation college students, retention efforts need to start before students even get to campus, Andre Brown told about 50 people gathered to hear his talk Tuesday at the Kansas Union. Brown currently is program director of TRiO Student Support Services at Arizona State University.

“We are all the sum of our experiences — that’s who I am,” Brown said.

Brown, who was born in Philadelphia and grew up in Grandview, Mo., said he was a first-generation college student from a low-income family. He said he went to college underprepared but found support that helped him succeed.

Brown received his bachelor’s degree in finance and master’s degree in college student personnel administration from the University of Central Missouri, and his doctorate in educational leadership and policy from the University of Missouri.

“My philosophy as an educator is to change lives through the opportunity of education,” he said.

Andre Brown

Regarding recruitment and retention, Brown suggested expanding the OMA’s Hawk Link program for first-year students and adding summertime pre-college residential programs where students would live in dorms and take some classes.

“They get the experience that a lot of students that are underprepared desperately need,” he said.

He said even simple things such as sending a student a formal certificate in the mail when they’re accepted to KU could help create an early connection, as could outreach events for young children living in target cities to encourage in them a sense of “college-going behavior.”

“You can’t wait until students get to campus to engage them and get them involved,” Brown said. “You’ve got to go to them.”

Brown suggested involving KU alumni from underrepresented groups in recruitment and retention, too, calling them “our biggest advocates.”

Brown said it would be a priority for him to ensure the OMA is student-centered.

Overall, he stressed the importance of collaborating with community partners inside and outside of KU, including faculty of all colors who are willing to step up and be mentors to students from marginalized groups.

Brown suggested events such as heritage celebrations and speakers “to create a culture of consciousness, provide intellectual activities and serve as a champion for social justice” — describing it as the university’s “duty” to educate about power, privilege and other injustices. He also said it was critical to have evidence that what the office does is working.

Brown said he has a special connection to KU: In addition to being from the nearby Kansas City area, Brown’s late twin brother, Anthony Brown, played football at KU and earned his degree here in 2005.

At Arizona State, Brown is responsible for leadership of the federally funded TRiO program for low-income and first-generation students as well as students with disabilities.

Previously he was coordinator of the Academic Excellence Program in the College of Engineering at Auburn University, where he also developed and implemented a three-week residential pre-college enrichment program for first-generation minority students.

From 2009 to 2012, Brown was academic coordinator for the Gaines/Oldham Black Culture Center at the University of Missouri.

The last OMA director finalist, whose name has yet to be announced, will give a presentation at 11 a.m. Friday at the Kansas Room in the Kansas Union, 1301 Jayhawk Blvd.

The first finalist, Festus Addo-Yobo, director of Black Programs in the division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at New Mexico State University, spoke Monday.

The suggested topic for finalists to address in their presentations is “Strategic Leadership at KU’s Office of Multicultural Affairs.”

The next OMA director will replace Blane Harding, who left KU in May and took a job at the University of Nevada, Reno. Precious Porras has been interim director.