1. THE DIOP STORY;
Once Upon a Time …
Teresa Aldredge, Counselor/Professor
Diop Scholars Program
Cosumnes River College
Umoja Community
Vice Chair, Program Development
Basic Skills Regional Workshop
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Sacramento, CA

2. Los Rios Community
College District (LRCCD)
 Los Rios Community College District is a two-year public college district
serving the greater Sacramento region.
 Our district includes four campuses:
American River

Cosumnes River

Folsom Lake

Sacramento City

 Los Rios also has major centers in Placerville, Davis, West
Sacramento, downtown Sacramento, Natomas and Rancho Cordova; and
special services for business and industry
 The District's 2400 square mile service area includes Sacramento and El
Dorado counties and parts of Yolo, Placer and Solano counties. Over
88,000 students are enrolled in our colleges.
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3. Student Enrollment and Percentage of
African-American Students per campus
(Fall 2008)
American River College Cosumnes River College
Number of Number of
34,804 14,802
students served: students served:
% of African % of African
10.2 American students:
American students: 14.6
Folsom Lake College Sacramento City College
Number of Number of
9,008 25,788
students served: students served:
% of African
% of African
14.4
American students:
2.2
American students:
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4. Semester Outcome Measure of All African-American Students
in Los Rios Community College District
Average GPA and Success Rates
African Fall 2006 Fall 2007 Fall 2008
American
Students
Average GPA Average GPA Average GPA
Success Rate Success Rate
Success Rate
2.13 2.05 2.12
ARC
52.9% 51.4% 54.5%
2.00 2.00 2.07
CRC
47.6% 47.0% 50.7%
2.46 2.21 2.33
FLC
52.2% 49.2% 57.5%
2.06 2.03 2.11
SCC
47.1% 45.5% 52.1%
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5. The Dreaded Data
Cosumnes River College
African American All CRC Students
Persistence Rates Persistence Rates
51.7% 58.0%
Success Rates Success Rates
47.0% 62.3%
Average GPA Average GPA
2.00 2.53
Units Att/Completed Units Att/Completed
8.1 / 4.5 8.6 / 5.9
Fall 2007
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6. DIOP SCHOLARS
 Senegalese word meaning “scholar”
 DIOP Scholars is an academic learning
community created to increase the retention,
persistence and overall academic success
rate of African American students at
Cosumnes River College, CRC.
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7. DIOP SCHOLARS
2005 - 2006
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A Community of Learners

8. DIOP SCHOLARS
A Community of Learners
 DIOP Scholars is a year long program that
supports a cohort of students seeking to
transfer or earn an associate degree.
 Diop Scholars is a learning community in
which a cohort of students enroll in two core
courses per semester
 Diop Scholars places emphasis on learning in
community and developing interdependent
relationships
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9. DIOP SCHOLARS
FALL SPRING
Building Foundations 3 units College Comp (1A) 3 units
College Writing 4 units Writing Lab .5 units
Writing Lab .5 units College Success 3 unit
Communications 3 units
7.5 units 9.5 units
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10. Diop Scholars Data
Cosumnes River College
African American Diop Scholars
Persistence Rates Persistence Rates
51.7% 78.6%
Success Rates Success Rates
47.0% 61.6%
Average GPA Average GPA
2.00 1.95
Units Att/Completed Units Att/Completed
8.1 / 4.5 13.04 / 9.02
Fall 2007
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11. UNIQUE DIOP FEATURES
 African-centered pedagogy approaches and
 Practices
 Pedagogy steeped in African ways of knowing and
doing
 Nasaka Sunsum “touching the spirit”
 Sankofa principle ~ “go back and get it”
 Intrusive counseling techniques
 Literature, readings - African American writers
 Discussion, topics relevant to African American
experience
 Sense of community , responsibility, and commitment
to the self, classmates & African American community
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12. Unique Diop Features (con’t)
Academic Enrichment Plan
 Cultural Enlightenment: Attend three
cultural events including at least one of a
different culture
 Leadership Development: Participate in two
events
 Community Service: Participate in one
community service event
 Social Connection: As a group attend one
event
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13. “THE DANCE”
Asa Hillard
True education occurs when there is a
divine dance
between the teacher and the student.
True education is
caught in that instant
that becomes a moment
that turns into a path of perfection.
That touches the spirit of the student
and opens up the passion for knowledge
and inspires the student to love learning.
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We invite our students to dance with us!

14. “Each One Teach One”
African Wisdom
 What do you do when students don’t pass the
first level of classes?
 How do you evaluate your program?
 How do you institutionalize your program?
 What do you do if faculty quit?
 What do you do help the broader population
of students?
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15. PROGRAM CHANGES
 Maximize enrollment in courses
 Infuse co-curricular activities into curriculum
 Incorporate a Council of Elders
 Create seamless flow between content and
context of Diop classes
 Seek additional release time for faculty to
attend other Diop classes
 Strengthen student to student & faculty to
faculty community
 Allow sufficient time for program coordination
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16. Sankofa
“It is no taboo to go back and fetch it if you have
forgotten.” African Wisdom
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17. UMOJA V “Claiming Community”
Wyndham Hotel, San Jose, California
November 5—7, 2009
A Conference for All Educators
Hosted by Evergreen Valley College AFFIRM
Program, San Jose/Evergreen Community
College District
Pre-Conference Workshops
Thursday—November 5, 2009
More information at:
http://voyager.dvc.edu/umoja 17
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