The Dr. Melvin C. Terrell (MCT) Educational Foundation, Inc. is pleased to announce the 2024 – 2025 cohort of MCT Scholars. Three master’s in higher education or student affairs students at three different institutions – California State University Fullerton, Indiana State University, and North Carolina Central University were selected.
The MCT Foundation was created to ensure underrepresented students gain access and achieve success in higher education and student affairs. The MCT Foundation, Inc. is committed to providing support for African American, LatinX, and other underrepresented groups through scholarships, grants, and professional development.
“The MCT Scholars endeavor to enhance our comprehension of the pivotal determinants influencing the mental health and overall wellbeing of college students. This initiative will offer a crucial contribution by amplifying the often intricate and profoundly significant array of issues pertaining to mental wellness” said foundation namesake and chair emeritus, Dr. Melvin C. Terrell.
Throughout the 2024-2025 academic year, the scholars in their respective Higher Education Administration/Student Affairs master’s programs will fully engage in their academic programs and pursue professional development, mentoring, and a research study on mental wellness with the MCT Scholars program.
“We are excited to begin another cohort of MCT scholars. The three scholars are eager to build on the foundation their graduate preparation program provides. We will be exploring mental wellness in divisive times. The team will conduct their study in the spring of 2025 and present preliminary findings. The opportunity for them to explore this topic at an HSI, HBCU, and PWI should yield interesting results.” said Dr. Dawn Person, the MCT Scholar Program Coordinator and co-facilitator alongside Keyla Sanchez Tapia both at California State University, Fullerton.
Indiana State University master’s student, Mr. Xavier Cason said “Being selected as an MCT Scholar is an honor beyond words, and I am deeply grateful for this opportunity. Collaborating with fellow scholars has been an incredible experience, as we share a collective passion for supporting students and advancing the field of higher education.”
“The launch of a new cohort of scholars demonstrates the MCT Foundation’s commitment to promoting access and success for underrepresented students in higher education. I look forward to the participants’ future engagement in the program and am pleased to provide support that will foster their development” said Dr. Martino Harmon, MCT Foundation Chair.
2024 – 2025 MCT Scholars
California State University, Fullerton
Araceli Negrete (Dr. Rebecca Gutierrez Keeton, faculty mentor)
Indiana State University
Xavier Cason (Dr. Kelsey Bogard, faculty mentor)
North Carolina Central University
Corey Earl Ballance, Jr. (Dr. Tryan L. McMickens, faculty mentor)
Students wanting to take advantage of this opportunity or other scholarship opportunities in the future should visit mctfoundation.org.