College Explorers program gets new leadership

Edward G. Tolliver, has been named the new director of FAMU's Black Male College Explorers Program. Tolliver replaces founding director, Thomas Mitchell, Jr., who recently retired.

The Black Male College Explorers Program is an at-risk prevention/intervention program designed to prevent Black males from dropping out of high school and significantly increase their chances of earning a college degree. The program brings at-risk males student, from throughout the state, to campus for a intensive six week program during the summer. While on campus the students are immersed in weekly seminars, workshops and motivational trips, and specially designed academic courses.

“I am truly excited and passionate about this program,” said Tolliver. “Our major objective is to help an at-risk black male become a safe-risk male.”

Since the program started at FAMU some 17 years ago, the Florida Legislature has expanded it to Florida's other HBCUs.

The Black Male College Explorers Program was one of the brain childs of former FAMU President Frederick Humphries who started the program to improve the academic performance of Black Males in grades 7-12.
Humphries believed, that we have to better prepare these students so that they have good enough grades to get into college and can keep up with the schoolwork once they’re in college. Humphries knew that this issue gets even more complicated post-college.

Tolliver, like Dr. Humphries, is a native of Apalachicola. He received his associate of arts degree from Tallahassee Community College and his bachelor of science, master of applied social science and doctor of philosophy from FAMU. He is a 2001 Distinguished Alumni.