The fall edition of Focus magazine just arrived.  The magazine is written by the Lumina Foundation, which is an independent private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all.

The first article centers around Morgan State University, a historically black institution in Baltimore that was founded in 1867.  It shows how hard school is for those who come from little and how the wraparound approach is used to ensure student success.

The story begins in December 2017 with “Deja Jones was hungry.”  She and her roommate were flat broke.  They had moved off campus to save money, which had not worked.  Deja noticed changes in her energy level and interest in classes.

Ms. Jones needed help badly but was a prideful person.  Finally, she went to the campus chapter of the National Council of Negro Women and online told of her plight.  She was immediately flooded with messages of help.

The women’s organization maintained a food pantry she could use.  Money was donated and with the help of a housing grant, Ms. Jones moved back on campus.  She said, “They reached out to me.  Not only was my energy regained, but I have a whole new outlook on life.”

Tiffany Mfume is assistant vice president for Student Success and Retention at Morgan State.  She hears and knows firsthand of stories like Deja.

Our goal is to see our students graduate and be prepared for graduate school, study abroad or jobs.  But they can’t do that, Ms. Mfume stressed, if they don’t have their basic needs met: food, shelter, clothing, child care, legal services, car services and transportation. In short, Morgan State as well as other schools recognize that today’s students need more support.  At Morgan State, the principles outlined in their “Beyond Financial Aid” are now official policy.

The plan in short includes five strategies, which might also work well in Oklahoma’s public school’s system.  These are (1) know your low-income students, (2) organize student supports, (3) build internal and external partnerships, (4) optimize students’ use of services and (5) create and foster a culture of support.

With 6,440 undergraduates and 1,300 graduate students, Morgan State is perfect for testing the theory.  Actually, the low-achieving schools in the Tulsa public school district look a lot like Morgan State’s demographics.

Nearly 40 percent of Morgan States undergraduates are first in their families to attend college, 80 percent are African American and 61 percent are eligible for Pell grant assistance meaning their families make less than $50,000 a year.  Two-thirds of its freshman students need developmental or remedial classes.

Another student helped by Morgan State was Erika Know, 19, who left school when her mother died.  She wasn’t sure if she could afford to stay in school.

First, she needed money.  The Morgan State Foundation gave her a $3,000 grant.  The schools counseling center helped her with her grief.  Erica’s comments are, “Morgan State students, faculty and the Morgan family really cares.  They really care outside the finances, outside the academics.  They care about my mental health.”

Leading the counseling effort is Thaddeus Price, who is the “success” coach.  His challenge is to find resources and a way.  “And if we can’t find a way, we’ve got to make a way.  If we can’t make a way, then we’ve got to become the way.”

What a great attitude.  What a fine school.  Maybe, the holistic approach just might improve Oklahoma’s low performing schools?