Mate masie is an Adinkra phrase which is interpreted, “what I hear, I keep.” The African American Cultural Center (AACC) has launched a new initiative called Matie Masie Academic Survival Skills Sessions to maximize educational support for students who identify as of African descent.

Led on Monday and Wednesday evenings by Victoria Martin, NCC, M.Ed., the AACC’s new research and special topics Intern, the sessions are designed to provide access, opportunity and assistance that equips students for optimum academic success.

“The goals of these sessions are to provide participants with a safe space where they can feel safe to express their academic concerns and to provide them with information that they not only ‘hear and keep,’ but that can be applied to increase their academic self-esteem.” Martin added that participants will also find a genuine investment in their personal growth.

Session topics include “Time Management,” “How to Create an Optimal Homework Space,” “Study Smarter, Not Harder,” Exam Prep” and more. Both drop-In and one-on-one sessions are available.

According to Moses T. Alexander Greene, director of the AACC, “The center is a place where students are encouraged to, Mama ‘Toni’ Thorpe said, ‘walk in their genius’ and ‘make the ancestors proud.’ Mate Masie creates a structured opportunity for Black students to address the factors that can impede high academic achievement (i.e., ‘walking in their genius’) as they navigate the nuances of matriculating at a large, predominately white institution. We are excited to offer this support.”

For more information, contact Victoria L. Martin, NCC, M.Ed at 919.515.5082.

Moses T. Alexander Greene is director of the African American Cultural Center.