About Us
The Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC) Umoja Black Scholars Program is a mentorship-based learning community created to foster greater culturally relevant engagement, sense of belonging, and academic success for LAVC students of color. Given this, our primary focus is to support African American students in defining their future, motivating them on their path, cultivating their passion, and holding them accountable to their dreams.
While this program is strategically engineered to increase the retention and matriculation of African American students at LAVC, Umoja Black Scholars and the Black Scholar Network are inclusive to any students interested in cross-cultural engagement centered on the Black experience and perspectives of students navigating America and LAVC.
Mission
The mission of Umoja Black Scholars is to create a holistic and responsive Afrocentric environement that promotes the successful course completion, semester-semester persistence, certificate and degree attainment, and/or tranfer to a four-year university for African American students at Los Angeles Valley College.
The goals leading our programmatic focus include:
- Cultural and Community Awareness
- Leadership
- Professional Development
- Social and Cross-Cultural Enrichment
- Retention
Vision
The primary objectives guiding the vision of Umoja Black Scholars include:
- Cultivate Safe Spaces for African American Students at LAVC
- Empower Student Development and Community Engagement
- Promote Critical Student Awareness and Advocacy
- Engage and Develop Community of Black Students, Faculty, and Staff
- Increase, Matriculation, Persistence, and Retention for Black Scholars at LAVC
Office Hours and Location
Campus Center 102 - Mosaic Village: Umoja Black Scholars
Mondays to Thursdays: 9AM - 5PM
Fridays: 9AM - 1PM
Saturdays to Sundays: Closed
Contact
Dr. Elliott Coney
Email: coneye@lavc.edu
Phone: (818) 947-2600 Ext. 4874
Hpri "Rip" Geru-Maa
Email: gerumah@lavc.edu
Phone: (818) 947-2600 Ext. 5847