Lack Of Black Faculty Leads To Fewer Mentors For African-American Students In WNC

The percentage of black students at four of Western North Carolina's universities is low, and so is the number of faculty members at each schools that could mentors for those students. This week, BPR has been talking with students from UNC Asheville who presented at this fall's African-Americans in Western North Carolina and Southern Appalachia conference. In our final interview, BPR's Matt Bush speaks with Jeremy James, who graduated from the school this month. He looked at the lack of African-American mentors for black students at five schools in the region - UNC Asheville, Western Carolina, Warren Wilson, Mars Hill, and Appalachian State. Excerpts from interview: On the significance of the mentor-student relationship in college - "That role is very significant, especially in this new period with colleges where so much is based off of connections. So, I don't know everyone's situation but I know mine, and it's one of the top things (graduate & doctorate programs) recommend is to