The board takes an up-close look at the
fruits of the IC-FDA alliance

Ithaca College’s partnership with the Frederick Douglass Academy recently celebrated its four-year anniversary, and by all indications it is stronger than ever. When the collaboration was first announced we certainly seemed an unlikely pairing --- a predominantly white, independent college in central New York and an overwhelmingly African American and Latino public secondary school in Harlem. But, thanks to the dedicated efforts of the students, faculty, and staff at both institutions, we have forged a remarkable partnership.

The extent of our relationship was brought home to me --- and to members of Ithaca College’s governing board and senior administrators --- when we visited FDA as part of the February board of trustees meeting, held for the first time in New York City. (Photo: President Williams with FDA assistant principal Dorothy Haime (left) and students.)

The visit began with presentations from FDA students and teachers who had been involved in partnership activities over the past year. Participants in Ithaca-based programs such as the Summer College for High School Students, theater education workshop, math and computer science program, and media workshop spoke of how they are putting their experiences to good use. Those who attended the media workshop, for example, have formed a video club to tape important events at the academy, including last fall’s visit by former president Bill Clinton.

Several FDA students talked about what they had learned through participating in on-site classes, designed to sharpen their skills as they prepare for college, that were given by Ithaca professors from a variety of disciplines. Student leaders then took us on a tour of the academy, where we observed the college preparation room; the entrepreneurial room, where students actually run their own small businesses; the bookstore, which includes items donated from the College’s bookstore; and the video production studio, which has been partially equipped by the Roy H. Park School of Communications.

The afternoon concluded with a performance by a student jazz ensemble, which has been working with School of Music professor Steve Brown ’64, M.S. ’68, and a recitation of original poetry by students who have been working with assistant professor of English Gary Fountain to produce a compact disc recording on Harlem Renaissance poets entitled Ballads from Harlem.

The benefits of our collaboration are mutual. The academy offers a field placement setting for our teacher education students --- a placement that helps prepare them for teaching in an urban setting and in a multicultural world. Ithaca students and faculty take part in site visits and workshops to observe and work with FDA students and staff, a program so popular that there is currently a waiting list of faculty who want to participate.

The partnership’s success has attracted grants from a number of public and private foundations. This in turn has allowed us to further expand the selection and scope of our programs. Sources of support have included the Park Foundation; 3M Corporation; American Chemical Society; American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers; ABC Foundation; Independent College Fund of New York; and Verizon Communications.

We have also attracted attention from the media, including a lengthy article in Education Week, the premier publication for news and views on K–12 education. Reporter John Gehring, who visited both Ithaca and Harlem for his story, hailed the partnership as a model from which other institutions could learn. Ithaca College and FDA, he wrote, "have forged an unusual and enduring arrangement that has strengthened both institutions, largely because of the breadth of the partnership. While many such arrangements focus narrowly on student teaching, faculty exchanges, or student tutoring, Ithaca has taken a holistic approach that has enlisted the help of everyone from the college president to administrative staff members."

From the very beginning, we made it clear to FDA that the College was not seeking to collaborate simply so the academy could serve as a pipeline for IC student recruitment, as a way to increase the number of students of color on our campus. In fact, we did not even allow our admissions officers to visit FDA during the first two years of the partnership.

I am pleased to note, however, that we have had FDA students make the decision to apply to Ithaca College and that we currently have a half-dozen graduates among our student population. Just as noteworthy is that one of our own graduates, Maya Roth ’99, was so inspired by her participation in the partnership that she applied to FDA and is now a teacher there.

And this year as in the last three years, Frederick Douglass Academy faculty and students participated in Ithaca College’s Commencement day ceremony, including a private session with our guest speaker. We’re delighted they have chosen to join us again and hope to share many such happy occasions in the years to come.

Editor’s note: For more perspective on issues involving students of color at Ithaca College, please see the story "Race on Campus" in this issue of the Ithaca College Quarterly.

Photo by Shelley Semmler