Grambling State News

Grambling, La. – February 6, 2021 – Stefon Jackson and Jordan McCaa, seniors majoring in
Family Consumer Sciences (FCS ) along with Destin Theus (a prospective student) will present their research on “A Fireside Chat About Stress Among Young African American Men” at the Research Association of Minority Professors (RAMP) Symposium. They anticipate their study becoming a part of future young African-American male scholars addressing issues impacting them today. Jackson and McCaa are scheduled to graduate in Spring, 2021 and Jackson plans to go on to graduate school.

“Mr. Jackson and Mr. McCaa are among a growing number of early childhood male students who graduate from Grambling State University in our FCS program and go on to work in schools, child care center, not-for-profits, and agencies across the nation,” said Terry Matthews, interim coordinator of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences. “Many of them enter graduate school, increasing the number of male teachers and mentors to children ages 3 -8 years and older. We are proud of them and look forward to their presentations at the RAMP Symposium.”

“In today’s society, it is difficult as an African American young man to keep your stress levels balanced,” Stefon Jackson said. “I wanted to study this issue because, in 2020, I experienced so many stressful events that all I could do was not let the stress bear down on me. [With] the support of my family and friends, including my Gram Fam, I learned to just take a break and meditate which helped me to reduce my stress.”

Jordan McCaa stated that he dealt with stress by keeping calm and using the skills he learned to manage his stress levels.

This year’s RAMP Symposium also has several GSU current faculty members and retired faculty who are active members of RAMP that will present research papers and studies during the Virtual Symposium. For more information about the event, visit www.rampprofessors.org/.

About the Research Association of Minority Professors
The Research Association of Minority Professors (RAMP) is an educational and scientific research organization founded in 1975 by Dr. Frank T. Hawkins from the Department of Mathematics at Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas. This Association was organized with four major objectives: Provide an opportunity for minority professors to engage in culturally relevant research projects; Provide minority scholars with an opportunity to present research that relates to the Black experience; Provide publication of research by minorities and other scholars who address some phase of the Black experience, and Encourage students to become involved in systematic research activities.