Georgia Power Regional Director for Metro North Britt Fleck and Georgia Power Foundation Executive Director Rita Breen were recently on hand to celebrate the inaugural class of the “Call Me Mister” program at Kennesaw State University.

In February, the Georgia Power Foundation – the nonprofit arm of the company – presented a $25,000 grant to Kennesaw State to launch the Call Me Mister (Mentors Instructing Students Toward Effective Role Models) program in an effort to increase the number of African American male teachers.

The program launched in KSU’s Bagwell College of Education provides academic support, mentorship, tuition assistance and job placement assistance to promote success among Black male teacher candidates. The school welcomed its inaugural cohort this fall.

Call Me MISTER began at Clemson University and has expanded to schools in seven states and the District of Columbia. With the $25,000 grant from the Georgia Power Foundation, Kennesaw State is the second university in Georgia to establish a CMM program.

“At Georgia Power, we believe in the importance of having strong male role models in classrooms across our state to educate and uplift the next generation,” said Britt Fleck, regional director at Georgia Power and a KSU Foundation trustee. “We are proud for our Foundation to support the Call Me MISTER program at Kennesaw State University, where they are preparing students to be influential educators in our communities for decades to come.”