Greetings, My name is Malcolm McConner. I am from Newport News, VA but I was raised in Detroit Michigan. I am an Elementary Education major with a concentration in mathematics. I am a senior at Elizabeth City State University.

While I was going through school, I noticed that I rarely saw a African American male as an educator. Most of my teachers were either white or black woman. So I did not have a black male role model encourage, discipline, or enlighten me about how important school really is. It wasnt not until I moved to Virginia in 2005 and entered a chorus class with an instructor by the name of Jason Dungee. Mr. Dungee graduated with a Master's in Music from Hampton University and it was his first time teaching a High School class. However, there was something different about Mr. Dungee, I believe it was the fact that he beleived he had an obligation to all of the students that came in the classroom. Mr. Dungee made an effort to establish a relationship with all of his students. if the students were willing to open up to him. He was a man I could confide to about the troubles that were going on in my high school career. Mr. Dungee was straight forward and blunt and was going to make you aware of the hardships of being a black male in America. After spending my last three years with him in the classroom, I decided that I wanted to make the same positive impact that he made on me. That is when I decided that I wanted to become an educator.

Over the past several years, I have mentored children, worked at the YMCA during the summer, and have done community service in several classrooms. I really enjoy being around younger kids, because they have someone to look up and can say nothing but positive things. After I teach for a couple years I want to become a principal of a school. My biggest inspiration is to become a Superintendent. With me being a superintendent I can definitely broaden my influence on education for all students.