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Durham Chapter Presents Charms, Inc. National Project Award To NCCU Men’s Achievement Center

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National Charms, Inc. 2024 Project Award Check Presentation: (L – R) Durham Charm Chapter members Rev. Rachel Green and LaQuinta Parker Perry; Marvin Cleveland, NCCU student; Jalen Spooner, MAC Interim Director; Dr. Bettina Shuford, Durham Chapter Past President; Robert Corbitt III, MAC Coordinator; and Durham Charms Chapter members Diane Austin and Shyvonne Steed-Foster. (submitted)

DURHAM, NC – The NCCU Men’s Achievement Center (MAC) was recognized as the recipient of the National Charms, Inc. Project Award at their 2025 Conclave in Cleveland, Ohio, this summer. Funding for this award is supported by the organization’s 22 chapters and is awarded every two years at their national meeting. This year, the Durham Chapter selected the non-profit for the national project and presented the award to the Center’s Interim Director, Jalen Spooner, with a check for $6,160.00 on August 5, 2024. 

Charms, Incorporated, founded in 1952, is a civic, cultural, and social organization of women dedicated to high cultural standards and humanitarian services that strives to improve the quality of life for all. The Durham Chapter of Charms was chartered in 1972 and has supported the United Negro College Fund, NAACP, North Carolina Central University Athletic Department and the Scholarship Fund, Friends of the James E. Shepard Library, Lincoln Community Health Center Foundation, The SISI (Sisters Inspiring Sisters, Inc.), Jubilee Home, and other organizations.

The Men’s Achievement Center (MAC) was established in 2009 and is committed to providing transformative experiences for students and ensuring their success at NCCU and beyond. The MAC works with students holistically in its delivery of academic, social, and personal support to any male student at NCCU in an inviting and inclusive environment. As stated on their website, the Center “utilizes an integrated educational approach with an emphasis on research, theory, co-curricular development, and experiential learning, to increase retention and graduation rates for men at NCCU.”

Programs within the Center include the MAC Brothers Initiative, which pairs younger MAC brothers with brothers who have paved the way before them; the African American Male Initiative, which includes participation in a living-learning community; the Latino Male Initiative, which works with students in developing a graduation plan; and Alumni Sponsors who help program participants secure job opportunities, internships, and mentor support.

For more information on becoming a member of the Durham Chapter of Charms, Inc., click here.