Dr. David P. James
Dr. David P. James is President Emeritus of the International Mentoring Association
(IMA), having served in this position from 1988-2000, the longest tenure as President of
the IMA. Dr. James is an internationally known leader and expert on training,
establishing, and evaluating mentoring programs. He has made numerous
presentations on mentor and protégé training and the essential elements for
comprehensive formalized mentoring programs. His mentoring workshops and training
have included colleges, universities, public and private school systems, private and
public industries, corporations, and community organizations.
Dr. James began his career at Prince George’s Community College in 1971, as
Assistant Director of Community Services. He retired in 2008 as Dean of Educational
Development and Degree/Extension Centers and Special Programs. Dr. James is also
well known for developing the mentoring program for African American, Latino, and
Native American students at Prince George’s Community College. As Project Director of
the Black and Minority Student Retention Programs, the Prince George’s Community
College program was cited by U.S News and World Report in October 1989, as one of
the nation’s best among two-year and community colleges.
In 1988, Dr. James was named as the Outstanding Administrator at Prince George’s
Community College for leadership in the development of mentoring and retention
programs to enhance minorities academic successes and graduation rates.
A PRESENTER AT SEVERAL CONFERENCES
James, D. (2015). Planned Mentoring Programs: The Key to Increasing
Retention and Graduation Rates. International Mentoring Association
Conference, Phoenix, Arizona.
James, D. (2012). Best Mentoring Practices in Higher Education to Enhance the
Graduation and Retention Rates of All Students. International Mentoring
Association Conference, Orlando, Florida.
James, D. (2009). Preparing Engineering Majors to Meet Professional
Expectations. Quality Education Minorities (QEM), Annapolis, Maryland.
Canton, M. & James D. (2000). Developing and Designing a Mentoring Program
in Higher Education, San Francisco, California.
Canton, M. & James, D. (1997). Mentoring workshop for students only. Diversity
in Mentoring Conference, Tempe, Arizona.
Canton, M. & James, D. (1996). Pre-conference mentoring workshop, higher
education, Diversity in Mentoring Conference, San Antonio, Texas.
Canton, M. & James, D. (1993). Pre-conference mentoring workshop, higher
education, Diversity in Mentoring Conference, Atlanta Georgia.
James, D. (1992). A summary of the Prince George’s Community College black
and minority student mentoring retention program. Diversity in Mentoring
Conference, Chicago, IL.
PUBLICATIONS:
Canton, M. & James, D. (1999). Mentoring: Best Practices in Higher Education.
Roberston Publication Company, Santa Clara, California.
Canton, M. & James, D. (1995a). Mentoring guide for community
colleges. Washington, D.C.: National Science Foundation.
James, D. (1991a). The Prince George’s Community College model: Effective
mentoring for improved black student retention. Diversity in mentoring
proceedings, (pp348-354), Western Michigan University.
James, D. (1991b). Minority student retention: The Prince George’s Community
College program–Rekindling minority student participation in America’s
community colleges. In New Directions for Community Colleges, edited by Cohen
& Brawer (pp.57-62). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
James, D. (1989). Increasing retention rates of black and minority
students. Mentoring International, 3 (2) pp.34-39.
Dr. James’ program at Prince George’s Community College has been featured
in Black Issues in Higher Education, March 1988.
HONORS AND AWARDS:
First African American inducted into the Clarke County School System Coaches
Hall of Fame for Outstanding Coaching Achievements in Basketball, Baseball
and Football (Berryville, Virginia), October 2013
The International Mentoring Association presented to Dr. James, the Legacy
Award for his services as President of the IMA, and exemplary leadership in the
mentoring profession, March 2012.
In 2011, The Dr. David P. James Faculty Mentoring, Peer Mentoring, and Staff
Mentoring Excellence Awards, was named in his honor recognizing annually, the
achievements of faculty, peer, and staff mentors at Prince George’s Community
College.
The President’s Medal from Prince George’s Community College for exemplary
service, 2007.
As Dean of Educational Development, Prince George’s Community College Developmental Education Program, selected as one of the ten “exemplary developmental education programs” nationally for inclusion in a publication of the League for Innovation in the Community College and The College Board entitled Developmental Education: A Twenty-First Century Social and Economic Imperative, 1998.a
Named Who’s Who Among Scholars in American Community, Technical, and
Junior Colleges (1986), and his biography has been published in Who’s Who
Among Black Americans (1989-1990).
Honorable Mention by the Maryland Association of Higher Education,
Outstanding Educator category, in both 1989 and 1990.
Recipient of an Individual Retention Excellence Award from Noel/Levitz Centers
for Institutional Effectiveness and Innovation, July 1989.
Received Proclamation from the Prince George’s Council as the Prince George’s Community College Outstanding Administrator, November 1988.
Nominated by President Robert J. Bickford to receive one of three Human Relations Awards, sponsored by the Prince George’s County Human Relations Commission, 1986.
Received Distinguished Service Awards from Prince George’s Community College Student Governance Board, 1982-1990.
Selected by former Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, to be a member of her “Brain Trust Committee” in Education, 1982
Inducted in the First Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity at Elizabeth City State University, 1961.
EDUCATION:
Nova Southeastern University (1978), Doctor of Education in Higher Education with
emphasis on student retention
Georgetown University (1971), Master’s Degree in World History. Inducted in the Phi
Alpha Theta Society for Academic Excellence in History
Elizabeth City State University (1962), Bachelor of Science in Social Sciences.
Graduated with honors.