Over the next semester, that group
of students developed what would
become the MAC Scholars program
while McGovern and her co-advisor,
Hubert McIntyre, kept a close watch.
The students identified potential
members based on their grade point
averages and categorized them into
three groups which remain today:
Potential Scholars, Emerging Scholars,
and future MAC Scholars (juniors and
seniors who have a B average and were
enrolled in Honors and AP classes).
MAC Scholar Glenn Hunter wrote
a pledge, which is still recited at the
beginning of every meeting, and the
scholars developed a two-week meeting
cycle: MAC Scholars would meet with
McGovern and McIntyre the first week
to plan meetings for the Potential
Scholars. The following week, the MAC
Scholars would lead the Potential
Scholars in small group discussions. The
discussions included a variety of topics,
from the college admission process
to relationships to self-discipline. The
idea was that MAC Scholars wouldn’t
be lecturing Potential Scholars. On the
contrary, they all spoke from personal
experience. Finally, the MAC Scholars
insisted on a signature dress code for
all meetings: dress shirt, tie and dress
slacks, no exceptions.
McGovern and McIntyre were
co-advisors of the program through
the 2018 school year, when McGovern
retired. Under their care, the program
grew to include students as young as
Grade 4. In addition, the MAC Sister
Scholars program was started in 1997
to encourage leadership and academic
achievement in African American female
students. McGovern and McIntyre were
also asked numerous times to help other
districts in Northeast Ohio and across
the country start similar programs.
WWW.SHAKER.LIFE | FALL 2019 35
/WWW.SHAKER.LIFE