Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
Aiyana Hamilton
Introduction
located in separate neighborhoods has become a permanent feature of the United States' landscape
(Rothstein, 2013). According to Rothstein, African American students are still experiencing
isolation, even though it has been 64 years since the U.S Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown v. Board of
Higher education is convoluted with copious policies, funding and/or fundraising and a
multitude of bureaucracies that can affect students’ enrollment, engagement, resources, recruitment,
retention and ultimately graduation rates. Henceforth, the African American male (AAM) student
population is especially vulnerable. According to Council of the Great City Schools 2012
Executive Summary, A Call for Change: Providing Solutions for Black Male Achievement, there are
consistent clusters of external factors that may impact AAM development and academic success,
specifically factors such as being a first generation student, community development, social and
emotional competencies.
When students arrive at their respective institutions to pursue their college experience,
students emerge with various needs, support and resources that are necessary for them to persist in a
collegiate environment. To support the needs of AAM, the Black Male Initiative (BMI) is a
program intended to increase, encourage and support the inclusion and educational success of male
students of color, particularly AAM who are enrolled as undergraduate students at higher education
assists students in both, academic and professional endeavors, promotes and advocate for an
improved educational experience and quality of life at their respective university. BMI is an
initiative that is present on hundreds of universities in the United States. Every BMI program
Running head: Black Male Initiative 3
operates differently, including funding and budget cost, but the overarching objectives are the same,
As a male empowerment program designed to address the needs of undergraduate men of color,
BMI encourages participants to exceed personally and professionally while gaining valuable
mentoring opportunities, and co-curricular experiences and activities are structured to assist AAM
to be successful and provide a safe space to support them socially and emotionally
members grow through their academic community, cultural and social programming activities to
assist in recruitment, retention and transitioning through the challenges that may arise during their
The goals of each university may vary, but the overarching theme may be aligned with the
following:
• Strengthen recruitment efforts and build a robust higher education pipeline to enable more
• Provide strong campus leadership on the challenges facing Black youth and men within their
• Educate AAM through a structured, tiered program designed to help them navigate the
resources, including academic support offices, financial aid, student life, and engagement.
• Promote involvement and inclusion in leadership activities, both on-campus and the
community.
Most BMI program targets awareness and discusses challenges AAM are facing within higher
education, in addition to living in the United States. Offering a safe space to have honest and
transparent conversations is imperative to the members and the growth of BMI. Indeed, this is
necessary for the effectiveness of the program's impact. Other aspects of the program and its
efficacy are hosting frequent meetings to provide reflection and direction for continued progress,
discuss current events, programming activities, etc. Although BMI was established well before My
Brother’s Keeper Federal Initiative under the Obama Administrations in 2014, the pipelines are
created to build off each other leading to subcultures within a various aspect of education. For
instance, My Brother’s Keeper Initiative targets K-12 students. BMI is a subculture of the
university, student engagement, and diversity, equity & inclusion department. It targets
undergraduate students. Post-graduation, professional associations such as 100 Black Men, Inc. is a
subculture of professional organizations that reach back to the community they serve, as well as
Academic experiences students' have in primary and secondary schooling is deemed as the
greatest factor to determine if a student is prepared for college (The Race to College Access, pg.
#21). In a perfect world, all students’ high school experiences would adequately prepare them for
college/career readiness. Unfortunately, the realistic picture is K-12 education is unbalanced and
blurred with many challenges. Knowing this, defining student success in higher education is
become well-rounded citizens who can compete in both domestic and globalized markets.
Programs such as BMI, target key components that address the academic success needs of AAM:
mentoring and relationship building, elevating non-cognitive variables and educating cultural
identity. This program is structured to assist students with liaising social and emotional learning
In this era of high-stakes accountability within the higher education sector to always increase
student enrollment, retention, and graduate employable scholars with essential and competitive
skills and knowledge, The Illinois Key Findings: The Condition of College and Career Readiness
(2017) cited, SEL competencies are also vital behavioral skills, cross-cutting capabilities, and
navigational skills that are essential to students’ college and career readiness. Therefore, when a
student is meeting both academic and SEL benchmarks, it provides a comprehensive picture of
student readiness for success post-college graduation (Illinois Key Findings, 2017). Students who
participate in programs and activities that will develop, explore and apply SEL competencies or
tools are more likely to increase student engagement and academic performance (Marchesi & Cook,
2012). Higher education institutions in Illinois and other states are integrating these concepts into
programs such as BMI to infuse a holistic approach to equipping AAM students for the transition
from higher education to career readiness. According to the Collaborative for Academic, Social and
Emotional Learning (CASEL), SEL competence is the ability to understand, manage and express
the social and emotional aspects of one’s life in ways that enable the successful management of life
tasks such as learning, forming relationships, solving everyday problems and adapting to the
complex demands of growth and development (Elias et al., 1997, Marchesi & Cook, 2012).
Defined by CASEL and American Institute For Research (2013), there are five competency areas
Running head: Black Male Initiative 6
• Social Awareness is defined as the ability to take the perspective of and empathize
with others.
ethical standards, safety concerns, appropriate social norms and respect for others.
SEL competencies plus academic excellence equals a graduate who exemplifies a well-rounded
skill set that is attractive and critical in the workforce. Knowing this, BMI programs will design
their programmatic activities to educate students on how to identify, refine and reinforce SEL skills.
Illinois is one of the few states in the nation that has developed and implemented SEL standards.
These SEL competencies are prioritizing non-cognitive skills or soft skills particularly instilling
character attributes such as tenacity, grit, and perseverance, which will contribute to academic
achievement and overall student success in both higher education and career readiness. Combining
these competencies with rigorous curriculum will influence, impact and improve students’ positive
attitudes, strengthen critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Moreover, it is imperative not to
apply these concepts with a one size fits all approach. As a result, higher education institutions
Running head: Black Male Initiative 7
must have an array of organizations and resources on campus to address various subcultures and
student needs. The State of Illinois Board of Education has three descriptions to describe SEL
(American Institute for Research, 2013). Here is how Illinois analyzed the connections: self-
management and responsible decision making are essential to critical thinking skills (American
Institute for Research, 2013). Social awareness and relationship skills are an essential precursor to
the development of employability skills, such as teamwork and effective communication (American
To be effective with this initiative, BMI incorporates AAM mentors to facilitate relationship
building and, create a sub-culture (i.e., ambassadors, cohorts, leadership positions, etc.) within a
campus climate, all while using resources and exposure trips to cultivate non-cognitive variable
Mentors are the intermediary stakeholders who impact AAM and may help mitigate some
challenges they may face in higher education (Brooms, 2014, p. #207). Mentors cultivate visibility
of positive images and role models to curtail the negative imagery of AAM from media outlets or
their home environments, neighborhoods, or anywhere else. Brooms also noted that highly positive
faculty-student relationships is one of the main thrusts of the quality of a student’s experience and
helps promote high achievement and academic aspirations for AAM (Brooms, 2016 p. #14).
Running head: Black Male Initiative 8
There are many subcultures on campus for students to find their connection to establish
relationships and bonds. BMI promotes brotherhood in order for AAM to build trust, reveal their
interests and discuss their well-being and future aspirations. These interactions are connected to
student’s buy-in as well as academic and personal efforts (Brooms, 2016, p. #4). Hence, having an
advocate (i.e., mentor), who displays a concern for both academic achievement and personal
education must be at the center of it (Council of Great City Schools Executive Summary, 2012, p.
#13).
Non-Cognitive Variables
Developing non-cognitive variables or soft skills for all students is challenging. This skill set (e.g.,
not rated by extensive testing, assessments (data) or grades. To ensure BMI is refining these skills,
“the brotherhood” creates a sense of belonging where AAM and mentors play a significant role
where they perceive themselves to be included, valued and respected members of the campus
community (Brooms, 2014, p. #8). Belongingness affects students' academic attitudes, beliefs,
behaviors, and achievement (Noguera, 2003). Hence, this is why BMI host classroom meetings,
annual programming events such as: symposiums, dining etiquette simulations, conferences and
perseverance, resilience, and success that students can incorporate into their own lives. This
motivation, responsible decision making, all while emphasizing a historical perspective. According
to Brooms (2014, p. #205), self-reflection is a critical tool to understand one's experience better. It
provides a fertile ground to tap into AAM identities, aspirations, social support and potential that
Running head: Black Male Initiative 9
Cultural Identity
BMI believes a significant factor to engage AAM socially and culturally is to provide cultural
identity experiences. This program promotes and embodies community involvement and awareness
as well as investing in cultural exposure trips outside of their institutions. Additionally, urging
bridge to heighten self-esteem, self-awareness, social relevancy and pride. These exposure trips
invoke AAM cultural competence, and is interrelated with academic enrichment and career
readiness, such as museum visits (e.g. National Museum of African American History & Culture),
attending TED Talks, conferences, networking events, etc. Thus, exposure trips provide historical
reflections, visibility and deliver a meaningful impact on their academic aspirations and potential.
Conclusion
Learning the history of higher education shows how policies and procedures affect students.
The blueprint BMI is following looks at how to make the educational and career playing fields
equal for AAM students. Some barriers affect AAM and underrepresented students of color more
than others.
Although higher education institutions have gained tremendous strides to provide more
resources and support to all students at their universities, yet, there is an enormous amount of work
to ensure equitable distribution of resources, visibility, and funding to all initiatives on campus.
Programs such as BMI are needed at all universities to strengthen the pipeline of transitioning AAM
References
Advance Illinois. (2009). We can do better: Advancing public education in Illinois. ERIC. Retrieved
from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED573301.
Aldeman, C, Marchitello, M. & Pennington, K. (2017, June 27). An independent review of ESSA
https://bellwethereducation.org/publication/independent-review-essa-state-plans.
Instilling the value and importance of education in K-12 and college classrooms.
Brooms, D. (2016). “I was just trying to make it”: Examining urban Black males’ sense of
Chang, M.J. & Ledesma, M.C. (2011). Diversity in American higher education toward a more
comprehensive approach. L.M. Stulberg & S.L. Weinberg (eds). New York, NY: Routledge.
College & Career Readiness & Success Center. (2013). Improving college and career readiness by
incorporating social and emotional learning. American Institutes for Learning, Washington,
College & Career Readiness & Success Center. (2014). Overview: State definitions of college and
Council of the Great City Schools (2012). A call for change: Providing solutions for Black male
http://www.malesofcolor.org/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&ModuleInstanceID=594&Vie
wID=7b97f7ed-8e5e-4120-848f
a8b4987d588f&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=2241&PageID=515
Di Giacomo, F.T, Linn, D., Monthey, W., Pack, C. &Wyatt, J.N. (2013). Academic readiness
indicators: Implications for state policy. College Board Research & Development. Retrieved
from www.research.collegeboard.org
Elementary and Secondary Education Act. (2014). ESEA flexibility. U.S. Department of Education.
Washington, DC.
Illinois PaCE. (2016). [Graph illustration delineating PaCE postsecondary and career expectations
PaCE-Final-Draft_January292016.pdf.
Kamenetz, A. (April 28, 2015). Delinquent. Dropout. At-risk. When words become labels.
dropout-at-risk-whats-in-a-name
Marchesi, A.G. & Cook, K. (2012). Social and emotional learning as a catalyst for academic
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED532586.pdf.
National Leadership Council for Liberal Education & America’s Promise. (2007). College learning
for the new global century. Association of American Colleges and Universities, Washington,
DC.
Running head: Black Male Initiative 12
Noguera, P. (2003). The trouble with Black boys: The role and influence of environmental and
cultural factors on the academic performance of African American males. Urban Education,
38(4).
Rado, D. (2015, October 30). Most Illinois high schools leave grads unprepared for college.
cards-met-20151030-story-html.
Winkle-Wagner, R. & Locks, A.M. (201)4. Diversity and inclusion on campus: Supporting racially
and ethnically underrepresented students. Core Concepts in Higher Education. New York,
NY: Routledge.