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Running head: Black Male Initiative 1

The Black Male Initiative at Higher Education Institutions

Aiyana Hamilton

Northern Illinois University


Running head: Black Male Initiative 2

Introduction

Racial isolation of African American children or children of color in separate schools

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

Education decision banned separate public schools for Black students.

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

institutions (https://www.uis.edu/diversitycenter/programs/blackmaleinitiative/). The program

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
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operates differently, including funding and budget cost, but the overarching objectives are the same,

to exhibit support for AAM in college.

BMI Goals and Objectives

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

leadership skills in college. The initiative endeavors, educational programs, developmental

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

(https://www.uis.edu/diversitycenter/programs/blackmaleinitiative/). To achieve this, active

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

higher education experience (https://www.uis.edu/diversitycenter/programs/blackmaleinitiative/).

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

AAM students to attend college

• Improve the career readiness and employment prospects for AAM

• Provide strong campus leadership on the challenges facing Black youth and men within their

community and beyond.

• Educate AAM through a structured, tiered program designed to help them navigate the

resources, including academic support offices, financial aid, student life, and engagement.

• Identify and address academic challenges AAM may experience


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• Promote involvement and inclusion in leadership activities, both on-campus and the

community.

• Promote community service and engagement.

• Facilitate and promote developmental mentoring.

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

offering mentorship and programming activities for African American men.

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

multidimensional, where institutions are seeking a holistic approach to preparing students to


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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

(SEL) into the academic curriculum.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL).

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
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for SEL: self-management, self-awareness, social awareness, relationship skills, responsible

decision making. These competencies are defined as:

• Self-Awareness is defined as accurately assessing one’s feelings, interests, values,

strengths and maintaining a well-grounded sense of self-confidence.

• Self-Management is defined as regulating one’s emotions to handle stress, control

impulses and persevere in overcoming obstacles.

• Social Awareness is defined as the ability to take the perspective of and empathize

with others.

• Relationship Skills includes establishing and maintaining healthy and rewarding

relationships and building a network.

• Responsible Decision Making refers to making decisions based on consideration of

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.

The State of Illinois

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
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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

Standards of students. Here is one:

Developing self-awareness and self-management to achieve school and life success


using social-awareness and interpersonal skills to maintain positive relationships
demonstrating decision-making skills and responsible behaviors in personal and community
contexts (American Institute for Research, 2013).

A deep understanding of SEL competencies supports cross-functioning and transferable skills.

(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

Institute for Research, 2013).

Mentoring and Relationship Building  

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

skills, cultural identity and a sense of belonging.

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).
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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

concerns/endeavors within a campus climate, is a proactive and preventative strategy, whereas

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.,

resilience, self-motivation, communication skills, etc.) is intangible and is difficult to measure. It is

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

provide supplemental reading materials and/or documentaries/film that showcases triumph,

perseverance, resilience, and success that students can incorporate into their own lives. This

engaging atmosphere is a mechanism to reshape their trajectory of resilience, self-awareness,

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
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strive to move them from the margin to the center.

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

participation in community involvement, service projects and socialization/networking activities is a

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

students through college and graduating scholars into the workforce.


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