2008 Woodie Awards
The Black Male Initiative
Ronald Ziegler and Solomon Comissiong
Issue date: 3/13/07 Section: Opinion
The plight of black males in society and their overall "at-risk" status within public education and higher education is well documented. In the State of Maryland, for example, black men constitute just 8.5 percent of the state's college population according to findings from a Task Force Report on the Education of Maryland's African-American Males. However, as stated in this report, only one-third of those men enrolled in Maryland colleges are expected to graduate.
What a horrendous yet sobering statistic! In making the transition from high school to college, black males often experience feelings and attitudes that are found in the American fabric: low expectations, racial bias, isolation and miscommunication to name a few. Each force shapes the culture of our university and forms the manner by which university life addresses a variety of issues and feelings.
What should be done to counter these negative feelings? In predominantly white universities like this one, student leadership has fortunately taken a positive activist position. In the 2005 spring semester, president of the Black Student Union Hank Rawlerson and the president of the College Park Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Raheem Dawodu Jr. approached director of the Nyumburu Cultural Center Ronald Zeigler about starting an organization to address a variety of social and academic issues related to the retention of the black male at the university. Solomon Comissiong, then a staff member of the letters and sciences department, was recruited, and the Black Male Initiative Program was established by these four individuals.
Since its inception, BMI has served as a viable social and educational network that has assisted in helping black males at our university develop clear collegiate goals, declare a major, complete their academic program, refine their interpersonal and oratorical skills, expand their critical thinking and become involved in on-campus and off-campus leadership. Faculty and staff members such as Ian Williamson (business), Joseph Richardson (African-American studies), Ronald Walters (government and politics), Cordell Black (associate provost for equity and diversity), Robert Waters (associate vice president and special assistant to the president), Earnie Fingers (intercollegiate athletics), Brent Hernandez (letters and sciences adviser), Michael Jones (admissions counselor), Aaron McGrew (Nyumburu Cultural Center), Kevin Pitts (Resident Life), Ricardo Quinteros (admissions counselor and original member of the program), Walt Holiday (intercollegiate athletics) and many more have given generously of their talents and abilities to ensure that our black male undergraduates in the program are supported academically, spiritually, and culturally.
The lack of knowledge of the administration about the existence of the program is disturbing. In an article that appeared in The Diamondback on Feb. 20, it was reported by President Dan Mote that this university has no plans to begin a program targeted specifically toward black males. Mote further stated, "The problem is so large and spans so many areas of our society and responsibilities in our society that it's very difficult to manage as a whole." Nonetheless, Mote has not completely ruled out the possibility of establishing a university program for black males, even though one already exists in the form of the BMI. The article also said that, "though this university has no plans to begin any programs specifically targeting black men, the idea wasn't out of the question."
We, as members and organizers of the the program, would like to publicly state to Mote and the university community that, if such a future endeavor to establish another program for black males at this university occurs, it should be programmatically structured to work directly with the Black Male Initiative. In the words of alumnus Ricardo Quinteros, "BMI is a great program. BMI has provided me with the most guidance that I have received on campus to make the transition from student to career." Altman Pannell, a junior African-American studies major, said, "BMI is a well-needed program that fills a missing void on the campus and meets my needs. The BMI program has provided positive connections with black men, students, faculty and staff."
The goals of the program are to graduate our members while connecting them to leadership opportunities and community outreach activities. Thus, our members and leaders of are determined to fulfill our mission, and, most importantly, work cooperatively to graduate participants from this university.
Ronald Zeigler and Solomon Comissiong are faculty-staff co-founders of the Black Male Initiative Program. They can be reached at nyumbz@umd.edu and solomon@umd.edu, respectively.
What a horrendous yet sobering statistic! In making the transition from high school to college, black males often experience feelings and attitudes that are found in the American fabric: low expectations, racial bias, isolation and miscommunication to name a few. Each force shapes the culture of our university and forms the manner by which university life addresses a variety of issues and feelings.
What should be done to counter these negative feelings? In predominantly white universities like this one, student leadership has fortunately taken a positive activist position. In the 2005 spring semester, president of the Black Student Union Hank Rawlerson and the president of the College Park Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Raheem Dawodu Jr. approached director of the Nyumburu Cultural Center Ronald Zeigler about starting an organization to address a variety of social and academic issues related to the retention of the black male at the university. Solomon Comissiong, then a staff member of the letters and sciences department, was recruited, and the Black Male Initiative Program was established by these four individuals.
Since its inception, BMI has served as a viable social and educational network that has assisted in helping black males at our university develop clear collegiate goals, declare a major, complete their academic program, refine their interpersonal and oratorical skills, expand their critical thinking and become involved in on-campus and off-campus leadership. Faculty and staff members such as Ian Williamson (business), Joseph Richardson (African-American studies), Ronald Walters (government and politics), Cordell Black (associate provost for equity and diversity), Robert Waters (associate vice president and special assistant to the president), Earnie Fingers (intercollegiate athletics), Brent Hernandez (letters and sciences adviser), Michael Jones (admissions counselor), Aaron McGrew (Nyumburu Cultural Center), Kevin Pitts (Resident Life), Ricardo Quinteros (admissions counselor and original member of the program), Walt Holiday (intercollegiate athletics) and many more have given generously of their talents and abilities to ensure that our black male undergraduates in the program are supported academically, spiritually, and culturally.
The lack of knowledge of the administration about the existence of the program is disturbing. In an article that appeared in The Diamondback on Feb. 20, it was reported by President Dan Mote that this university has no plans to begin a program targeted specifically toward black males. Mote further stated, "The problem is so large and spans so many areas of our society and responsibilities in our society that it's very difficult to manage as a whole." Nonetheless, Mote has not completely ruled out the possibility of establishing a university program for black males, even though one already exists in the form of the BMI. The article also said that, "though this university has no plans to begin any programs specifically targeting black men, the idea wasn't out of the question."
We, as members and organizers of the the program, would like to publicly state to Mote and the university community that, if such a future endeavor to establish another program for black males at this university occurs, it should be programmatically structured to work directly with the Black Male Initiative. In the words of alumnus Ricardo Quinteros, "BMI is a great program. BMI has provided me with the most guidance that I have received on campus to make the transition from student to career." Altman Pannell, a junior African-American studies major, said, "BMI is a well-needed program that fills a missing void on the campus and meets my needs. The BMI program has provided positive connections with black men, students, faculty and staff."
The goals of the program are to graduate our members while connecting them to leadership opportunities and community outreach activities. Thus, our members and leaders of are determined to fulfill our mission, and, most importantly, work cooperatively to graduate participants from this university.
Ronald Zeigler and Solomon Comissiong are faculty-staff co-founders of the Black Male Initiative Program. They can be reached at nyumbz@umd.edu and solomon@umd.edu, respectively.
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Todays Drum
posted 3/13/07 @ 9:28 PM EST
This is a great article. I sometimes hear from others outside of the black community "how come you guys do not help others in your community? To which I reply, we do. (Continued…)
Why ask
posted 8/19/08 @ 5:48 PM EST
Can these two even write? Copy the piece and check for errors [ the the and all the comma laden areas ] my friends, then maybe you will not be laughed at. (Continued…)
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