Brotherhood. Mentorship. Achievement. Leadership. Enterprise.
The BMALE Academy inspires high academic achievement among UBalt's male students of color by supporting, embracing and engaging them in an effort to close the achievement, retention and graduation gaps.
Being a Mentee
The BMALE Academy recruits mentees and mentors. As a mentee, you'll be matched with mentors based on information you provide in your application, and you'll be notified once the matching process has been completed.
In addition to mandatory meetings and regular communication with your mentors, you are expected to attend BMALE Academy programming that focuses on:
- social and community engagement
- cultural immersion
- academic programming
- community service
- intense mentoring
- peer-cohort support structures.
Note that not all programming is mandatory, but as with all things in life, the more you put into it, the more you'll get out of it.
Advisory Committee
-
Mark Bell
assistant director for diversity initiatives, Office of Law Admissions -
Sam Brown
associate professor and director, M.S. in Nonprofit Management and Social Entrepreneurship -
Trevor Ebert
undergraduate student -
Charles Jennings
associate director of career services, Career and Internship Center -
Raymond McCree
director of operations, Office of the Senior Vice President for Enrollment Management -
Carey Miller
academic coordinator, Office of Academic Foundations and Transitions -
Sunni Solomon
BMALE Academy director, Office of Academic Innovation
Want more specific examples of programming?
- academic monitoring as a tool to enhance student success
- academic and social goal setting
- academic support programming (financial literacy, academic writing)
- programs about working with police in the community
- common read and discussion: Everything I'm Not Made Me Everything I Am by Jeff Johnson
- engagement and college transition programming with Summer Bridge and College Readiness Academy programs
- museum trips and other activities based on learning about culture and developing a cultural identity
- educational and personal development conferences
- community service events in Baltimore
- group discussions (topics including racial identity, police brutality, social activism, student engagement, leadership, future plans, etc.)
Being a mentor
BMALE Academy recruits mentors through peer recommendations and self-nominations. There is no formal application process, but please submit a resume to C.V. to Sunni Solomon along with an indication of your interest.
Requirements
To mentor a BMALE student, you must:
- hold a bachelor's degree (or higher)
- be an employee, graduate student or alumnus of the University of Baltimore
- articulate why you are passionate about mentoring young men of color.
Time Commitment
You are expected to maintain weekly communication with your assigned mentees. Some weeks, this may mean simply sending an email, while during others, you might meet in person.
You also are required to complete a two-hour training led by current mentors; it covers topics such as accountability, setting boundaries and crisis resources.
-
Marshall Glaze
undergraduate English student
"It's relatable. That's the benefit of BMALE, because not a lot of people can relate to young black guys nowadays, and it's refreshing to be able to sit in a room with a few guys that aren't that much different than you. BMALE gives me the opportunity to connect with some guys who aren't from Baltimore, and we share a common interest through skin color." -
Derick Ebert
undergraduate English student
"One of the challenges that I have faced at UBalt is finding guidance from professors and staff who are of color. BMALE provides excellent mentors who are men of color as well as staff at UBalt, so they are often available to sit down and talk about future goals, current grades, etc." -
Andre Mudiay
undergraduate business administration (finance) student
"My biggest challenge that I've had to overcome is realizing that it's OK to spend four hours straight or spend the whole weekend getting [my] studying and school projects done and telling [my] friends [I] won't be able to go out because this is my journey, and in order to the get the most out of it, I have to put in as much as I can. BMALE has taught me not to cheat myself."
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Trevor Ebert
undergraduate government and public policy student
"Having a connection to my peers on campus through the BMALE Academy has created a safe space where we can discuss a variety of issues, whether they are social, academic or personal." -
Ryan Ferguson
undergraduate criminal justice student
"I went through some academic challenges, and BMALE has definitely helped me come out on top. Thanks to my mentor, I was able to meet with my professor in order to figure out exactly what was wrong and what would be the best way for me to get through the class successfully."