Courtesy of Bowie State University
A new club to encourage Black men on campus to become leaders has been launched by Zaire Bond, a sophomore majoring in education with a history concentration. Bond’s organization, The Black Male Educators and Leaders Alliance is open to all undergraduate and graduate students regardless of an individual’s major.
“The focus of the club is on leadership and education,” said Bond. “We want to provide the necessary tools for young Black men to become leaders which means providing positive input and reinforcement such as peer mentoring. Fifteen students have expressed interest in joining the club and I’ll meet with them tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. on the second floor in the library. They’re excited and I’m excited.”
Bond came to Bowie State after being introduced to the university’s Black Male Teachers College as a high school sophomore at Western School of Technology and Environmental Science in Catonsville, Maryland. He said his mother initially informed him about the program where he was formally introduced to Dr. Julius Davis and began meeting other Black male teachers.
“My father teaches social studies and U.S. history and my grandmother was an elementary and high school teacher so it’s a part of my DNA,” said Bond. “But meeting Dr. Davis and other Black male teacher solidified my desire to become a teacher and study at Bowie State. And with the financial support I’m receiving from the Augustus F. Hawkins grant, I know I can attain my goal to become a Black male educator.”
Bond is among 17 Black male students who are now attending Bowie State to earn their degrees in education with their tuition, books, and in some cases, room and board paid for through the four-year $1.5 million Augustus F. Hawkins grant awarded to the university by the Department of Education in 2023 to support the Black Male Teachers program.
“The Augustus F. Hawkins grant has been a game changer,” said Dr. Davis. “We can offer Black male students support, mentors, experiential learning and financial backing which goes a long way in attracting students to the education field. All of those factors played a role in Zaire deciding to come to Bowie State.”
“You don’t have to be a teacher to be an educator,” said Bond. “I want the Black Male Educators and Leadership Alliance to be known as an organization that provides all students the necessary tools to become leaders and positive reinforcement for Black men. My father taught me that focusing on relationship building and getting to know students is critical in the learning process.”
Bond is actively recruiting more members to the organization. He plans on pursuing a master’s degree at Bowie State in educational leadership after he earns his bachelor’s degree.