Antonio Gardner enrolled at CCBC Essex in 2014, shortly after his grandmother passed away. During his first semester, Dr. Antione Tomlin introduced him to CCBC’s Male Student Success Initiative, a program designed to improve graduation rates among male students of color and to enhance students' awareness of culture and self-identity.

“MSSI opened up doors I did not know existed,” said Gardner. “I was someone trying to make it work coming from high school straight into college. Yes, I knew a little, but there was a lot that I did not know. MSSI and my advisors helped me better myself.”

Gardner credits Tomlin and mentors Dr. Maurice Johnson and Dr. Mark Williams for his growth and development as a young college student, teaching him how to advocate for himself and the importance of taking the initiative to be a successful student. 

“I had just recently lost my grandmother, and she was the driving force behind me going to college,” said Gardner. “I felt lost and wanted to quit, but Dr. Tomlin would not give up on me. He motivated me to keep going for her, not because of her.”

Founded in 2013, MSSI is part of the Men of Color College Achievement (MoCCA) Project, a research study led by MDRC, a non-profit research organization, designed to learn how MSSI helps students achieve academically at CCBC.

“MSSI is so important because it firmly supports CCBC’s vision of diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Jeffrey Wright, MSSI program coordinator. “African-American men don’t fare as well academically, not because they are incapable, but because of external factors that negatively impact them. We have to address it head on.”

According to Wright, students are eligible to participate in MSSI if they self-identify as a male of color, have 29 credits or fewer, and take one of the gateway courses: Academic Development 101, English 102, Math 082 or Math 153. There are no GPA requirements or letters of recommendation needed to participate.

MSSI is currently established at the Catonsville, Essex and Owings Mills campuses, and there are 140 active students. Both entering students and current students are eligible to be selected for the program by project recruiters.

Each student is partnered with a dedicated success mentor who meets with them regularly throughout the semester. Success mentors facilitate services including tutoring and academic support, supplemental instruction, financial aid, career workshops, and assistance in transferring to a four-year college. MSSI also partners with businesses such as Stanley Black and Decker to provide internships for students.

While at CCBC, Gardner took advantage of many of MSSI’s support services and workshops, such as the Ready to Work program that teaches students how to be efficient and effective workers. He encourages students who might feel a little lost to give MSSI a try.

After graduating with an associate degree in General Studies from CCBC in 2017, Gardner transferred to Morgan State University and earned a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems. He is currently back at CCBC, employed as a Financial Aid administrator.

“Everyone needs a support system that keeps them on the right path. MSSI was that for me.” — Antonio Gardner

But MSSI is not all work and no play. The group tries to schedule weekly activities like cookouts, flag football, golf outings, karaoke and more to promote camaraderie.

“We are all about leadership, community building and brotherhood,” said Wright, who said that more than 350 men have gone through the program at CCBC.

Current MSSI participant Myles Foster is a Cybersecurity major on the Essex campus, and he loves being a part of the group and connecting with students like himself. He also takes advantage of much of the support MSSI offers.

“My mentor helps me in so many different ways,” said Foster, who has been in MSSI since Fall 2020. “I meet with him every other day. When I was having trouble in math, he helped me schedule tutoring. He helps me with anything I need.”

“If you’ve never been to college before, there are a lot of things you just don’t know about,” added Foster. “I strongly recommend getting involved in MSSI if you’re new to CCBC and new to the college environment. You’ll be ahead of everyone else.”

Wright believes that a strong connection in the classroom is incredibly important for the MSSI students, so CCBC is now hosting training sessions for faculty to become MSSI-certified. Interested faculty members learn all about MSSI and see how their communication, commitment and support can contribute to the success of both the students and the initiative.

“We have to have initiatives like MSSI to help men of color be successful when it comes to college,” said Wright. “Every African-American male wants to achieve something, and success is only going to happen with consistent action and strategic action. We want CCBC to be a hub of great experiences and great outcomes for men of color.”