WVU Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion hosts inaugural M.A.L.E. Leadership Breakfast

Stories | WVU Today | West Virginia University

Having a
committed mentor or role model is an important part of successful growth and
development for a young adult.

To promote this
ideal, My Brother’s
Keeper – The Successful M.A.L.E Initiative will hold its inaugural M.A.L.E.
Leadership Breakfast Thursday (April 27) at 9:30 a.m. in the Mountainlair
Ballrooms.

David
M. Fryson, a vice president of West Virginia
University and head of the Division of
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion believes that programs like the Initiative,
which supports WVU men of color, go a long way toward this.

“It’s important
for these young men to have role models who are successful and look like them,”
Fryson said. “More importantly, it’s important to have role models of various
professions and walks of life, so that the young men in the group can learn
that success is uniquely defined from person to person.”

The breakfast
will feature a keynote address from Ed Gainey, a state representative from
Pennsylvania, and an oratorical presentation from local college men of color:
Isaiah Keys, Aaron Goodson and Dr.
Samuel Lopez. The oratorical presentation provides a platform for these men
to share their personal narratives and their plight as men of color in higher
education, and discuss the strategies which allowed them to develop, grow and
embrace success.

These men have
some unique life experiences and motivational remarks to share with their peers
and community members about their journey to achieving success in leadership,
education, personal and social development, extracurricular involvement and
goal setting for the future.

“The breakfast
is pretty crucial,” said M.A.L.E peer-leader, Ryan Payan, “because this is the
final time that us senior leaders, who have been around since day one, will be
able to recruit the younger students.”

The goal of the
breakfast is to introduce the initiative and its participants to the public,
...

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