Jordan Hearring, Life Editor

Joining a club is one of the many college experiences that students can look back on fondly. It can improve social skills, communication skills, time management and academic involvement. It can ease the transition from high school into college, allow students to make friends with similar interests and give students a chance to have a voice and a support system. A-State offers over 250 student-led organizations and this segment in The Herald will spotlight one of the many diverse clubs on campus. This week, the spotlight is on Brother 2 Brother.

Brother 2 Brother was formed in 2004 by Barbara Doyle, former reading instructor and academic adviser, when she witnessed African American males who had the potential for academic success but were slipping through the cracks. The Office of Diversity took over her leadership position in 2006 when she took the position as director of assessment services, but their legacy continues and their membership continues to grow. The values and missions of Brother 2 Brother exist today as they did in 2004.

Brother 2 Brother serves as a mentorship organization for African American males and provides a safe space to learn, grow, develop and connect with campus life. It allows their members to engage in leadership roles in the organization and on campus and provides a support group for their members. The organization also collaborates with other clubs on campus for events like game nights, carnivals, highway cleanups, voter registration drives, workshops for financial literacy and workshops to build the students’ repertoires in different subjects. The group focuses on academic achievement as well as networking on campus and getting as much out of your college experience as possible. There are currently 30 members involved in Brother 2 Brother, and the organization will continue various diversity recruitment events in the future. 

Larry Turner, president of Brother 2 Brother and senior pre-professional biology major from North Little Rock, said “I oversee all of the events and functions of Brother 2 Brother. I serve as the backbone for the organization and make sure everything is flowing right. I also coordinate a lot of the logistics of the events we plan and the meetings we hold.” The executive board consists of the president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and social media chair.

A typical Brother 2 Brother meeting varies depending on the upcoming events and the issues going on within the members’ lives. The meetings start with a general check-in, making sure everyone is doing okay. From there, a group discussion may take place where they are engaging in formal manners or they can relax and joke around. The meetings are sometimes short but may last for 2 hours. The structure is very flexible in the meetings and there is a general ease in the way they flow. The meetings usually consist of the members or can include more people during collaborations with other clubs. The group has collaborated with First Baptist Church, National Pan-Hellenic Council, Office of Diversity, Hermana y Hermana and the Multicultural Center.

“The group is not exclusive to anyone,” said Turner, “Anyone is welcome to join, the door is open, and we accept you just like we would any other person. We will help you out in any way that we can.” 

For more information regarding Brother 2 Brother, reach out to the organization on Instagram @brother2brother.asu. For a full list of the registered student organizations at A-State visit www.astate.edu/RSO. 

Categories: Life