Georgia Southwestern State University’s African American Male Institute was awarded a grant for the 2016 fiscal year by the University System of Georgia’s (USG) African-American Male Initiative (AAMI).

Launched in 2002, USG’s AAMI consists of a network of programs with the goal of enrolling, retaining and graduating male African American students in public colleges and universities across Georgia.

Statewide, AAMI has seen noteworthy success. Enrollment has increased by 80.74 percent since 2002, retention rates are at 76.90 percent and conferral of bachelor’s degrees to male African American students has increased by 97.22 percent since 2003.

Georgia Southwestern’s African American Male Institute was established in 2008 by Ervin Anderson, senior lecturer of mathematics and executive director of the program. The program began with 25 members that were sophomores and juniors at Americus Sumter High School. These students eventually enrolled at GSW, and as of summer 2015, 84 percent of this initial cohort has received a college degree.

“As executive director, my main goal is to increase the percent of African American males that successfully receive a college degree here at GSW,” Anderson said. “So far, the program is working on our campus and around the state.”

The AAMI grant is a competitive matching grant. Anderson wrote the grant with input from various departments on campus and submitted it to the AAMI state office, housed at Kennesaw State University.

The state AAMI selection committee evaluated all grant proposals and decided which programs would be awarded with grants. GSW was awarded an AAMI matching total grant of $20,000. The funds will be used for programming aimed at increasing retention and graduation rates, which will include a speaker series designed to encourage and motivate male African American students at GSW.

There are currently AAMI programs at 26 of the 30 USG campuses in Georgia, including the program at Georgia Southwestern.