Visit Marcus White’s office, and you’ll see copious photographs pinned around his desk, depicting his moments with cherished students and colleagues. Mention a particular picture, and he can point to each student’s face, recount their name, and chronicle all the events that took place that day.
Stop him in the hallway between classes; he’ll regale you with a hearty conversation and lend an ear to your challenges or achievements. Send him an email with any questions, and he’ll respond with great interest and gratitude.
You don’t even have to ask him what the lifeblood of his career is; it’s evident - the students.
As the program coordinator for Brothers Achieving Excellence (BRAVE), White is the champion for male students of color at Rowan College at Burlington County. His passion for giving young men of marginalized backgrounds a chance to excel in higher education, where systemic barriers commonly hold them back, has significantly impacted the college.
For these efforts, White received the college’s Barons Best award, given every semester to a staff member who exemplifies the ideals of being an RCBC Baron – hard work, loyalty, innovation, service to the community, and a student-first disposition.
“I strive to give our young men the empowerment and encouragement they need to bring to fruition what they want to achieve in life,” said White.
Initially hired as the Minority, Male, and Low-Income Student Coordinator at RCBC, White quickly realized that his title did not effectively convey his passion and purpose of empowering young men of color. He advocated for a positive and more inspiring title change. He successfully changed his title to BRAVE program coordinator, which provides students with a more inspiring approach to understanding his role at the college.
“My mission, my focus, my thought with my role: identify the needs for the students, the male students of color. What do they need to be successful in graduating? What do they need to be successful in staying?” White said.
White has fostered belonging and provided positive guidance for RCBC’s male students of color with experiences such as the BRAVE Men of Color Summer Institute, Cafe Connect, Barbershop Talks, and BRAVE Adventures. White empowers Barons on their educational journey with many supportive and empowering experiences through casual conversations that build brotherly bonds, excursions to the bowling alley, guest speakers, and discussions on mental health, professionalism, financial literacy, and leadership development. Since White arrived at RCBC, BRAVE students have had a retention rate of nearly 80 percent, which is higher than the college’s overall student population.
“Marcus has shown time and again that he is a student-first staff member who leads regardless of his role,” said Dr. Karen Archambault, senior vice president of Enrollment Management and Student Success (EMSS). “He is always willing to go above and beyond to support his students. He has brought in external speakers, connected with members of the Board of Trustees, and collaborated with an increasing number of internal partners to ensure that his students have all the support they need.”
Beyond his students, White’s devotion is also pervasive among the offices of RCBC.
“His positive attitude and strong work ethic inspire everyone around him, making him an invaluable asset to our EMSS team,” said Admissions Counselor Dayna Paul. “Working with someone so passionate about their work and committed to our success is a privilege.”
Just recently, White added a new avenue of support to his repository. Reaching an epiphany last spring, White realized while he succeeds in spades in identifying what students need and providing them with it, what happens when a student actually epitomizes the excellence expected of them? The usual answer for those with marginalized experiences is typically very little.
“So many men of color don’t celebrate our own achievements,” White concluded. “What they need is recognition. They need the encouragement to know that they’re acknowledged. They need someone to say, ‘Hey, I’m proud of you.’”
“I was passing through the SSC last semester, and I saw on one of the tables in the lounge a certificate of recognition,” White recounted. “It was presented to a BRAVE participant, Abdul, after he took part in a STEM competition. And it was really astounding. I was like, ‘Oh, wow, a BRAVE brother, achieving.’ I picked it up, and I said, ‘Abdul, congratulations.’ He’s like, ‘Oh yeah, that thing. I don’t even know how I got it.’ I’m like, ‘Man, this is amazing. You have Dr. Tetteh, dean of STEM, congratulating you on your work.’ So it’s helping them realize what you may take lightly is a big deal… When you celebrate it, when you recognize it, and when you share it and allow people to celebrate you, it can be motivating and inspirational to the next brother to do well.”
After encouraging one student’s success, even more have approached him to tell him about their new job, invite him to their honor society induction, or tell him that they were selected to participate in the Princeton Transfer Initiative this past summer, which aims to prepare students to transfer to selective universities.
When he looks at his own shiny, new Barons Best plaque in the corner of his desk, White concludes, “It’s an acknowledgment that the work I’m doing is significant.”
