It’s that time of year, Barons; the BRAVE Summer Institute is back again! The college readiness experience for first-year male students of color attending Rowan College at Burlington County will occur from August 14-16. Designed to empower, the institute will help students adjust to college life and achieve academic success. Joining a diverse group of faculty, staff, and students, they can also form lasting professional and personal relationships.

BRAVE, which stands for Brothers Achieving Excellence, Program Coordinator Marcus White has worked tirelessly to get the program up and running once again, ensuring every background can have a bright future.

“I know from my own first-hand experience how vital it is to have consistent, genuine support as one persists,” White said. “My hope is that the bonds they create as brothers will be long-lasting and offer a supportive structure along their journey of life… that they will use the resources and experiences they have gained from their BRAVE experience at RCBC to excel academically, professionally, and personally in their lives.”

Each day of the institute addresses something new. On the first day, participants will hear from keynote speakers and go on a campus tour, and on the second, they will engage in role-play scenarios, for example. Along with professional growth and a sense of belonging in a new environment, eligible students can earn exciting incentives if they participate in all three institute days, including a $500 check and RCBC swag.

Wilkins Paul, an RCBC student and a proud participant of the BRAVE summer institute, said of his experience with the program, “The program was my first experience of college as an incoming freshman. As I enter my third year of college now, I can say my entire college experience’s foundation was the BRAVE program. The main takeaway was that it does not matter where you come from or what expectations others have of you. Simply work hard and control what you can control.”

Students looking to learn more or keep up with White and the rest of the institute participants can attend other BRAVE events throughout the rest of the semester, such as Cafe Connect, Barbershop Talks, and college tours after the institute concludes.

To any students interested in signing up, it’s time to hurry; seats are filling up fast, and registration ends soon. Fill out this form to guarantee a spot at the institute. To learn more about the BRAVE program, head over to rcbc.edu/brave.