Black Men on the Move alumni present current members with suit jackets

Wright State student organization Black Men on the Move concluded the spring semester with its suit coat ceremony.

Alumni of the Wright State student organization Black Men on the Move gave suit jackets to current students as members of the executive board passed the torch to a new executive board.

Jarrod Williams, alumni of Wright State, said the event is an important part of celebrating Black Men on the Move and its members.

“Each alumni purchased a black suit coat for each executive board member as a rite of passage,” Williams said. “A suit is a gentleman’s armor, so we know it was what the group needed.”

During the ceremony, two students were awarded with scholarships through Black Men on the Move, and the scholarships donors were acknowledged. The organization accumulated over $4,000 in donations and sponsorships through the year.

Kevin Jones, president of Black Men on the Move during the 2017-2018 academic year, introduced the new organization’s executive board: Mandril Hood, president; Malcolm Wilford, vice president; Jayshaun Gaddis, treasurer; and Aaron Bell, secretary.

Black Men on the Move, which is a student organization that exists to strengthen relationships between black men and Wright State University, hosts several events throughout the year that encourage community engagement, such as a bowling party during Wright State’s 50 anniversary, attending local churches, Apollo Night, which is a talent show, and a roller skating night.

Jones said community service played a vital role in the success of the organization, as members volunteered with charities such as Clothes that Work in Dayton, Ronald McDonald House, the Martin Luther King Jr. march in Dayton, as well as collaborating with the Black Student Union at Feed the Streets and Westwood Elementary.

Black Men on the Move also hosts a basketball tournament to raise funds for the Damon S. Bell Scholarship for African-American students who have shown leadership ability and be active in campus activities and community affairs.

Williams encourages past Black Men on the Move leaders to connect with current leaders.

“I believe it is very important that past student leaders are always open and willing to connect with current student leaders to create relationships that can impact the campus and community,” he said. “This was an amazing opportunity for us to celebrate the great work of Black Men on the Move and to create some consistent mentoring for the students personally and professionally.”