Collegiate 100 seeks to mentor, develop leadership skills in young Black men
Kim Chaudoin |
Lipscomb University’s Collegiate 100 chapter has been making a positive impact on the lives of young Black men in the Nashville area for more than five years.
Collegiate 100 is an auxiliary program of the 100 Black Men of America, a civic organization whose goals are to be positive role models for Black children and teens. The Lipscomb program is supervised by the 100 Black Men of Middle Tennessee chapter.
The mission of Collegiate 100 is to prepare and guide college students to transition into leadership roles in their community. The chapter leads mentorship programs for middle and high school students, as well as receives mentorship from the members of the 100 Black Men of Middle Tennessee Chapter.
“Our main focus is on mentorship, leadership and service to our community,” says Trey Phillips, president of Lipscomb’s Collegiate 100 chapter. “It gives college men leadership opportunities that make an impact on the lives of others. It also gives young men an opportunity to learn more about what the college experience is like.”
Phillips says Collegiate 100 has hosted a variety of activities such as tutoring programs, tie drives, clinics to teach young men how to tie ties properly, toy drives and more. In each, the Lipscomb college students have opportunities to mentor the young men whom they are serving.
“It's important for young Black men to know they have an established outlet to be their authentic selves and reflect on shared experiences,” says Reggie Blair, senior director of admissions at Lipscomb and chapter sponsor. “What's special about Collegiate 100 is that participants are part of a national organization that acknowledges that, but also encourages them to channel those experiences into opportunities to serve and mentor younger students within the community. I'm extremely thankful to the President's office and the Office of Intercultural Development (OID) for supporting this organization.”
Collegiate 100 accepts members of all ethnic backgrounds, Phillips says, but the organization does only allow men to participate in this program because its mission is specifically geared towards giving young black men specifically male role-models whom they can look up to and aspire to emulate.
Serving others is a passion that Phillips says began for him as a child growing up in church.
“I’ve been dedicated toward service for pretty much my whole life,” admits Phillips, a junior civil engineering major from Nashville. “I grew up in the church. At church we did a lot of service work with our assisted living members and our elderly members who could not make it to the building. We did a lot of fellowship and service with them from beforehand. So it really was an important part of who I am.”
When Phillips learned about Collegiate 100 from Blair, he knew it was an organization that he wanted to be a part of.
“When I first got to Lipscomb I had the opportunity to meet some of the club’s early members and they were really great guys,” Phillips recalls. “I became a part of the organization for the service and the mentorship but really, what really made me stay a part of it is the brotherhood and the camaraderie with the guys that I have. I feel like these guys are going to be my friends for life. I've really appreciated it and know that there are people here who I can just count on, who will be there for me.”
While Phillips is the only official officer of Collegiate 100 this semester, he says there are three other members who have been instrumental in the organization this academic year. These include Canaan Wilson, Randolph Wilkerson and Josh Hayslett.
“I want people to know that we're service and mentorship oriented, but we also have a lot of fun,” says Phillips. “The members of Collegiate 100 are awesome to be around and are just great people with great hearts. It’s a group of people who are oriented towards service and towards leadership. I feel like every person who is a part of this organization has great leadership potential and will make an impact on those around them.”
For more information about the Lipscomb chapter of Collegiate 100, click here. Download the membership application here.
NOTE: Lipscomb University underscores that membership or participation in Collegiate 100 is not limited by sex, race or ethnicity and is open to all students regardless of sex, race or ethnicity.