Inspiring male students with My Brother’s Keepers: ‘We want to make sure we’re here for them.’

The initiative is focused on providing resources for Black male students toward improving retention and graduation rates.

ORANGEBURG, S.C. – Jalen Levine is ready to lock in and invest in himself.

The South Carolina State University student/athlete recently attended the launch event for the university’s newly formed My Brother’s Keepers initiative, which aims to provide more resources for Black male students toward better retention and graduation rates.

Levine left the event ready to venture out of his comfort zone while staying locked in on a path to success. He was particularly tuned into the message from the event’s keynote speaker, Cameron Carraway, a successful stock trader whose father is on the SC State faculty. Levine knows the best stock he can invest in is himself.

“I took heed of Cameron’s experience in the trading industry,” Levine said, noting that he had prior experience with Carraway. “When he (Carraway) first started trading, he didn’t know anything about it. I actually know some about trading, but for him to say he didn’t know anything about trading and for him to be successful as he is right now and still growing is good to see.”

Hundreds of male SC State students gathered at the Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium on Tuesday, Sept. 24, for the launch event, during which Carraway and SC State leaders homed in on the importance of mental health and focus on success during and after college.

My Brother’s Keepers is a collaborative effort among faculty, staff, and students from various divisions across campus. The initiative is housed in the Student Success Center (SSC) under the leadership of Tyron Clinton, the center’s director.

“We had a wonderful turnout,” Clinton. “The young men were very interested. This is not a one-time event. Our goal is to help these students not only to graduate but also to let them know that all the resources that we have are here on campus -- we want them to utilize those resources.

“We want to make sure we’re there for them -- not to just tell them what to do but to help guide them and be a shoulder to lean on,” Clinton said.

The session featured a series of powerful speeches from SC State President Alexander Conyers, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Frederick Evans, and Carraway.

Dr. David Staten, SC State’s associate provost, facilitated the program, delivering a comprehensive overview of the vision, objectives, and guiding principles behind the My Brother's Keepers initiative. His presentation emphasized the initiative’s vital role in empowering young men to overcome challenges and achieve success.

Conyers delivered the opening remarks, offering words of wisdom, encouragement, and support to the students. His call to action emphasized the legacy of excellence at SC State and the vital role of persistence in achieving academic and personal success. Evans followed the president, underscoring SC State’s commitment to fostering an environment where Black male students can thrive academically and professionally.

“This event meant the world to me,” Carraway said. “This was my first time ever speaking to a crowd that big and just being able to have any type of impact -- I wasn’t always the articulate person I am today.

“I needed to hear a lot of the same stuff I was telling them,” Carraway said.

As the founder of Profit Pursuit Mentorship, Carraway has dedicated the past two years to mentoring others in stock trading, long-term investing, and financial strategies.

In a moving moment, Carraway’s father, Christopher Carraway, an instructor in SC State’s College of Business and Information Systems, led the attendees in reciting the newly adopted My Brother’s Keepers Creed. The recitation served as a powerful affirmation of the Black male students’ commitment to personal, academic, and community excellence.

Following the speeches, participants received valuable information about key university resources, including the University Counseling and Self-Development Center, the Student Success Center, the Office of the First Year Experience, Career Services, and Student Support Services. These offices are integral to ensuring the academic and personal successes of SC State’s students.

The My Brother’s Keepers initiative is led by a coalition of dedicated administrators, faculty, and staff. Along with Evans, Clinton and the senior Carraway, the group includes Dr. David Staten, associate provost; Dr. Samuel Littlejohn, engineering professor; Dr. Eric Williams, assistant band director; Dr. George Johnson, acting chair of SC State’s Department of Education; Dr. Franklin Pressley, director of student life and leadership; and Dr. Costanzo Martin-Bryant, director of SC State’s Call Me Mister Program.

In addition to the university’s commitment, the leadership team will pursue funding through grants and philanthropic contributions to ensure the program’s sustainability.

The launch of My Brother’s Keeper was made possible in part through the generous sponsorship of Sodexo, which provided meals and refreshments for the attendees.

For more information about My Brother’s Keeper, email Mr. Tyron Clinton at tclinto1@scsu.edu.