Arcadia’s Achievement Initiative for Male Success (AIMS) program celebrated the completion of its first academic year on May 4 with a family dinner in the Grey Towers Castle Dining Room. On top of providing a space for reflection and camaraderie, the event also included remarks from guest speaker Dr. Stephen Tyson ’13M and ’23EdD, adjunct professor of Education.

This dinner served as the culmination of all that the AIMS program has accomplished in its first year. Since its inception in the fall, staff advisors Dr. Donavan McCargo, dean of students and vice president of Campus Life, and Eugene Garmon, M.S., assistant director of Counseling Services and Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives, have worked to structure the group and facilitate a sense of community among members.

Aaron Lemons ’28, Michael Washington ’28, Mondesir Gboho ’27, and Davit Mirzakhanyan ’26 were appointed leaders of AIMS and have worked together and with the broader group to shape the community’s direction over the academic year.

Most recently, students participated in a Top Golf outing, where they practiced their golf swings, critiqued one another’s technique, and connected over a shared game.

“To be frank with you, the trip to Top Golf taught me that my golf skills are horrible,” said Gboho, an International Business major with a minor in French. “But besides that, it was a wonderful bonding experience. Connecting is always a great experience, especially when it’s outside of a classroom or meeting.”

They then shared a meal with the Alpha chapter of AIMS at Kutztown University, learning from each other’s experiences, networking, and brainstorming plans for the future of AIMS at Arcadia.

“Meeting with the Kutztown chapter of AIMS was an unforgettable moment,” said Lemons, a Health Sciences Major on the Pre-PT track. “They welcomed us with such great excitement and enthusiasm, showed us great hospitality, and gave us a little inside peek into how they are working to change aspects of their campus for the better.”

Though Arcadia’s AIMS program was inspired by Kutztown’s program, ours has taken a different approach that’s more responsive to the needs of our student body and consistent with Arcadia’s mission.

“What we’re doing at Arcadia is creating our own AIMS,” said Garmon. “While Kutztown has helped to foster idea sharing and relationships with Arcadia students, the Arcadia AIMS program is really the brainchild of Donavan and me. Through a joint Family Dinner with Kutztown, we wanted to provide our students an opportunity to congregate and build connections beyond Arcadia.”

Additional AIMS programming included bowling outings, group study sessions, monthly family dinners, and “real talk discussions,” which Garmon has found to be particularly impactful.

“It’s hard for young men to be vulnerable and comfortable enough to talk,” he explained. “But because of the community we’ve built, that relationship is already there to feel comfortable talking. Now we have these guys from all different races of the University coming together, talking, and being there for one another.”

Prior to becoming a leader, Lemons got involved with AIMS after receiving an invitation from Dr. McCargo. 

“At that point, he was the only [staff] member I had a connection with, so I happily accepted the invitation,” he said. “So far, this experience has been unbelievable. Outings and experiences like these are vital to the growth and strength of our bond as AIMS Brothers, and they allow us to connect with others and establish safe spaces on and off campus.”

Gboho also joined AIMS in the fall and was immediately impacted by the group.

“The [first] meeting was a breath of fresh air,” he said, “I got the opportunity to meet people who think alike and all wanted to improve their situation on campus and make other students’ time on campus welcoming and memorable.”

AIMS events are open to all students, faculty, and staff. “In the Fall, we will open up more events and Real Talk sessions to those who are interested in either joining AIMS or may need something like ‘Real Talk’ to share and build with others in a confidential space,” added Garmon.

Anyone interested in participating in this fall’s programming should reach out to Garmon at garmone@arcadia.edu for more information.