OUR MISSION
We are fostering an inclusive environment for shared learning.
We are a vibrant collective of diverse, creative, and mission-driven MIT alumni who are dedicated to empowering the next generation of diverse leaders and change agents. Our mission is to support the professional and personal development of the Black community at MIT - with a special focus on the recruitment, development and successful graduation of Black undergraduate and graduate students - and to amplify the voice of all Black alumni who are committed to leadership, innovation, and positive social transformation. We will never stop marching for justice.
We fulfill our mission by providing programs and initiatives for the Black community at MIT:
We support recruiting candidates of color through events like the Black Graduate Celebration and the Ebony Affair where newly admitted students meet current students, alumni, staff and faculty.
We work along with MIT admissions to recruit and train more Educational Counselors who work with local schools and recruit students who can be successful at MIT.
We provide support to help current students be successful through programs such as our Research Slam.
We connect with the African Diaspora fostering cross-cultural understanding, identifying collaboration opportunities, and enhancing organizational strategies through our travel program trips to Ghana and South Africa.
We conduct Pi Day K-12 STEM activities in urban schools and for students of color.
We foster alumni connections through information sessions, and networking events and highlight Black Alumni activities and updates through mailings and newsletters.
We maintain regular contact and communication with our Black student groups and collaborate with the MITAA and the MIT administration to advocate for the Black community.
OUR VISION
We are mobilizing a passionate community of diverse innovators.
As an alumni network, BAMIT enjoys a strong presence in all regions of the United States with a growing membership organized by local chapters. We host local alumni events, coordinate regional mixers, plan substantive educational programs, and organize an annual leadership conference at MIT, all geared toward empowering the Black alumni of MIT and their surrounding communities.
Through our email newsletter and digital publications, we share empowering stories and inspiring initiatives from the Black MIT community, both on and off campus. Our growing network provides our family with access to exclusive networking and professional development events, engagement with an intimate collective of high-achieving Black professionals, unique community service and mentoring opportunities across the country, and selected leadership development programs.
Our corporate sponsors and community sponsors support our rich programming and bold initiatives at MIT and beyond. Together, we impact diversity, inclusion, social justice, and a plethora of other important issues pertinent to Black communities across America. We are committed to leadership and devoted to change.
OUR ORGANIZATION
Members.
We invest our time and creativity to empower the Black community at MIT, and foster an inclusive environment for diverse communities around the world.
Events.
We host enriching events that educate the community on critical issues impacting Black students and alumni, all geared toward promoting positive social change.
Legacy.
We build upon a rich history of Black dreamers and innovators at MIT that are not only leaders in STEM, but also advocates for social justice.
OUR LEADERSHIP
Patrick Gerdes
SB ‘84
Chair
Anthony Fedd
SM ‘98
Vice Chair
Catherine Holden
SB ‘75
Recording Secretary
Tisha Turner
MBA ‘02
Treasurer
Lincoln Chandler
SM ‘05, Ph.D. ‘08
Director
Membership Chair
Debra Carlton, MD
SB ‘75
Director
Programming Co-Chair
Ralph Taylor-Smith
SM ‘02
Director
Programming Co-Chair
Crystal Dixon
SB ‘90
Director
K-12 Stem Chair
Samuel Nixon Jr.
SB ’77
Director
Outreach & Engagement Chair
Rosita Parker
SB ‘75 SM ‘76
Director
Governance Chair
Vincent Kwapong
SB ‘88
Director
Philip Rigueur
MBA ‘23
Director
Albert Tervalon Jr.
SB ‘65
Director
“Never underestimate the power of dreams & the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.”