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=Student African American Brotherhood=

The Student African American Brotherhood, with over 168 chapters in the United States and abroad, was founded on the campus of Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus, Georgia on October 17, 1990. SAAB mentors young African American men by educating them on their responsibilities as United States Citizens. The overall objective of the program is to make each young man aware of his potential, purpose, and life goals; however, much emphasis is focused on leadership development and training.The Student African American Brotherhood members serve their communities   through mentorship, role modeling, and programming that highlights the experiences of African American culture as well as black men’s roles in society.

Motto
“I am my brother’s keeper, and together we will rise!”

Mission
Student African American Brotherhood (SAAB) is an organization created to help young men achieve success academically, socially, culturally, professionally, and in the community. The young men of SAAB persevere to reach academic excellence and commit to planning and implementing programs that benefit the community. Participants are encouraged to be leaders by acting as role models in areas of academic success, brotherhood, and community service. SAAB participates in weekly study sessions, weekly developmental seminars for students of all ages, business meetings, social, and religious activities, and work with numerous non-profit organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity and Big Brothers and Big Sisters.

Goals
The goal of SAAB is to help all African American men in school take advantage of their education in order to understand and practice their responsibilities, rights, and privileges as a United States citizen. SAAB also works as mentors for younger African American males in the community. One of the organization’s objectives is to prepare its members to compete for superior positions in the professional world. The educational and cultural activities are provided to help SAAB achieve this goal.

Values
• Creating a "Spirit of Care"

• Mentoring and Self- Discovery

• Excellence without Excuse

• Continuum of service and intervention from middle school to college graduation

• Prevention and Early Intervention

• Impact on students

• Structured, high impact programming focusing on student development, career, education, cultural diversity and community service

History
SAAB was established on October 17, 1990 by Dr. Tyrone Bledsoe on the campus of Georgia Southwestern State University. The organization was originally created to concentrate on the social and academic challenges of African American males on Georgia Southwestern’s campus; however, other collegiate and high school chapters have been established in 27 states. SAAB has reached out to thousands of African American and Latino men. SAAB focuses much attention on access for and success of at-risk males in high school or college. Graduates of SAAB are now active role models for inner-city youth across the country. The First International SAAB Leadership Institute was held at the University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio March 4-6, 2004 under the theme, "Strength For Your Journey: Voices of the Past". Brothers from various chapters were able to meet with other brothers who held similar goals and aspirations.

Founder
Dr. Tyrone Bledsoe was born and raised in Grenada, Mississippi, but he currently lives in Toledo, Ohio. He attended Mississippi State University where he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree and Master’s of Education degree. He later earned his PH.D. in Counseling and Student Affairs Administration from the University of Georgia. Dr. Bledsoe was recognized as the Outstanding Doctoral Student in the State of Georgia, and has received the Outstanding Doctoral Alumnus by the University of Georgia .He has held the following positions:

Financial Consultant for the College Board’s College Scholarship Service

Assistant to the Vice President of Student Affairs at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.

Student Affairs Specialist at The University of Georgia

Associate Vice President for Student Life at Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus, Georgia

Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina

Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services at North Carolina Wesleyan College and was the college’s first African American executive officer

Associate Vice President/Dean of Students at Sam Houston State University

Associate Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences/Assistant Professor at Sam Houston State University

He served as Vice President for Student Life and Special Assistant to the President of the University of Toledo, but as of 2011, he holds the position as the Executive Director of the SAAB National Headquarters. Dr. Bledsoe founded the Student African American Brotherhood Organization (SAAB), which is a national organization established to enhance the experiences of and instill a “spirit of care” in African American males in high schools, colleges, and universities around the country. He also contributed to the book entitled “African American Men in College”, written by Michael J. Cuyjet and Associates and published by Jossey-Bass. Dr. Tyrone Bledsoe is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.. He has committed himself to the development in higher education, and has been recognized by several professional associations for his research, publications, presentations, and scholarly work. In 1999, the British Council sponsored a trip for Dr. Bledsoe to serve as a guest lecturer at Oxford University Roundtable Institute in Oxford, England. He discussed his work with African American males through mentoring programs. He has also been invited as a guest on talk shows such as “Perfect Union” with Jessie Jackson, Jr., where he talked about his involvement with young men in the African American and Latino community. Dr. Bledsoe was chosen by the Ashoka International Organization as one of the most outstanding social innovators in the world. He is most proud to be the father of his only son, Tyrone Bledsoe, Jr.

Student African American Sisterhood (SAAS)
Student African American Sisterhood (SAAS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to unifying African American women through the development of a sisterhood of distinction. SAAS encourages and assist African American females with personal and professional development, and provides strategies for educational success in college and the real world. Their primary goal is to impact the lives of its members through support and mentorship. The women of SAAS are committed to planning and implementing programs that empower not only themselves, but the community at large. SAAS members are encouraged to exemplify positive leadership and sisterhood in the academic environment and in the community. Women are encouraged to grow personally, academically, socially, and spiritually.

Mentorship
Mentorship is an exchange of relationship between the protégé (mentee) and the mentor that involves mutual nurturing, caring, and exchange of resources, rather than simply a form of "giving" by the mentor.

SAAB accomplishes its mentoring objectives in three dimensions:

1) student to student mentoring at the collegiate level

2) Project ACE collegiate Black males mentoring high school black males; and

3) advisor to student mentoring at both the K-12 and collegiate levels

The student to student aspect of the program provides the greatest opportunity for developmental growth in its participants. Protege's of SAAB are taught core values, such as proactive leadership, principles of accountability, self-discipline, and intellectual development. The student to student relationship is beneficial, because peer mentors are generally more abundant, more empathetic, and more successful in the increase in accountability of participants to each other as well as the goals of the program. SAAB mentors are not only expected to create relationships with their individual protégé but also with all participants of the program.

Source: Yahoo! Groups.