CBL State Savings Bank Charitable Foundation supports the African American Male Scholars Initiative at Greenville Technical College

CBL State Savings Bank Charitable Foundation recently awarded $2,500 to support the African American Male Scholars Initiative (AAMSI) at Greenville Technical College. This donation will go a long way in supporting the AAMSI’s mission to empower African-American male students in achieving their educational and career goals. This initiative provides academic support, mentoring, and leadership development to help students succeed in college and beyond.

“The AAMSI program has yielded impressive results in terms of student retention (68% for AAMSI participants) and persistence (83%). To date, this success for students participating in the AAMSI program surpasses the performance of any other measured group at GTC.” Said Michael Burgess, AAMSI Director.

AAMSI offers intensive advising, events, textbook stipends, cultural engagement activities, mentoring and tutoring, emergency financial assistance, and connections to college and community resources. A recent report showed that AAMSI scholars benefit from a sense of community, academic support, exposure to successful African-American men, and access to educational and community resources. Since 2019, 62 program participants have graduated from Greenville Technical College, and the retention rate for AAMSI scholars exceeds that of white males and non-AAMSI males. The majority of AAMSI scholars are first-generation college students.

“CBL is dedicated to community and what better way to pour into the community than through education. It is our privilege to partner with GTC on this impactful initiative” said Jennifer Jones, CBL State Savings Bank President/CEO.