GAAME Testimonial from Mansur

March 1, 2016

My name is Mansur Buffins. I am a second-year double-major in Social Studies Education and African American Studies. I serve at the Vice President of the UGA Chapter of the NAACP, Freshman Advisor of the Black Male Leadership Society, and Director of Young Black Kings: A Black Male Empowerment Program at Clarke Middle School.

The Georgia African American Male Experience program is the reason I am enrolled at the University of Georgia. I was a member of the inaugural GAAME cohort in Spring of 2014. During this program, members of the Black Male Leadership Society and faculty members from the Office of Inclusive Excellence welcomed me, as well as other prospective Black male students, with open arms and helpful intentions. They gave us an exciting tour of the campus, let us eat and converse in the dining hall with UGA students, sent us to speak with the heads of departments and notable professors across the campus, and so much more. I had never been on a college campus before this experience and so it was absolutely amazing for me.

After the experience, I chose to attend the University of Georgia over Georgia Tech. I felt like I had a support system and family at UGA before I even started classes. I had made long-lasting friends during that weekend experience who continue to be sources of support for me. I was provided with a set of Black male model figures for success on campus. The faculty of the Office of Inclusive Excellence assured me that they will work as hard as they can to make the campus as comfortable for me as possible. I am thriving at the University of Georgia because of the Georgia African American Male Experience and all the greatness it has exposed me to and all of the support that it has provided me with.

I encourage all students who have been invited to participate in the Georgia African American Male Experience to accept the invitation and take part. I know that they will learn so much about the University of Georgia that goes beyond looking at facts on the website. Without a doubt, the great activities, good food, and free stuff was well worth it. There is no way to measure how impactful that weekend was, but I hold GAAME as one of the most influential and best experiences I have had at the University of Georgia and I am hopeful that other Black male prospective students take part in it.