For many men, dealing with mental health and academic pressures can become an overwhelming burden while attending university. At Central Connecticut State University, the Brotherhood Initiative, a men’s mental health and academic support program founded by Professor William Fothergill, has emerged as a response to these issues.
The group was founded in 2007, when it was known as the Man Enough Support Initiative. The Brotherhood Initiative’s goal is to provide a space where young men can come together and discuss problems they are facing in the classroom or in their personal lives. It is led by William Fothergill and volunteer CCSU students who take time out of their day to tackle men’s issues that are often left unaddressed.
Research from the American Institute for Boys and Men found that in 2021, only 41% of bachelor’s degrees were earned by men, a number expected to decrease over time. Additional research by Imed Bouchrika found that at public universities, 66.2% of women graduate compared with 60.2% of men.
“This project emerged out of my creative research 18 years ago,” Fothergill said. “The programs we put together are student-led. We try not to separate academic issues from mental health issues because most of the time those things go hand in hand.”
One of the primary programs run by the Brotherhood Initiative is its weekly B-Men meetings, held every Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the Campus Tour Room of Memorial Hall. The meetings are structured around openness and personal connection. Students gather to discuss issues they have been facing in an open and honest environment.
The B-Men meetings can vary week to week, with some focusing on individual issues and others addressing broader, systemic issues that affect the men within the Brotherhood.
The meetings are designed to teach young men how to deal with stressors in their daily lives. They are led by Brothers who have been in the program and act as mentors, passing along information they received when they first joined the Brotherhood.
One of the Brothers, Ashariel Velasquez, described what the B-Men meetings are like and how they have helped him.
“The B-Men meetings are quite fun,” Velasquez said. “Usually, at the beginning, we are posed a question. This week, we were asked about different beauty products and whether we need them to keep ourselves healthy and fit. We all went around the room and shared our opinions. From there, the conversations can go in any direction based on what the Brothers are experiencing. The conversations are very open and fun and encourage Brothers to share their opinions in a space where they won’t be judged.”
Through these conversations, the Brotherhood Initiative focuses on solutions, not simply naming problems, but actively working together to address them. The discussions take place in a friendly, lighthearted environment and emphasize that men should not have to “tough it out” alone.
Fothergill said he has been pleased with the growth he has seen among Brotherhood members.
“Within our core group, we have seen increased academic performance, increased class attendance, increased retention and increased graduation,” Fothergill said. “When we talk about mental health support, we are one of the few support groups for men that has embedded mental health support, and I think that’s one of the reasons it’s been effective.”
Complementing the emotional support of the B-Men meetings is the initiative’s academic support system, particularly the “Making the Grade” study sessions held every Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. These sessions are hosted in various classrooms around CCSU, depending on room availability.
The structure of these sessions is straightforward, bringing Brothers together in an environment where they can focus on their schoolwork and receive academic help from their peers.
Tyler Little is one of the leaders of the “Making the Grade” study sessions. He said he has noticed tremendous growth among his peers and enjoys helping fellow Brothers.
“We really just want to help college men get through college,” Little said. “Any college student can come, not just Brothers. We’re running these sessions to help with any homework or assignments students might have. It provides a community where like-minded students can meet and work toward our goal of graduating from college.”
Another leader in the Brotherhood, Zion Caines, spoke about the development he has seen among members during his time in the initiative.
“When I first came here, Cade was the elder brother,” Caines said. “Seeing how he carried himself and stayed committed to the initiative through all the challenges of college was inspiring. He made the dean’s list and graduated with very high honors. He’s a testament to what can be achieved through the Brotherhood Initiative.”
Despite the initiative’s successes, challenges remain. One of the primary issues has been funding and institutional support. Many members report a lack of school funding and budgetary constraints for events they have tried to organize. Securing consistent meeting spaces has also been a challenge, depending on university scheduling and room availability.
Some members feel other campus groups receive more consistent institutional support. A recurring sentiment among Brothers is that programs such as the Women’s Center, which is well established and highly visible, are better able to obtain funding, dedicated staff and promotional resources. Members of the Brotherhood Initiative emphasize that they support these groups and recognize the importance of their work, but feel men’s mental health often receives less recognition despite growing national concern around male student retention and mental well-being.
“The challenge for me is not getting students to come,” Fothergill said. “It’s how the institution has incorporated us on campus. For example, men don’t have a center. Women have a center. We don’t have a commission that reports to the president of the institution. We don’t have a place to call our own. All of our initiatives and programs have to be done on the fly because we don’t have a dedicated place to meet.”
Caines and Drew Meyers echoed Fothergill’s sentiments.
“We hold meetings with faculty members or res life on campus, and at first they say they’re up for our ideas,” Caines said. “Then later, they send emails or tell us they’re not up for our ideas once the semester starts. It feels like saying no has become a habit.”
“We haven’t been able to do as much as we want,” Meyers said. “But we try to take that challenge and learn from it. We have to hold our meetings in the Campus Tour Center, and it feels strange when other groups have their own space.”
Despite these institutional challenges, the initiative continues to produce meaningful outcomes for participants. Brothers describe improved grades, stronger friendships, healthier coping strategies and a sense of belonging they struggled to find elsewhere on campus. Others say the initiative taught them leadership skills or gave them their first experience taking emotional health seriously.
