In Columbia, South Carolina, Benedict College now enrolls more male than female undergraduates, making it one of the few HBCUs to do so. Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis, Benedict's president, said she believes the only other one is Morehouse College. Morehouse's enrollment rose from 2,152 students in 2020-21 to 2,847 in 2024-25, an increase of about 32%, according to College Tuition Compare.
"The trend is actually declining in terms of Black males attending college," said Jesse Tyson, a member of Benedict’s board of trustees and Grand Sire Archon of the Boulé Foundation and Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity. "In this case, they actually have more males than females. And so that's kind of not the norm." The Boule Foundation granted the B.E.S.T. Man group with a $100,000 to support Benedict’s efforts to retain its male students.
Benedict's answer is B.E.S.T. Men, a mandatory program offering mentorship, guidance, and support for male freshmen that is designed to continue over four years. It is supported by a $100,000 grant from The Boulé Foundation. B.E.S.T. stands for belonging, educational excellence, service and thoughtfulness.
Students attend sessions with speakers and can join optional small group "chop it up" sessions of about 40 students, held every other week with trained facilitators. Those who attend six of eight small-group sessions become eligible for a pool from which 40 students will be chosen to study abroad in December.
"Servant leadership is not an option," said McDaniels, a retired homicide sergeant with the Richland County Sheriff's Department. "It's masterfully and spiritually stitched into the very fabric of this program."
In Baltimore, Coppin State University reported that new male undergraduate enrollment rose from 284 in fall 2025 to 403 in fall 2026. The increase came as part of the largest incoming class in the university's history. Coppin says its male enrollment is up 42% over last year and 74% since 2021.
