Members of Band of Brothers pack dental hygiene kits, feminine products and first aid essentials at a donation drive in collaboration with the National Society of Black Women and the Minority Student Pursuing Dental Club at Hale Hall. Credit: Matthew Gebreyhones
Band of Brothers is back at Ohio State, in which young men aren’t just finding a community — they’re building one.
BOB was re-established as an official student organization by six students — including BOB president Don Hannon, a third-year in actuarial sciences, and vice president Matthew Gebreyhones, a second-year in computer science — after being labeled inactive in 2020.
According to Ohio State’s Student Activities webpage, the organization seeks to promote “scholarship, service, professional development and brotherhood” among Black male students at Ohio State to build a supportive and growth-driven community.
“Band of Brothers is an organization where young men get to come together and grow socially, professionally and spiritually,” Hannon said. “On a campus as big as this one, it gives people a chance to just come together, meet more people, meet each other and get involved with different things to make campus not so lonely.”
Hannon said he was pulled to re-establish the club because he saw a need to create a space specifically designed to address the needs of young Black men on campus.
“We want to emphasize that space for young men specifically because there are not that many organizations that are tailored for young men on campus,” Hannon said. “Our sisters on campus have really been hustling, so you have organizations like the Sister Accord that are born from that. You don’t really have something that’s generally tailored towards young Black men.”
Hannon said one of the club’s core missions is to create a space where Black men can openly address the challenges they face, recognizing many of these struggles often go unspoken.
“I see a lot of Black men kind of cut themselves short constantly,” Hannon said. “As Black men, there are a lot of unseen struggles that we keep to ourselves a lot and we’ve got to realize that that is not working for us anymore. You have to empower students to create spaces to share our struggles together and rely on one another, instead of just keeping it to ourselves. We’re just doing more harm to ourselves that way.”
Shane Wagner, a second-year in sports industry and club member, said the exchange of life experiences within BOB has created mutual growth, as members learn from one another, regardless of age or background.
“We all come together, and we come with an open mind and perspective,” Wagner said. “We actually grow from one another because there may be some experiences that someone has that I haven’t had yet, or I am about to have. Whether it is coming from someone a year younger than me or two years older than me, this growth goes both ways.”
Wagner said though its academic pursuits are important, the club focuses on personal development and well-being by engaging in vulnerable discussions.
“Yes, we are students here, but we are ultimately people first,” Wagner said. “One week, we learned about entrepreneurship. Another time was more focused on mental health. Another time we just focused on letting everyone share about their experiences to teach people through one another because that stuff really matters.”
Hannon said for many of the club’s members, being a student at Ohio State carries significant weight, as they represent both themselves and their families.
“It’s a lot that goes to our name, and it comes with a lot of responsibility that none of us take that lightly,” Hannon said. “This is The Ohio State University. Nothing about being here and doing this is easy, and I think there is a sense of comfort in not shying away from that fact alongside other like-minded, gifted individuals.”
Gebreyhones said although the pressure of college responsibilities can feel burdensome, BOB offers a supportive environment that helps members face these challenges with confidence.
“If you let it, the responsibility of being a college student can kind of feel like a burden on your back,” Gebreyhones said. “I think that’s the beauty of Band of Brothers because we see that, we feel that and we recognize that, but we won’t let ourselves or our members be unprepared for that.”
Hannon said some of those emotional challenges are deep-seated among many Black men, making access to support for college students crucial.
“Suicide rates among Black men are among some of the highest in the country,” Hannon said. “I’ve had family members who have dealt with depression, who have dealt with suicidal thoughts. I know I’m not alone, but when else are you given the spaces where you can discover that kind of thing?”
Hannon said BOB is rooted in the belief that success is achieved through collective effort, not isolation.
“We all grew up with the idea that it takes a village,” Hannon said. “It takes a village to develop somebody or takes a village to accomplish the hard things in life. We want this organization to be that village to show that we can do hard things.”
Gebreyhones said opening up opportunities for honest, meaningful discussions about mental health that both men and women can engage with is a simpler step that can make a great impact.
“We hosted an event with the Black Mental Health Coalition where we had some of those harder conversations,” Gebreyhones said. “Even though it was titled ‘Black Men, Hard Conversations,’ there were women present the whole time. That’s what ultimately made the event so dynamic, because it was just nice to have their insight on male matters through the female lens.”
Hannon said the BOB initiative was built with a vision that extended beyond just one group, aiming to create a more inclusive community.
Members of Band of Brothers attend the club’s “Shark Tank” event at Scott Laboratory. Credit: Matthew Gebreyhones
“We are trying to build a sense of community here that goes beyond just Black men or men in general,” Hannon said. “Yes, this alliance was established on the importance of building up young men, but it doesn’t stop there. If we do this right, everyone can stand to benefit from Band of Brothers.”
That inclusivity is something Hannon said extends to the wide range of topics covered in the club’s meetings.
“We held a ‘Shark Tank’ event that really exposed our members to the entrepreneurial world and the challenges that may come with it,” Hannon said. “That’s not something that’s any specific major. Anyone who wants to come, even if they never wanted to be an entrepreneur, can get access to the insights of being one. There is power in that access to choice.”
Gebreyhones said the organization hopes to build a lasting impact on its members.
“I want the memories that we create here to be lasting,” Gebreyhones said. “Shane was telling you about how he remembers coming to our events, and I love that. It’s like, ‘Yes, he remembered us, man.’’
Wagner said in his time with BOB, he learned that brotherhood is not confined to specific spaces, but requires courage and initiative.
“I have really learned that brotherhood can exist anywhere,” Wagner said. “We just all have to be brave enough to look for it, and if it’s not there, you’ve gotta be brave enough to find a way to bring it to you.”
Hannon and Gebreyhones said BOB meets Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. at Hale Hall during the spring semester.
For more information about BOB and its upcoming events, visit the club’s Instagram account.
