A Texas A&M men’s service organization is challenging its members to make a difference in children’s daily lives in the Bryan-College Station area.
The organization, called Brotherhood of Aggie Mentors (BAM), is a service and social organization which hosts events, hangouts and strives to mentor children in the local area.
BAM was established and organized in 2016 by Rickey West, Class of 2017, and his two friends, Gabriel Weber, supply chain marketing senior, and Josh Dickens, university studies-leadership senior. West, who had a troubled high school career, said he wanted to ensure others don’t make the same mistakes he did.
“With something like this, I kept searching and I wanted to find a way to leave a mark on Texas A&M in a way that I was passionate about and could have a positive impact in people’s lives,” West said. “I shared my story with close friends and we teamed up to offer wisdom to high school kids who have trouble with listening to their elders and might want to listen to college kids instead.
West eventually found his way through, earning his Bachelor’s last May and is now working for Dell Primerica in Austin, Texas, doing software programming for automation processes.
According to BAM President Josh Dickens, BAM centers itself around the fundamentals of A&M.
“This organization is really about instilling the A&M core values in kids all around the area whether they’re in high school, or struggling to just make it day by day,” Dickens said.
Dickens said he believes no matter how old someone is, there is always a need for self-improvement and helping others.
“Believe it or not, they’re guys our age as well, where they really don’t have it figured out and yet we look to grasp one another trying to step and make a difference for the better,” Dickens said.
Dickens said he uses the skills he’s learned through his leadership major not only to run BAM, but to help parachurch ministries. He will be attending graduate school at A&M this upcoming fall to earn his master’s in leadership.
BAM’s main focus school is Bryan High school, as they have set lunches daily throughout the week, according to Dickens. BAM also hosts events where members look for mentees. Events in the past have ranged from a dodgeball trampoline tournament, to intramural football games on Saturdays to A&M athletic events. Once a month, members gather in juvenile halls in the local area to help children.
“Watching the hours of planning and organizing for mentorship is most certainly is amazing to see, we started BAM from scratch and to see all the moving parts happen and come together is very special” BAM Internal Vice President Gabriel Weber said.
Weber said he cannot fathom what BAM has grown into over the past few years. He said he credits West with leaving a legacy worth following for BAM’s success.
“It was all really Rickey West who had this come together, but really having the idea of being there for young men who going through confusing and difficult circumstances in their lives similar to his, is something inspiring for all of us to take pride in,” Weber said.
According to Dickens, BAM started out with 10 members in 2016, and now has risen to 95 total and only looks to get bigger. With each active member, the goal is to guide one kid per semester.
“Something like this is really just a shameless plug for any guy who’s interested in an organization that wouldn’t fit into the standard college circle, we have guys from all walks of life, different states, different countries and even different ages. The motto that we provide is something simple, ‘Just a bunch of guys being dudes,’” Dickens said.