An annual opportunity for alumni and students from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds to come together in fellowship, the 2023 iteration of the Multicultural Alumni Mentorship (MAM) Weekend may be the most widely-attended in the event’s history. Thanks to the efforts of a planning committee that included representatives from the Minority Student Union (MSU), the faculty, a variety of departments across campus, and dedicated alumni, Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement Cameron Marshall ’12 called the 2023 MAM Weekend an “extraordinary success.”
Attendees kicked off the festivities Friday evening with a cookout and live music with members of the MSU. Saturday featured a full day of networking and fellowship, beginning with a student panel moderated by Assistant Basketball Coach Bryson Gibson and comprised of Student Body President Trey Grimes ’23, MSU President Rod Nolan ’24, and MSU Vice President Jaron Concepcion ’24. An alumni panel headlined the afternoon with panelists Tyler Langhorn '17, Brian Gwaltney '19, Jeffrey Harris '90, and Dr. Randy Williams '96, moderated by Rodney Ruffin '82, who also serves as vice chair of the College’s Board of Trustees. 
The weekend culminated with an inspiring keynote address by Hakeem Croom ’10, who recounted the brotherhood he found at Hampden-Sydney that supported him through difficult times, as well as the mentors who helped him pursue his unique gifts and goals. “ Hampden-Sydney has a big opportunity to be the progenitors of positive manhood in how we serve our communities, how we show up, how we love our people, and how we get to know people for their hearts,” 
said Croom, who is the director of the Male Success Alliance at California State University-Dominguez Hills.
Other notable events from the weekend included an alumni versus student basketball game, a networking lunch, a reception at Middlecourt with President Larry Stimpert and his wife, Lesley, and community gatherings each evening.
“This year’s MAM Weekend underscored the College’s commitment to creating a robust culture and inclusion program and enhancing our engagement strategy with alumni and students of color,” Marshall says. “There is still much to be done, and I look forward to working collaboratively to continue building on the momentum that our alumni and students helped create through this year’s event.”
