Who We Are
The Black Scholars Initiative (BSI) is a campus-wide program for entering Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory at Berklee students who identify as Black or African American. BSI was established in 2017* to build Black and African American community and cultural understanding through the lens of African performing arts history and traditions. Through this initiative, we ignite the passion and talents of students of African descent, support and honor their collective backgrounds, and help them create a solid foundation to navigate life at Berklee and beyond.
*The name of the organization changed from the Berklee Summer Initiative to the Black Scholars Initiative in May 2021.
What We Do
Entering Student Pre-Orientation Program
Students' Berklee journey begins with the Black Scholars Initiative Pre-Orientation Program, which is held each year prior to the start of the college-wide fall student orientation. This program features sessions ranging from social and cultural topics to performance and community-building activities, always aiming to strengthen students’ understanding of themselves within Black and African American traditions.
Academic Year Programs and Events
The Black Scholars Initiative provides multicultural and intercultural programming that celebrates the African diaspora's contributions to Berklee and the arts while helping students achieve their personal, academic, and artistic goals. Each semester, students have the opportunity to engage in workshops with our campus partners like the Berklee Bridge (Success Advising, Career Center, Health and Wellness, and more); judgment-free study sessions with core music tutoring as well as the Ear Training and Harmony departments; and social enhancing opportunities like community dinners, field trips, and performing events. View our past events[link].
Research and Assessment
The 2023–2024 Berklee Fact Sheet shows us that 7 percent of domestic College students and 11 percent of domestic Conservatory students identify as Black/African American while for International students, 2 percent of college students and 6 percent of Conservatory students identify as Black/African American. The current retention and graduation rates for Black/African American identifying students (54 percent) lag when compared to their white peers (66 percent).
To bridge this gap, we track the academic outcomes of students who participate in the Black Scholars Initiative and examine the relationship between participation in the Black Scholars Initiative with course grades, retention, and graduation rates.
Mentoring and Advising
Our mentoring program pairs BSI students with a faculty or staff mentor from the College or Conservatory, and the BSI ambassadors facilitate study sessions and community dialogues.
Get Involved
All students who self-identify as Black and/or African American are welcome to join the Black Scholars Initiative. To join, please email bsi@berklee.edu.