Meet The Standard’s ninth cohort: a program designed to support undergrad men of color
Arroyo De La Paz: “It’s been a joy getting to know our newest members in Cohort 9”
On March 18, The Tech interviewed Office of Academic Community, Empowerment, and Success (OACES) Associate Dean and Director Sadé Abraham and The Standard Director Hector Arroyo De La Paz to discuss The Standard’s ninth cohort.
The Standard was established in 2018 to support the success of MIT’s undergraduate men of color. The program hosts around 100 students spread across four cohorts representative of their class year, and oversees each new group from their first semester at MIT all the way to their last. According to Abraham, The Standard, like other OACES initiatives, seeks to “support students and foster community and student growth.” The program offers workshops, networking opportunities, social outings, and other resources to its participants. Since the Office of Minority Education’s dissolution in Aug. 2025, the program now operates under OACES.
Forging a community
On how The Standard’s “dual pillars” of professional development and community building work together, Abraham highlighted how the program creates space for student empowerment and connection while also providing students with strategies for the future.
The Tech interviewed members of both The Standard’s eighth and ninth cohort to understand how the program impacted students’ undergraduate experiences. Omer Ismail ’29 valued most the connections with upperclassmen. “They have internship or resume advice, and to be honest, just general MIT advice,” he said.
A core component of The Standard’s program is how it encourages connections across different class years. The Standard cohort members must commit to four years of attendance, an obligation that Ismail stated encouraged him to be more active within the program.
Christian Le ’29 echoed Ismail’s point. “I like that it’s a four-year obligation. If you want to have a brotherhood, you can’t change the brothers. That’s how you foster community,” Le said.
As a member of the eighth cohort, Ehinome Ehikhametalor ’28 tries his best to be a resource for the freshmen of Cohort 9. “I vividly remember many of the struggles most freshmen face, and I share my experiences along with how I got through them,” he said.
However, the relationships between members of The Standard didn’t start from scratch. For many students in Cohort 9 like Elisha Aranibar ’29, joining The Standard was a chance to continue seeing familiar faces.
“The majority of the people I know there are from Interphase [EDGE],” Aranibar explained. “I feel like [Cohort 9] was already decently tight knit. [The Standard] made it a lot easier for people to just come together and meet each other.”
Supporting students holistically
The Standard offers other advantages aside from community building. For instance, cohort members have retreats and one-on-one advising within the UAC, according to Abraham.
Abraham maintained that The Standard’s focus on student ownership and engagement was “central” to the program’s overall impact.
Cohort members highlighted memorable events like the cohort’s induction ceremony and trivia night.
Ismail spoke more broadly on his experience in Cohort Nine, emphasizing his enjoyment of events even with their focus on professional development. Emboldened by their experiences, students like Le and Ismail have even joined The Standard’s Executive Board to further engage the community.
Beyond providing events and spaces to converse with others, The Standard’s participants shared that the program’s support system was also monetary. Aranibar lauded The Standard’s financial support for helping with costs of professional development and graduate school preparation, explaining how he did not have his own suit before coming to MIT. “The fact that they’ve given me money so I can actually afford that is nice,” he said.
Making an impact
Le noted that many students at MIT already have access to critical resources upon entering campus, and that The Standard provides an important support system for those that do not. “[The Standard] helps put us on the same playing field as other people,” Le said.
Aranibar echoed Le’s feelings, highlighting The Standard’s commitment to better serve people of color. He stated the program’s main significance lay within its ability to offer underrepresented students “better opportunities” both academically and professionally.
Ismail agreed and suggested that The Standard’s methods were more down to earth than he first expected. Instead of shoving seminars and workshops into their faces, Ismail said the primary focus of the program was cultivating community. “It makes us more comfortable asking for help when we need it,” he explained.
Arroyo De La Paz said that he is enjoying getting to know the new Cohort 9 members. “Even though they’re early in their journey, they’ve already made a meaningful impact on the community,” he said.