A Bentley Alum’s Mission to Empower Young Men of Color

Terrance Bacchus ’90 had few advantages growing up in Dorchester, Massachusetts. But he did have an abundance of grit and determination. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Marketing at Bentley as a first-generation student and went on to a successful career in marketing and sales, including nearly 30 years at General Mills. His success, along with shrewd investing, enabled him to retire two years ago at 56.

The Bentley alum says he is now giving back to his community of Cincinnati, empowering boys and young men of color to excel in school and one day lead with impact.  

As the founder and president of the Cincinnati-based My Brother’s Keeper, inspired by an initiative launched by President Barack Obama more than a decade ago, Bacchus spends up to 30 hours a week teaching, planning, taking students on field trips, managing the organization and networking. 

Here, Bacchus shares how his Bentley experiences shaped him and why he chose to retire and donate his time to his community.  

Bacchus speaking at the Bentley Alumni Conference.

“I was nowhere near the smartest in high school and I was nowhere near the smartest in college,” Bacchus says. “But what I had was a desire to not fail.” 

How did your time at Bentley affect you on a personal level?

Bentley was my dream college because I knew its reputation and I wanted to be a success. I grew up on the lower end of the poverty line. My older brother dropped out of high school in the 10th grade, and my younger brother went to prison for about five years. I watched my mom working two jobs to raise three boys on her own.  

I had the chance to go to school outside of my neighborhood and it opened my eyes. I saw people who were doing well, and it motivated me. I wanted to overcome poverty. I wanted to break the cycle for my family.  

Getting accepted to Bentley gave me confidence and a belief that I could succeed. Bentley is not an easy school, but I'm a believer that once you're in, if you work hard, you can accomplish things. 

At Bentley, I had role models who were men of color, including Dr. Earl Avery [a champion of diversity and inclusion who had multiple roles, including equal opportunity officer, in his 30-plus years at Bentley]. At the time, he was one of the first successful Black men I had seen. That made me think that I could achieve things, too.  

How did your Bentley education impact your career?

Bentley played a key role in preparing me for my journey. The university's strong business curriculum provided a solid foundation, but the lessons I learned as a student-athlete were equally important. Competing in track and field taught me discipline, resilience, teamwork and time management — all skills that proved invaluable throughout my career. Bentley also gave me the confidence to lead, communicate effectively and build relationships with people from diverse backgrounds. 

I spent 34 years in corporate America, including 29 years at General Mills and my final five years at NielsenIQ. Looking back, what stands out most is not the brands, titles or business results, but the opportunities I had to invest in people. As my responsibilities grew at General Mills, I discovered that what I enjoyed most was developing talent and helping others achieve their potential. I was particularly passionate about helping new associates understand personal finance and investing. Growing up, I had to learn these lessons on my own, so I made it a point to mentor younger employees about finance. Those experiences reinforced my belief that financial education can be a powerful tool for breaking cycles of poverty and creating generational opportunities. 

You now focus on volunteer work as president of My Brother’s Keeper. Why?

It would have been easy for me to walk away and say, I'm retired. I've already built some wealth. My daughters are doing well. But I choose to go into Cincinnati public schools and talk to young men of color. I think it's important for them to see that I grew up just like them.  

I talk to them about accountability and purpose and how you show up and surround yourself with successful people. I want them to know my story, not just the good, but the difficult, too. It's okay to say that when I was growing up, we ate government cheese and government peanut butter.  

Bacchus speaking at a conference.

Some kids aren't thinking big because they don't know how to dream big. We talk a lot about money — the history of money and how to make, save, spend, protect and borrow it. They need to learn to manage money and I explain that it was through investing that I was able to retire early.  

How has your work at My Brother’s Keeper impacted you?

I recall one parent — a single mom of four boys — telling me how much it meant that her son came home from our program each week talking about our Wealth Achievers program. She thanked me for being the male role model in his life. For me — someone who grew up without a father — what that parent said reflected the deeper responsibility and privilege of this work. It is not just about teaching skills. It’s about showing up consistently in ways that shape how young men see themselves and their future. 

In many ways, my transition from the corporate world to the nonprofit sector was not a dramatic change at all. The audience changed, but the mission remains the same. 

A Top Fan of “Survivor,” Bacchus Wins Trip to Fiji

Terrance Bacchus and his family are huge fans of “Survivor,” the long-running CBS hit reality show. The Bentley graduate has been watching since it first aired in May 2000.

Bacchus and his wife arriving in Fiji.

Bacchus and fellow winners competing in a Survivor challenge.

So, when the network announced a “Share Your Tribe Story” contest for fans to commemorate the show’s 50^th season, Bacchus submitted a one-minute video that illustrated his family’s devotion to the show. He was stunned to receive word that his family was one of five selected for a free trip to Fiji, where the 50^th season was being filmed.  

The Bacchus family traveled to Fiji with the other “tribes” and enjoyed five days of beach time, great meals and behind-the-scenes show tours. They participated in an authentic challenge consisting of a difficult obstacle course and puzzle assembly, and even met Jeff Probst, the show’s longtime host.  

Two highlights: Bacchus’s daughter won the challenge, and he was selected to host part of the challenge while Probst stood by his side.  

“The challenge was much harder than it looks on TV, but it was an unforgettable moment,” Bacchus says. “Other than finding my bride at Bentley and having two incredible daughters, this was the best thing that ever happened!”