On November 19, 2011, Florida A&M University marching band Drum Major, Robert Champion, died after participating in a violent hazing ritual. The following year, FAMU launched a $50,000 research initiative that would give faculty and graduate students at FAMU the opportunity to study the nature and extent of hazing attitudes and behaviors among campus organizations. This research led to a focus on interventions for high school students to increase awareness and strengthen safe participation in student activities. As time progressed, what began as a vehicle to spread hazing prevention education and student leadership strategies, developed into marching band training, group facilitated workshops and college/career readiness preparation. This evolved into what is now known as the Drum Major Empowerment Foundation, Inc.