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TSU celebrates Black History Month
'Black History Houston - Trailblazers & Legends' serves as 2022 theme
Texas Southern University officially kicks off Black History Month on Tuesday, February 1, with a comprehensive calendar of events highlighting the excellence of African Americans and featuring events produced and hosted by students, faculty and staff. A spotlight will be placed on Black history in the city of Houston and on the campus of Texas Southern University. On Wednesday, February 23, a first-ever Black History Month Convocation will honor the contributions of Reverend William A. Lawson, founding pastor emeritus of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, which had its beginnings on the TSU campus. This special event, honoring the Civil Rights and community legend, takes place in Sawyer Auditorium at 11:45 a.m. and is open to the public.

“Honoring Reverend Lawson at our inaugural Black History Month Convocation is the perfect way to show our gratitude for his pioneering leadership in the Third Ward community, at TSU and beyond,” said Dr. Lesia Crumpton-Young, president of Texas Southern University. “At TSU, we are committed to transforming students’ lives, and no one has demonstrated this transformational spirit better than Rev. Lawson.”

Other events include the Thomas F. Freeman Honors College Frederick Douglass lecture series, featuring TSU professor and chair of the music department Dr. Jason Oby. His presentation, “The American Negro Spiritual: Soundtrack of Our Journey” will take place on Tuesday, February 15, at 6 p.m. in the McCoy Auditorium in the Public Affairs Building.

KTSU 90.9 The Choice, along with The Vibe Houston, will highlight Houston-area trailblazers and legends on the air throughout the month, as well as provide history on how the University has made an impact on the city of Houston. KTSU is participating in “Black History Houston,” a series of music and outdoor market events in downtown Houston across from the George R. Brown Convention Center. The events take place Saturdays from 1-5 p.m. and feature a variety of musical talents, including TSU alumni and current members of the broadcast team. KTSU’s The Vibe Houston (vibehouston.com) will conduct a special edition of The Vibe Sessions which will air on The Vibe’s YouTube channel on Friday, February 11, at 8 p.m. This event includes cutting-edge, inspirational music in a casual storytelling format.

The Office of Student Life has created multiple in-person and virtual events for students with the theme “Remembering What They Want Us to Forget.” Activities include movie screenings, Tiny Desk music performance, a virtual Black Art Gallery, a block party, “Family Feud” game, an open mic night, virtual TikTok Challenge, and concluding with The Tiger Ball, a Mardi Gras-themed event with food, music, games and more.

A sample of other events include:
·      Virtual screening and panel discussion of “Obama: In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union,” on Monday, Feb. 21, at 6 p.m., sponsored by the School of Communication. Register here.
·      “Black Men’s Health & Wellness,” a virtual panel discussion on Thursday, Feb. 24, sponsored by the College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences and hosted by The Gregory School of the Houston Public Library. Additional details and registration here.
·      “HBCUs: Catalysts for Economic Empowerment,” a virtual panel discussion on Wednesday, Feb. 16, from 1-2 p.m., featuring Dr. David Yen, dean of the Jesse H. Jones School of Business, and presented by PNC Financial Services. Pre-register here.

To view the Black History Month calendar, features and a full schedule of events, visit www.tsu.edu/blackhistory.
#TSUMaroonOut: Tiger Nation summoned on Feb. 12
Nationally-televised basketball games bring spotlight to TSU 
H&PE Arena will be a sea of maroon on Saturday, February 12, when TSU basketball - and the university as a whole - gains the national stage. NBA TV is broadcasting both the women's and men's games, at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., respectively, versus Grambling State. All Tiger alumni, as well as students, faculty, staff and supporters are encouraged to attend. A limited number of free maroon, TSU-branded t-shirts will be distributed at the game, along with other special giveaways. An "Advance Your Shot" scholarship contest will be held during breaks in the games, giving selected students the opportunity to earn additional funding for their education.

"Maroon Out Day is about more than just a basketball game," said Dr. Lesia Crumpton-Young, TSU president. "This is an opportunity for Tiger Nation to represent this great university and show the strength of TSU's spirit to the world. We are honored to represent HBCUs on NBA TV."

For more information about tickets, visit www.tsusports.com.
Houston Astros Foundation gifts TSU $500,000 for Sports Management initiatives

The Houston Astros Foundation extended a $500,000 gift to Texas Southern University as both entities embark upon a new partnership to support scholarships and Sports Management initiatives.

Special individual scholarships are named for Astros great and former TSU Regent Enos Cabell and Astros minority owner, TSU alum and former Board of Regents Chairman, Milton Carroll. TSU thanks the Astros Foundation, Mr. Cabell and Mr. Carroll for their generosity and commitment to the university.

President Crumpton-Young, along with several TSU student-athletes proudly accepted the check on behalf of the university at a special luncheon sponsored by the Astros at MinuteMaid Park.
President conducts virtual 'Dialogue Tour'
As part of the strategy to "work collectively to achieve unprecedented success at an accelerated pace," TSU President Lesia Crumpton-Young recently conducted a virtual "Dialogue Tour" with each of the administrative divisions of the university. The tour followed up on the opening Faculty/Staff Institute held earlier this month.

The dialogues proved to be a unique, intimate platform for TSU staff to present revolutionary ideas to President Young. Each dialogue was guided using two specific questions addressed to the groups by President Young:

  1. What are the innovative things you want to do together?
  2. What are the things you want to disrupt?

Collectively, the Dialogue Tour had over 1,100 attendees from the following areas:

  • Human Resources
  • University Advancement
  • Government & Community Relations
  • Administration & General Counsel
  • Finance
  • Athletics
  • Institutional Assessment, Planning & Effectiveness
  • Enrollment & Student Success
  • Audit-Compliance
  • Academic Affairs
KTSU and Texas Radio Hall of Fame salute pioneers of Black radio in Texas
In celebration of Black History Month, and in continuing tribute to KTSU’s Journey to 50 Celebration, 90.9 The Choice will air a series of audio vignettes spotlighting the people who first brought music, news, and commentary to Black audiences in Texas.

These episodes, researched by and co-branded with the Texas Radio Hall of Fame, will be produced under the supervision of KTSU program director Donna Franklin. The sixty-second features will air on KTSU-FM beginning February 6, and will be voiced by VIBE content director The Madd Hatta, a 2013 Texas Radio Hall of Fame inductee.
Future bankers march in MLK Parade
Students in the Future Bankers Leadership Program (FBLP), which is part of the Jesse H. Jones School of Business, participated in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade held in downtown Houston earlier this month.

The students were sponsored by Allegiance Bank, which is one of many corporate partners of the newly-established FBLP.
Bullard Center for Environmental & Climate Justice
Dr. Robert Bullard, director of the Center for Environmental & Climate Justice (CECJ), and other TSU faculty members from were featured in a variety of news items following the November 2021 visit of EPA administrator Michael Regan during his "Journey to Justice" tour that included stops at TSU and environmentally-sensitive locations in Houston. (In the photo, Dr. Bullard, on the right, talks with EPA administrator Regan, center, and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, left, in a Houston neighborhood impacted by environmental injustice.)

Check out the following media coverage spotlighting TSU:

 
 
Current, prospective TSU students to benefit from HBCU scholarship fund sponsored by Novartis and TMSF

TSU students were featured on a Fox26 news broadcast announcing a significant scholarship opportunity directed toward HBCUs - specifically in the health sciences, technology and business degree areas. The Thurgood Marshall College Fund has partnered with Novartis U.S. Foundation to provide $20 million in scholarship funding, with up to $30,000 over three years for students who receive the scholarship. Watch the broadcast here.

Additionally, 90 grants of $25,000 over nine years will be offered to HBCU faculty for research into health disparities among African Americans. Students and faculty can apply now through February 28 through this link. 
TSU profiled on CW39 for Black History Month
CW39 aired a profile of Texas Southern University during Black History Month and a special series shining a spotlight on HBCUs.

Reporter Sharron Melton interviewed current and former students as well as faculty member Dr. Alvia Wardlaw, executive director of the University Museum, as part of the segment, focusing on the rich history - and bright future - of TSU. Watch the segment here.
TSU alumni artwork on display at The Collective
The Community Artists' Collective's new exhibit “Wisdom and Hope” welcomed the new year with work from local artists including Texas Southern University alums Hardy Allen (artwork shown below) and Daniel Tesfai.

TSU professor Dr. Sarah Trotty founded The Collective in 1985. The new exhibition is open now at The Collective, located at 4101 San Jacinto, Suite 116, through Feb. 26.


Read more here.
MBA alumnus assumes new role at SUNY Oswego
Congratulations to TSU alum Reginald Braggs, who was recently appointed State University College at Oswego’s interim executive to the president and affirmative action officer. Braggs, who graduated from TSU in 1997 with a master of business administration, has served as director of SUNY Oswego’s Syracuse campus since March 2020.
Into the heart of the season...
Tigers, Lady Tigers face key match-ups in February

The men's and women's basketball teams are in the thick of the SWAC conference race, with critical games in the coming weeks. Following impressive rivalry victories this past Saturday at Prairie View, the men's and women's teams now travel to Florida on Feb. 5 & 7 to face Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman.

Both teams return to H&PE on Saturday, Feb. 12, and Monday, Feb. 14, facing Grambling State and Southern University, respectively. Don't miss this opportunity to wear your maroon (Feb. 12 is #MaroonOut at H&PE) and fill H&PE Arena as both games will be nationally televised on NBA TV!

For more information and details on upcoming events, visit TSU Athletics.
Triple jumper sets career mark at Red Raider Open
Chadrick Williams posted a career-best mark in the triple jump as he finished second overall at the competitive Red Raider Open last weekend.

Williams jumped 50'-2" (15.29m) at the event as the junior recorded the jump on his last attempt. Williams worked his way up the ladder slowly during the event as his first four marks were in the 14-meter range. On his fifth attempt, Williams eclipsed the 15-meter mark before setting his final mark on the sixth attempt.

Williams also had a busy day as he finished top 10 in the high jump with a season-best mark of 6-4.75.

Read more from TSU Athletics.