Welcome to InsideTSU, the weekly newsletter of Texas Southern University!
Friday, September 9, 2022

Opening Convocation celebrates 95 years of Excellence in Achievement
Faculty, staff, students and alumni came together on Wednesday, September 7, to celebrate the Opening Convocation and the founding of Texas Southern University. The traditional Founders' Day Convocation, which filled Sawyer Auditorium, kicked off TSU's 95th anniversary year.

Presiding over the ceremony was Acting Provost Dr. Lillian Poats, with greetings from TSU Regent Mary Sias from the TSU Board of Regents; Dr. Edieth Wu, Faculty Senate Chair; LaRence Snowden, Staff Council Chair; Dexter Maryland, SGA President; and Corrie Williams, TSU National Alumni Association President.
TSU President Dr. Lesia Crumpton-Young introduced Dr. Cherry R. Gooden (pictured above), longtime educator and TSU alumna, who delivered the Convocation address.

Dr. Gooden, a dedicated, committed teacher with more than 48 years of teaching experience at both the elementary and university levels, encouraged the students in attendance to embrace the life-changing experiences that present themselves in college.

"Be on the lookout for these life-changing moments as you journey through Tigerland," she said. "This is your time! TSU is part of us, and we are part of TSU. We are sown into the fabric and we all add chapters to the TSU story. What will your chapter be?"

Dr. Gooden retired from TSU in 2013 after 36 years of service. Before joining the TSU College of Education faculty in 1976, she was an elementary teacher in the Houston Independent School District for 12 years.

Attendees were also treated to a powerful performance from the University Chorale directed by Dr. Kiana Day Williams. Following the ceremony, cake, cupcakes and cookies celebrating TSU's 95th anniversary were enjoyed on the plaza outside Sawyer Auditorium.
For more images from the Opening Convocation celebrating TSU's 95 years of Excellence in Achievement, visit our Flickr page.
Register NOW for next week's NASA Days, HBCU/MSI Technology Infusion Road Tour
Texas Southern University will host the prestigious NASA "HBCU/MSI Technology Infusion Road Tour" September 13-15, giving the University and its students access to unique internships, and providing faculty and staff with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and research-focused partnership opportunities.
 
The event will also provide TSU with a platform to showcase its research capabilities. Each day attendees are invited to networking sessions with participating federal government representatives, NASA Center leads, and NASA prime contractors to introduce and build relationships to enhance partnerships and maximize opportunities. The final day of the event will include technical workshops catering to those new to Federal partnerships, as well as to those who are more seasoned, to assist participants in strengthening their organization's readiness to apply for NASA funding.
 
TSU students and faculty will have the opportunity to participate in NASA Days throughout the three-day event. Taking place in the Sterling Student Center (3rd floor Tiger Room), NASA Days is a student-centered event which will provide information related to internships across the Enterprise, and a unique opportunity to engage – and possibly interview with – hiring managers for opportunities. Students can learn how their academic discipline can be incorporated into space exploration, meet NASA managers who will share insight about various internship programs, and earn coveted interviews with NASA personnel to be considered for internships. Faculty networking/strategy sessions with NASA representatives will also take place during NASA Days. Sessions will be both in person and virtual. For more information and to register for NASA Days sessions, visit the registration website.

For more details about the NASA HBCU/MSI Technology Infusion Road tour visit here.
Inaugural Chief Technology Officer selected
Arman Rashid has been selected as the inaugural Chief Technology Officer at Texas Southern University.

The hiring of Mr. Rashid adds to our ongoing transformation at Texas Southern University. As Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Mr. Rashid is responsible for leading all technology strategies which include information, communications, operations, and competitive technologies. Mr. Rashid is also responsible for leading technology integration efforts across university divisions, ensuring the successful performance of all technology systems and services, and the overall security of all technology systems on campus.

CTO Rashid brings over 25 years of technology leadership experience and knowledge, including 10 years in higher education. CTO Rashid comes to TSU from Northeastern Illinois University, where he served as Chief Information Officer (CIO). CTO Rashid is well-acquainted with Texas Higher Education, spending nine years at Texas Woman’s University, and serving in various technology leadership roles. CTO Rashid holds an MBA from Eastern New Mexico University and a bachelor’s degree in Business Computer Information Systems from the University of North Texas.

CTO Rashid enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters (ages 7 and 10). He also enjoys traveling, gaming, and gardening.
"TSU in the News" snapshot:

TSU/UH poll on Texas Gubernatorial race is featured by multiple media outlets (September 7):

Ocean of Soul pays tribute to Uvalde during Labor Day Classic halftime performance (September 5):

TSU intern participates in panel discussion on TRacking Aerosol Convection interactions ExpeRiment (TRACER) through Brookhaven National Laboratory (September 6):

TSU included in "Top 10" things to know about Megan Thee Stallion (September 5):
Dressed for success
Football team debuts custom suits in collaboration with Michael Strahan and Men’s Wearhouse 
TSU's football team, in collaboration with alumnus Michael Strahan and Men’s Wearhouse, debuted custom suits prior to the season opening game against Prairie View A&M University. The team will wear the suits prior to each game this season.

“These suits are customized to represent Texas Southern University in every stitch,” said Kevin Granger, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics.

Pictured above are (l. to r.) student-athletes Andrew Body, Viramontes Pippens and Jacorey Howard.
“As we’ve gone through the process of fitting and trying on, we’ve seen the confidence these suits evokes in our student-athletes. It is our hope to see that same confidence translate onto the playing field, into the classroom and beyond.”
TSU-UH election survey finds Texas races are tight, but few shifts in state's Republican leadership expected
The eyes of Texas, and far beyond, are on Republican incumbent Greg Abbott’s 7% lead over Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke in their quest to occupy the governor’s office after the state’s Nov. 8 midterm elections.

But among close watchers of Texas politics, the most intriguing race may turn out to be for state attorney general.

“Two-time Republican incumbent Ken Paxton can currently claim only a narrow 3% lead over Democratic challenger Rochelle Mercedes Garza,” said Mark Jones, senior research associate, University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs and professor of political science, Rice University.

“At present Texas seems poised to continue the conservative partisan incumbent class, leaving a significant portion of the electorate that opposes them locked out of power/representation," said Dr. Michael O. Adams, Texas Southern University Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs professor. 

These insights are among findings in the “Texas Trends 2022: General Election” survey released today by the UH Hobby School of Public Affairs and Texas Southern University’s Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs. The new survey is part of the second chapter of the five-year Texas Trends series, which measures opinion shifts and policy preferences within Texas’ changing population.

For the full story, click here.
TSU alumnus posthumously inducted into PVAMU Sports Hall of Fame
John Cochran was named to the Prairie View A&M University Sports Hall of Fame during a recent ceremony.

Cochran, who passed away in 2015, was a three-time Coach of the Year, leading PVAMU's men's tennis team to three conference championships (2005, 2010, 2013) in his 11 seasons guiding the Panthers. His teams made appearances in the NCAA tournament in each of those three seasons.

A native of Chicago, Il, Cochran played tennis for Texas Southern University from 1982-86 and earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Philosophy. After graduation, Cochran moved to North Hollywood, CA, and served as a residential counselor for at-risk youth at the Ettie Lee Homes for Youth. In 1998, Cochran returned to Houston and worked for Houston ISD, H.L. Yoh Information Technology Associates, and Texas Educational Foundation before accepting a position at PVAMU in 2000.
Law school alumna named as director at Georgetown University Law Center
The Georgetown University Law Center (GULC) has appointed a graduate of TSU's Thurgood Marshall School of Law as its first full-time director of the Resilience, Innovation, and Sustainability through Education (RISE) program.

Itunu Sofidiya was appointed as the director of the RISE program for the 2022-23 academic year. RISE provides support for incoming students from backgrounds underrepresented in law schools and the legal profession and helps them thrive at GULC.

Sofidiya has practiced law in multiple fields including working on cases related to immigration, capital punishment and domestic violence. Before becoming the director of RISE, she was a reference librarian and adjunct professor at GULC.

For more detail about Sofidiya's appointment, click here.

Photo courtesy of Georgetown Law.
TSU falls in Labor Day Classic
Tigers hit the road to face University of North Texas
Texas Southern dropped a 40-23 decision to archrival Prairie View A&M in the annual Labor Day Classic on the road Saturday night.
 
TSU opened the game with a bang as Chaunzavia Lewis ran the opening kickoff for a touchdown but the score was negated due to a penalty. The Tiger offense, however, wasted little time putting points back on the board, scoring a touchdown on its opening drive.

Prairie View A&M also scored on its opening possession, tying the game at 7-7 midway through the first quarter.

For a full game summary, visit TSUSports.com.

TSU is back in action this Saturday at the University of North Texas in Denton for a 6:30 p.m. start.

Photo by Amira Smith
Volleyball, soccer teams seek first victories
TSU's soccer and volleyball teams will play later this week as they search for their first victories of the 2022 season.

Last week, the soccer team fell at UT Rio Grande Valley 3-0 before traveling to San Antonio to face Incarnate Word, losing 4-1. Hayden McMillan scored the lone goal for TSU. The Tigers have two more non-conference road contests this week, facing Louisiana Monroe on Friday at 7 p.m., and Abilene Christian on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Click here to read more about Tiger soccer.

Meanwhile, the Tiger volleyball team fell to the University of North Texas earlier this week in advance of traveling to Louisiana for the New Orleans Invitational tournament this weekend. They will face Western Illinois University, the University of New Orleans, and Lamar University with matches on Friday and Saturday.

For more detail, visit the volleyball team website.