Welcome to InsideTSU, the weekly newsletter of Texas Southern University!
Tiger Nation shows up for MaroonOut
TSU alumni, students, community help spur Tigers to victories
The spirit inside H&PE Arena during Saturday's MaroonOut and Alumni Day for the women's and men's basketball games proved to be a major factor as both teams earned critical victories over Grambling State University in SWAC conference play.

In between the doubleheader, TSU's 13th President, Dr. Lesia Crumpton-Young, was presented with a framed #13 jersey by Kevin Granger, vice president of Intercollegiate Athletics, and both the women's and men's coaches - Cynthia Cooper and Johnny Jones.
The games also celebrated TSU alumni, who showed up in force to root on the Tigers. During halftime of the men's game, the TSU National Alumni Association presented the university with $183,000 for student scholarships and university programs. Two current TSU students each earned $1,000 scholarships from the TSU Foundation after making consecutive lay-ups, free throws and three-pointers within a 45-second time limit.

Following Saturday's victories, both teams then faced Southern University at H&PE Arena on Monday evening in critical SWAC contests, with the men falling 70-58 and the women prevailing 87-77.
Life, legacy of Rev. William A. Lawson to be honored
First-ever Black History Month Convocation set for Feb. 23
Texas Southern University will honor Reverend William Lawson, a community trailblazer who helped transform Third Ward, during its first-ever Black History Month Convocation on Wednesday, February 23, at 11:45 a.m. in Sawyer Auditorium. All TSU faculty, staff and students are encouraged to attend this special ceremony, which will include musical performances by the TSU Concert Chorale and University Band, oratorical performance by the TSU Debate Team, and a Convocation Address by Rev. Lawson's three daughters - Roxanne, Cheryl and Melanie. Lawson served as the director of the Baptist Student Union and was a professor of Bible at Texas Southern University from 1960-70.

President Lesia Crumpton-Young will provide opening remarks and the introduction of speakers.

For a full list of Black History Month events, click here.
Dr. Oby to present at Frederick Douglass Lecture Series

On Tuesday evening, Feb. 15, in celebration of Black History Month, Dr. Jason Oby, professor and chair of the Department of Music, will be the presenter for the Honors College Frederick Douglass Lecture Series. His presentation is titled "The American Negro Spiritual: Soundtrack of Our Journey." The event takes place at 6 p.m. in the McCoy Auditorium (Rm. 114) in the School of Public Affairs Building.

Immediately following the lecture, 17 freshmen will be inducted into the Honors College as Freeman Scholars, joining 100 other students in the College.

The Frederick Douglass Lecture Series, which has a global focus with social justice and advocacy as a backdrop, was introduced in 2012. Its name is a remembrance of the Frederick Douglass Honors Institute, which was the name of the honors program at the university before the Honors College was founded in 2009.
Moot Court competition set to begin in TMSL
The Thurgood Marshall School of Law (TMSL) Board of Advocates presents the annual "Henry Doyle Moot Court Competition" for 2L and 3L students. This historical event is held in honor of its namesake, Justice Henry E. Doyle, the first and only graduate of TMSL in 1950, who would later become the first African-American Associate Justice of a Texas Court of Appeals. The competition takes place Tuesday, Feb. 15, at 6 p.m. in the TMSL Bldg., Rooms 202, 203 and the Dean's Conference Room; Wednesday, Feb. 16, at 6 p.m. in the TMSL Bldg., Rooms 202, 206 and Dean's Conference Room; and on Saturday, Feb. 19, at 2 p.m. - in the TMSL Bldg., in the Jerome M. Karam Moot Court Room (Room 105). The judge for the final round is the Honorable James Graves, Jr., U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit.
School of Public Affairs releases Scholarly Activities Gazette
The Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs recently released its Scholarly Activities Gazette, which profiles journal articles, open access journals, professional magazines, books (and book chapters), as well as papers presented, collaborations, and grants received by its faculty.

The compilation also includes fellowships earned, and workshops, seminars and symposiums that faculty attended throughout the Fall 2021 semester. Click here to view the Gazette.
College of Liberal Arts & Behavioral Sciences publishes "Blast!"
The College of Liberal Arts & Behavioral Sciences has unveiled its "Blast!" publication in a new format, sharing news and events related to faculty, staff and student accomplishments, events, etc.

To view the Blast!, click here or on the accompanying graphic.
TSU Regent provides insight on State Board of Education elections
Texas Southern University Regent Ron J. Price recently provided his expertise for a news report on the upcoming State Board of Education elections in March. His commentary was part of a KERA/News for North Texas broadcast in which he discussed the role of the State Board of Education and why turnout for its elections is typically low.

The full news report can be found here.
Next generation storytellers
TSU student journalists collaborate with KPRC/Channel 2 during Black History Month
Students in TSU's School of Communication continue to gain valuable storytelling experience thanks to an innovative partnership with KPRC/Channel 2. During Black History Month, several students are creating content that is being broadcast weekly on the station's news broadcasts, as well as its Click2Houston website.

This past week, the students researched, wrote and produced a segment on Robert Thomas, owner of District Market Green Grocer, who is committed to providing fresh produce for Black communities in the suburban northwest Houston area. Follow our student journalists and their most recent story via Click2Houston.
Center for Justice Research continues to make local, national headlines
The Center for Justice Research (CJR) recently published several new reports and opinion/editorials covering topics such as no knock warrants, duty to intervene, and Jim Crow voting resurgence. Additionally, CJR has been featured in multiple media outlets, adding to its reputation as the "go to" source for all things relating to criminal justice research. Here is a series of links to these reports and articles:

  • On Feb. 9, CJR rolled out its third Action Brief on No Knock Warrants in a series of action briefs on police reform.
  • CJR published an article in the Feb. 4 issue of Crime Report, outlining recommendations on how to enforce Duty to Intervene policies.
  • Shackled Voting: The Resurgence of Jim Crow was published in the Eurasia Review by CJR founding director Dr. Howard Henderson and Dr. Jennifer Wyatt Bourgeois (post doctoral fellow – CJR).
  • Podcast. City Cast Houston Podcast. Listen to Dr. Henderson's recent discussion with Evan Mintz of Arnold Venture’s and Lisa Gray on the proven solutions to violent crime. (Podcast date: Jan. 24, "What to do about Houston's homicide rate?") 
  • News Feature. On Wednesday, Feb. 9, CJR was featured on ABC-13 highlighting CJR's youth gun possession project aimed at finding the root causes of gun violence. 
  • National News Interview. Dr. Henderson spoke with Newsweek with Newsweek to discuss the uptick in violence seen against police officers.
  • National News Interview. Dr. Henderson interviewed and quoted in the USA Today article on the rise in police attacks.
  • National Invited Workshop. Prosecutor and Research Workshop. CJR's postdoctoral fellows Dr. Jennifer Wyatt Bourgeois and Dr. Kim Harris presented their research at the Computational Justice Lab at Claremont Graduate University in Santa Barbara, CA.
TSU alum cooks up something good in Third Ward
TSU grad and former Tiger athlete Dempsey Robinson is on a mission to bring authentic Hibachi to Houston. Located in the Bus Stop Food Truck Park, his Hibachi Bros Food Truck opened to a great reception in August and has served over 2,000 meals to hungry locals.

"I’ve grown to love this city and appreciate how welcoming Houston has been to me from day one. It’s my way of giving back to the people here, with an all-inclusive company who loves meeting others in the community and providing nothing less than perfection when it comes to our food."

Robinson's culinary talents were recently featured in both the Houston Chronicle and on Fox26 news.
Houston Airport System promotes TSU alumna
The Houston Airport System (HAS) and the Terminal Management division recently named Sonya Hunter-Reed, a graduate of TSU's Executive Master's in Public Administration program, as its division manager for aviation purchasing. Sonya brings over 15 years of purchasing and procurement experience in aviation and more than 20 years within related roles in the City of Houston. 
 
Sonya will be responsible for: 
  • The successful procurement of all HAS goods and commodities within the small purchase threshold. 
  • Facilitating HAS compliance with requirements to secure interlocal agreements, cooperative agreements, emergency purchases and other special purchases. 
 
A true public servant for over 37 years, Sonya has participated and, in some cases, led several efforts to enhance purchasing procedures, implemented purchasing service level agreements and streamlined purchasing operations. She is a Certified Public Purchasing Buyer and a Six Sigma Green Belt. 
 
Sonya, a native Houstonian, enjoys traveling in her free time and is looking forward to her 30th wedding anniversary trip that was postponed due to COVID-19. An avid baker, Sonya likes to make delicious, themed cakes for friends and family events.
Fort Bend County road named after TSU alumnus Carmen Turner
Current Fort Bend County tax assessor-collector Camen Turner (left, in photo), a Texas Southern University alumnus who earned an Executive Master's in Public Administration, received a significant honor recently when it was announced that a stretch of Highway 90 in Missouri City will be named in her honor.
Turner, who assumed office on Jan. 1, 2021, is the county’s first African American tax assessor-collector.

Read more about her honor in in the Houston Chronicle. (photo courtesy of Juhi Varma/Houston Chronicle.)
Odessa attorney, alumnus give back to community
Gaven Norris works hard to give back to the West Texas community where he grew up. The practicing lawyer, who graduated from TSU's Thurgood Marshall School of Law in 2014, returned to the Permian Basin where he concentrates on family law. This article in the Odessa American profiles Norris and his commitment to mentoring youth and shaping the next generation.
(photo courtesy of Eli Hartman/Odessa American.)
Music alumnus to lead symphony orchestra
Walter White, who received his Bachelor's in Music Education from TSU in 1969, will perform as a soloist in the virtuosic crowd-pleaser “Czardas” by Vittorio Monti for the Southern Nevada Symphony Orchestra (SNSO) this weekend in Mesquite, NV. White, of Logandale, NV, serves as concertmaster for SNSO.

In addition to his TSU degree, White is currently pursuing a doctoral degree at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, studying with Professor Wei Wei Le. He has also received a Master of Music Education from Boston University. For more information about White and the upcoming concert, visit here. (photo courtesy of SNSO)
Milestone victory honored
Coach Johnny Jones earned 350th victory over TSU rival
Just prior to the start of the TSU-Grambling State basketball game on Saturday afternoon, TSU men's coach Johnny Jones was presented with a commemorative basketball representing his 350th victory as an NCAA head coach. Jones and the Tigers earned that victory last March against Prairie View A&M in the 2021 SWAC tournament final, which propelled them into the NCAA Tournament. Jones is pictured with TSU President Lesia Crumpton-Young and vice president of Intercollegiate Athletics Kevin Granger.
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