Texas Southern University News August 6, 2010 TSU to Launch the T.I.G.E.R. Project Texas Southern University is launching a major Presidential and Peer Mentoring Program to help students make the transition to college and take full advantage of college life. The peer mentoring program is designed to support first year freshmen and sophomore students. Themed the TIGER (The Initiative: Graduate. Excel. Responsible) Project, this initiative is a university wide endeavor dedicated to the memory of TSU student Joshua McMackle and a commitment to Joshua's memory and TSU students by the President of Texas Southern University, Dr. John M. Rudley. "I am committed to making our university better for all students, faculty, administrators, alumni and other stakeholders. We have every reason to believe that our students are not only receiving a solid academic education, but a solid quality of life experience," stated Dr. John M. Rudley. Although the University has raised its admission standards a significant number of students arrive underprepared socially and do not have the study habits and "soft skills" necessary to manage and balance the social and academic demands required to succeed in the classroom and ultimately graduate within four years, but not later than six. To bridge this divide the T.I.G.E.R. Project was developed to help students at TSU develop the social and leadership skills necessary to succeed academically and graduate with the capacity to be positive and productive members of their local communities and who are committed to serving the "common good." The focus of the T.I.G.E.R. Project is not one event, or one speaker, but rather is a systematic and sustained endeavor focused on a cultural transformation targeted at reinvigoration of TSU's legacy of "Excellence and Achievement." In order to ensure the success of the T.I.G.E.R. Project, the University is seeking volunteers to serve as Presidential and Peer Mentors. Professional Mentors should include: TSU alumni, faculty and staff of the university interested in making a positive impact on the lives of TSU students. Professional Mentors will receive the benefit of imparting their leadership skills and experiences, academic support, networking and social skill development. Peer Mentors should be juniors, seniors and graduate students. To become a peer mentor a student must have a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or above, be a junior, senior, or graduate student, possess great interpersonal skills, be dedicated to graduating in four years, and be responsible. Peer mentors also receive benefits which include the development of leadership skills, lasting friendships, the opportunity to share your contacts and knowledge of the campus, networking skills and contacts that will positively embellish your resume, organizational skills that will help make you a benefit to any organization at which you find employment, and mementos from the university like, scholarships, incentives, vouchers and more! Professional Mentor training is scheduled for August 18th at 9:30 a.m. in the Public Affairs building on campus. Peer (student) Mentor training is set for Aug. 18th from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Martin Luther King Building on campus. Individuals interested in volunteering should sign up with Natalie Proctor at 713-313-7931 or visit the TSU website at www.tsu.edu<http://www.tsu.edu/>, for an application. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Program Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 404.592.4820 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Register now http://www.hbculibraries.org/html/meeting-form.html for the October 24-26, 2010 HBCU Library Alliance 4th Membership Meeting and the "Conference on Advocacy" pre-conference in Montgomery, AL. The Pre-Conference and Membership meeting are open to directors and other librarians.