Texas Southern University News February 2016 Rooms To Go opens new Student Excellence Center, Dr. Frankie T. Jones Sr. - Awards scholarship, promises enhanced partnerships with University Dr. Frankie T. Jones, Sr., President and CEO of Phoenix One Enterprise and Phoenix One Farms, Inc., visited the TSU campus February 18, to participate in the ribbon cutting ceremony of the new TSU/Rooms To Go Student Excellence Center. He was so impressed by the students and the campus, that when he left, he pledged to fund another Student Excellence Center for the new freshman dormitory set to open next month, create a five-year $12,500 scholarship for current and future Student Government Association Presidents, as well as help rehabilitate the Lanier East and Lanier West dormitories. Current SGA president Crystal Owens was on-hand to accept the initial SGA President scholarship. "I live to share, and that's exactly what I'm here to do," Jones said of his donations. Through Phoenix One Enterprise and Phoenix One Farms, Inc. Jones provides consulting services to a myriad of high profile corporations, institutions and nonprofit organizations including Rooms To Go Inc. During his talk before the ribbon cutting of the new Student Excellence Center in the Nabrit Health Professions Practice and Simulation Complex, Jones emphasized to the audience of students that being a student would be one of the best times of their lives and that they should do everything possible to capitalize on this opportunity and part of their lives. He also stressed the importance of patronizing companies like Rooms To Go that recognizes the importance of giving back to the communities they serve. "We have to reach the point in our lives wherein if companies don't respect us we need to stop carrying our money to those companies. But when companies respect us and our culture and our aspirations and our environment and our community then, they're investing in us, likewise we should invest in them to help keep their doors open." On hand for the Ribbon cutting ceremony were a throng of College of Pharmacy Health Science students, the University's Ocean of Soul band drumline, University President Dr. John Rudley, Vice President of University Advancement Ms. Eva Pickens, College of Pharmacy Health Sciences Dean Edward Stemley, Miss TSU Channing Briggs, Mr. TSU Brian Eashmon, and a host of TSU faculty and staff members. Following the ribbon cutting, students gathered in the new center to test out the furniture and meet individually with Jones and pose for photos. University Advancement staffers, who organized the initiative, accompanied Dr. Jones on a tour of campus before he departed. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-592-4820 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/ 1438 West Peachtree 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.