For the Third Year Straight a TSU Student Has been Selected White House HBCU All-Star

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) - Jeneisha Harris is a national all-star.

The TSU junior double major was among 73 students from across the nation who were named 2016 HBCU All-Stars by the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities on August 19.

This is the third consecutive year that a TSU student has been selected for this prestigious honor.

The HBCU All-Stars comprise undergraduate, graduate and professional students who are being recognized for their accomplishments in academics, leadership, and civic engagement.

A White House release said over the next year, Harris and her fellow all-stars will serve as ambassadors of the White House Initiative, providing outreach and communication with fellow students about the value of education and networking resources.

Through social media and relationships with community-based organizations, the students will also share “proven practices” that support opportunities for young people to achieve their education and career potential.

“This honor means a lot to me,” said Harris, a combined biology and psychology major with a 3.4 GPA from Memphis, Tennessee. “Being an HBCU All-Star also honors my university, which I intend to use to engage in and promote educational programs to benefit young people in the community especially in my hometown.”

In announcing the 2016 cohorts, Kim Hunter Reed, the acting executive director of the White House Initiative on HBCUs, said the initiative is looking forward to working with the new class of HBCU All-Stars to promote opportunities for all young people.

“Our goal is to provide a unique opportunity for these talented students that exposes them to critical national conversations and thought leaders,” Reed said. “No doubt they will make their mark and represent their campuses well.”

Previous TSU HBCU All-Stars include Lauren Wigging, in 2015; and Jeremiah T. Cooper, in 2014.