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Tennessee State University Hosts Successful Spring Preview Day

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Over 1,000 high school students from across the nation descended upon Tennessee State University on April 13 for Spring Preview Day 2019.

The day started with check in and a student organization fair in the Gentry Center Complex where student leaders, campus administrators, faculty and staff welcomed the students and their parents to campus.

Terrance Izzard (Submitted photo)

 “We are elated that you have chosen to spend today with us here at Tennessee State.  We already know that you are on one of the most phenomenal campuses in the United States of America,” said Terrence Izzard, associate vice president for Enrollment Management and Student Success  “The HBCU experience is an experience like none other, and I want to say to each parent and grandparent and aunt, thank you for bringing your student here.”

The high school students and their parents departed the Gentry Center in groups led by TSU students eager to serve as their guides for the day. Activities for the visitors, according to organizers, included meetings with academic departments, TSU student organizations, campus tours, and other forms of educational entertainment.

Future TSU Tiger Brandon Jones (center), with his mom, Sadera Baker (left), and his step-father, Stephen Baker (right), moments before heading to the Blue and White Spring scrimmage in Hale Stadium. (Photo by Michael McLendon, TSU Media Relations)

Like many other students visiting for Spring Preview, Brandon Jones, a student at Georgia Military College, has already committed to Tennessee State University.  A football player, Jones had the opportunity to meet former NFL cornerback and TSU football player Randy Fuller during his campus tour.

“I already signed, and I report June 1,” Jones said.  “I really like the family atmosphere at TSU. It feels like home. So really, it’s the best fit for me.”

Mikaylah Abercrombie, a junior at New Manchester High School in Atlanta, said although she has not committed to TSU, she is impressed by the university.

“My cousin, Christion attended TSU, and I liked it when I saw him playing football.  And I just want to check it out,” she said.

Atlanta-native Mikaylah Abercrombie with her mother, Freda Abercrombie at TSU Spring Preview Day 2019. (Photo by Michael McLendon, TSU Media Relations)

Abercrombie’s mother, Freda Abercrombie, who joined her for Spring Preview Day, said the university’s response after her nephew, Chistion Ambercrombie, suffered a life-threatning injury during a game against Vanderbilt University on Sept. 29, really touched her heart.

“Actually I just got a good vibe from his experience here, and after the accident, all of the love and support that the school gave was awesome.  We  just fell in love with TSU, and I wanted to make sure my daughter at least checked out the school for herself.”

Mikaylah, who hopes to study early childhood education or musical theatre, said she would like to work as a pre-school teacher once she completes her academic studies.

Javon Jones, TSU associate director of Undergraduate Recruitment, said Spring Preview Day should definintely play a role in boosting enrollment for the fall. She said students who missed Spring Preview, can attend a similar day in the fall.

“We would love to see anyone who couldn’t come out today for Spring Preview Day,” she said. “We are about energy, about educating our students, and most of all we want them to have fun and be prepared for their future.  We will make sure they have all of  their admissions documents together, and that they have everything ready to go and if they ever need anything, the office of admissions and records is available to help.”

For more information on admission to Tennessee State University, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/admissions/.

Editor’s Note: Featured photo by Erynne Davis

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 7,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

Alumni, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, NEWS, RESEARCH, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

Former NFL Star and Nashville Public School Director Among Speakers to Visit TSU for College Prep Workshop

by Michael McLendon

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University alumnus and retired NFL athlete Randy Fuller and Metro Nashville Public Schools Superintendent Shawn Joseph will speak to hundreds of area high school students at a free college prep workshop at TSU scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 18.

TSU alum and retired NFL athlete Randy Fuller

Sponsored by Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Gamma Phi Chapter in association with TSU, REALSPORTS Leadership Academy and Belmont University, the workshop will kick-off at 8:30 a.m. in the Robert N. Murrell Forum.

The deadline for registration to attend the college prep workshop at Tennessee State University is Nov. 6. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/2hssd1Z .

“We are trying to open up to the community the process for going to college, particularly for African American students,” said Roderick Owens, the workshop’s main organizer. “We found out that a lot of times they are not prepared. The workshop is intended to get them ready and also introduce them to some opportunities for scholarships.”

He said 9th and 10th graders will attend a session on the importance of college, the college path curriculum, good study habits and time management. Eleventh and 12th graders will explore the college path curriculum, improving GPAs, ACT PREP, ACT test scores, and the Gamma Phi Scholarship.

Gamma Phi offers four $2,000 scholarships to male and female students who are freshmen entering college for the first time.

Fuller, who spent six years in the NFL, played in 1996 Super Bowl with the Pittsburg Steelers and the 1999 Super Bowl with the Atlanta Falcons. He is remembered by many for breaking up a “Hail Mary” pass during the closing seconds of the AFC championship game in 1996 that secured the Steelers trip to the Super Bowl.

During an interview published in February by Sports & Entertainment Nashville, Fuller credited TSU’s staff and coaches for his successful transition into the NFL.

“I was attracted to Tennessee State University because of its rich tradition in producing quality people on and off the field. Tennessee State was not only concerned about you for four years, but for the next forty years,” he said. “They made it a point that each student would have the necessary skills to contribute to society in a meaningful way.”

Fuller currently works for Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center which offers an environment for women ages 12 and older who struggles with eating disorders, substance abuse, mood disorders, trauma and co-occurring disorders.

Metro Nashville Public Schools Superintendent Shawn Joseph

Barbara Murrell is the founder of REALSPORT Leadership Academy, a pre-college summer program that gives student athletes a head start for college through workshops and activities designed to promote personal, cultural and social development. She said the workshop is one way of helping students become successful in college.

“We don’t want to just get these young people in college. We want them to be successful when they get there,” Murrell said. “We do time management and study skill preparation. We help them with the ACT. We do life-skill development. We help them to build their self-confidence and more,” she added.

Dr. Shawn Joseph serves 86,000 students in urban, rural, and suburban communities. Since taking over as director in July 2016, his administration has provided more targeted literacy instruction, developed new K-12 literacy curricula aligned to the Tennessee standards, expanded ACT support in high schools, and funded all high school advanced coursework and career and technical education fees for all students.

 

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.