TS... support U?

It is accepted that other cultures have an immense respect for where they came from whether it is acceptable by Americans or not. But many of these people did not have the struggles and history as an African American. No other ethnicity was bought into the United States in masses for no other reason than servitude. No other ethnicity has continually been seen as uneducated, lazy, and unmotivated. Other cultures and ethnicities are applauded for the work that they do and the miles they traveled to get to where they are now. The only time our black men seem to be applauded in the media is in sports and music. This could explain why so many of our boys believe that their only ways of improvement are in these areas. As a child, I was taught the love and respect that an African American should have in not only their people and their history but also in their education. My grandmother was not even considered as worthy to attend a college based on her color. My great grandmother was a sharecropper.  But my mom, grandma, and Nana told me from my creation that I could rule the world.

For those who don’t know, I attend Texas Southern University. I do not attend it for the accolades that it has been attributed (good luck finding them within media), I do not attend it because of how highly praised the teachers are (you only find out about a teacher if there is a problem)…. I go to TSU because the school is diverse, it is worthy of all accolades. The teachers are caring and they work with you, not only to make sure that you get out of college but so that you can stand with or without everyone noticing the color of your skin. I always wanted to go to a historically black college or university and for those familiar with the Houston and surrounding areas, Texas Southern is not the only HBCU around. When I went back to college, I chose Texas Southern during the time that they were being crucified in the media for the actions of a handful of people. Those people did not account for the majority of Texas Southern or their staff nor were they alumni of Texas Southern, but the impact that they had on the school was further reaching than anyone then or now would have guessed. News of their betrayal saturated the television, internet, and papers for over a year and with their dismissal, came the fallout and clean-up.

To this day there is very little GOOD press about Texas Southern unless it’s about sports or the band. Yes, the band Ocean of Soul has won awards and performed at Super Bowls and The Stellar Awards and in 2010 the football team won its first Southwest Athletic Conference (SWAC) Championship in 42 years, but the radio station KTSU is number one overall of Houston/Galveston stations for its Sunday format and its Friday format of Golden Oldies. I just want to highlight some of the good about Texas Southern University. First it is one of only four independent public universities in Texas. This means that Texas Southern is not affiliated with any of the six public university systems in Texas. It is, also, one of the largest and the most comprehensive HBCUs in the nation. The Jesse H. Jones School of Business was named one of the ‘Best 300 Business Schools ‘ by the Princeton Review in 2008 and was recognized as one of the nation’s ‘Best Business Schools’ by the U.S. News & World Report in 2010. The College of Science and Technology houses research programs like the NASA University Research Center for Bio-Nanotechnology and Environmental Research, the Maritime Transportation Studies and Research, as well as the STEM research program. The Thurgood Marshall School of Law has been consistently ranked number one in achieving diversification in its student body. In the fall of 2010, Texas Southern University partnered with Lone Star College in Northwest Houston to make education easier to get to for that side of town. In conjunction with the City of Houston and Houston Public Library, Texas Southern will begin to offer fine arts classes with theatre and dance performances in the historic Deluxe Theater in Houston’s Fifth Ward. 

I understand that what has happened in the past may put people off to TSU but no one likes for their past to affect their future.  So I encourage all those who attend TSU and those who are just in the Houston and surrounding areas to support Texas Southern University.