Raven Lemon, Texas Southern University- c/o 2019, Computer Information Science
Name : Raven Lemon
HBCU : Texas Southern University
Graduation Year : 2019
Major : Computer Information Science
Minor : Foreign Languages
Email : zariyaesan@gmail.com
Where are you from? Who introduced you to HBCUs?*
I am originally from Birmingham, AL. I grew up on a street behind Miles College, so I have always known about HBCUs, but it wasn't until I got to Houston that I realized Black People went to schools other than HBCUs if they aren't athletes.
Why did you choose an HBCU over a pwi?*
I wanted to attend Clark Atlanta University because I met many of their alumni in Houston volunteering and my favorite teacher graduated from there. However, I let family members talk me out of it because of misconceptions about HBCUs. I went to a PWI and transferred because I got tired of being a token.
I chose TSU because it is a great school for new beginnings and our new president has made so many improvements. Also, we have a great Chinese studies department!
With TSU President Lane at TSU Day at the Capitol !
What is the story of your "experience" at Your HBCU given its heralded status as a stellar and prestigious institution?*
I had the opportunity to interview with former UN Ambassador and Civil Rights Activist Andrew Jackson Young Jr. He spoke about the importance of solidarity in the African Diaspora, an opportunity I would have never had had at a PWI.
"First time" experiences at your HBCU?*
I had never experienced a "Hump Day" before I came to TSU. It is definitely the highlight of my week! Also, if we are lucky you can catch our President stepping at events.
Who are the professors that have impacted your life in and out of the classroom? How did they do that?*
Professor Zantel Nichols hands down has been the most amazing professor that I have ever met. She holds us to a standard that Black students aren't accustomed to. She really understands the complexities we have that are unique to Black students. Public schools gave me a complex.
I was always the "smart Black kid" and it made it hard for me to ask for help. I always felt like I wasn't as smart or successful as the kids around me because I was always the only Black person there and my mom couldn't help me with my homework because she was working. Professor Nichols opened up about her struggles with being the only person that looks like her in a room and how she overcame that pressure.
I could go on all day about how much she impacted me!
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Texas Southern University
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Students: 9,646
- Athletics: Texas Southern sports teams participate in NCAA Division I (Championship Subdivision for football) in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). Texas Southern is part of the Western Division in SWAC divisional sports. Men's varsity sports include baseball, basketball, football, golf, and track and field. Women's varsity sports include basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, track and field, and volleyball. Texas Southern's most well-known rivals are Prairie View A&M, Southern, Grambling State, and Jackson State.
- Notable Alumni: Tray Walker - 2015 - Baltimore Ravens cornerback**Michael Strahan - 1993 - Former NFL defensive end for the New York Giants, Super Bowl Champion, Pro Football Hall of Fame and Black College Football Hall of Fame inductee. Currently a football analyst on Fox NFL Sunday, actor, author, entrepreneur, and co-host of Good Morning America.**Yolanda Adams - 1983 - American Grammy, Dove award-winning Gospel music singer, radio show host, author, actress, judge on BET's Sunday Best and former elementary-school teacher.**Leslie D. King - 1973 - Mississippi Supreme Court Justice**Tony Wyllie - 1993 - Senior Vice President for the Washington Redskins. He has previously worked as an Assistant Director of Public Relations for the St. Louis Rams, the Director of Public Relations for the Tennessee Titans, and Vice President of Communications for the Houston Texans**Joseph Anderson - 2011 - Current NFL wide receiver**Ronald C. Green - 1996 - Current City Controller of Houston and a former member of the Houston City Council**Jim Hines - 1968 - 2 Gold medals at 1968 Olympics, First sprinter to officially break the 10-second barrier in the 100 meters, and former NFL player**(Celebrity Faculty) Matthew Knowles - Communications - Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Solange Knowles father, founder of Music World Entertainment, former manager for the members of Destiny's Child and Solange, and adjunct instructor in the School of Communication and Jesse H. Jones School of Business.**
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