ADULT, COMMUTER & MILITARY STUDENT
CONNECTION
A Message from our Director Adults and Commuters, By now all the well wishes for a Happy New Year have been expressed by university officials. However, since our newsletter is a February edition, I want to take this time to wish each of you a very prosperous and “Happy New Year.” We have some events that we would like for you to attend this semester-in addition to that you will find other helpful information dedicated to informing you about campus events, such as Black History Month activities, ACSS training seminars, and articles on a new comer to Student Affairs, a non-traditional student veteran, and the history of a grandmother and granddaughter who are members of the UofM family. I hope that this semester has gotten off to a terrific start for you and that you have not exhausted all of your dining dollars already. If so please make sure that you attend our Personal Financial Management workshop. There, you will have a chance to meet a “First South” financial manager, Natalie Cathey. Enjoy the edition and I hope to see you when you visit the Adult and Commuter Student Services Office or the Veterans Resource Center. Best to you and your educational experience! Joy R. Stout, M.S., LPC Director, Adult & Commuter Student Services and Veterans Resource Center
Generations of Progress An Interview with Bertha and Meca Looney Ms. Looney is one of the Memphis State Eight—the first African American students to be accepted to what was then Memphis State. I met with her and her granddaughter, Meca, for this interview. Ms. Looney, tell me about you as a person. I’m Bertha Rodgers Looney. When I was young, we lived on a farm between Germantown and Collierville. When I was eight, we moved to South Memphis because my father took a job as a driver for a feed store. I graduated from Hamilton High School in 1959. I represented Hamilton on many occasions. What events lead you to going to the UofM?
Memphis State Eight Member Bertha Looney
Memphis Executive Director Jesse Turner, the Memphis area director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, contacted my principal at Hamilton. I was fortunate enough to pass the entrance exam on my first try with a perfect score, but I was still reluctant to go. My parents didn’t
want me to go, but the minister at our church, Old Nonconnah Missionary Baptist, was very influential in my final decision. I was told that I would make a difference, not for myself but for generations to come. I decided I would go. My family had to sacrifice as well. As soon as my picture came out in the paper, my mother lost her job as a domestic worker for three families. My father almost lost his job at the feed store, but since he did most of the work, they kept him on. My mother’s former employers did call later to apologize. What was that first day on campus like? I started in the Fall of 1959. It was frightening. I got stares and I had to be escorted by plainclothes policemen. The dean at that time said we couldn’t be on campus past twelve. I was happy he made that rule even though it was meant to keep us off campus. I couldn’t wait until noon. I finally got to meet up with the other seven and we all celebrated. It was like we finally got back to civilization. None of us got physically hurt, but the mental anguish was intense. People circled the campus in cars calling us names and waving the Confederate flag. This happened every day for at least one month. Our professors wouldn’t call on us in class. After twelve, we saw each other briefly before we went to work. We all had jobs. I was a cashier at a grocery store in my neighborhood. Did you get any support from white students? Some students would talk to us between classes at our student lounge. In class they would not talk to us. We had one professor who was especially nice to us. She asked me to be her student assistant and that was a great experience. We did receive a formal apology from the University in 2006. That was the first time all eight of us returned to the campus together. What has changed since your time on campus? I think many things have certainly changed. When I was there, we weren’t permitted to go to the gym. Today, African American students are allowed to be involved in every aspect of the UofM experience. My granddaughter lives in the dorms. During my time, that was not possible. She can go to the cafeteria and the University Center. Now, the provost is an African American woman. So is the dean of the library. Those are great accomplishments and I really feel good about them. Meca, as a young African American woman, how has your experience been? I haven’t had to deal with what my grandmother went through. I don’t think I could have done what she did. I’ve had a privileged life, so I haven’t had do deal with the same level of adversity. I think I would have been unprepared if I was confronted with it. When I got to campus in 2012, everybody knew who I was and they welcomed me. They loved me. If anything, it would be higher expectations from my professors who knew my grandmother. But for other black students, in the school of education at least, the work load is very high. I think that more black students have to have jobs outside of class and, at least in my program, we don’t have time to do that. A lot of other programs seem to be the same way. More campus jobs would help and so would some sort of stipend.
Student Spotlight Vervie Moses I understand that you have overcome some trying times in the past. Care to elaborate? Well I’m seasoned like a blue ribbon slab of ribs. [laughs] After I left the Army, I ended up going through a process that led me down the wrong road in life. My struggles and strains with drugs and alcohol led to lost jobs and even the penitentiary at one point. I was homeless for around 20 years. For part of that time, I slept under benches. In 2008, when I lost my lawn service to the recession, I decided I wanted to commit suicide. But then I came to understand that I was responsible for the decisions I made as well as the consequences. I started to pray and I started to get better, day after day. I knew that the negative choices were mine, but I came to understand that they were not a part of me anymore. I decided to go to the VA to get some help, but the first time, they sent me home. They thought I was trying to stay there to get off of the streets. But I came back and one of the supervisors told me she was going to make sure I got some help. From that point on, I began to trust people. Then they asked me if I wanted to go to college and at first I said no. I was worried about being an adult competing with all these kids—they’re smarter than me and so on. I ended up going to Southwest on a scholarship for substance abuse counseling. I passed the course with a 3.7 GPA. Then my VA counselors encouraged me to pursue an associate’s degree in social work. While I was in the program, I won Man of the Year and made the dean’s list three times. After I graduated, I was confident enough to pursue a bachelor’s in social work at the UofM. From the first day of classes I was amazed at how welcoming everyone was. I’m grateful that I kept expanding my network of friends. They have helped me. I think the most important thing I learned during my UofM experience was how to communicate with people who aren’t like you. I began to open up and appreciate the diversity on our campus. I started to speak to anybody and everybody. As a social worker, I need to understand my clients so I can meet them where they are and not project my customs and values onto that person. We all need the same resources, but if I try to put my cultural beliefs on a client, then I don’t know if I will help them. Younger students can feel intimidated by us because some of them think we know everything, but I’ve found that I don’t know anything. Every day is a learning experience for me. I am learning to empathize and learn about things like the music they listen to, and their moral values. We need to talk to each other because, for many young students, this is their first gate out of the house. If they don’t get it right here, where do they go? We have plenty of programs where students can get involved and get connected. Most of my professors and supervisors here are into the students’ education. I’m not just blowing smoke into the air, they literally, actually, help you. How would you advise a veteran new to the University? First, head up to the Veterans Resource Center in the Involvement Zone. You will be able to get that comradery that comes with meeting other veterans. I would also suggest the Student Veterans Organization where we have activities and events exclusive to other veterans. If you are a first generation student, you really need to join the Ambassador course at the Tiger Success Institute. You’ll become an Ambassador for other first generation students. My mother went to the tenth grade and my dad was only able to make it to the eighth grade. The Ambassador program taught me to manage my finances, how to meet others where they are and not judge them, and many other life skills. I’d also recommend the Adult and Student Services office because you can get involved and learn about other organizations. There are organizations for all different kinds of students. At the UofM, we can help that veteran feel comfortable coming from the war zone into society again.
New Staff Member Sally Parrish Tell me about you. I’m newly returned to the UofM as the Associate Dean for Student Leadership and Involvement. I’m actually an alum of the institution. I graduated from here a few years back [laughs]. I was a journalism major and I was really involved as a student leader. I was president of my sorority and a student government president. I was a Frosh Camp counselor and an orientation guide. I was involved in lots of great things across campus that I believe really helped me to become a better person and a better professional. I’m the first person in my family to go to college, and I think these experiences shaped my worldview and ultimately kept me at the UofM. I met my husband while I was here. He was the president of his fraternity and I was the president of my sorority. After I graduated, I moved to Miami and worked in the private sector. Then I came back here and got my master’s in higher education administration, and I’ve been following my passion for the last ten years. Over that time, we had two children, Deacon is almost four, and Nola will be ten months old tomorrow. We also have a dog, Hemi. We’re all really excited to return to the city that made us. What previous achievement are you most proud of? At UT: Knoxville, I created a the Center for Leadership Studies and a leadership studies minor. I put my heart and soul into both and I’m really proud to see them come into fruition. But really, in this field, some of your proudest moments come when your students graduate, go get that dream job and start a family. What goals do you have for yourself and your department in the future? I think this department is very important to the UofM and I think it has so much potential to grow and serve more students. I think the folks that have been in this role in the past are tremendous leaders, role models, and mentors of mine. I want to continue their good work, but also do things in a more innovative and cutting edge way for our students. I see us expanding the programs that work really well and adding things to the menu. It’s very different now than when I was a student, and if we’re going to meet the students where they are, we’re going to have to take advantage of the technology that’s out there. The days of turning in a paper application in an office are over. We’re engaging with students online on different platforms. We have different software tools we can use to make our engagement more dynamic. I think building on these tools will allow us to serve our nontraditional students— folks that aren’t here all the time. Anything else you’d like to add? The biggest thing for me is that I love the University of Memphis. My blood bleeds blue, and I care so much about every single student here. I have such an overwhelming sense of pride and gratitude every day I come in to work. I’ve worked at a lot of places, but the UofM is where I’m most happy. It’s like getting to come home every day except I’m going to work. I consider myself very fortunate. I hope that students will use me as a resource to connect with me and tell me how to make their experience better. I had a wonderful experience here as a student and I want every student here now to have one too. I want our students to reach out to me. You know where I live. IMPORTANT DATES AND TIMES Campus Sexual Violence: Awareness & Prevention
Things You Need to Know Before Signing a Lease
February 21, 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Gather on Southern (Phase II), 4th Floor Game Room
March 15, 10:20 a.m. to 11:05 a.m. Fogelman College of Business and Economics Classroom Buiding 119
Career Exploration Journey
ACSS Housing Fair
February 23, 8:00 a.m. to 9:25 a.m. Patterson Hall 203
March 22, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Michael D. Rose Theatre
Adult Student Association Jaime Ross, President asa.uofm@gmail.com
Commuter Student Association Stephen Helms, President commuterstudents@memphis.edu
Student Veterans Association Joey Scott, President djscott1@memphis.edu