Mission
Undergraduate MiSTERs are strongly preferred to major in early childhood, special education, or middle grades education. However, applicants may choose alternate pathways towards attaining a teaching certification, such as math with a teaching concentration. Graduate students are encouraged to apply and are considered on a case-by-case basis as well.
Program participants will complete a bachelor’s degree in one of the College of Education’s field-based cohort programs.
Vision
Students within the Call Me MiSTER program are guided by the following vision statement:
I am a dedicated Servant Leader who is perpetuating a sorely needed concept - Servant-Leaders as role models in elementary schools. I am devoted to planting seeds of dignity and respect in children and inspiring them to cultivate those seeds producing a crop of unprecedented success. I will teach reading, writing and arithmetic and progress to self-esteem, imagination and determination. Because of my immeasurable promise, not only have I earned your respect, I demand it! A title is only important if ones' character and integrity dictate its use. When you address me, please verbalize my destiny... please do not call me by my first name... call me in reference to my great vision... call me MiSTER!
The Call Me MISTER (an acronym for Mentors Instructing Students Toward Effective Role
Models) program's mission is to increase the pool of available male teachers from
a broader more diverse background, particularly among the state's lowest-performing
elementary schools. Student participants are largely selected from among under-served,
socio-economically disadvantaged, and educationally at-risk communities.As graduates, students are expected to have an impact by returning to critical need schools and communities to pursue their professional careers. It is expected a MISTER who completes the program and becomes certified to teach will assume a teaching position in a public school and teach one year for each year they received financial support from the Call Me MISTER program. The current MISTERS gain relevant leadership and mentorship training through well-designed academic and social activities.
As the director of the CMM Program at Grambling State University, it is our effort to make Grambling State University the number one place in the nation to look for the best African American male teachers. Mrs. Mary N. Hunt, a former educator, was my grandmother and the work that I do is just my way of honoring her for what she poured into me. It is an honor to serve in this capacity and I look forward to helping these young men grow and develop as servant leaders.
Dr. George Noflin
Associate Professor
Phone: (318) 805-6225
Email: nofling@gram.edu
Director of Black Male Initiative/Call Me MiSTER Program
College of Education
Grambling State University
Ms. Tyra Muhammad
Program Coordinator
Phone: (318) 274-3873
Email: muhammadt@gram.edu
College of Education
Grambling State University
Disclaimer
It is the policy of Call Me MiSTER that no person shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or in any way be subjected to, discrimination in any program or activity of the university. Participation in the Call Me MiSTER program is open to anybody, regardless of race, ethnicity or gender, if they are capable of facilitating the achievement of its objectives.
Discrimination based on age, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation or veterans status is prohibited.