Grambling State News

GRAMBLING, LA – July 11, 2024 – In a historic collaboration with Louisiana State University and McNeese State University, Grambling State University will serve as the host location for the 2024 Louisiana Call Me MiSTER Conference. Set for September 5-7, 2024, the event will take place in the Betty E. Smith Nursing Building auditorium, bringing together educators, students, and community leaders from across the state to discuss and promote diversity in education.

“It is an honor for us to host the third Annual Louisiana Call Me MiSTER Conference here at Grambling State University,” said Dr. George Noflin, Jr., Director of the GSU Call Me MiSTER program. “One of the unique parts of our program is that when these scholars complete their work here at GSU, they are required to serve in the state of Louisiana as educators for the number of years they received funding.  It is a Win-Win-Win for all involved—a win for the students, the profession, and the state of Louisiana.”

The mission of the Call Me MISTER® (Mentors Instructing Students Toward Effective Role Models) initiative is to increase the pool of available teachers from a broader more diverse background, particularly among the State’s lowest-performing elementary schools. Student participants are largely selected from underserved, socio-economically disadvantaged, and educationally at-risk communities. The 2024 conference aims to foster a community of support and development for these future educators, providing them with the tools and inspiration necessary to succeed and lead in their careers.

Dr. Hannah Mose Harvey, Call Me MISTER Director at McNeese State University said she is inspired by the program’s aim to ensure students have teachers that look like them.

“Increasing the presence of men of color as teachers and administrators in the educational system is a win for society. Students need positive male role models in PK-12 schools,” Harvey said. “The Call Me MiSTER program aims to make this a reality. Having a diverse community of teachers who reflect the students they serve truly makes a difference.”

Key highlights of the Conference will include raising awareness about the Call Me MiSTER Program, reaffirming the determination and resilience of black men as servant leaders, and presenting the possibility of using the pre-teacher pathway as an avenue to create an Aspiring MiSTER Program in school districts.

Dr. Elecia Lathon, Call Me Mister Faculty Administrator in the Lutrill & Pearl Payne School of Education at Louisiana State University said that the Call Me Mister Program is not just about raising standards but about transforming the entire educational landscape.

“Raising the bar in teacher education is a must if we’re going to recruit and retain the best teachers,” Lathon said. “When we raise the bar, we raise the quality of education in our classrooms, we raise our expectations for students, and we raise the number of effective teachers prepared to enter our classrooms. These students will rise up, lead, and be a beacon of light as they carry the torch for teaching for generations to come.

“The Call Me Mister Program has set the bar high and continues to raise the bar throughout the country for future educators. When it’s all said and done, raising the bar will yield rich, authentic learning experiences and will put teachers and students on the path to excellence and much success!”

Those interested in attending can register online at gram.edu/callmemisterconference.