Dr. Iris M. Lancaster earned her Ph.D. from Texas A&M-Commerce in 2009. Her dissertation analyzes the cultural metaphor in Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God. Since receiving her PhD, she has written: “Nanny, Signifying Empowerment: The Evolution of the Dispirited Black Woman in Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God” published in Cultural Intertexts - Academic Journal of Literary Studies; Queen Sugar: A Book Review published in the CLA Journal; and “The Rose that Grew from a Legacy of Hope: A Study of Tupac Shakur’s Poetry” published in THE GRIOT: The Journal of African American Studies.
Currently, Dr. Lancaster is writing a chapter on the writings of Tupac Shakur for Reading Between the Lines: A Genealogy of Racial Discourse in American Literature from the 17th Century to the Present (A Critical Collection). Since 2004, Dr. Lancaster has taught several classes. American Literature, World Literature, Women's Literature, Graduate Writing Seminars, Studies in Literary Biography and Non-Fiction, Literature and Film, and African American Fiction. The courses Dr. Lancaster enjoys teaching the most are the Honors English 1301 and 1302 courses. Her teaching philosophy reflects her interests in collaborative authorship. Instead of the “sage on the stage” teaching method, she prefers student-centered teaching that encourages learning by both students and teachers. She favors classroom dynamics that permit dialogue and foster a degree of student input. Also, she supports students thinking about the class as a community. The students spend a fair amount of time in smaller groups in which they talk, think and write together. Her teaching philosophy fits the Honors student dynamic well because these students are excited to learn about writing, and they are ready to work in a collaborative setting. In the Honors English courses, collaborative work is strongly encouraged. Honors students are ready to share their ideas and their insights, so the course work is structured to foster this type of learning environment. In Honors courses, special attention is given to the six core levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation. Students are taught these various levels and then asked to connect each level to the various assignments. The pace is rigorous, but steady, and the students enjoy being challenged at every level.
For Dr. Lancaster, teaching the Honors’ students is more than a privilege; it is a joy!
Dr. Tanya Allen is Assistant Professor of Music Education at Texas Southern University. Prior to joining the faculty in the fall of 2016, she observed and evaluated alternative certification teachers and provided music instruction to public school students. She completed her Master’s and Doctorate degree in Music Education at Florida State University and her undergraduate degree and teacher certification at the University of New Orleans.
Dr. Willie Capers II, is the Interim Assistant Dean of Student Services and Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Texas Southern University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences where he is responsible for simulation labs and experiential education faculty development and affiliate relations for clinical laboratory science, environmental health, health administration, health information management, pharmacy, and respiratory therapy programs.
Dr. Claiborne is Professor of Business and Marketing in the Jesse H. Jones School of Business. He has a longstanding relationship with leadership development programs beginning with his selection as a Presidential Scholar from Virginia. Dr. Claiborne was the first African American basketball player at Duke University. His interest in teamwork and leadership fostered his work with psychologist James Farr, founder of the Center for Creative Leadership. He has led several student experiential education trips designed to teach principles of leadership and teamwork. He has also accompanied students on educational experiences in Yokohama, Beijing, and Shanghai.
Dr. Mayur S. Desai is the 
Dr. Roger Hart is the Director of the China Center and an Associate Professor in the Department of History and Geography at Texas Southern University. 
Oluponmile Olonilua, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Department of Political Science at the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Urban Planning and Environmental Policy from Texas Southern University and made history as the first graduate of the program. She also received her Master of Public Administration degree from Texas Southern University and her Bachelor of Arts degree in English Studies from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Nigeria. Currently, she is the coordinator for the Emergency Management and Homeland Security degree program at Texas Southern University. She is a certified flood plain manager (CFM).
Dr. Yi Qi is the Chair of the Transportation Studies Department and Professor at the Texas Southern University. Her research areas include transportation air quality analysis, Intelligent Transportation System (ITS), system performance assessment, roadway geometric design, and transportation safety. As a prolific scholar, she has served as the principal investigator and directed more than 20 externally funded projects sponsored by various federal and local governments. She has over 30 publications in Science Citation Index (SCI) journals, along with more than 50 conference proceeding papers and numerous technical report publications. Dr. Qi is a nationally recognized scholar and has been appointed onto two Transportation Research Board (TRB) committees. She received her Ph.D. in Transportation Planning and Engineering from New York University -Polytechnic Institution.
Dr. Monica L. Rasmus is the Director of the Program in Health Administration and an Assistant Professor in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Her research focuses on health care quality and access, health disparities, research for the betterment of the public’s health, and curriculum development for and impediments to student success. Dr. Rasmus has mentored and supervised many students on their research projects, and has received several awards from TSU’s Research Week, including the 2016 first place award for Faculty Presentation (along with co-presenter, Dr. Renard Thomas). She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Baylor University, her Master of Education from the University of Houston, her Master of Business Administration degree from Texas Woman’s University, and her Master and Doctor of Public Health degrees from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health.
Dr. Ayodotun Sodipe is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology. He received his Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology in 2008 and a B.S. in Biology in 1990, from Texas Southern University. Dr. Sodipe has developed and teaches courses in “Biological Sciences” at TSU at both undergraduate and graduate levels where he includes: "Literature review and its interpretations" (BIOL 795) and "Preparation and presentation of projects reports" (BIOL 499). He also serves as an advisor to the large population of Pre-Health professional and undergraduate students. His areas of research are Mycology and Forensic Biology. Dr. Sodipe has published several articles and serves as a reviewer for several journals including NASA EPSCOR and NSF. He is an active member of the College of Science Engineering and Technology Research Committee.
Dr. Chris Chinwe Ulasi is Professor and Chair of the Radio Television and Film (RTF) department and the Coordinator for the Entertainment and Recording Industry Management program, in the School of Communication. Dr. Ulasi has been a professional communicator, scholar, and researcher for over twenty-eight years. He is a screenwriter, producer, and poet. From 1993-1996 he