Contact: Sasha Steinberg

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State University’s National Pan-Hellenic Council is partnering with Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary School on a new mentorship program that is impacting the lives of students from both institutions.

NPHC President Eric D. Lucas Jr., a junior biological engineering/biomedical engineering major from Ocean Springs, organized the mentorship program over the summer with Kristina Brown of the Henderson Ward Stewart Parent Teacher Organization, and Paige Phillips, an assistant principal at the school.

“The teachers there are doing a great job, and they wanted to have more positive African-American role models for the kids since a high percentage of the student population is African-American,” Lucas said. “NPHC has eight historically black, Greek-letter organizations, so Kristina reached out and asked if we could come volunteer at the school.”

Begun a month ago, the mentorship program is making a difference in the lives of more than 33 mentors and mentees. In addition to one-hour individual meetings once a week, mentors and mentees meet every Friday to talk and play games during two-hour group sessions. Mentors can commit more time, based on availability and teacher permission.

Lucas said the program bridges the gap between community and school. “The students we mentor are great kids,” Lucas said. “We want to reach them on their level and show them that we’re successful in college, and they can be, too.”

Lucas said the program is helping some students with behavioral issues. Others are behind on benchmark scores for reading and math, and need extra help that the NPHC students can provide.

“I’ve always been a big dreamer, but I guess I took that for granted until I started with this mentorship program,” Lucas said. “Many of these students did not know they were capable of literally anything they put their minds to, so it’s great to be in a position where we are really changing their lives simply by being there for them. It’s been humbling.”

MSU Vice President for Student Affairs Regina Young Hyatt commended NPHC student members and leaders for their efforts, which are “making a difference in the lives of the kids who have the opportunity to be mentored, tutored and coached.”

“NPHC’s partnership with Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary School is an outstanding example of the outreach our student organizations conduct with our local community,” Hyatt said. “It’s incredible to see the benefits our students also are receiving from the interactions they are having with the kids.”

For more on MSU’s National Pan-Hellenic Council, visit www.nphc.msstate.edu.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.