Posts

The Success of the Inaugural S.O. What! Awards and Scholarship Soiree
One night about six years ago, I had a dream about an awards and scholarship program.
I've been a part of several awards programs either as a recipient or helping to plan the event, and I knew I wanted this one to be special.
On April…

New Leadership Feels SO Good
You never know where your dreams can take you. In 2011, I started my speaking business, S.O. What! LLC, and the next year I founded the S.O What! Foundation. I had no idea how hard it would be to lead and grow both organizations simultaneously.…

Ms. University of Memphis and Me
Do you attend your college or high school homecoming events and games?
As a student at the University of Memphis, I enjoyed the basketball games but have never been a big football fan. So the first Homecoming I attended was when I was a finalist…

Bud Richey: S.O. What! Success Story
Bowties. Crawfish. And leadership.
They are all things I immediately think of when I think of Bud Richey.
As a student leader over 20 years ago, I met Bud Richey when he came to the University of Memphis to direct the Emerging Leaders…

Annette McNeil: S.O. What! Success Story
It’s never too late to get your degree(s). That’s one of the first thoughts I have when I think of Annette McNeil. Another is how she too was a 15-year-old mom.
A third is our connection to the Fogelman College of Business and Economics…

Dr. Rosie Phillips Davis: S.O. What! Success Story
Dr. Rosie Phillips Davis went from poverty to a Ph.D. and has inspired thousands of people along the way.
As a nineteen-year-old black female college student, I’ll never forget the day I saw Dr. Rosie Phillips Davis (known to me as Dr.…

3 Lessons From Hosting the 40th Distinguished Alumni Awards at the University of Memphis
In 2019 when I became the president of the University of Memphis Alumni Association National Board of Directors, hosting the 40th Distinguished Alumni Awards (DAA) program was something I looked forward to doing at the end of my term.
For…

Three Crucial Tips for College Students in New Student Orientation Programs
For most students, going to college comes with a variety of thoughts and emotions.
Excitement, fear, hope, anxiety, curiousity, and uncertainty are common feelings. Those feelings are often amplified if you're a first-generation college student…

Jermaine Swagerty S.O. What! Success Story
One thing in life that we all need is SUPPORT.
And that comes in different forms from different people. It’s hurtful when it doesn’t come from where you expect it, but it’s beautiful and encouraging when it comes from unexpected places.
When…