The University of Louisiana System has developed a program to enhance the educational experiences of exemplary Black male students. Two students from each of the system’s nine-member institutions, including Southeastern Louisiana University, are participating in the fourth cohort of the Reginald F. Lewis Scholars program, an initiative that focuses on academics, social advancement and community service.
The program is named for Reginald F. Lewis (1942-1993), the first Black American businessman to build a billion-dollar company, TLC Beatrice International Holdings, Inc.
The 18 program participants are rising sophomores who were chosen based on academic merit and leadership skills. Calvin Delone, pictured below, and Samuel Omosowone, pictured above, will represent Southeastern this year. Delone is an accounting major from Donaldsonville, and Omosowone is an international student from Nigeria majoring in computer science.
The scholars program was created with and is still funded by private donations from supporters and various organizations who saw a need to focus on this specific demographic with the goal of ultimately expanding to help all unique populations in the ways appropriate to them throughout the UL System. Each group of Reginald F. Lewis Scholars are pinned during a ceremony held at the Black Male Summit, which aims to identify solutions for the systematic barriers and new opportunities for black male faculty, staff and students in the UL System.
Both Delone and Omosowone are excited about their time as scholars.
Delone believes that the recognition will be an indispensable milestone in his journey towards achieving his professional aspiration – working at one of the big four accounting firms. He sees the program as a unique opportunity that will equip him with essential tools and support that are particularly scarce for African American males in higher education.
Omosowone aspires to pursue a career in software engineering. He believes that the Reginald F. Lewis Scholars program will greatly assist in his career goals and will provide mentorship, networking opportunities, and other resources, allowing him to excel as a better person, student, and leader.
French and Spanish Instructor, Undergraduate Program Coordinator, and Foreign Language Resource Center Director Jerry Parker serves as the facilitator of the program at . He said that RFL Scholars receive a full tuition scholarship. In addition, cohorts engage in three key areas:
• the community experience, which includes a partnership with the Universities of Louisiana Management and Leadership Institute and a service learning project;
• the social experience, which includes an annual retreat, and academic and professional mentorship from business, community and university leaders; and
• the academic experience, which includes research projects and a study abroad opportunity during junior year.
For more information, to donate to the program, or to meet the Southeastern RFL Scholars, contact Parker at [email protected].
