By Emmanuel Freeman
NASHVILLE, TN (TSU News) — As the 2021-2022 Miss Tennessee State University, Mallory Moore is using her unique position to implement a platform built around mentorship and providing opportunities for fellow students.
To achieve her goal, she has initiated “Our Turn – Doing M.O.O.R.E,” or Making Opportunities Open to Retain Excellence, aimed at continuing TSU’s legacy of scholarship, leadership, and service; as well as “Shadowing a Tiger,” a mentoring program for freshmen and sophomores.
“I want to do a mentorship initiative because I know for me coming in as a freshman, I didn’t have that and it made things a lot difficult for me,” says Moore. “I don’t want other students to face those difficulties. So, I want to create this program for the freshmen, and I am including the sophomores because the sophomore class didn’t get one because they were home due to the pandemic.”
Moore is a senior health science major from Birmingham, Alabama. She won the coveted Miss TSU title in April after a fierce election process that also ushered in a new Mr. TSU (Mark T. Davis, Jr.), a new Royal Court, and other Student Government Association officers.
As a former Miss Junior, Moore says she understands the challenges students coming to college for the first time face, such as coping in a new environment, developing new study habits, and making new friends. She wants to help them overcome potential pitfalls that could hinder their progress.
“I am very determined, and I see that a lot of people see that I am very confident, and as a leader, I want to pass that on to them,” says Moore. “I want them to understand that college is fun, but to also remind them that there is a greater goal and an expected end, which is their eventual graduation.”
Mr TSU Wants to Help Male Students Be Responsible Men in Society
By Emmanuel Freeman
NASHVILLE, TN (TSU News Service) – Mark T. Davis, Jr., the new Mr. Tennessee State University, says his goal is to help male students develop into men with good character traits that others can emulate. The goal, he says, is to change the stereotypical view people have of “our young males” because of the way many carry themselves.
‘We must try to change the way the world looks at our students, especially the black males, and TSU is doing a very good job in that area,” says Davis, a Cincinnati native. “I came here on an HBCU college bus tour, and immediately fell in love with the university. ‘No durags, wife beaters, or sagging pants.’”
A senior English major, Davis has developed a five-point plan called “BLUE IS KING,” where BLUE stands for Building Legacies Upon Existence. The plan focuses on sexual assault awareness, mental health, campus engagement, creating a definition of what a man is, and embracing your difference. He hopes this will leave a legacy that impacts future students.
“This HBCU is preparing us for the real world,” says Davis, who formerly served as Mr. Junior. “What I want to accomplish as Mr. TSU is to really make sure that by the time I am done with my reign, people will remember how I made them feel as Mr. TSU,”
As part of his plan, Davis has initiated several events he says help students stay engaged. They include: “Eye of the Tiger Scavenger Hunt,” an informative program with hints that tell something new about TSU; “Tailored Tuesdays,” which challenges males and females to dress up in business casual attire but emphasizes business professional; and “Today’s Quote,” that involves passing out motivational quotes in the courtyard on Wednesdays.
“I really just am excited about my initiatives, in pushing forward what kings or professionals are supposed to look like, or what’s business casual,” says Davis. “I just want to make sure that when other people come on our campus and see a male, that that male is a good representation of TSU.”
Davis is part of Allure Modeling Troupe, Collegiate 100, and Pep Club.
Moore says although coming to TSU was to fulfill her mother’s dream of attending an historically black college or university (HBCU), she has no regrets about becoming a “Big Blue Tiger.”
“The reason why I chose to come to TSU is because my mom wanted to go to TSU when she was my age, but my grandmother wouldn’t let her. She wanted her to go to a predominantly white institution. So, she begged me to go on a visit. I took my mom’s advice and came on a visit, and I immediately fell in love the moment I stepped on the campus. It has been the perfect home for me.”
In addition to being Miss TSU, Moore is active in many campus organizations and programs. For two years, she served on the university’s cheerleading team, whose coach, Dwight Pope, she credits with helping to keep her on track.
“Coach Pope was very hard on , and I was upset with him at times, but looking back, he was teaching things I needed to know for this moment,” she says.
Moore is a member of the TSU choir, and the National Honor Society of Leadership and Success. She was initiated into Chi Psi chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity Incorporated, Alpha Psi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, and Order of Omega National Honor Society for Greek Leaders.
The coronation of Mr. TSU and Miss TSU will be part of Homecoming week activities. It will take place Oct. — in Kean Hall starting at 7 p.m.
For more information on activities, go to
