Texas Southern University (TSU) hosted its inaugural President’s Tiger Ball at the George R. Brown Convention Center. This sold out event, presented by the TSU Foundation Board, serves as TSU’s largest fundraiser for student scholarships and programs.

“Texas Southern University’s partners have demonstrated a willingness and readiness to invest in the success of our students who are pursing their education on our historic campus,” said TSU President Dr. Lesia L. Crumpton-Young. “That investment will undoubtedly assist our community of scholars in achieving their academic and career goals and fortify the mission and values of TSU, which is to transform lives.”

A Parade of Partners accompanied by TSU’s Ocean of Soul kicked off the event, acknowledging the top sponsors and celebrating their contribution to TSU’s success.

“Partnerships are vital to the success of Texas Southern University,” said TSU Foundation Board Chair Frazier Wilson. “Every sponsor that chose to partner with TSU in this effort showed they believe in the students and they believe in the transformative work happening on the campus daily.”

TDECU was the presenting sponsor of this year’s Tiger Ball.

“As a proud graduate of TSU’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law, I understand the significance of HBCUs and how investing in education can help transform students’ lives in our communities,” said TDECU President & CEO Isaac Johnson. “TDECU believes in helping our members navigate their financial journeys. I am intentionally expanding the reach of our organization to communities including TSU and making investments in those communities to provide access to the services we offer.”

TDECU was joined by seven other Transformation Sponsors at the $100,000 level: JPMorgan Chase, CenterPoint Energy, Nikki and Benny Agosto Jr., Shell Oil Company, the Houston Texans, the Houston Astros Foundation, and Antoinette M. Jackson Esq.

The Tiger Ball’s $75,000 TSU Proud sponsors were President Lesia, Reginald, Mattlyn, and Ashlee Young. Visionary Sponsors, representing a $50,000 sponsorship, included Bayway Auto Group and Challenge Office Products. The Tiger Walk sponsors, representing a $25,000 sponsorship included A-Rocket Moving and Storage, the Daffin Family, Hillday, the Jacobson Family Foundation, Health Care Services Corporation led by Maurice Smith, and the Verizon Foundation.

The event’s 1927 sponsors, representing a $15,000 sponsorship included Houston First Corporation, LaTanya Easter, and Sysco. And the Maroon and Gray sponsors, representing a $10,000 sponsorship included 1Vision, Aundrea and Richard Young, Comcast, TSU law professor Dr. Edieth Wu, Dr. Judith L. Craven, Houston Airports, Frost Bank, TSU Athletics, and the TSU Center for Justice Research.

The climax of the evening was a raffle for a new car, sponsored by Bayway Auto Group, Hillday led by TSU alumna and President/CEO Argentina James. The winner of the raffle was TSU senior student-athlete Briana Creeks. She won her choice of a brand new Lincoln Corsair or Cadillac XT4.

Tiger Ball guests were entertained by KTSU personality Chilly Bill Smith, and the Transformation Band, under the direction of Ernest Walker, KTSU’s general manager, and composed of TSU alumni, staff and Tiger talent.

Photos from the Tiger Ball can be found at https://bit.ly/3OVjmE4.