By Paige Nash

Arcadia High School 2020 graduate Ja’Deric Talbert is dedicated to his path of professional and personal growth and inspiring other young men to do the same. 

As a member of the Universities of Louisiana Reginald F. Lewis Scholars Program, Talbert has made a commitment to take advantage of every opportunity this program provides. The Reginald F. Lewis Scholars Program is dedicated to increasing black male public education teachers in the state. They provide educational programs, mentoring opportunities and co-curricular experiences in order to improve the outcome of their mission.

Another amazing opportunity includes a chance to study abroad. “I recently traveled to Paris, France, ” said Talbert. “We visited institutions such as Sorbonne University and Leonard de Vinci at Pole University. We also visited scared spaces such as Notre Dame.”

Talbert has been on the Grambling State University President’s List for the past four consecutive semesters and serves as President for their Call Me MiSTER (Mentors Instructing Students Toward Effective Role Models) program. This program is also dedicated to increasing the pool of available teachers from a more diverse background with a focus on the state’s lowest performing elementary schools. Most students selected for this program come from under-served, socioeconomically disadvantaged and educationally at-risk communities. They offer scholarships, tuition assistance, grants, mentors, tutors and housing, Praxis prep classes and much more.

As a Call Me MiSTER participant Talbert is an open book when it comes to sharing the experiences and opportunities he has been offered to assist in furthering his education and making an impact in his community. He said, “Our younger generation is lost. They need to see more positive male role models to change their trajectory.”

Talbert is also currently the State Vice President for the Louisiana Association of Educators Aspiring Educators Program and plans to seek a career in education upon graduating from GSU.

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