About Us

Call Me MiSTER

Call Me MiSTER

About the Call Me MiSTER program

Call Me MiSTER is a College of Education initiative based on the USF St. Petersburg campus that recruits men of color to get their undergraduate degree and teacher certification or a Master’s of Arts degree in Teaching. The program is conducted in partnership with Pinellas County Schools.

The mission of USF’s Call Me MiSTER (an acronym for Mentors Instructing Students Toward Effective Role Models) initiative is to increase the pool of available licensed teachers from a broader, more diverse background. Men desiring to teach and serve as role models in urban elementary or middle schools are encouraged to apply.

Watch Dr. Brenda Walker talk about the history of the Call Me MiSTER program on ABC Action News.

Teacher on ground with students in classroom

Program benefits

Call Me MiSTER requires a deep commitment to becoming an elementary school or a middle school teacher in urban schools. Call Me MiSTER supports could include:

  • Cohort membership
  • Mentorship opportunities
  • Financial support which may include but is not limited to tuition and fee assistance, book support, or housing
  • Academic and social supports
  • Monthly urban education professional development seminars
  • Field experiences in urban schools
  • Summer Leadership institutes
  • Conference presentations and other professional experiences
  • Guaranteed urban school teaching position in Pinellas County Schools

Becoming a MiSTER

To be admitted to the Call Me MiSTER program, students must complete the following steps:

  1. Apply for and be accepted into the University of South Florida
  2. Complete the Call Me MiSTER online interest application

Following the submission of the items above, an interview will be scheduled with prospective program participants to discuss their commitment and interest in teaching in urban schools.

Call Me Mister Interest Application

Thank you for your interest in applying to the Call Me MiSTER program. Learn more about our admissions requirements by clicking the button below.

Submit Application

For more information, please contact Sandra Vernon Jackson at sajackson@usf.edu.  

Contact Us

Thank you for your interest in the Call Me MiSTER program at the University of South Florida! We’re excited to share more with you about our program. For more information, please contact:

Project Director
Brenda L. Walker, Ph.D., J.D.
Professor and Executive Director
brendawalker@usf.edu  
727-873-4022

Project Coordinator
Sandra Vernon-Jackson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Instruction Mathematics and STEM Education and Director STEM Robotics Innovative Lab
sajackson@usf.edu 
727-873-4041