PVAMU History Professor Dr. Marco Robinson is speaker for the Men’s Prayer Breakfast at St. Francis of Assisi

PVAMU History Professor Dr. Marco Robinson is the speaker for the Men’s Prayer Breakfast on April 20, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church on 2000 Phillip Street in Prairie View.  Patrons are welcome to participate in the fellowship and the free breakfast and are asked to confirm attendance at stfrancispv@sbcglobal.net or call 936-857-3272.

Robinson is a native of Rural North, Mississippi, where he received his early education and developed an undeniable passion on for learning by reading dictionaries and encyclopedias to gain knowledge.  This led him to pursue a degree in history and education.  Dr. Robinson holds the bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history from Jackson State University and the Ph.D. in history form the University of Mississippi.  Currently he is the Assistant Director of the Ruth J. Simmons Center for Race and Justice at Prairie View A &M University, a position he’s held since 2021.  Additionally, he is an Associate Professor of History and a Mentor for the PVAMU Honors Program.at Prairie View A &M University.  Prior to Prairie View, he served as an Assistant Professor of History/Instructor of History at Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi.  He also served as a Social Science Area Coordinator, where he advised majors, facilitated Intern placements and served as an advisor and a Graduate Assistant for the social studies students. 

Dr. Robinson has been engaged in scholarly programs at several universities such as the Digital Born Scholarly Publishing NEH Summer Institute at Brown University, The National Humanities Center, Co-Coordinator, Teacher Institute: Teaching African American Studies Summer Institute: Understanding the Long View of the African Diaspora, the United Negro College Fund-Carnegie Mellon Seminar in Salvador, Brazil, Historical Perspectives of Race/ Blackness, Identity and Beauty in Black Brazil, the Archival Research in Atlanta, Georgia, The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Seminar in Ghana, West Africa. He was a Fulbright Scholar stationed in South Africa where he visited eight universities, developing a curriculum dealing with creating learning modules regarding my experiences for his World and African Diaspora Courses.

Some of Dr. Robinson’s awards and recognitions include the PVAMU Mellon Center for Teaching Excellence Outstanding Professor Award, Outstanding Departmental Faculty Award, Division of Social Work, Behavioral, and Political Sciences, Marvin D. and June Samuel Brailsford College of Arts and Sciences, Prairie View A &M University, the State of Mississippi H.E.A.D.W.A.E. Faculty Member of the Year Award, the Florence Ellen Bell Scholar Award, Drew University, the DeSoto County African American History Symposium Achievement Award, Tri-State Defender Men of Excellence Award, Mississippi Humanities Council Teacher of the Year and Head Start Volunteer of the Year.

Dr. Robinson has served as Principal and Co-Principal Investigator for several research projects which were awarded more than $1.5 Million dollars in grants from Humanities Texas, Integrating African American Studies at HBCUs Summer Studies, collaboration between the University Texas and Prairie View A&M University to build a website documenting and preserving the history the domestic slave trade.  His current project, Toward Culturally Responsive Disaster Management for Limited Resource Producers: The Role of Person, Place and Professional Agencies to assess the role culture plays in how to prepare for, cope with and respond to disasters, and the impact of disasters with respect in the community.  His other research focused on the COVID- 19 Pandemic and Rural Communities of Color: Examining the Impact of Race, Healthcare Accessibility, and Health Literacy in Waller County Texas, particularly the County’s African American resident’s health. The research will utilize Interactive Maps and Apps to Preserve Local History: Digitizing the Black Experience in Waller County, Texas.

He is the author of several books and manuscripts to include Through Mama’s Eyes: Unique Perspectives of Southern Matriarchy, We were all we had: Transcending Race and forging a Community of Mothers in the Post-Civil Rights Era South, University of Louisiana, Lafayette Press, Co-Editor, Contemporary Debates in Social Justice: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Exploring the Lives of Black and Brown Americans, Telling the Stories of Forgotten Communities: Oral History, Public Memory, and Black Communities in the American South" Collections: A Journal for Museum and Archives Professionals, Volume 13, Number 2. For more information, Click Marco Vita

The Men’s Breakfast is commemorating its 20-plus years at St. Francis of Assisi, and the current team include Donald Sowell (Coordinator), Glenn Berry, Darryl Johnson, Charles Muse, Frederick V. Roberts, Michael Sowell, William Sowell and Herbert Thomas.

For program information, contact:  stfrancispv@sbcglobal.net.

MR. ERIC MULLINS IS MEN’S PRAYER BREAKFAST SPEAKER AT ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI

Mr. Eric Mullins is the speaker for the Men’s Prayer Breakfast on November 18, 2023, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church, 2000 Phillip Street, Confirm at stfrancispv@sbcglobal.net or 936-857-3272.

Mr. Mullins is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Lime Rock Resources team and has jointly led the team since co-founding the Lime Rock Resources strategy in 2005. Lime Rock Resources is a private equity fund with approximately $2.9 billion under management. The Lime Rock Resources funds focus on acquiring and developing low-risk oil and gas properties to generate returns for its investors.

Prior to starting at Lime Rock Resources, Eric was a Managing Director with Goldman Sachs in the Natural Resources Group in the Investment Banking Division in Houston, Texas where he led numerous financing, structuring, and strategic advisory transactions for public and private E&P companies. Eric was promoted to Vice President in 1994 and was promoted to Managing Director in 1999. His area of specialization was oil and gas related mergers and acquisitions and oil and gas related equity and debt financings.

Mr. Mullins serves on the board of directors for ConocoPhillips and Valero Energy Company. He is also on the board of trustees of the Baylor College of Medicine, the Greater Houston Partnership, where he serves as Vice Chair and is part of the Trustee Board of the Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church.

Eric received his M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1990 and a B.A. from Stanford University in 1984.

The Men's Prayer Breakfast is one of the most sought after program in the community and have featured speakers from all walks of like.

Waller County Constable Herschel Smith is Men’s Prayer Breakfast Speaker at St. Francis of Assisi

Constable Herschel Smith, Waller County Precinct 3, is the Men’s Prayer Breakfast Speaker on October 21, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. in the Parish Hall of St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church, 2000 Phillip Street. All men of the community are welcome to participate in the fellowship and the free breakfast.  Please call 936-857-3732 or write: stfrancispv@sbcglobal.net to confirm attendance.

Constable Smith was first elected in 2012 and has since been reelected in 2016 and 2020. After taking office in January 2013, Constable Smith committed himself to being a hardworking Elected Official of Waller County by laying the groundwork for community engagement and protection. He was instrumental in improving the service to the community and increased the number of deputies to 30 serving and volunteering their time along with him in the precinct.  With the help of a generous Houston businessman who donated $50,000, purchased eight (8) patrol vehicles added to the fleet of only three (3). With relentless perseverance the Precinct 3 building was renovated to accommodate the increased workload and activities in the precinct.  For the past 11 years, Constable Smith has provided Free Barbecue to the citizens of Prairie View and Waller County area commemorating the Juneteenth holiday.

As a small-town youth Herschel have developed a sense of humility and devotion to his family and friends in the community which transcended to his life as an army vet, a Pastor, Community leader, founder and executive director of a homeless shelter. As a devoted Husband and a father of seven children he understands the needs of families and the awesome responsibility required to raise children who will one day no doubt be leaders of their communities. 

Herschel’s spirit of community has led him to work directly with people who have needs. The lessons he learned while serving proudly in the United States Army from 1978 to 1981 taught him the importance of self-discipline and taking pride in one’s country. His ability to lead earned him the rank of Sergeant and Honor Squad Leader in the First Calvary Division. After his service in the military, Smith worked as a Correctional Officer with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice where he saw firsthand the result of living a life of irresponsibility. It was during this time that Herschel’s vision for his community deepened and in 1988 he and his family moved from Brenham, TX to Houston where he willingly left the comforts of his home and career by choice to become homeless in order to learn and meet the needs of the homeless. His heart ached as he saw the countless number of men and women living in boxes under Interstate-45 near downtown Houston, he knew what he had to do and the inner-city ministry was born. 

As Pastor of Enlightened Chapel Ministries, his example demonstrated faith in God in a most tangible way and his community activism knew no limit. Wherever there is a need you are likely to find Herschel Smith working to empower people to find solutions to their problems. He teaches people to take responsibility for their actions and for a community to change the individual must change, leading by example is fundamental.  Smith was recognized for his community activism in 1991 when the city of Houston honored him for his ministry of love and compassion. The mayor’s office awarded him for citizenship and selfless sacrifice to his community. He also received citizen award from Anheuser Busch and the Houston Defender in 1994. In 1995 Waller County Leadership Council honored him with the humanitarian award for leadership and commitment. His efforts had also led him in 1993 to receiving a local Jefferson award and the National Award which was created by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in 1972 as a Nobel Prize for community service. He spoke in the US Supreme Court when he received the award. In 1999 the Forward Time in Houston, Texas honored him with minister of the decade.

At the age of 47 Herschel sought a new career and in 2008 he graduated from Houston Community College Police Academy. Most of his life he has always been a public service worker and by January 2013 he took office as Constable Precinct 3 Waller County. He has committed himself to being an hardworking Elected Official of Waller County by laying the historical groundwork for others to follow. 

Constable Herschel Smith believes in setting standards with honesty, integrity and character that are not just words but internal motivations which produces visible results. He believes young adults will respond when they see adults demonstrate by their actions rather than just words. As Constable of Waller County Precinct #3 he and his deputies are committed to the highest performance standards, ethical conduct and trustworthy in all relationships with the public. 

KEITH DAVIS OF D-MARS MEDIA IS THE MEN’S PRAYER BREAKFAST SPEAKER AT ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI

Mr. Keith Davis, Sr. is the Men’s Prayer Breakfast Speaker on September 16, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. in the Parish Hall of St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church, 2000 Phillip Street. All men of the community are welcome to participate in the fellowship and the free breakfast.  Please call 936-857-3732 or write: stfrancispv@sbcglobal.net to confirm attendance.

Affectionately known as  “MR. D-MARS” , Davis has more than 20 years of experiences in advertising, marketing, media and communication.  As President and CEO of Vaskey Media Group, Inc., he has spearheaded campaigns for many local and national brands as well as many well-respected business owners and community leaders.  As a United States Army veteran, MR. D-MARS has always had a special place in his heart for service to the community.

His commitment to excellence is evidenced through his skills in relationships, training and development which ultimately used through his multimedia business empire d-mars.com, Subcontractors USA-Texas and Top 30 Influential Women. These entities hosts major events highlighting many of Texas’ most influential including the D-Mars.com Top 50 Black Professionals & Entrepreneurs Awards, Top 25 Prime Contractors and Sub Contractors Luncheon and Top 30 Influential Women of Houston Awards Gala. Additionally, he is founder of the nonprofit My Missing Pieces, K. Jerrold Publishing Company and The Business Journal

Mr. Davis has many honors and accolades to his credit for his outstanding service and contributions to a several organizations in and around Houston, including the Doctor of Humane Letters from Christian Bible Institute and Seminary, the United States Department of the Army Achievement Medal, Missouri City & Vicinity NAACP Outstanding Services in the Community Award, Texas Black Expo Visionary Award, Prairie View A&M University Appreciation Award, Texas Southern University Stellar Communicator and Media Trendsetter Partner Recognition, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Verna Lee Booker Hightower Award, Texas Women’s Empowerment Foundation Sponsorship Award, Barbara Jordan Endeavors Support Award, My Brother’s Keeper the Man-Up Lifetime Achievement Award, Houston Lawyers Association Mission Ally Honoree, Greater Houston Black Chamber of Commerce’s Business Achievement Pinnacle and Innovation Awards, YMCA of Greater Houston Minority Achievers Award, The Fisk University Alumni Association Continuing the Legacy Award, and the East Houston Economic Development Corp., Inc. Communication Appreciation Award.

MR. D-MARS continues to be active in the community and serves as a Board Member of the Greater Houston Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Bishop Ryan to Celebrate Reception at St. Francis of Assisi Prairie View

The Rt. Reverend Kathryn M. Ryan, Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of Texas – West Region is the celebrant for the Reception of Mrs. Renee' Arkadie at St. Francis of Assisi  Episcopal Church in Prairie View on Sunday, September 17, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. The public is invited to the service on the YouTube Platform.  

Arkadie is educator personified with more than forty years of teaching in the Waller and Hempstead Independent School Districts. She currently teaches Spanish at Hempstead High School.  

Ryan, a native of Raton, New Mexico, graduated from the University of the South in Sewanee, TN with the Bachelor’s degree and received her master of divinity from Seminary of the Southwest in 1992 where she currently serves on the Board of Trustees. Ryan served at All Saints, Austin, and in Mobile, AL, before moving to Dallas where she was called as rector of Ascension, Dallas in 1999.

Ryan’s breadth of experience in four dioceses, Provincial Synod and General Convention, her participation in the national Gathering of Leaders for young clergy and nearly 15 years in a culturally diverse parish as rector stand her in good stead for the ministry of Canon to the Ordinary.

Ryan has a history of cross-cultural ministry with which she hopes to enhance the diversity within the clergy of the Diocese of Texas. “I believe the Church’s breadth and depth requires a diverse body of clergy leaders [who will come from] a diversity of seminaries, backgrounds, cultures, generations and theological positions in order to build up the congregations and the Diocese for God’s mission,” she said.

Ryan enjoys athletics and competed in gymnastics, track, and cross country.   Her life in Christ and her leadership gifts were nurtured, while a youth, in camping ministry, the Happening movement, and parish committees, including one that resettled a refugee family.

Bishop Ryan is married to Timothy Ryan, an attorney, and they have two children, Ned and Eleanor and resides in Austin.

Dr. Jodie L. Jiles, the Director of Business Development for Transwestern of Houston, Texas is the speaker for the Men’s Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, August 19, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church on 2000 Phillip Street om Prairie View.  All men of the community are welcome to participate in the fellowship and the free breakfast.  Please call 936-857-3732 or write: stfrancispv@sbcglobal.net to confirm attendance.

Dr. Jiles holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Texas Southern University, the Master of Professional Accountancy from The University of Texas at Austin, and an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Southern University.

Jodie has a remarkable career with more than 26 years of making a decisively positive impact on investment banking and has provided solid direction and expert guidance to public finance clients and municipal issuers within the State of Texas.  Since July 2012, he has enjoyed his Transwestern experience working strategically with the various Transwestern family of companies in meeting the client’s real estate needs. Some of his other positions include serving as Managing Director for RBC Capital Markets, Managing Director, Fixed Income Banking U.S. Debt Markets, First Albany Capital, Inc., Senior Vice President for Public Finance for Bear Stearns & Co., Inc. and Masterson Moreland Sauer Whisman, Inc., Vice President for Public Finance for Apex Securities and Senior Vice President for United Daniels Securities, Inc., Senior Internal Auditor for Arthur Young & Co.

Dr. Jiles finds great satisfaction in giving back to the community through involvement in public service, community partnerships, and is a committed member of various boards to include The University of Texas System Board of Regents, Texas Business Leadership Council, Greater Houston Partnership, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital, Texas Heart Institute Foundation Board, Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Committee, The KIPP Academy, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Texas Southern University Foundation Board and the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas-Houston Branch.

He has received numerous awards of recognition for his service and contributions to education to include Houston Community College System -Honorary Associate in Arts, Distinguished Alumnus - The Ex-Students’ Association of the University of Texas, Phillis Wheatley High School - Alumni Wall of Fame Honoree, Texas Southern University Alumnus of the Decade, Quality of Life Coalition - Houston Park Board, Red Rose Community Service Award University of Houston Downtown, Visionary Award - Scenic Houston’s, Houston’s Most Influential Leaders Award - Sheltering Arms, Bob Onstead Leadership Award, 25 Most Distinguished Leaders - Leadership Houston, The Mickey Leland Humanitarian Award -NAACP, Trail Blazer Award - Houston Independent School District, Delegate for the White House Conference on Aging, Father of the Year Award - Community Partners and President’s Award -Texas Southern University.  He also received the Transwestern’s President’s Award and National Legendary Service Award.

Dr. Jiles is a noted community servant and public speaker and enjoys assisting others in achieving their goals and objectives.

Pastor David Charleston is Men's Breakfast Speaker at St. Francis of Assisi

Pastor David Charleston is the speaker for the Men’s Prayer Breakfast at St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church on July 15 at 8:30 a.m. in the Parish Hall of the Church on 204 Dooley Street.  of the Immanuel Baptist Church is the speaker.  All are welcome to participate in the fellowship and free breakfast.  Please call 936-857-3732 or write: stfrancispv@sbcglobal.net.

Charleston is a native of Prairie View, Texas born May 26, 1956 and attended public schools in the Prairie View Training School.  In 1974, he graduated from Waller High School.  He attended Prairie View A&M University and later graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree from Houston-Tillotson College in Austin, Texas.

He served his country as a military officer in the United States Army, commissioned at the University of Texas at Austin in 1980.  He served as an Air Defense Operations Officer, serving in places such as Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas, Republic of South Korea, and Fort Riley, Kansas.  His military awards include the Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Achievement Medal, Army Commendation medal with oak leaf cluster. He was honorably discharged at the rank of Captain in 1984.

Following his military career he taught in the Hempstead and Waller Independent School Districts from 1985-1987.  In 1987 He was employed by the US Postal Service as a Rural Mail Carrier.

David received spiritual enrichment through Mount Corinth Baptist Church in Hempstead, Texas under the late Reverend J. R. Hicks and the Second Corinth Baptist Church, Hempstead, Texas under The Reverend Cube Charleston.  He accepted his calling into the ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in 1998.

During his childhood David was active in sports and scouting. He also enjoys music, golf and is a keyboardist and vocalist. He was a member of the PVAMU marching band back in the day.

He has three children, six grandchildren and one great grandson.   He is the Founding Pastor of The Immanuel Church at Prairie View which began in 2001.  Additionally, he serves as the president of the Waller Ministerial Alliance and is the President of the Minister’s Conference of the Old Landmark Baptist District Association and Auxiliaries of Texas.

The Reverend Canon Glenice Robinson-Como is celebrant for Feast of Pauli Murray

 The Reverend Glenice Robinson-Como, Canon Missioner  Outreach and Justice Ministries in the Diocese of Texas will celebrate the Feast of The Reverend Dr. Pauli Murray, first African American woman ordained to the Priesthood in the Episcopal Church, at St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church in Prairie View on Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 10:30 a.m.  

 

Reverend Robinson-Como was born and raised in Virginia where she received her early education.  She holds the B.S. from Virginia Commonwealth University, the Master of Divinity from the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas and a Diploma of Theological Studies from the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas.  

Robinson-Como previously worked in procurement and contract management for the Department of Defense in El Segundo, California, the Metro Transit Authority in Los Ángeles, California.

Her civic and spiritual engagements include serving as a Staff Ombudsman with the Houston-Galveston Area Agency on Aging, secretary to Office of Black Ministries for the office of Episcopal Ministries, chaired the diocesan Commission on Black Ministry, served as Canon Pastor at Christ Church Cathedral, chaplain to The Beacon and recently appointed as a Bishop’s Fellow for the diocese. 

Glenice loves the theatre, WNBA basketball, world religions, tai-chi and Walter Mosley mystery novels.  She is the author of several meditations, including a meditation in the book, “Yes! Jesus Loves Me-31 Love Stories,” by Kathy H. Culmer and a prayer entitled, The Least of These, in the book, “Lifting Women’s Voices, Prayers to Change the World,” which addresses the themes of the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals.  She frequently writes for Forward Movement and is featured in their recent edition entitled, “Away to the Manger.”  Glenice also speaks on the Labyrinths as part of the Anything But Ordinary Speaker Series on YouTube.

Glenice is married to Paul L. Como and they have two children, Paul R. and Dominique and extended family member, Peabody, their West Highland terrier.

For church information, call 936-857-3272 or email: stfrancispv@sbcglobal.net.

PVAMU Chief of Staff Kevin Hoffman is Men’s Breakfast speaker at St. Francis of Assisi

Mr. Kevin Hoffman,  the Chief of Staff in the Office of the President at Prairie View A&M University is the speaker for the Men’s Prayer Breakfast on June 17, 2023 at St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church, 2000 Phillip and 205 Dooley Streets in Prairie View, Texas.   

The Free Breakfast is hosted by the men of St. Francis and all attendees are also asked to CONFIRM ATTENDANCE to 936-857-3272 or email to stfrancispv@sbcglobal.net.

Mr. Hoffman was appointed to the position in October 2021 by the President Ruth J. Simmons and continue to provide the services to new president Komikia LaGrande.  In his role he assists the president in overseeing various areas of university management and administrative reporting. He also serves as the chief strategist for the University, ensuring that the overall institutional goals are met.

Hoffman more than thirty years of management/executive experience in public administration & public Infrastructure and led strategic planning for numerous corporate and non-profit organizations, including the Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation (NRG Park). During his extensive career as executive director for the organization, he staffed the board of directors, managed a variety of services, and oversaw operations and community engagement. Prior to NRG Park, he worked as a community liaison for the late Harris County Commissioner El Franco Lee and as a special projects director for the Harris County Public Infrastructure Department.

Mr. Hoffman has served on a number of  governmental and non-profit boards, including the Waller County Economic Development Partnership. He also served as a member of the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District Board and the Houston Independent School District, where he served as president.  Hoffman’s other engagement include serving as an ex-officio member for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Final Four  Host Committee and the Houston Super Bowl Bid Committee, which brought international sports recognition and increased revenue to the City of Houston.

He is a member of the President’s Advisory Council and a Life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Hoffman received the Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Science in 1989 and a  Master of Arts Degree in 1993 in public administration, organization and culture from Prairie View A&M University.