Dr. Jada Shipp Meeks

Dr. Jada Shipp Meeks draws on her rich experience as student, educator, mentor, pastor and middle school principal to help students realize their potential and plan for college and career. She is the director of Empowering Students Universally (ESU), a nonprofit organization that partners with Rosewood Community Betterment Assocation in southwest Memphis.

The program provides early intervention for motivated students who may not have access to college and career planning guidance. High school guidance counselors are often overworked and unable to provide individualized help and even some college-educated parents are not equipped to provide appropriate advice. Students in grades six through 12 are eligible to participate.

Meeks launched the program in 2005 with 25 students recruited from the Whitehaven area; by its second year, it had grown to 70 students. In ESU’s third year, Meeks entered a consulting contract with a school in Chicago and conducted workshops for 125 students. This year she expects to welcome approxiately 30 new students into the Memphis program.

ESU scholars learn to build a computer

For a small fee of $60 that covers the cost of materials and supplies, students attend workshops that cover topics such as college search, resume building, college entrance exams, scholarships and financial aid. Advanced workshops include business etiquette, interviewing and how to select summer programs. Meeks also conducts college tours to area schools, though the students’ families must cover the cost of these trips.

Meeks authored the curriculum for the workshops after four years of research for her doctoral dissertation. Her goal is to empower students to take ownership of their future, which she believes will motivate them to make wiser choices as teens.

“All students that want help should be given the support they need to make wiser choices about their futures … Students must take ownership of their futures and not operate from a paradigm of ‘I’m doing this because my parents or teachers want me to.’ Once students realize that they have the power to control their futures they will be more motivated to pursue a plan of action for themselves personally.“
— Dr. Jada Shipp Meeks

Among her success stories is a rising Rhodes College junior named Anthony Maples. When Anthony was eight years old, he asked his mother for $10,000 so he could go to college. Though his mother, Linda Maples, had instilled in him a desire for academic achievement, she knew college was out of the reach of her modest financial resources. Anthony joined the ESU program as a junior in high school, applied to 18 colleges and received more than $700,000 in scholarships and financial aid. He and his mother are grateful to ESU for the skills that equipped him to successfully complete the application process and Mrs. Maples plans to enroll Anthony’s younger sister in the program as soon as she reaches the sixth grade. Read Mrs. Maples’ letter in its entirety.

If you have or know a student who is in need of help planning their future, see the ESU website for an application and more information about the program.

Dr. Jada Shipp Meeks is co-pastor, along with her father, Rev. Juan D. Shipp, at Church of the Trinity, 4996 Horn Lake Road, Memphis. In addition, she is the national CEO, president and founder of the National Coalition for Women in Ministry, whose mission is to empower, inspire, promote and develop women in leadership and ministry for kingdom building.

Church, Education, faith, Memphis, mentoring, women Faith & Spirituality