Public Affairs Reporting graduate student honored for mentoring program

University of Illinois Springfield Chancellor Harry Berman honored Public Affairs Reporting graduate student Tametria Conner for her work mentoring children at Washington Middle School during a recent visit to his office.

Conner wrote a poem, “Girls in Heels”, which she presented to the U of I Board of Trustees during a March meeting on campus. Berman presented Conner with a bag full of formal copies of the poem to be delivered to the children at the school.

“Girls in Heels" is an etiquette mentoring program created by Conner with the help of Washington Middle School Assistant Principal Roosevelt Wilson. Conner holds etiquette sessions with nearly 40 seventh and eighth grade girls at Washington Middle School in Springfield. The first of its kind at the middle school, "Girls in Heels" provides demonstrative and instructional information on posture, poise, public speaking and professional attire.

The highlight of the mentoring program was the "Project Runway for Success" Fashion Show at Macy's on March 25. The fashion show aired on Comcast Cable's Educational Channel.

Conner is a Whitney M. Young Fellow and will be graduating from the PAR program in May 2011.