Although not as visible as other University alumni organizations, the LSU Soul Tigers quickly is becoming a group with a more dominant presence among University graduates.
In 2001, University alumni Kevin Netters, Ryan Cojoe and Earl Randall founded LSU Soul Tigers, after seeing a need for more communication among alumni. What began as a small reunion of friends has turned into a 310 member, active organization.
“It’s a networking group to help our members use the relationships to help better themselves and communicate with each other,” Randall said.
While Soul Tigers’ members are predominantly African American, Randall said the group does include members of other races.
According to the organization’s Web site, “A ‘Soul Tiger’ is defined as any person that ever attended LSU, regardless of race, creed, color, sex, religion, etc., with an awareness of and pride in the physical and cultural aspects of the African-American heritage.”
Unlike other organizations, Soul Tigers’ members do not have to be University graduates; rather, they only have to have attended the University.
“One class, one semester, or one degree equals one Soul Tiger,” is the motto for the organization.
The group provides networking tools, such as a Web site message board, to help members maintain and rebuild relationships formed at the University. While the group holds various events, including reunions and parties, throughout the year, Randall said the main communication tool among members is the group’s Web site.
The Web site contains information about LSU sports, trivia, job openings and a variety of Soul Tiger products.
Soul Tigers also are committed to giving back to the University, which they have done in the form of monetary gifts to the University chapter of the NAACP and the African American Cultural Center.
Jermaine Watson, African American Cultural Center manager, said while the AACC does not have a formal relationship with the Soul Tigers, the group has donated funds to the center’s expansion efforts.
Melody Robinson, an ISDS senior and president of the University NAACP, said the Soul Tigers have contributed monetarily to the group through sales of Soul Tigers merchandise, such as T-shirts and CDs, as well as sent an encouraging message to current University students and NAACP members.
For example, Robinson said Soul Tigers’ members continually tell current University students to maintain a strong African-American presence on campus and overcome adversity in all areas of life.
“The encouragement is really helpful,” Robinson said.