Call Me MISTER® (Mentors Instructing Students Toward Effective Role Models) is a teacher recruitment and retention initiative that prepares aspiring educators to become effective teachers, mentors and servant leaders. At LSU, Call Me MISTER® provides a supportive community for undergraduate students pursuing teacher certification while helping develop a pipeline of future educators committed to making a difference in schools and communities.

Call Me MISTER® at LSU is housed in the Lutrill & Pearl Payne School of Education and welcomes undergraduate students pursuing teacher preparation pathways across LSU.

 

Who Can Become a MISTER?

Call Me MISTER® at LSU welcomes undergraduate students pursuing teacher preparation pathways across the university, including elementary, middle, secondary and other teacher certification areas. Participants should be committed to becoming educators and to the program's principles of leadership, service, mentorship, accountability and community engagement.

While MISTERs may pursue teaching careers across grade levels and subject areas, the program places a special emphasis on mentoring students during the foundational elementary years.

High school students interested in teaching can apply before enrolling at LSU, creating an early pathway to program participation once they become LSU students.

Explore LSU Teacher Preparation Programs

 Current LSU applicants should be prepared to participate actively in Call Me MISTER® programming and maintain satisfactory academic progress in their degree and teacher preparation program. Specific participation expectations will be shared with applicants before acceptance.

---

Why Join Call Me MISTER®?

Becoming a MISTER means joining a community designed to support your growth as a student, educator and leader. Program experiences may include:

• Mentorship and a supportive cohort of future educators
• Academic support and resources
• Leadership and professional development
• Early and ongoing experiences in schools and classrooms
• Service and community engagement
• Conferences, institutes, retreats and networking opportunities
• Career preparation and connections to the education profession

Program opportunities and benefits may vary by year. Applicants will receive current information about available opportunities, support and participation expectations during the application process.

---

What It Means to Be a MISTER

The Call Me MISTER® experience emphasizes growth in four interconnected areas:

The program values respect, responsibility, accountability, service and support and encourages MISTERs to pursue excellence as students, future educators and leaders.

---

The Call Me MISTER® Vision

“ I am a dedicated Servant Leader who is perpetuating a sorely needed concept - Servant-Leaders as role models in elementary schools. I am devoted to planting seeds of dignity and respect in children and inspiring them to cultivate those seeds, producing a crop of unprecedented success. I will teach reading, writing and arithmetic and progress to self-esteem, imagination, and determination. Because of my immeasurable promise, not only have I earned your respect, I demand it! A title is only important if ones' character and integrity dictate its use. When you address me, please verbalize my destiny... please do not call me by my first name... call me in reference to my great vision... call me MISTER! ”

---

Ready to Get Involved?

Take the next step with Call Me MISTER® at LSU. Current LSU students can apply to join the program, high school students can learn more about the path to becoming a MISTER at LSU, and educators and community members can volunteer to support future teachers.