Meet Mark Howse | CEO for Stellar Diverse Student Achievement Center

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mark Howse and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mark, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business
Stellar Diverse Student Achievement Center (STELLAR) was born out of love. A deep-rooted love for education and an even deeper love for African-American students and students from diverse backgrounds inspired me and my wife, Tashana, to start STELLAR. STELLAR is a non-profit organization that offers a set of services and supports for students of color with a focus on academic, career, and personal success. We love this country, even with all of its flaws and challenges. The American promise is great, but people of color have yet to realize the fullness of that promise. Education is one the strongest vehicles for success in this country, but African-American students and other students have been systematically marginalized as a result of dynamics that put the reality of the American promise out of reach. We decided that there were a lot of people talking about it and not enough people doing something about it. So, we chose to go all in and to act.

As educators ourselves, Tashana and I saw, first-hand, the academic struggles of students that looked like us, who came from similar backgrounds, and who, despite noble efforts, simply did not acquire the skills and habits of practice that lend to career and life success. Driven by a commitment to God and in the spirit of service, we decided to leverage our expertise and relationships with like-minded individuals to establish STELLAR. To-date, STELLAR has supported hundreds of students and have worked with dozens of organizations that serve them, helping them to achieve the success that is key to productive lives and citizenship.

Our fundamental beliefs are that:

1. Effective education is a function of a student’s entire environment and should emancipate and empower;
   2. Academic achievements must connect to students’ success as entrepreneurs and professionals; and
   3. Given the appropriate support, all students can and will achieve.

Additionally, we wanted to reframe the thoughts about what constitutes educational success. True educational success can only be characterized by:

1. The elimination of the performance gap for African-American and other culturally diverse students;
   2. A significant increase in the college success of African-American and other diverse high school graduates;
   3. A marked increase in the effectiveness of school systems and institutions of higher learning to equitably educate culturally diverse students;
   4. The implementation of educational policies and practices that empower diverse students to achieve the American promise; and
   5. A proportional representation of diverse people in all levels of industry, government, and business ownership.

These are the founding principles and driving force behind the work of STELLAR. Put simply, we want to help African-American and other students of color to win.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The goals of STELLAR are not unique. In fact, they are consistent with those of both old and new organizations that have a similar purpose. What makes us different, however, is that we employ deeper levels of intervention with students, advocating for them in their homes, schools, and communities. We also help to establish multi-leveled collaboration networks between families and schools, particularly between parents and teachers, in order to promote a culture of support for student achievement. To accomplish our goals, we draw upon the talents and skills of experts and individuals who are passionately committed to the use of approaches that are based on contemporary data and research to shape enrichment activities for African-American and other culturally diverse students.

We transform theory into practice, providing aggressive, long-term support to underserved students in their homes, communities, and classrooms where such support is needed most. We seek out every opportunity to share our successes and to learn from the success of others. In addition, we constantly evaluate and assess each program and service in relation to our vision, mission, and goals in order to ensure that we deliver the most effective support that is possible.

What sets us apart is that our approach is based on three pillars: Research, Programs and Services, and Strategic Partnerships. Neither of these alone can produce the long-lasting results needed to transform the educational landscape for African-American and other diverse students. However, together they will allow us to make a significant and positive impact on the education of the students that we serve; they will help us to facilitate a deeper understanding on the part of educators and policy makers regarding the strategies that work with diverse students; and they will help us to promote prosperity for the students who are central to the work that we do.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Atlanta is a diverse city and is the center for economic prosperity and life success for African-Americans and other people of color. The city remains the geologic center for civil rights, industry, scholarship, and cultural experiences. The Civil Rights Museum, the Coke-a-Cola Museum, and the Georgia Aquarium are definite “must-see” destinations for anyone visiting this great city. I also would encourage visitors to visit Atlanta’s illustrious Botanical Gardens.

For those looking for a great dining experience, Atlanta will not disappoint. Ray’s In The City, Sweet Georgia Juke Joint, and Busy Bee’s are just a few of my favorite eateries that will please the palate in a way that only Atlanta can.

For night-time entertainment, I refer all of my friends to Whisky Mistress, a restaurant and lounge that has been an entertainment staple for locals and visitors to Atlanta for decades. Positioned in Atlanta’s renown Buckhead area, Whisky Mistress provides a great urban atmosphere for dining, wining, and dancing with great southern style hospitality.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I can attribute much of my success to my mother, Sandra Howse, who fostered in me a strong commitment to God and who instilled in me the value of service and love for others. I also credit much of my career and personal success to my wife, Tashana. She supported me and my personal development with an unwavering love and dedication to my well-being and success. Tashana is at the top of the list of what I refer to as the “Gallery of Great Women” that also includes my mother, Mama Dear, Mama “Cake”, Aunt Pat, Aunt “Chicken”, Aunt Carolyn, Aunt Gladys, Bernadette Kelley, Elizabeth Jakubowki, and Lynn Palmer. Without these ladies who poured into me, the dreams and aspirations that continue to drive my success would have dissipated into a vapor.

I also must give a shoutout to the McKnight Doctoral Fellowship Program which supported me financially, intellectually, and spiritually throughout my doctoral educational experience.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not recognize “The Wiz” Whisington and the Kettering Foundation which took me in as a young fellow and played a pivotal role in shaping my understanding of our democracy and the importance of citizen voice. That understanding is the DNA of the STELLAR approach to helping the African-American and other diverse students that we serve to achieve productive citizenship.

Website: https://www.stellarachievementcenter.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stellarachievement/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StellarAchievement/