About Tye

Tye Whitely is an award winning community engagement leader, dedicated writer and eloquent speaker. She has traveled throughout the state advocating parent and community involvement in education. She is author of 50 Tips for the HBCU Student; a candid how to book that gives high school and novice college students the skinny on campus life and prepares them for the ultimate goal of higher education: graduation.

Tye has been recognized at the state and local level for her ability to communicate effectively, her support of student achievement and her collaboration within the community. She is one of six recipients of the 2014-2015 Georgia Parent Leadership Award. As a writer she also worked to secure the Dollar General Literacy Grant for Shuman Elementary School. She used these funds to open a book nook at the school that promoted literacy and encouraged students, faculty and parents to support reading efforts. In 2015 she has spoken at Title I events on the importance of strengthening connections through relationship building and through communication. 

Tye has worked extensively with motivating and engaging students of all ages. Through AmeriCorps/SEEDCO she taught students from elementary to college the computer skills needed to close the digital divide gap. Under her direction high school students in the Upward Bound Program wrote, designed and performed stage plays. In 2007 she was an avid spokesperson for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Pennies for Patients campaign. 

Tye is the co-founder of Madigan, LLC a marketing and business development company as well as a successful freelance writer. Before launching her own entrepreneurial ventures, she worked as a creative assistant in a Fortune 500 company. During this time she facilitated the roll out of an international employee training program and spearheaded award winning employee engagement programs. She also wrote, edited and distributed one of the company’s only monthly newsletters to over 150 employees.

Prior Acknowledgements/Speaking Engagements 

· 2016 Upward Bound Tri-State TRIO Conference Presenter 

· 2016 K12.com seminar presenter

· 2016 Savannah State University Upward Bound Parent & Student Workshop Presenter

· Georgia Parent Leadership Award Recipient (2014-2015)

· Recognition by Senator Buddy Carter for Dollar General Literacy Grant

· Recognition by Georgia PTA, Savannah-Chatham County School Board & Savannah Morning News for Leadership Efforts

· Keynote Speaker at Bryan County 2015 Title I Parent Involvement Year End Conference

· Shuman Elementary School Volunteer Award

Why Invite Tye to Speak?

· Her just released book, 50 Tips, has been received well by professors, parents, high school and college students.

· Her message is timely. Recent studies have unveiled that only 38% of students at a four-year college receive their degree within four years. That percentage increases to 60% of students earning their four-year degree if they go to school for six years. The message is that we need to better prepare our students! What better way to do so than through a discussion that will educate and motivate students through real life scenarios. 

· Over the past 15 years she has been able to inspire students to build pathways for success and encourage parents and guardians to learn what is necessary to support their students. 

· Presentation and Style: Tye’s dynamic presentation is fresh, youthful and full of best-practices for the existing college student and the aspiring one. She uses mixed methodologies to captivate her audience including, multi-media video and audio, focus groups, and interactive activities. Her ability to interject real-life humorous stories into her presentations is a characteristic beloved by her audiences. 

Keynote Session Options:

50 Tips…What to Expect at College

This presentation comes with a class set of 50 Tips and reinforces the key tips necessary for academic and social success on the college campus. Tye debunks myths with truths and real experiences. She shares best practices to help students learn how to maximize their college experience while focusing on the ultimate goal of graduation. Students will learn from multimedia presentations and are encouraged to take part in hands on projects. 

Suggested Venue:

This 60-90 minute signature keynote serves as a “crash course” for students who are thinking about college matriculation.  Through a combination of multimedia, best practices and humor this presentation is ideal for high school juniors , seniors and college freshman.

Key take-a-way points include:

· College Finances

o Financial Aid (FAFSA, Losing Financial Aid)

o Saving Money 

· Conflict & Communication

o Becoming a College Student

o College Relationships (Roommates & Break Ups)

o Social Media: Keeping Things Private

· Criminal Behavior 

o Campus Drug Dealers

o Campus Police

o Cheating & Plagiarism

· Socialization

o Greek Life

o School Pride

o Dorm Life

· Graduation: The Ultimate College Goal

o The College Advisor

o Summer School

o Graduation

Advanced Leadership Seminar: Knowledge is Power

This short workshop talks about the importance knowledge as a leader. In today's society knowledge is power, but not all information is true and not every source is valid. College leaders should understand how to accurately equip themselves with information that can help the overall student body. During this workshop college leaders will learn how to search for valid information in the digital field and the importance of sharing legitimate information with their peers. An informed leader is a powerful leader.

Suggested Venue:

This 45-60 minute keynote offers a deep discussion on the relevance of justifiable information and how this can enhance the power of leadership on campuses. Student learn through a  combination of hands on activities and group discussion. This presentation is best suited for college kings, queens, SGA and Greek leaders. 

Parent 411-What You Don't Know Can Hurt Your Child

College campuses are ever-evolving entities and parents need to know what's happening on today's campus in order to prepare their children for college matriculation. "What You Don't Know Can Hurt Your Child" focuses on empowering parents through knowledge. Parents learn the common pitfalls of college while understanding what their student needs to focus on in order to graduate and stay safe on today's college campus.

Suggested Venue:

This 60-75 minute multimedia presentation is ideally suited for parents and community leaders. Attendees will be brainstorm ways to communicate effectively to their student about college readiness and success. This presentation is perfect for PTA and school meetings, as well as parent workshops and conferences. 

Key take-a-way points Include:

· Preparing your student for higher education socially and academically

· The time ins NOW: Why college knowledge is critical before matriculation

· Why and how to leverage social media for the advancement of students and to increase admissions

· Best practices to boost communication and engagement