Greeti​ngs!  I am Shervelle Thomas the Executive Director of Student Success Strategies.  My personal philosophy of meaning and value has a foundation that started with my parents.  They instilled the meaning of life in their children (1 dozen:  6 girls and 6 boys) and taught us how to REACH FOR THE STARS.  My experience spans the small business sector, corporate sector and educational sector.  I have served as a Substitute Teacher at St. Georges Independent School and even earned the Presidents Club selling cars at CarMax.  As a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) project manager at FedEx, I loved working with people to accomplish shared goals!  I have also served as both an on-ground and an on-line Adjunct faculty member at Strayer University Memphis campus teaching undergraduate business courses.  My education includes an AS in Computer Science from State Tech, a BS in Industrial Engineering Technology from Southern Illinois University and a MBA in Management & Leadership from Dowling College.  I strive to live life to the fullest, reach for the stars, and ultimately empower others to do the same through inspiration, leadership, mentoring and pseudo counseling.

As an active member of Christ Communion Temple, AIHC, I mentored a group of teenage ladies; challenging

them to strive for excellence instead of becoming a victim of their environment by practicing abstinence from drugs, premarital sexual relationships and alcohol.  I am an entrepreneur at heart and my strong entrepreneurial spirit shows up in everything I do as I take ownership of projects, initiatives and tasks from start to completion.  I am always looking for opportunities to give back to the community while sharing my infectious, inspirational story of how I continue to REACH FOR THE STARS.  This is exactly why I started Student Success Strategies.

My passion for Student Success Strategies grew out of my own "then unrealized" learning struggles as a high school graduate with significant scholarship and financial aid opportunities. I enrolled in a local Ivy League College previously called Southwestern at Memphis but within my first year, I failed miserably. First academic probation then suspension. I graduated high school with Salutatorian Honors as #2 of my class of more than 200 students, I struggled with underlying learning skills. It seemed as though I was smart because everything came so easy to me. I could read very well, but struggled with comprehension; note taking was difficult because I lacked organizational skills and could not remember what the teacher had just said long enough to write it down; was a huge procrastinator; and my study skills included flipping through the chapter and reading the chapter summary. I struggled with an all or nothing mindset in which I secretly gave up on things that I was not good at.  As you can see, even as Salutatorian, I still struggled with learning skills & strategies.  This deficiency required me to work harder than my peers when in college.  The rules of engagement to be successful in college were very difficult for me as I did not have skills in my toolbox to do so.  Yes, I did eventually graduate from college...however, it was very costly due to withdrawals, failing grades and having to repeat courses.  But...all glory to God!

If you're wondering about how we differ from other tutoring services, you're not alone, it is one of the more common questions we get.  We focus on study skills, note taking, time management, organizational skills, test-taking strategies, math problem solving as well as reading fluency & comprehension. 

Call now to schedule your complimentary consultation to learn specifically how we can help you or your family member REACH FOR THE STARS.  We offer in person and/or virtual sessions.