DETROIT (9/27/2017) -- The University of Detroit Mercy student-athletes were treated to a life lesson last week as noted speaker T.J. Tyus visited the Titan campus.
Tyus is a passionate motivator, educator, personal trainer and author. He delivers high-energy messages that encourage people to tap into the power within them to fulfill their purpose in life. He is a former high school, collegiate and professional athlete who has learned what it feels like to fall from glory after having been charged with a felony crime his Junior year of college and accused of murder his senior year at Central Michigan University. He graduated from Central Michigan University with a Bachelor's in Health Fitness and minor in Athletic Coaching.
"One of the missions of Titan athletics is to build champions and leaders and develop student-athletes of high integrity and having a speaker like T.J. come and talk to them can only help that," said Athletics Academic Coordinator
Melinda Konya. "We have great student-athletes and they listened to his story and his motivation and at the end of the day, I am sure they all grew from this experience. Â
For two hours, Tyus talked to the student-athletes and they broke down into groups to go through exercises on building character.
"It was such a motivational speech," said
Courtney Gilbert, a junior on the Titan softball team. "It definitely motivated me to get up every day with a purpose. You listen to his story and what he went through and it makes you appreciate everything you have, while putting your small problems in perspective."
Tyus' visit is the latest building opportunity for Titan student-athletes, who have invited speakers in the past on a number of subjects including nutrition, sexual abuse and money management.Â
