My name is Lelia Faye (Gary) Butler and I am a 1998 graduate of The University of Mississippi where I received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. I am in the final stages of the Masters of Science Program at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, FL. I attribute my success thus far to the leadership and direction that I received from the IMAGE Program.

IMAGE was extremely instrumental in helping me to succeed in undergraduate school. As an entering freshman at Ole Miss, I assumed that academic success for me was nearly guaranteed since I was such a good high school student, after all I was valedictorian of my high school class. I couldn't have been more deceived! It didn't take long for me to realize that college was truly a different world from high school. I discovered that I didn't know how to study and that I had not developed the discipline that it takes to succeed in college. Thankfully for me, IMAGE was there to help steer me in the right direction and put me on the path that allowed me to achieve my academic goals. IMAGE provided practical tools and strategies that helped me to monitor my progress on a weekly basis. The best part of the entire program for me was the Mentoring aspect. I am convinced that every incoming student needs a student mentor - someone who has (recently) walked along the path in which they aspire to walk. Although faculty mentors are quite beneficial to students' well being and overall college experience, student mentors present a compatibility that encourages an openness and honesty that helps students perceive and deal with issues that may hinder their progress, or ultimately their success. It is for this reason that I express my unending gratitude for IMAGE and for those who made the program possible. I further urge its contributors to continue supporting the program if there is going to be an increase in the number of minorities who excel in the areas of mathematics, science, and engineering.