Each year one or more young alumni are recognized as “TMI Rising Stars” at the annual Stars Over TMI gala. These outstanding individuals are giving back to their communities and demonstrating the values they learned at TMI. Shining in their professional and volunteer activities, “TMI Rising Stars” are the servant leaders of a new generation. These young alumni are quietly making a difference in the world – be it in their hometown, another state, or across the globe. “TMI Rising Stars” not only bring honor to TMI, they also inspire current students to make a difference. 

As a student at Rice University, Tyson sang in the choir and was heavily involved in Student Government and campus ministry. He spent his summers visiting orphanages in St. Petersburg, Russia and mentoring the orphans he encountered. 

After earning his BS in Biology from Rice, Tyson decided to take a year off before medical school. For six months he spent his afternoons in a medical clinic in the small pueblo of Santa Anita, Mexico. After a short break, Tyson continued his service in St. Petersburg, Russia where he lived in a foster home for orphaned children. There he focused on teaching English and life skills to the young men who called the orphanage home. After a year of dedicated servant leadership, Tyson resumed his studies. Most recently, Tyson has begun his residency training in the Department of Internal Medicine at Vanderbilt University.

Rising Stars Over TMI: The TMI Alumni Association is proud to recognize, at each Stars Over TMI gala, individuals who have graduated within the last two decades and have established careers in which they are making a difference while demonstrating values they learned at TMI. Our Rising Stars are leaders in different settings, where each inspires by example.