Bro. Erskin Michell, Jr.
Erskin Mitchell Jr. is the Founder and Executive Director of Successful Inc, a nonprofit 501(c)3 whose mission is to provide free musical instruments to youth participating in band and music programs in the Memphis area, as well as the Mississippi Delta region. He is married with one son and was born in Greenwood, MS where he attended Jennings Temple CME Church. His mother required that he attend Sunday School and Church service every Sunday along with her and his two younger sisters. While at church, Erskin participated in various programs and sang in the youth choir.
Erskin attended Threadgill Elementary and Greenwood High Schools where he participated in sports and played trumpet in the band. While a senior in high school, Erskin joined the U.S. Army Reserves 467th Engineer Battalion, C Company located in Greenwood. He was awarded band scholarships to Mississippi State University, the University of Mississippi, Mississippi Valley State University, and Jackson State University. After high school, Erskin attended Alcorn State University by way of band scholarship where he earned a B.S. degree in Industrial Management. Erskin was initiated into the Gamma Pi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated in the Fall of 1990. Erskin is a charter member of the Iota Beta chapter (Alcorn) of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity. Upon completion of the Army ROTC program at Alcorn, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and went on to serve over 15 years in the Army Reserves Enlisted, and as a Combat Engineer Officer.
While participating in ROTC, marching band, and track at Alcorn, Erskin received an internship at the Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Upon graduating from Alcorn, he attended the Air Traffic Control Academy in Oklahoma City and completed the requirements to become an Air Traffic Controller. During his nearly 30-year career as an Air Traffic Controller, he worked in Memphis and Washington D.C. as a Controller, a Front-Line Manager, and FAA Headquarters Safety Auditor. Erskin knows that God is truly all-powerful and acknowledge that he has been blessed to achieve his numerous accomplishments, which include playing the trumpet in Alcorn’s historical college band on scholarship, becoming an Army Engineer Officer, completing the Army’s airborne course, becoming an Air Traffic Controller, and retiring at the age of 50. As a tribute to his late mother who struggled to pay for his expensive musical instrument when he was in the high school band, and remaining true to the objectives of Kappa Alpha Psi, Erskin started a nonprofit to provide working musical instruments to community youth. His desire is that these youth will participate in band programs and earn college band scholarships, ultimately leading to successful careers.
Gamma Pi Alumni Association –2nd Quarter 2022