Dr. Jeffery August Remembered for Lifelong Service, Mentorship, and Community Impact
The passing of Dr. Jeffery August last week brought a profound sense of loss to his family, his community, his fraternity, and the countless young men whose lives he touched through mentorship. Dr. August was originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, Dr. August graduated from Beaumont’s Westbrook High School, where he was a member of the football team that won the 1982 Texas High School Football State Championship. He was a retired Air Force veteran with 24 years of service, and his final duty station was Lackland Air Force Base. There, he served in the Security Forces Battle Lab, Modulation and Simulation Division, and later as the Director of Air Force Corrections.
Dr. August earned a Doctorate of Business Administration from Cambridge College in Boston, a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Education from Wayland Baptist University, and a Master of Science in Quality Systems Management from National Graduate School, where he graduated with honors. He was a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated, Psi Alpha Chapter, having been initiated in the spring of 2017.
Journey of Mentorship
Dr. August began his mentoring journey in 2017, working with young men at multiple locations, including Sam Houston High School, Young Men’s Leadership Academy, and Davis Middle School. He continued his commitment to mentoring by becoming a Big Brother with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. In recognition of his ongoing work, the mentoring program was honored by the Cherice Cochran Foundation in 2017, by the San Antonio Independent School District in 2018, and by Davis Middle School in 2019. The weekly mentoring program also received multiple letters of appreciation each year from these schools.
Guided by his vision for the growth of mentoring, Dr. August established his 501(c)(3) foundation, the JL August Bridge Builders Foundation, on December 22, 2023. The foundation was a community-based program created to develop and equip youth in low-income areas with the skills needed to navigate and overcome today’s social and economic challenges. The program offered a weekly curriculum that included college enrichment sessions, etiquette training, public speaking presentations, academic improvement, positive in-school behaviors, goal setting, college tours, and opportunities to build meaningful relationships within their community.
The JL August Bridge Builders Foundation was dedicated to empowering young men to excel in middle school and high school while laying a strong foundation for college success. Its mission was “to develop every youth with the necessary tools to reach higher education goals and to become productive members of their community.”
The Remarkable Ability to Build Strong Relationships
In speaking with one of the supporting veteran mentors, it was shared that Dr. August had a remarkable ability to build strong rapport and lasting relationships with both parents and mentees. He was known for his willingness to go beyond traditional approaches, including making home visits to support families and the young men he mentored. He also assisted mentees with applying for scholarships, as well as applying for and gaining admission into the military and the Merchant Marines.
In totality, Dr. August devoted a significant amount of his time to mentoring, lighting pathways to success for numerous young men during one of the most critical and formative stages of life—adolescence. For this commitment and the lasting impact of his life’s work, he and his legacy will be well-remembered and sorely missed.
