Former President Bill Clinton will lead the line up of speakers scheduled for Florida A&M University’s Spring 2009 Commencement on May 3, 2009.

President Clinton, founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation will address students slated to receive degrees at the first of three sessions beginning at 9 a.m. in the new Multipurpose Center Teaching Gymnasium. Other speakers are: U.S. Congressman Kendrick Meek and CNN Anchor/Special Correspondent Soledad O’Brien.
 
Elected President in 1992, and again in 1996, President Clinton will share his life lessons with graduates and challenge them to “transform ideas into action.”

To read more, click on the following link http://www.famu.edu/index.cfm?a=headlines&p=display&news=1042.

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FAMU's School of Business and Industry (SBI) is spreading its international influence to the far East. Along with the 10 SBI students that are already studying abroad in Shanghai, China, nine more students traveled to China with SBI faculty members recently, to visit corporate partners overseas.

“Through this visit our students were able to walk away with a strengthen knowledge of international business procedures and better cultural understanding of the Chinese culture,” said Charles L. Evans, SBI associate dean.

According to Evans, SBI has generally had a relationship with China, and specifically the Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade (SIFT). After SBI faculty members took a trip to China, planning began to send a group of students overseas to visit Owens Corning, Cigna and the University of SIFT.

Funding was secured from corporate partners John Deere, Owens Corning and Hills Pet Nutrition, and the SBI Board of Advisors.

The nine students selected to participate were:

•    Megan Chattam, a fifth-year MBA student from Arlington, TX.
•    Bisola Adejobi, a third-year accounting major Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
•    Kai Day, a fifth year MBA student from Atlanta, Ga.
•    James Nero, a fifth year MBA student from Detroit, Mich.
•    Aaron Brown, a fifth year MBA student from Detroit, Mich.
•    Garrett Henry, a fifth year MBA student Newark, NJ.
•    Lynada Peeples, a fifth year MBA student Tampa, Fla.
•    Andrew Collins, a fifth year MBA student from Atlanta, Ga.
•    Rachel Hill, a fourth year MBA student from Orlando, Fla.

Accompanied by Evans, and SBI professors Ira Bates and George Clark, the group set out for China from March 7 to 15. Needless to say, the students found the trip to be nothing short of memorable, both academically and culturally.

“It really surprised me at first how much they industrialized. It was just like you were walking down the street in New York or any other major city in America,” Day said. “You can definitely see that there has been lots of development since 1979 when they begun using capitalism.”

Chattman noticed similarities in both American and Chinese cultures.

“They watch the NBA just like us,” she laughed. “But there were some things that we took for granted, like free refills and having your personal space. I think that because everywhere is so crowded, everyone in China is used to being in very close proximity to each other, so there’s no concept of personal space.”

Collins, who is also the FAMU Student Government Association President, said this trip was a testament of FAMU’s ability to provide an international education.

“Students considering enrolling in a college should definitely consider FAMU for its heritage, but also for the opportunity to have an international education,” Collins said.

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ROTC Cadet will Join U.S. Senior Military Leaders at National Security Seminar

Joshua Lakey, an Army ROTC cadet, will join senior United States military leaders at a National Security Seminar.

Lakey, an Atlanta, Ga. native, will travel to Lexington, Va. along with key military officials including Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey and Secretary of the Army Pete Geren. 

Lakey earned the opportunity to participate in the George C. Marshall ROTC Seminar by being selected as the top Army ROTC cadet at FAMU. While in Lexington, Cadet Lakey will have the opportunity to directly interact with the key leaders in attendance and discuss a variety of issues directly bearing on national security.

Lakey is scheduled to be commissioned on August 7, 2009.  At that time, he will accept duties as a Combat Arms Armor Lieutenant. 

“Cadet Lakey has been a shining example of leadership excellence during his time here,” said Lt. Col. Jeffrey N. Williams, professor of Military Science at FAMU.  “In addition to his ROTC activities – where he currently serves as our Cadet Battalion Commander – he is active in the community and has earned academic honors three times.

Lakey is proud to be chosen to attend such a prestigious seminar.

“I’m deeply honored to be selected from among all of the seniors in the Army ROTC program here at the FAMU Rattler Battalion,” he said. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I’m sure that it will give me insights that I can put to immediate use when I become a lieutenant in a few months.”

About the Marshall ROTC Seminar
The Marshall ROTC Seminar is in its 32nd year of existence.  It is named in honor of George C. Marshall – who served as Army Chief of Staff during World War II.  Subsequent to concluding his military career, Marshall served as Secretary of State and later as Secretary of Defense during the Truman Administration.  His vigorous efforts to help the economies of Europe recover from the ravages of World War II earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953.
 
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Lambda Iota Tau Donates Books to FAMU DRS

Lambda Iota Tau members Autrea Hepburn (left) and Nicole Stokes (back right) pose for a photo with FAMU DRS media specialist, Darnell Pratt (front right) in the media center.

Members of Lambda Iota Tau, an international honor English society, donated several dozen books to the FAMU Developmental Research School’s media center.  The group began collecting books in December as one of their ongoing projects and is committed to advancing literature and literary awareness throughout the community and university. The organization, in partnership with the Literary Guild and Book Club, has also sponsored several events highlighting Toni Morrison’s “Song of Solomon.”

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FAMU Students Recognized as “Best Delegation” at Florida Student Education Policy Conference





Students from the FAMU delegation of (Engaging Latino, African-American, and other Communities for Education) ENLACE Florida were chosen as the “Best Delegation,” and awarded $800 at the Florida Student Education Policy Conference.

ENLACE is a statewide network funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to promote college readiness, access and success for Latinos, African-American and other underrepresented students.

The students selected to be part of ENLACE Florida are:

•    Willie Barnes, a public relations student from Lakeland, Fla.
•    Kianta Key, a public relations student from Atlanta, Ga.
•    Candace Hemphill, a healthcare management student from Pensacola, Fla.
•    Alexandra Lee, a healthcare management student from Tallahassee, Fla.
•    Gregory Woodall, a physics student from Atlanta, Ga.
•    Mathia Sweet, a healthcare management student from Panama City, Fla.
•    Vincent Evans, a political science student from Jacksonville, Fla.

About the Florida Student Education Policy Conference
Sixty-four college students from across the state of Florida convened for the first ever student education policy conference to deliberate the state of public education in Florida and recommend means by which it can be improved. Eight universities (FAMU, FAU, FIU, FSU, UCF, UF, UNF, and USF) studied and debated four critically important policy issues. The issues were adding rigor and relevance to Florida’s high school curriculum; reforming failing high schools; reforming the Bright Futures Scholarship Program; and expanding the system of higher education to accommodate increasing student demand and need.

A delegation from each university prepared recommendations for an assigned policy issue prior to attending the conference and presented the information to the entire group.  The group debated and approved resolutions to present to the Florida Legislation.


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