FAMU is the first stop on CNN’s, first ever, “Black in America Historically Black College or University (HBCU) Tour.” The tour comes to FAMU’s campus on April 8, 2008, at 11 a.m. and will be located on the lawn between the School of Journalism and Graphic Communication and the School of Business and Industry.

    As part of the tour, there will be a DJ; a graffiti wall, where students can write what being Black in America means; the Picture U Station, where students can pose for photos and print-outs that will resemble the cover of an Essence Magazine; and a CNN text message poll, where the DJ will ask questions and have students respond via text messages. The answers to the questions will be displayed on a plasma screen or LED scrolling sign.

    As part of the tour CNN Black America, in association with the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), is hosting a Campus iReporter Contest among students at each college or university. One iReporter from each campus will win a digital video camera and have the chance to win a trip for two to the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans.

    For more information on submission criteria and deadlines, visit http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2008/black.in.america/ireportercontest.

    The tour serves as a means to introduce the upcoming CNN documentary, “Black In America.” The documentary will explore the provocative, surprising and often under-reported stories of the African-American experience, an experience, in which Soledad O'Brien will report.

    The first installment of the series will feature O'Brien investigating how James Earl Ray, an armed robber and escaped convict, had already spent an uncommon year on the run just a month before his path collided with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis, Tenn. It will air Thursday, April 3 at 9 p.m.

    “The SBI [School of Business and Industry] community takes great pride in the significant accomplishment of this highly motivated MBA student team,” said Colin Benjamin, advisor to the team of students, Eminent Scholar and professor of engineering management. “Despite their already busy schedules, the students all invested considerable time and effort in developing a comprehensive written analysis of the case provided by Shell, progressing to the finals, and in preparing for the Oral presentation.”

    The FAMU team members were Logii Dekhara Pinion and Deliena Stone. Pinion, who was the team captain, is a 23-year-old MBA student majoring in business administration. Originally from Marietta, Ga., she is finishing a five-year BBA-MBA program. Stone is a 24-year-old MBA student majoring in business administration. Originally from Miami, Fla., she is finishing a five-year BBA-MBA program. The team will receive a $5,000 cash award

    “Going into the competition, we were the youngest and smallest team, which was intimidating. But everyone helped to make us feel comfortable,” said Pinion. “ It was a great opportunity, and I’m glad I got to experience it.”

    Pinion’s teammate said that although they placed third they still consider themselves the big winners.

    "Considering that we only had two people on our team, I think we did a great job successfully meeting the criteria,” Stone said. “Third is just that, a placing. It doesn’t mean that we weren’t winners. The fact that the Shell executives were impressed by our written submission made us winners already.”

    Individual African-American students or teams of up to five, the majority of whom must be African-American, from 35 selected schools nationwide were invited to compete. Finalists were invited to make presentations before John Hofmeister, president of Shell Oil Company, Carl Brooks, president & CEO of The Executive Leadership Council, a panel of distinguished judges and a corporate audience.

    “The Executive Leadership Council is delighted to have Shell Oil sponsor this wonderful educational opportunity to analyze a business,” said Brooks. “The competition supports ELC’s mission of preparing the next generation of African-American corporate executives as well as to highlight the achievements of outstanding African-American leaders in business.”

    Hofmeister of Shell Oil Company was proud to facilitate such a competition where diversity is stressed.

    “Shell is pleased to support the Executive Leadership Council's 2008 Business Case Competition,” Hofmeister said. "As diversity is critical to our business, we seek to work with proven organizations such as the Executive Leadership Council to identify future minority leaders to become a part of Shell, helping to bring energy security to the US and beyond.”

Budget Cuts Does not Stop FAMU from raising $70,000 for United Way

    Budget cuts, high gas prices, and other economic woes have not stopped FAMU, and one campus couple in particular, from providing continuous support to the community.

    FAMU raised a total of $70,000, exceeding the campus goal by $10,000. Among the  donors were Roscoe Hightower, Jr., Ph. D., an associate professor of marketing at the FAMU School of Business and Industry (SBI), and his wife Jacqueline Hightower, a coordinator at the FAMU Environmental Sciences Institute, who increased their level of leadership giving to the United Way of the Big Bend (UWBB).

    “Jackie and I believe in leading by example,” said Roscoe Hightower. “We would like to see more of our fellow citizens take on more leadership roles and responsibilities in our community, especially now when times are financially tough, because typically that's when your help is needed most.  There are a number of us in the Big Bend community that give to a number of charitable organizations; however, we know that the United Way touches virtually everyone somehow and in some way.  Jackie and I are committed to making our community a better place to live and work, and supporting the UWBB enables us to efficiently and effectively accomplish those goals.”

    Because of the Hightowers’ generous contribution, they were recently honored by being inducted into the Tocqueville Society, a society in which membership is exclusively for those whom made contributions of a minimum of $10,000 on an annual basis the highest level of United Way leadership giving recognition.

    In addition to the Hightower’s recognition for their outstanding contribution, SBI Dean Lydia McKinley-Floyd, FAMU's United Way Campaign chair, who was recruited by the Hightowers two years ago to become a UWBB leadership giver, was recently appointed to the United Way Big Bend as a board member.

    "It was tough because of the recent state budget cuts, the overall U.S. economy, and competing campaigns,” said McKinley-Floyd.  “I never lost faith that the wonderful and generous people at FAMU would come through for our community, and we did!"