FAMU Held Groundbreaking Ceremony for its Animal Healthcare Facility

Florida A&M University broke ground yesterday on a $1.2 million Animal Healthcare Facility that will support its veterinary technology program.

FAMU will become one of only 11 other major universities in the nation that will offer a four-year degree in veterinary technology, and it will be the only institution in the country with a program that places emphasis on regulatory education and training. The first classes in the new discipline will begin in the fall 2008. The new facility is scheduled to be completed in April, 2009.

According to statistics, there is a critical shortage of adequately trained minorities in the field of veterinary medicine and related disciplines. African Americans represent only 1.9 percent of the veterinary medicine profession. The total representation of minorities in the profession is 7.7 percent.

“As a result of these statistics, this new animal healthcare facility will impact FAMU’s ability to help address a critical nation shortage of minorities in the field of veterinary medicine, and related disciplines,” said FAMU President James H. Ammons.

Kevin Shea, deputy administrator for the USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, echoed Ammons’ comments stating that they [USDA] want to see more minorities in the field of veterinary medicine.

“We had some wonderful FAMU graduates that worked for the USDA,” said Shea. “That is why we [USDA] are donating $50,000 for the library. Our partnership with FAMU has been excellent.”

The plans for the new multi-functional complex are designed to enhance instructional delivery and learning of students enrolled in the various animal science academic options in the FAMU College of Engineering Sciences, Technology and Agriculture. The educational and experiential training of the program will encompass vital aspects of food safety and biosecurity through the most up-to-date instructional, research, teaching, and service programs. The facility will also aid in maintaining proper herd health measures required by the Animal Welfare Act for those animals currently residing at the FAMU Research and Extension Center.

Funding was appropriated for the new facility through grants from the United States Department of Agriculture Animal Plant Health Inspection Service and the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES). The state-of-the-art complex will house an animal science clinical laboratory, research facilities, upgraded technology and conference center, and custom designed small ruminant and cattle facilities. Academic, research and extension educational activities will take place interchangeably at the facility.

This facility will be very important in the successful training of students enrolled in the veterinary technology program, which will be offered by the University for the first time in the fall 2008. Students will be exposed to laboratory and field experiences, as well as hands-on instruction that are necessary to prepare for professional careers in veterinary medicine and related career paths. The animal health facility will impact the university’s ability to help address a critical nation shortage of minorities in the field of veterinary medicine, and related disciplines.

Photo caption:
From left to right: The following individuals broke ground for Florida A&M University’s (FAMU) Animal Healthcare Facility: Harold Mikell, agriculture liaison for the Honorable F. Allen Boyd, Jr., 2nd District; Melissa Durham, legislative assistant for Senator Al Lawson; FAMU President James H. Ammons, Rev. R. B. Holmes, Jr., vice chairman for FAMU Board of Trustees; FAMU Provost Cynthia Hughes Harris; and Makola Abdullah, dean for FAMU’s College of Engineering Sciences, Technology and Agriculture (CESTA).

Women ROCC Shakes FAMU with Facts about Cervical Cancer

Florida A&M University School of Allied Health Sciences has been chosen by the Academy for Education Development (AED) as one of five colleges or universities in the Southeastern region to participate in Women ROCC! (Women Reaching Out Against Cervical Cancer) program.

The goal of Women ROCC! is to increase the number of minority college women (ages 18 to 25) attending historically black colleges or universities who need to know about human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer prevention and screening; who have the behavioral intention to get a Pap test; and who follow through and get a regular Pap test. The school also utilizes college women as peer educators.

Barbara Mosley, interim dean for the School of Allied Health Sciences, will serve as the project director for the program. Under her direction, the school will implement education and training about cervical cancer prevention and screening.

Twenty students from the School of Allied Health were chosen and trained by representatives from AED and Women ROCC! to be peer educators. After training, the peer educators were responsible for conducting formal outreach and education presentations to smaller groups of students, and informal discussions to larger groups of students around FAMU’s campus.

AED is a nonprofit organization working globally to improve education, health, civil society and economic development—the foundation of thriving societies.

In collaboration with local and national partners, AED fosters sustainable results through practical, comprehensive approaches to social and economic challenges. AED implements more than 250 programs serving people in all 50 states and more than 150 countries.

FAMU is First HBCU in Florida to Charter Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society

Florida A&M University is the first historically black college or university (HBCU) in Florida to house a chapter, or circle as it in referred to in the organization, of the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society.

The circle is composed of 42 charter members, which include students, faculty and administrators displaying leadership of exceptional quality and versatility in college on a basis of mutual interest, understanding and helpfulness.

The new members of Omicron Delta Kappa are James H. Ammons; James R. Bland; Tallie Louis Brinson III; Isaac Bernard Brundage III; Denisha Tabitha Carty; Audrey Chisholm; Andrew M. Collins; Alex DeJarnett; Gallop Franklin; Yadhira Galdon; Herron Keyon Gaston; Keneshia Nicole Grant; André D. Green; Ashley N. Green; Morris Hawkins; Jacqueline D. Hightower; Larry Hunt; David H. Jackson, Jr.; Eric James; Ashley Simone Johnson; Brenda L. Johnson; Bethany S. Jones; Jillian Maurissa Jones; Henry L. Kirby; Mellori E. Lumpkin; Latoria Michelle Lundy; Ashley D. Milton; William Lee Phillip Oliver; Eric G. O’Rear; Donald E. Palm III; Judith Sarkodee-Adoo; Sherise Lavonda Simms; Clarence L. Sirmons; Kashif E. Smiley-Clark; Ashley R. Smith; Joyia T. Smith; Michael J.L. Smith; Randi S. Smith; Annie Nicole Speights; Brian A. Waritay; Julian E. White; and Magalie Yacinthe.

Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society, was founded December 3, 1914 at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. ODK® was the first college honor society of a national scope to give recognition and honor for meritorious leadership and service in extracurricular activities and to encourage development of general campus citizenship. Chapters, which are called Circles, are located on more than 300 campuses throughout the nation.

The Society recognizes achievement in scholarship; athletics; campus/community service, social/religious activities, and campus government; journalism, speech and the mass media; and creative and performing arts.

FAMU’s CIS Program Seeks to Resolve the Digital Divide Between African-American Women with New Grant

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida A&M University (FAMU) Computer Information Sciences (CIS) Program, housed in the College of Arts and Sciences, is the recipient of a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant valued at $552,000 dedicated to recruiting minority women to computer science and information technology disciplines.

“The numbers are staggering,” said Jason T. Black, Ph. D., assistant professor in CIS. “The latest data shows that out of all U.S. entering freshmen declaring a major in computer science, African-American women made up only 3.3 percent. The fact is that women are not choosing technology, and this is a dangerous predicament. When you couple that with the fact that it is estimated that 75 percent of all jobs by the year 2020 will require a technology background, it becomes a crisis call.”

The program, entitled African-American Women in Computer Science, (AAWCS), is a four-year program that provides scholarships and other assistance to women who express a financial need and an interest in computer science or information technology.

AAWCS, created by Black, also the principal investigator for the program, and Edward L. Jones, Ph. D., chair of the CIS program, will directly address the dismal number of minority women, particularly African-American women that pursue degrees in computer science or information technology.

Women who apply to AAWCS will be accepted based on financial need, and will be awarded a scholarship of between $3,000 and $5,000 per semester. In addition to the funding, the women will participate in CIS departmental clubs and organizations, such as the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Club, the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), and the CIS Mentoring Organization (CISMO). AAWCS scholars will also be involved in other STEM programs, such as the Florida/Georgia Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (FGLSAMP) scholarship program, and the Students and Technology in Academia, Research and Service (STARS) Alliance, both NSF-funded programs.

An added benefit to the students is the conference participation, where selected AAWCS scholars will be chosen to attend two national conferences, paid for by the grant, each year, such as the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing and the National Conference of Women in Information Technology (NCWIT).

The AAWCS program begins operation on July 1 and will run until June 30, 2012. Applications for the program can be requested by contacting Black at jblack@cis.famu.edu or (850) 412-7354.

FAMU’s Student-Run PR Firm wins two Capital City FPRA Awards

After only one semester of re-opening their doors for business, Florida A&M University student leaders in PRodigy decided to enter the Florida Public Relations Association’s (FPRA) Image Awards competition at the local chapter level. In spite of the incredible odds against first-time entries, and the reality that the students had never entered the company in a competition for anything before, they did it anyway. And they won.

PRodigy is a student-run, campus-based company housed in the FAMU School of Journalism and Graphic Communication.

“The Florida Public Relations Association’s annual Image Awards competition encourages and promotes the development of public relations professionalism in the greater Tallahassee area,” said Betsy Couch, president of the FPRA Capital Chapter. “Students are an integral part of our community and we congratulate the members of PRodigy PR Firm on their outstanding contributions to this industry. Their participation in this year’s event was extremely valuable to the Capital Chapter.”

The Image Awards are an annual competition hosted by the Florida Public Relations Association; a statewide professional association for individuals who work in the public relations industry. Entrants may submit any public relations program, printed tool, or audio/visual tool that demonstrates excellence in the field from both an art and science perspective. The first stage of competition is at the local chapter level and is organized into four distinct categories including one that specifically accommodates student projects.

“The public relations students who ran PRodigy for the 2007-2008 academic year put the company back on the map,” says Gina Kinchlow, a faculty member in the public relations sequence in the FAMU Division of Journalism who has served as PRodigy’s adviser since spring 2006. “When they (the student associates) approached me in January about entering one of their accounts in the FPRA Image Awards, it was my job to say ‘yes’ and to support them every step of the way.”

The students entered their ‘TABI’ (Touch A Bright Idea) Campaign in the Image Awards student category as a public relations campaign. They won a Judges Award for an outstanding entry that achieved maximum results while using a minimum amount of money. They also won an Award of Distinction for meeting the standard of excellence set by the panel of judges.

PRodigy will now attempt to compete for an FPRA Golden Image Award on the state level. The competition deadline is May 23, 2008, and awards will be announced on August 5, at the annual FPRA Conference in Kissimmee.

Photo caption: PRodigy associate Ashley Brown (center) is presented with the FPRA Judges Award and Award of Distinction from Gina Tarlow (left) of VISIT Florida and Betsy Couch (right), president of the FPRA Capital City Chapter.

FAMU Schedules Groundbreaking Ceremony for its Animal Healthcare Facility

Florida A&M University will sponsor a special Groundbreaking Ceremony on May 28, 2008, at 10 a.m. at the construction site for a new Animal Healthcare Facility. The ceremony will be held at the Research and Extension Center located at 4259 Bainbridge Highway in Quincy, Florida.

FAMU will become one of only eleven other major universities in the nation that offer a four-year degree in veterinary technology, and it will be the only institution in the country with a program that places emphasis on regulatory education and training. The first classes in the new discipline will begin in the fall 2008. The new facility is scheduled to be completed in April, 2009.

The plans for the new multi-functional complex are designed to enhance instructional delivery and learning of students enrolled in the various animal science academic options in the FAMU College of Engineering Sciences, Technology and Agriculture. The educational and experiential training of the program will encompass vital aspects of food safety and biosecurity through the most up-to-date instructional, research, teaching, and service programs. The facility will also aid in maintaining proper herd health measures required by the Animal Welfare Act for those animals currently residing at the FAMU Research and Extension Center.

Funding totaling $1.2 million has been appropriated for the new facility through grants from the United States Department of Agriculture Animal Plant Health Inspection Service and the CSREES. The state-of-the-art complex will house an animal science clinical laboratory, research facilities, upgraded technology and conference center, and custom designed small ruminant and cattle facilities. Academic, research and extension educational activities will take place interchangeably at the facility.

This facility will be very important in the successful training of students enrolled in the veterinary technology program, which will be offered by the University for the first time in the fall 2008. Students will be exposed to laboratory and field experiences, as well as hands-on instruction that are necessary to prepare for professional careers in veterinary medicine and related career paths. The animal health facility will impact the university’s ability to help address a critical nation shortage of minorities in the field of veterinary medicine, and related disciplines.

More than 40 FAMU School of Journalism Graphic and Communication Interns head for Media Outlets across the USA and Canada

More than 40 students from Florida A&M University’s School of Journalism and Graphic Communication (SJGC) will work as interns in media companies, public relation firms and other institutions across the United States and Canada this summer.

“This is an indication that the Office of Internship and Placement has become more visible to the students, and students are taking its services seriously,” said Yanela Gordon, SJGC’s director of Internship and Placement. “Our students are understanding the importance of internships and they are registering for internship credit and that is a good thing.”

Gordon worked with Delisha Peterson, an adjunct graphics instructor and web designer, to launch www.sjgc-oip.com, a Web site to increase awareness among students and potential employers of various internship and job placement opportunities.

For more on this story, and details of just where the SJGC student will intern this summer, please visit FAMU.edu

FAMU Announces Collaboration with the University of Abuja (Nigeria)

Florida A&M University signed a memorandum of agreement (MAO) with the University of Abuja to strengthen the bonds among the institutions; further the academic, social and cultural objectives of both institutions; and promote better understanding among the faculty, staff, and students of the respective institutions.

“This agreement focuses on the University’s mission to enhance our international initiatives and programs through education, research and outreach,” said FAMU President James H. Ammons. “This partnership will also expand the global experiences of our faculty and students and provide them with unique learning opportunities that will help them to achieve their goals.”

The collaboration will include, but not be limited to, the following: academic and cultural exchanges, which shall include program offerings; exchange of educational materials; research reports; reprints and other publications; faculty and staff development; joint research and development projects; student exchanges; joint programs; transfer of technology; and other scholarly pursuits.

“I am excited about this historic collaboration with the University of Abuja,” said Folakemi Odedina, professor and division director of Economic, Social and Administrative Pharmacy in the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. “Given the strong genetic ties of African Americans to West Africans, especially Nigerians, this collaboration offers immense opportunity to address common problems faced by blacks of West African ancestry.”

Programs and activities may include faculty exchanges for teaching, training, and consultation; cross-disciplinary research; grant writing; study abroad; undergraduate and/or graduate student studies; internships/fellowships.

“I hope this initiative will help us to capitalize on the strengths of the international community at FAMU to provide additional language and cultural resources for our students in mobilizing our faculty and staff to engage and empower our students for global competence through study abroad, internships, language training, research and community service learning projects,” said Joseph Jones, interim director of the Office International Education and Development.

About the University of Abuja
The University of Abuja was established on January 1, 1988 (under Decree No. 110 of 1992 as amended) as a dual mode University with the mandate to run both conventional and distance learning programs. It was the first University in the country to assume such dual mandate.

The establishment of the University was in recognition by the Federal Government that the new Federal Capital requires a first class institution of learning that combines academic excellence with the pursuit of the Unity of Nigeria. In essence, it is to provide educational access and opportunities to all persons without distinction of race, sex or political convictions.

FAMU-DRS Principal Elected to National Board

Rose Campbell, principal of kindergarten through 5th grade at Florida A&M University Developmental Research School (FAMU-DRS), was elected for a three-year term to the International Association of Laboratory and University Affiliated Schools (NALS) Board of Directors during a recent conference at Rhode Island College’s Laboratory School in Providence, RI.

As part of the board of directors, Campbell will have the opportunity to be exposed to other representatives of laboratory schools. She will also have an impact on policy and procedures, and how research and cutting edge strategies are used and being implemented at laboratory schools.

“Most importantly, FAMU-DRS is the only historically black college or university laboratory school represented on this board,” said Campbell. “With this exposure, more than anything else, I will be able to bring back a wealth of information on cutting edge research and student achievement, as well as have an impact on professional development for faculty.”

CESTA Ground Breaking Ceremony

CESTA Ground Breaking Ceremony for the new Animal Health Complex to be held May 28th at 10:00 a.m. at the CESTA Research & Extension facility in Quincy, FL.

FAMU Student Awarded Top Honors at Florida Academy of Science Annual Meeting

Florida A&M University (FAMU) student Tresia Walters was presented the Outstanding Graduate Student Paper Award in Agricultural and Natural Sciences at the 72nd Annual Meeting of the Florida Academy of Science for her paper titled Phylogenetics Analysis of Aestivales (Planchon) American Native Grapes by DNA Microsatellite Profiling.

“I was elated to find out the news that I had won the award at the Florida Academy of Science,” said Walters. “I’m very proud of this achievement.”

Walters, a St. Kitts and Nevis native, was a College of Engineering Sciences Technology and Agriculture (CESTA) Graduate Student Excellence Award winner and CESTA Research Forum Award Winner in 2007.

She will be graduating this summer with a master in science degree. Her thesis research is agriculture science/plant science in the area of grape DNA profiling. After graduation, Walters plans on pursuing a career in biotechnology or a related field.

FAMU Business Administration Major is a Semifinalist on the Jeopardy! College Championship

Florida A&M University (FAMU) student Gabrielle McMahan is a semifinalist on the Jeopardy! College Championship. McMahan appeared on Jeopardy! Monday, May 5, at 7:30 p.m. on WCTV-TV Channel 6 (Tallahassee). McMahon, a 21-year-old business administration major from Springfield, Va., was the only student from a historically black college or university to compete in the championship. She was one of 15 students selected to participate out of 4,000.

“It was a wonderful experience,” said McMahon. I was very honored to represent FAMU in such a prestigious competition.”

Some of the other participating universities included the University of Minnesota; Yale University; Georgetown University; Marquette University; Michigan State University; Harvard University; and Tufts University.

FAMU Hires Ledawn S. Gibson as New Women's Basketball Coach

Florida A&M University (FAMU) today hired Ledawn S. Gibson, a former head coach at Winter Haven High School, as its new women’s basketball coach.

“We are pleased that we found someone that we believe is a good fit for our program,” said FAMU Athletic Director Bill Hayes. “She is a talented coach who has demonstrated from year-to-year that she has what it takes to lead us to a championship.”

FAMU Board of Trustees today approved a three-year contract for Gibson with an annual salary of $90,000.

“When you consider her record and history, I’m confident that we have found the right coach for our program,” said FAMU President James H. Ammons. “We were looking for consistency and a person with the ability to build a winning program. We found it in Coach Gibson.”

In her 12 years at Winter Haven High School, she amassed a career record of 331-48. She secured nine district titles, eight regional titles, and two state championship titles. From 1999 – 2007, her team was the Florida High School Athletics Association District Champion. She was the Florida High School Athletics Association District 12 “Coach of the Year” from 1999-2008. During that same period, the NewsChief selected Gibson as “Coach of the Year” and she was also the “Coach of the Year” for the Lakeland Ledger in 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2007. Her team won the Florida High School Athletics Association Class 4A State Championship in 2005 and in 2007 won the association’s 5A State Championship. USA Today ranked her program among the top 10 in the U.S. in 2007-2008 and ranked the program among the top 20 in 2001-2002 and 2005-2006; and among the top 15 in the U.S. in 2004-2005 and 2006-2007.

ACEJMC re-accredits FAMU’s Journalism Division

Florida A&M University’s (FAMU) Division of Journalism has been re-accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications.

“We strongly recommend re-accreditation,” wrote Trevor Brown, professor emeritus at Indiana University, and Jackie Jones, a longtime journalist and director for Jones Coaching. Brown and Jones conducted the site team visit for the Accrediting Council on Journalism and Mass Communication in February 2008. The division was placed on provisional status after a 2006 site visit due to governance and communication issues, including the lack of a permanent director.

The ACEJMC vote was 26 in favor of re-accreditation, no opposition and two abstentions on May 2.

“The council’s decision is a reflection of the enormous progress that has been made and should be a sign of great things to come for both the faculty and students,” said Peter Bhatia, president of ACEJMC and executive editor of The Oregonian.

The site team report stated it’s “clear from comments and observation that Dorothy Bland has transformed the living and working environment for faculty, students and staff.” Bland, an award-winning journalist, media executive and former newspaper publisher, joined FAMU in January 2007 as the director of the Division of Journalism.

“Documents revealed that almost immediately the new director had won the admiration and respect of the dean, faculty, students and staff for her superb leadership and management skills and indefatigable work ethic,” the team report stated.

James Hawkins, dean of the School of Journalism and Graphic Communication, said he is delighted with the ACEJMC’s vote.

ACEJMC has accredited about 110 journalism and mass communications programs in the United States.

Public Health Students Receive 100 Percent Passage Rate on Examination

Students at Florida A&M University (FAMU) in the Institute of Public Health (IPH), housed in the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (COPPS), received a 100 percent pass rate on the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. (NCHEC) national certification examination. According to the NCHEC, the national average percent pass rate is 76.63 percent.

This is the second consecutive year students at FAMU received a 100 percent passage rate.

“I am extremely pleased that this year both our public health students and pharmacy students achieved 100 percent passage on their respective examinations,” said Henry Lewis II, dean and professor of the COPPS. “This attests to both the quality of our students and the teaching of our faculty to obtain these outstanding results.”

NCHEC, the body responsible for credentialing of health educators, strives to improve the practice of health education and to serve the public and profession of health education by certifying health education specialists, promoting professional development, and strengthening professional preparation and practice.

The Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) examination requires the passing of the following competency areas: needs assessment; program planning; program implementation; program evaluation; coordination of services; resource designation; and the ability to communicate needs and resources.

“We are very pleased about this achievement and we will continue to focus on ensuring that our students continue to gain the competencies needed to excel in public health education,” said Cynthia M. Harris, professor and director for FAMU’s Institute of Publi

Capital Health Plan Announces Investment in FAMU's Nursing Education

Capital Health Plan (CHP) announced it will invest over the next five years a total of $1.5 million in nursing education programs at Florida A&M University, Florida State University, and Tallahassee Community College. The initiative is aimed at alleviating a growing nursing shortage in this area and throughout Florida. Demand for new nurses in Florida is expected to grow by nearly one quarter or more than 36,000 new jobs by 2014.

“Capital Health Plan is proud to invest in nursing education,” said Dr. Nancy Van Vessem, CHP’s Chief Medical Officer, speaking at a news conference held on National Nurses Day. “Today’s nursing students are the professionals who’ll care for CHP members and the community for years to come.”

The grants will total $100,000 a year for five years for each school. The State of Florida might match 50 percent, potentially increasing the total investment to $2.25 million.

“The cost of college is a barrier that many of our students face,” said FAMU President James H. Ammons. “With CHP’s generous investment, we will break down that barrier for local students who are interested in nursing. We believe that these students are likely to stay and fill the need for nurses in the capital region.”

FAMU President James H. Ammons, Ruena Norman, interim dean of the FAMU School of Nursing and FAMU nursing students are all smiles after Capital Health Plan announces its investment in FAMU's nursing program.

FAMU Student Appointed to National Urban League Black Executive Exchange Program Executive Advisory Board

Florida A&M University student Jasmine Stephens was recently appointed to the National Urban League Black Executive Exchange Program’s (BEEP) Executive Advisory Council (EAC).

“I am elated for the opportunity to serve society and particularly college students in my capacity as a student member of the Executive Advisory Council of the Black Executive Exchange Program with the National Urban League,” said Stephens. “The Urban League has deep and profound traditions. These traditions are compatible with my beliefs and personal agenda to improve society through economic and leadership empowerment, civic engagement and racial justice.”

BEEP, founded 39 years ago by the National Urban League, is a method for African-American role models to help close the gap between classroom experiences and the real world. Through BEEP individuals from the corporate, political, entrepreneurial and non-profit world act as “visiting professors” at over 80 Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs), and work with over 1,000 companies.

Stephens, a third-year business administration student from Forrest City, Ark., was one of two students chosen from a wide pool of candidates from other HBCUs. Her responsibilities will include providing a student perspective to the EAC, attending the annual BEEP conference and aiding BEEP in its mission to provide guidance to the National Urban League in the development and operation of BEEP by sharing ideas concerning programmatic activities.

“We are very excited to have chosen Ms. Stephens to serve,” said Mark Monteverdi, vice president, Black Executive Exchange Program and Volunteer Initiatives. “She is an incredible role model for students through her school matriculation, her professional endeavors and her community involvement. We look forward to her sage counsel and leadership as we continue to grow and expand this signature program of the National Urban League.”

FAMU Business Administration Major will be a Contestant on the Jeopardy! College Championship

Florida A&M University student Gabrielle McMahan will be a contestant on the Jeopardy! College Championship Monday, May 5, at 7:30 p.m. on WCTV-TV Channel 6. McMahon, a 21-year-old business administration major from Springfield, Va., was the only student from a historically black college of university to compete in the championship.

“It was a wonderful experience,” said McMahon. I was very honored to represent FAMU in such a prestigious competition.”

Some of the other participating universities included the University of Minnesota; Yale University; Georgetown University; Marquette University; Michigan State University; Harvard University; and Tufts University.

Jeopardy!, a winner of 27 Emmy awards since its debut in 1984, was recently inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records for the most awards won by a TV Game Show. The series is the No. 1-rated quiz show in syndication, and has held that title for more than 1,000 weeks.

Jeopardy! is produced by Sony Pictures Television, a Sony Pictures Entertainment Company. It is distributed domestically and internationally by CBS Television Distribution, a unit of CBS Corp.