Life Gets a Little Better for FAMU Scholars

With smiles stretching from ear to ear and sounds of students saying ‘Yes,’ 22 Florida A&M University (FAMU) scholars were full of joy and excitement when FAMU President James H. Ammons presented them with a couple of items to assist them with their studies. Each scholar received an HP Elite Book 2450p and an Apple iPad as part of the FAMU Presidential Scholarship Program, which includes the Life Gets Better Scholarship and the Distinguished Scholar Award.

The scholars were so overwhelmed that it left one scholar speechless.

“I am truly speechless,” said Nellena Adekoya, a biology major from Grayson, Ga. “I have never had so much available at my fingertips.”

This group of scholars is from Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Delaware, Maryland, Michigan and Virginia. One scholar, Joel Sankar, is a native of Tunapuna, Trinadad.

“I’m very excited and humbled by the gifts that I have received,” said Sankar, a chemistry major. “They [computers] are very necessary for our education and for us to succeed.”

Aubrey Upsher, a journalism major, expressed that he was very appreciative.

“I received more than I expected,” said Upsher. “These are some excellent tools to have. This will definitely help me in my classes.”

About the Life Gets Better Scholarship
Incoming freshmen designated National Achievement, Hispanic, or Merit Semifinalists by the National Merit Corporation, having an unweighted 3.50 high school GPA and having a 1,800 on the SAT or 27 on the ACT or incoming freshmen who have at least an unweighted 3.50 high school GPA and scores of 1900 on the SAT or 29 on the ACT will receive the following over four years: tuition and fees, room, board, books, $500 per semester stipend, internships and a laptop. The awardee must major in biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, environmental science, mathematics or physics in order to be eligible for this scholarship. Students must take the PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test) in the junior year of high school to compete in the National Merit Corporation programs.

About the Distinguished Scholar Award
Incoming freshmen who have scores of at least 1,800 on the SAT or 27 on the ACT and an unweighted 3.50 high school GPA:

Florida Residents receive a full four-year scholarship that pays for tuition and fees, double occupancy room rate and board. The $350 housing deposit will be waived for Florida Bright Futures Scholar awardees. Additionally, National Achievement Semifinalists will receive up to $500 a semester for books.

Out-of–State students receive a four-year scholarship that pays for tuition and fees. A National Achievement Semifinalist will receive double occupancy room rate and board. Students who are Pell Grant eligible will receive a stipend not to exceed $500/semester.

A National Achievement Finalist will also receive a laptop. A National Achievement Scholar will receive a laptop, $500 per semester for books and a $500 per semester stipend.

FAMU wins $50,000 Grant from Ford College Community Challenge

Students at Florida A&M University develop sustainable project to benefit farmers and their communities through Ford College Community Challenge.

Florida A&M University (FAMU) has been selected as one of the 2010 winners of the Ford College Community Challenge (Ford C3) and the recipient of a $50,000 grant to develop a student-led community project focused on sustainability in the farm community. Ford C3 is a national initiative of Ford Motor Company Fund, the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company, which challenges students from within Ford’s national network of higher education partners to develop innovative programs to create sustainable change in their communities.

Students at Florida A&M University will implement an on-farm demonstration and education model for renewable biofuel production that provides an essential alternative energy road map for the future. This innovative, student-led demonstration project will test the use of biofuel made from oil seed crops and waste vegetable oil for use as an alternative energy source for farm machinery in the university’s StateWide ® Small Farm Collaborative. The project will involve students from the College of Engineering Sciences, Technology and Agriculture (CESTA), the School of Architecture, as well as community stakeholders including schools interested in green and alternative energy, local businesses and governmental entities.

“We are honored to receive the Ford Motor Company Fund C3 Grant to implement an organic farm alternative energy demonstration and education model for small farms and innovative communities,” said Jennifer Taylor, FAMU’s coordinator for the Small Farms Program. “This project will provide a unique opportunity to partner with community collaborators, provide education and training experiences to FAMU students, while equipping small farms and the community with exciting options for a thriving sustainable future.”

The Ford College Community Challenge (Ford C3) is a national challenge grant competition that recognizes colleges and universities that utilize a school's resources to address an urgent community need related to the grant's theme: Building Sustainable Communities. This year's proposals were expected to incorporate the use of alternative energy in a unique way. Unlike many traditional college grant programs, Ford C3 requires colleges to create proposals that have significant student input, involvement and leadership from beginning to end.

“Winning proposals have a distinctive student perspective on what it means to have a sustainable community,” said Mike Schmidt, director of Education and Community Development, Ford Motor Company Fund. “We are pleased to be able to support the millennial spirit of innovation in these students, whose projects help address critical needs within their communities.”

Response to the Ford College Community Challenge was significant this year, with 23 proposals from 16 of Ford's partner colleges and universities. Five winning proposals were selected. Each school will receive a one-time $50,000 award from Ford Motor Company Fund to implement their proposed project.

“The Ford C3 project will bring together students and faculty from many of our disciplines in the college,” said Makola Abdullah, dean of FAMU’s College of Engineering Sciences, Technology and Agriculture. “We all are aware of the positive environmental impact of alternative energy sources and we are proud to be a part of the solution."

Ford Fund grant funding is designed to launch and sustain the projects through the first year of implementation, and then projects will continue with support from university and local resources. This is the third year that Ford C3 has awarded grants to partner universities for sustainable community projects.

About Ford Motor Company and Community Services
Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services is focused on building community through partnerships that promote education, driving safety and quality of life in communities where Ford does business. Established in 1949, and made possible by funding from Ford Motor Company, the Fund's programs include Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies, which provides high school students with academically rigorous, interactive learning experiences, and Ford Driving Skills for Life, a teen-focused safe driving initiative. Through the Ford Volunteer Corps, 20,000 Ford employees and retirees participate each year in a wide range of volunteer projects in their communities in more than 40 countries. For more information, visit www.community.ford.com.

About Florida A&M University
Florida A&M University (FAMU) was founded on October 3, 1887, as the State Normal College for Colored Students. Today, FAMU offers 62 bachelor's degrees and 39 master's degrees. The university has 13 schools and colleges and one institute. The university also offers a juris doctor at its College of Law in Orlando. FAMU has 11 doctoral programs, which includes 10 Ph.D. programs.

With an enrollment of more than 13,000 students, Florida A&M University is part of the State University System of Florida and is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

FAMU Alumna Sonia Myles will Keynote Homecoming Convocation

Florida A&M University (FAMU) will host its annual Homecoming Convocation Friday, October 29, at 10:10 a.m. in Gaither Gymnasium. This year’s keynote speaker is FAMU alumna Sonia J. Myles, director of Global Printed Packaging Purchases for Procter and Gamble Company (P&G).

Joe Bullard, program director for Cumulus Tallahassee WHBX 96.1-FM and WHBT Heaven 1410-AM, will serve as the master of ceremony. The general public is invited to attend.

In July 2006, Myles accepted the position of director of Global Media Purchases. In this role, she was responsible for leading the global media purchases organization and ensuring best in class strategies are developed, shared, and applied globally. At P&G, she has continued her track record of attaining outstanding results and using innovative strategies. She led the launch of the Media Transformation Initiative for the company in late 2009, and was appointed director of Global Purchases in early 2010, responsible for leading the Purchases 2020 Initiative. In August 2010, Myles was appointed to her current position responsible for all fiber and printed packaging for the company. She is responsible for leading a team of 100 people with a budget of $3 billion.

In 2009, Myles was named one of Essence Magazine’s 25 Women of Power and was selected as a Bloomberg “History Maker.” She also is a recipient of The Trumpet Awards Foundation “High Heels Award.” Myles has media profiles in Businessweek, Fortune, Profiles in Diversity Journal and The New York Times. She has written two books: “The Sister Accord: 51 Ways to Love Your Sisters” and “7 Spirit-Filled Strategies for Raising a Loving Child.” Myles penned the very popular The Sister Accord: The Promise that will Transform your Life! designed to help women establish more meaningful, loving relationships with each other.

Myles is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., FAMU National Alumni Association, a charter member of the Metro Detroit Optimist Club, National Black MBA Association, and a Board Member for Impact Young Lives, an organization that focuses on assisting outstanding students in South Africa develop into Global Leaders. She was most recently elected as chair for the FAMU School of Business and Industry Advisory Board, and Board Member for Women Helping Women, in Cincinnati, Ohio that focuses on helping victims of domestic violence and rape.

Myles graduated summa cum laude in 1989 with her bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing from FAMU. She later received her master’s degree in business administration in 1990. During her matriculation at FAMU, she received numerous honors and awards including: Academic Achievement Award--Highest GPA Class of 1989; Academic All-American Student Award; Academic All-American Collegiate Scholarship; National Dean's List; Outstanding Young Women of America; White & Gold Honor Society; National Business Merit Award; National Urban Bankers Award; Dean’s Scholar; and in 1988 the Economics Club Award and Outstanding College Students of America.

A native of Saginaw, Mich., she is married to Kenneth A. Myles, president and CEO, KAMJAM Entertainment and has two sons, Kendall, 14, and Jordan, 13.

FAMU wins $50,000 Grant from Ford College Community Challenge

Students at Florida A&M University develop sustainable project to benefit farmers and their communities through Ford College Community Challenge.

Florida A&M University (FAMU) has been selected as one of the 2010 winners of the Ford College Community Challenge (Ford C3) and the recipient of a $50,000 grant to develop a student-led community project focused on sustainability in the farm community. Ford C3 is a national initiative of Ford Motor Company Fund, the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company, which challenges students from within Ford’s national network of higher education partners to develop innovative programs to create sustainable change in their communities.

Students at Florida A&M University will implement an on-farm demonstration and education model for renewable biofuel production that provides an essential alternative energy road map for the future. This innovative, student-led demonstration project will test the use of biofuel made from oil seed crops and waste vegetable oil for use as an alternative energy source for farm machinery in the university’s StateWide ® Small Farm Collaborative. The project will involve students from the College of Engineering Sciences, Technology and Agriculture (CESTA), the School of Architecture, as well as community stakeholders including schools interested in green and alternative energy, local businesses and governmental entities.

“We are honored to receive the Ford Motor Company Fund C3 Grant to implement an organic farm alternative energy demonstration and education model for small farms and innovative communities,” said Jennifer Taylor, FAMU’s coordinator for the Small Farms Program. “This project will provide a unique opportunity to partner with community collaborators, provide education and training experiences to FAMU students, while equipping small farms and the community with exciting options for a thriving sustainable future.”

The Ford College Community Challenge (Ford C3) is a national challenge grant competition that recognizes colleges and universities that utilize a school's resources to address an urgent community need related to the grant's theme: Building Sustainable Communities. This year's proposals were expected to incorporate the use of alternative energy in a unique way. Unlike many traditional college grant programs, Ford C3 requires colleges to create proposals that have significant student input, involvement and leadership from beginning to end.

“Winning proposals have a distinctive student perspective on what it means to have a sustainable community,” said Mike Schmidt, director of Education and Community Development, Ford Motor Company Fund. “We are pleased to be able to support the millennial spirit of innovation in these students, whose projects help address critical needs within their communities.”

Response to the Ford College Community Challenge was significant this year, with 23 proposals from 16 of Ford's partner colleges and universities. Five winning proposals were selected. Each school will receive a one-time $50,000 award from Ford Motor Company Fund to implement their proposed project.

“The Ford C3 project will bring together students and faculty from many of our disciplines in the college,” said Makola Abdullah, dean of FAMU’s College of Engineering Sciences, Technology and Agriculture. “We all are aware of the positive environmental impact of alternative energy sources and we are proud to be a part of the solution."

Ford Fund grant funding is designed to launch and sustain the projects through the first year of implementation, and then projects will continue with support from university and local resources. This is the third year that Ford C3 has awarded grants to partner universities for sustainable community projects.

About Ford Motor Company and Community Services
Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services is focused on building community through partnerships that promote education, driving safety and quality of life in communities where Ford does business. Established in 1949, and made possible by funding from Ford Motor Company, the Fund's programs include Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies, which provides high school students with academically rigorous, interactive learning experiences, and Ford Driving Skills for Life, a teen-focused safe driving initiative. Through the Ford Volunteer Corps, 20,000 Ford employees and retirees participate each year in a wide range of volunteer projects in their communities in more than 40 countries. For more information, visit www.community.ford.com.

About Florida A&M University
Florida A&M University (FAMU) was founded on October 3, 1887, as the State Normal College for Colored Students. Today, FAMU offers 62 bachelor's degrees and 39 master's degrees. The university has 13 schools and colleges and one institute. The university also offers a juris doctor at its College of Law in Orlando. FAMU has 11 doctoral programs, which includes 10 Ph.D. programs.

With an enrollment of more than 13,000 students, Florida A&M University is part of the State University System of Florida and is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

FAMU Students Win National Team Selling Competition

Florida A&M University’s (FAMU) School of Business and Industry (SBI) won the National Team Selling Competition hosted by the Center for Global Sales Leadership at Indiana University.

The competition attracts top teams of undergraduate sales students from America's leading universities who wish to pursue high-level, complex sales in an opportunity to practice team-selling simulations. Altria Sales & Distribution employees created the case, role-play the position of buyers and senior management, and also serve as judges.

Some of the universities that participated in the competition included Indiana University, Michigan State University, University of Kansas, University of Florida, Penn State, Ball State University and Syracuse University.

“Everyone was good, but our young people were great,” said Roscoe Hightower, Jr., Ph.D., team coach, lead adviser and a SBI associate professor. “We look forward to continuing to recruit, train and graduate the best professional selling student leaders in the U.S. Under the current leadership of Dean Friday-Stroud, we are continuously in search of excellence.”

According to Hightower, this year’s case was provided to the teams one week prior to the competition. The case included, but was not limited to, convenience store and candy industries focusing on all aspects of general business with specific emphasis on in-store visibility, inventory and pricing. The case challenged the students to really understand and apply what they knew about the basic convenience store business to the concept of team selling.

FAMU’s team consisted of Nicole Crowell, a fourth-year business administration student from California; Keisha Faulkner, a fourth-year business administration student from New Jersey; Jamil Codner, a third-year business administration student from Florida; and Darriel Brown, a fourth-year business administration student from Florida.

“The preparation made the competition seem easier upon completion,” said Crowell, the team captain. “Competing against the best professional selling schools and dominating them made us appreciate the education that we are receiving at FAMU even more.”

Through the program, the students received job offers from Altria Sales & Distribution and at least one will take a position with the firm in 2011. The others are currently in the interviewing process.

Brown, a returning team member from the 2009 second place team, said, “We were on a mission. We were being tested in a number of ways, especially from a conviction or belief in our training, coaching and ourselves. We showed them the outcome when a student has the wherewithal to believe in their training.”

A Day in The Life— Miss FAMU

A Day in the Life of Kindall Johnson, 2010-2011 Miss FAMU, is pretty hectic. Johnson, a senior public relations student from Tampa, Fla., gracefully balances her school work and duties on the Royal Court with a constant smile on her face. This is a day in the life of a FAMU student leader.

A Day in The Life — A Scholar

A Day in the Life of Ralph Jones Jr., a 16-year-old freshman scholar.
Jones, a mechanical engineering major from Atlanta, Ga., turned down
prominent universities to become a Rattler. See how he is adjusting to
his new environment.

Small Farms Program Coordinator Appointed to National Organic Standards Board

Florida A&M University (FAMU) Small Farms Program Coordinator Jennifer E. Taylor, Ph.D., was appointed to the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), adding new vision to the organization.
The Small Farms Program is designed to assist and equip underserved farming communities and their families toward sustainable development.

“I am excited about the opportunity to continue to serve Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, our farming populations and its consumer communities, and to participate and contribute to the National Organic Standards Board,” Taylor said.

Taylor, along with the four other appointees, will serve terms beginning Jan. 24, 2011, and ending Jan. 24, 2016.

“These highly qualified members of the organic community bring years of experience to the board, and we welcome their expertise and appreciate their dedication to the integrity of the organic standards,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Authorized by the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, as amended (7 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.), the NOSB is responsible for making recommendations about whether a substance should be allowed or prohibited in organic production or handling; assisting in developing standards for substances used in organic production; and advising the Secretary on other aspects of the Act’s implementation.

New Diplomat In Residence Arrives

Florida A&M University (FAMU) welcomes its newly selected Diplomat-In-Residence, Jay Smith. Smith is charged with building awareness and attracting students’ interest in the U.S. Department of State and the Foreign Service at career fairs and other programs implemented.

“I want to take every opportunity available to reach out and speak to the students,” said Smith. “Educate them on what it is we do, what we can offer them in a way of a career and try to recruit some bright young people to come in behind me.”

Smith received his bachelor’s of art from the University of Notre Dame in 1975. He was invited to attend the United States Army War College as a State Department officer from 1994 to 1995 and successfully completed the course of study given to senior military officers in senior leadership studies.

Smith has served extensively overseas, performing services across the spectrum of Foreign Service skills. He began his career in 1981 in Lilongwe, Malawi and went on to serve in Indonesia, France, the Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire), the Philippines, Romania, Haiti and – most recently – Senegal where he served alternately as Chargé d’Affaires and Deputy Chief of Mission.

Smith was promoted into the Senior Foreign Service in 2003 and now holds the personal rank of Minister-Counselor. His service has been recognized with two individual Superior Honor awards, two group Superior Honor awards and one individual Meritorious Honor award. He speaks French, Indonesian (Bahasa) and Romanian.

Smith insists that FAMU students have an advantage because he is stationed on campus and concurrently serving as a diplomat for the east coast region.

“I’m looking for people who are open-minded, bright and who are open to working overseas,” said Smith. “They must be resilient and dedicated.”

Smith and his wife of 34 years, the former Jacqueline Billy of Saumur, France, have five children.

FAMU Receives $1.5 Million to Establish Center for Public Computing and Workforce Development

Florida A&M University (FAMU) has received nearly $1.5 million in a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce to establish the FAMU Center for Public Computing and Workforce Development.

“We would like to thank Congressman Boyd for his support and the U.S. Department of Commerce for selecting FAMU for this initiative,” said FAMU President James H. Ammons. “We believe that this center will provide an economic boost to our community and provide training and computer access to a segment of our population who may otherwise not have access. Through this center, we will help build a trained workforce for Tallahassee and the region.”

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the three-county region of northern Florida targeted by Florida A&M University has poverty and unemployment rates well above the state and national averages, and many residents lack the 21st century skills necessary for industry certifications and job preparation.

“FAMU has a long and proven history of providing our students with the skills they need to be successful. This new workforce center will allow them to turn their talents toward helping our local small businesses succeed in a challenging environment,” said Congressman Boyd. “Small businesses play a pivotal role in getting our economy back on track, and I’m very pleased these federal funds will help ensure they have access to the support and services they need to be successful.”

Through the grant, the FAMU Enterprise Information Technology Division and the FAMU College of Education Department of Workforce Education and Development will establish a new Center for Public Computing and Workforce Development on the FAMU campus to serve the public of Tallahassee and surrounding Gadsden and Jefferson Counties. The center also plans to serve as a resource to other public computing centers in the region.

“We are extremely pleased that the concept we developed for the FAMU center was viewed favorably by the evaluators of the many grant applications that were submitted in the national competition for establishment of Public Computing Centers,” said Robert Seniors, principle investigator and vice president for FAMU Division of Enterprise Information Technology. “Goals established for these centers include an increase in access to broadband computing resources and training as a remedy to disproportionately high non-employment and under employment of disadvantaged and underserved Americans.”

FAMU’s Small Business Development Center plans to provide business development training and counseling services through videoconferencing technology, and offer workshops to small businesses with an emphasis on minorities, women, and veterans.

The project aims to develop and expand its instructional capacity through an aggressive “Train the Trainer” workshop program, which includes working with Florida’s Small Business Development Agency to create training content and identify and recruit trainers.

The FAMU Center for Public Computing and Workforce Development will also provide 65 new workstations and significantly upgraded support technology to help enable access for an additional 2,800 users each week and significantly expand the number of hours the public can access public computers. The new centers will also offer improved access speeds and shorter wait periods.

“I am very excited about the positive impact that will result from this award,” said Seniors. “The access to our broadband driven knowledge and skill development program and 21st century technology resources, especially for the underserved, will change many lives in a significant way.”

Seniors said that through the center they plan to train 14,500 residents with approximately 87,000 hours of teacher-led training annually over the three years of the project.

The project’s training and broadband programs would include specific disciplines important to the northern part of the state, including public administration, education services, healthcare, social assistance, agriculture, forestry, and fishing and hunting.

Seniors is the principle investigator for the project. The co-principle investigator is Dawn Holley-Dennis, associate professor and chair of the Department of Workforce Education and Development in the FAMU College of Education.

A 16 Year Old FAMU Freshman Has Earned His Spot

Florida A&M University (FAMU) freshman, Ralph Jones Jr., a 16 year old from Atlanta, Ga. turned down offers to Howard University, Fort Valley State University and Morehouse College to attend FAMU. In addition to these institutions, he also turned down prominent institutions such as the University of Alabama, Stanford University, Pennsylvania State University and Harvard University to become a Rattler.

With an SAT score of 2,120 out of 2,400, it is understandable how he was admitted to the top institutions in the U.S.

Jones is a recipient of the Life-Gets-Better Scholarship and a National Achievement Finalist. Jones was awarded $120,000 in scholarships, which includes a stipend, tuition and fees, room and board, books and a laptop.

Being a member of a family who has a three-generation history of attending Fort Valley State University and parents who are educators, Jones feels that his childhood played a huge role in his development.

“My background growing up is a little different,” said Jones. “My parents are both educators. My mother is a first grade teacher and my dad was a college professor for some time. Needless to say, a large focus was on education in my house.”

By the time Jones was four-years old, he was adding, subtracting, dividing, reading at the ninth grade level and doing basic algebra.

As impressive as Jones’ ability to learn at a young age may seem, he continued to excel by setting a record of having the highest SAT scores in the past five years at his high school.

Jones’ former SAT math prep teacher and FAMU alumnae Kemberlee Pugh Bingham challenged her students by promising them an “A” in her class if they scored high on the SAT test. As a junior in high school, Jones scored a 1,910. The following year, he increased his SAT scores by more than 200 points.

“You could never forget a kid like Ralph,” said Bingham. “He is a child prodigy and has always been different from his peers. He would often provide a challenge. One day, we went toe-to-toe and he strongly argued his point. I appreciate a kid who thinks critically; it shows that they care.”

When Jones shared his score with Bingham, she immediately inquired what college he planned to attend.

“When I first told her, she was excited,” said Jones, a mechanical engineering student. “One thing I can say about FAMU alumni is that they will lobby for their school. Before I knew it, she had gone over to her FAMU billboard and gave me a brochure on the Life-Gets-Better Scholarship, which was the first time I heard of the scholarship. She was like ‘Baby did you know you can go to FAMU for free for four years with a full scholarship and a computer?’ and I was like ‘no ma’am.’”

The following year, Jones attended the recruitment fair that FAMU hosted in Atlanta, Ga., where he felt the energy in the room as President James H. Ammons began to articulate the Rattler Charge.

“When Dr. Ammons got up, he began to say ‘When the dark clouds gather over the horizon’ there was this atmosphere of tension and I knew something was going to happen,” said Jones. “I did not know exactly what; it was very exciting. Then suddenly you heard hissing from all over the room and you saw people with fingers in the air and that is when you start to feel it. I was like wow! This is something bigger than what I could have expected.”

During the award ceremony, Ammons awarded Jones with a $120,000 scholarship for four years along with a list of other incentives. It was Jones first scholarship before he learned about being selected as a National Achievement Scholar.

“I am so pleased to know that he decided to attend FAMU,” said Bingham. “I love my alma mater. When he told me what he made on the SAT, I was in shock because you do not come across those scores in my environment.”

Jones expressed that he has earned his place at FAMU.

“Everything that I have worked for has helped me earn my place here,” said Jones. “I am going to earn my right to stay here and when I graduate, I am going to have earned my degree.”