winter2013 summer2013

Transcription

SUMMER2013
WINTER2013
Vice President for Research
Ken Redda
Post Doctoral Fellow
Nelly N. Mateeva-Tarkalanova
06
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
The Cornerstone of FAMU
16
COVER STORY:
LEADING INNOVATION IN
THE MARKETPLACE WITH
US PATENTS
University faculty transforming
concepts into real solutions
78 Fallen Rattlers
SECTIONS
DIRECTOR OF MEDIA RELATIONS
Alonda Thomas
30
YOUNG, BLACK
AND LEANING IN
Ladies learning to lead
38
FAMU FIRSTS
Trailblazing Rattlers taking
their places in history
52
OVERCOMING CHALLENGES
Junior attendant steps outside
her comfort zone
LAYOUT AND DESIGN
Charles R. Collins, III
ALUMNUS TELLS HIS STORY
Byran Jones talks about living
with a medical condition
SECRETARY
Lawana King
EDITOR
Brian Lucas
58
BERNARD KINSEY
Art on display at Epcot
60
TRUSTEE JENNINGS
His love for his alma mater
ALUMNI IN THE MILITARY
Dealing with the separation of
families for those in active duty
68
MEET THE NEW COACH
Earl Holmes ascends to head
the Rattler Football Team
70
JAKE GAITHER
Alumnus author Samuel
Freedman shows a different
side of the legendary coach
72
COPY EDITOR
Yanella Gordon
Sabrina Thompson
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Stephanie Lambert
Ahjah Robert
Pamela Tolson
Deidre P. Williams
Denzel Willis
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Tawanda Green
PHOTOGRAPHY
Charles R. Collins, III
Stephanie Lambert
SPECIAL EVENTS
Vernon Bryant
Kayana Lewis
FOR MORE INFORMATION
(850) 599-3413
64
76 Campus Notes
77 Impact: Daryl Parks
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
TO THE PRESIDENT
Sharon Saunders
28
04 President’s Message
74 Alumni Applause
INTERIM PRESIDENT
Larry Robinson
FAMU FRESHMAN
Continues to excel
56
12 From the Bookshelf
SUMMER2013
CLASS OF 62
Alumni giving back
Twitter: twitter.com/FAMU_1887
Facebook Search: Florida A&M University
YouTube: YouTube.com/FAMUtube1887
The A&M Magazine is the official magazine
of Florida A&M University, and is designed
to inform alumni, supporters and friends
about issues of importance about the
University. This public document was
promulgated at a total cost of $9,575
or $1.92per copy. FAMU is an Equal
Opportunity/Equal Access University.
www.famu.edu
www.DiscoverFAMU.com
www.famu125.com
Dear Alumni and FAMU Supporters:
Welcome to another exciting issue of the A&M Magazine. This summer 2013
issue is dedicated to our faculty, students, staff and alumni who continue to make
FAMU the American treasure that it is today. In this latest issue, you will learn
more about our outstanding faculty who are making stellar progress with their
research. There is also exciting information on FAMUans recognized as the first
to achieve significant accomplishments in their professional pursuits.
As in our previous issue, this A&M presents an opportunity for me to highlight
personnel who are filling critical roles in our university’s administration. First on
the list is alumnus Bryan Smith who was recently hired as the special assistant
to the president for Anti-Hazing. Smith’s professional record includes credentials
as a certified mediator for the state of Georgia. Next on the list is Antonia L. Roe,
the new director of judicial affairs. Roe returns to the university after previously
serving as an attorney in the Office of General Counsel. In this issue, you will have
an opportunity to learn more about the new head football coach Earl Holmes. The
Rattler family eagerly anticipates the start of the Holmes Football Era this fall.
As we end the 2013-14 academic year, let us remain focused on the high principles
for which FAMU was founded and the continued pursuit of academic excellence.
Through our work together, we can ensure FAMU’s light of hope shines brightly
for generations of Rattlers to come.
May we look forward to upholding the continued legacy that is before us, so that
history may refer fondly to this era as a time when Rattlers young and old rose to
great heights in the perseverance and enhancement of Florida A&M University.
Thank you as we continue toward excellence, and please enjoy this issue of the
A&M Magazine.
Sincerely,
Larry Robinson
Interim President
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The A&M Magazine welcomes letters to the editor about stories in its issues. We reserve the right to edit
emails and letters for clarity or spacing. Emails may be sent to: [email protected] and letters may
be mailed to the Office of Communications, Florida A&M University, 1601 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.,
Suite 103 Lee Hall, Tallahassee, Florida 32307-3100.
4 // FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY // A&M MAGAZINE
SPRING 2013 GRADUATION5
Ph.D. Recipients
A&M MAGAZINE // SUMMER 2013 // 5
[ The Cornerstone of FAMU
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION:
Higher education has undergone significant changes since Florida A&M University was founded 125
years ago. The ebb and flow of tuition rates and enrollment numbers often create tidal waves of drastic
change that threaten to destroy the ability of some colleges and universities to keep their doors open to
offer opportunities to excel. The focus of higher education leaders, policymakers and participants must
remain centered upon the core mission of every growing institution, which is to educate. That is why,
after 58 years of consecutive accreditation, the COLLEGE OF EDUCATION continues to stand firmly as
the bedrock of the nation’s top historically black colleges and universities.
he College of Education can be
considered the cornerstone
college of FAMU. Aside from being the
first and only college, school or department
on campus at the inception of FAMU in
1887, it is important to recognize the
College of Education’s humble beginnings to
appreciate its evolution today. It began with
two students and 15 instructors.
Today, the cornerstone college, with
36 faculty members and 536 students,
is housed in the newly renovated Gore
Education Center. The Center was originally
constructed in 1968 and it was named
after FAMU’s fifth president, George W.
Gore Jr. The renovation cost for the Center
was approximately $10 million.
The College administers
the pre-service and
The College of
in-service profesEducation is the
sional education and
first and only college,
graduate programs
school or department
encompassed within
on campus at the
four undergraduate
and graduate degree
inception of FAMU
granting departments:
in 1887.
Elementary Education;
‘
‘
‘‘
T
Secondary Education and
We are very fortunate to
Foundations; Health, Physical
Education and Recreation;
be housed in the newly
and Educational Leadership
renovated Gore Education
and Human Services.
It provides the relevant
Center because the facility
curriculum for elementary,
secondary and graduate
offers education majors
education programs
supporting 19 undergraduunique opportunities to
ate degrees and 18 graduate
degrees.
interact in an environment
“This is a very exciting time
in the history of Florida A&M
designed to support
University and especially in
the College of Education,”
technology-rich learning and
said Interim Dean Patricia
21st century skills.
Green-Powell. “We are very
fortunate to be housed in
the newly renovated Gore Education Center
because the facility offers education majors
unique opportunities to interact in an
environment designed to support technology-rich learning and 21st century skills.”
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION4
According to Green-Powell, rooms
Faculty stand in front of
are equipped with the latest educational
the newly renovated Gore
technology to facilitate instruction and 4
Education Center.
enable students to engage with
digital-age technology and each
other on authentic, collaborative
learning experience.
Students feel the state-of-theart technology will benefit them
as they prepare to become
educators.
“Technology in society
is constantly changing and
advancing,” said Tania Diaz, a
third-year elementary education
student. “It is seen in our
homes, in stores as well as our
schools in the education system.
It is important to have prior
knowledge and experience as a
pre-service teacher to know how
to operate these different types
of technology before entering
the field. The technology we
have access to now in our new
classrooms is giving us the
experience that will be beneficial
to us once we have our own
classrooms. I feel confident
knowing that the experience
I am gaining using this new
technology will benefit not only
me as a teacher, but also my
students as well.”
Alumna
Recognized
as Emerging
Scholar
FAMU alumna Shaundra
Bryant Daily, Ph.D., has
received national recognition
for her cutting edge research.
Diverse: Issues in Higher
Education selected her as a
2013 Emerging Scholar. Daily
presently serves as an assistant
professor in the School of
Computing, Human-Centered
Computing Division at Clemson
University.
She completed her undergraduate studies in electrical
engineering at the FAMU-FSU
College of Engineering, and a
master’s degree in electrical
engineering from FAMU. She
went on to become only the
second African-American
woman to earn a Ph.D. in media
arts and sciences from the
Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT).
Daily credits the training
she received at the College of
Engineering for establishing the
ground work needed for success
today.
“The E-school didn’t expect
“engineering only” students, so
everything I learned to balance in
school has translated to being a
professor where I’m responsible
for teaching, research and
service.
[SIDEBAR]
BLACK MALE EXPLORERS PROGRAM
ACCREDITATION
The Black Male College Explorers Program,
FAMU is one of
under the umbrella of the College of Education, is an
only four universiat-risk prevention and intervention initiative specifities in the state
cally to prevent black males from dropping out of
of Florida whose
high school. It works to facilitate their admission to
College/School
college and to significantly increase their chances
of Education has
of earning a college degree. Middle and high
received continuous
schools from Tallahassee and major cities across
accreditation since
8 // 1954.
FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY
// selected
A&M MAGAZINE
Florida are
as participating schools.
PREPARING TOMORROW’S EDUCATORS
The College of Education remains among the top producers
of African-American teachers in the United States.
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
The Elementary Education (grades K-6/Endorsement/
Reading Endorsement, bachelor’s level program) received
“full approval” for the period of July 1, 2012 through June
30, 2017 by a Florida Department of Education review team.
FAMU Alumna
Nominated for
Presidential Award
Teaching seems to be more than a joy for
Tonya Pugh. For this Florida A&M University
alumna and 2012 nominee of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics
and Science, teaching feels more like a high.
However, hers is legal, natural, and there
are no signs of coming down any time soon.
Inspired by her mother and godmother,
it was always Pugh’s intention to serve
students in the public school system so
that she could make a “greater impact.”
So after working for one year in the private
sector, she made the natural transition
into Georgia’s Clayton County Public School
System, teaching at Kemp Elementary.
Believing “science is everywhere,” Pugh
uses “hands-on lessons” as she integrates
“nonfictional stories into the curriculum.”
This not only allows her students to stay
on track with the required learning, but
also discover for themselves the science
in everything around them. Her curiosity
for how things work and commitment to
foster that same inquisitive spirit into her
first graders led to her Presidential Award
nomination. Reshunda Gresham, a parent
of one of Pugh’s former students, submitted
the teacher’s name for the award after
being inspired by that same curiosity that
Pugh’s students have for science.
In her classroom, you’ll find collard
greens, radishes, carrots and beans
growing in recycled containers. This urban
garden concept sparked an idea, and Pugh
brought it to her first graders.
“I wanted them to dig in the dirt and
plant their own vegetable garden,” she
‘‘
Designing new learning technologies
is an area the professor has inspired to
perfect. Her primary area of research
focuses on affective computing, which
is the study and development of
systems and devices that can recognize,
interpret, process, and simulate human
emotions.
“I’m very interested in educating
people about themselves and others.
How can people become more
emotionally aware? How can they
become more empathetic? How can a
better understanding of their bodies help
their understanding of other topics?” she
asked.
Daily said receiving national
recognition for her work thus far has
been inspiring.
“It’s truly an honor to be named an
Emerging Scholar. I hope that I can
continue to do things that will impact my
area of research, but also encourage
other young women and minorities to
enter my field or create their own,” she
said.
Now in her second year as a faculty
member at Clemson, Bryant hopes that
current FAMU students will allow their
strengths and experiences to help them
reach their fullest potential in life.
“When you’re deciding what you
want to do next, think about how all
your experiences up to that point might
support your next adventure. If there’s
nothing out there that supports your
next steps, make your own pathway.”
says. Consequently, her students created a
two-system hanging garden with their own
hands.
Gardens, children and ideas often grow
the same way. It takes a little seed, a little
soil and an abundance of nurturing. Pugh’s
garden grew in a
similar fashion. “I
went to the local
farmer’s market
so that I could have
that homegrown, local feeling and ran into a
city councilwoman who sent me to meet two
Clayton County master gardeners, Leslie
Kimbell and Charles Collins,” explains Pugh.
One gardener connected her to Walker
Nursery, and through another relation4
‘
‘
science is
everywhere
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT SANTA BARBARA AND FAMU PARTNERSHIP
The U.C. Educational Evaluation Center,
in partnership with the Department
of Black Studies and Center for Black
Studies Research at the University of
California at Santa Barbara and the FAMU
College of Education have established
the UCSB–FAMU Partnership as part
of the UC–HBCU Initiative. This program
builds an academic network between
UCSB and FAMU that includes a Summer
Research and Graduate Admission
Pathways Program. The program offers
an excellent opportunity for FAMU students
to participate in a seven-week summer
program that will provide academic and
co-curricular activities designed to train
students in educational evaluation, prepare
them for doctoral work and encourage
them to consider a UC graduate program
by exposing them to the many opportunities
and networks the UC offers.
ship, she discovered Swint’s Feed &
Garden Supply in downtown Jonesboro,
who donated vegetables and vegetable
seeds, as well as plants. Her idea for the
garden became a village affair, and as
Pugh puts it, “That’s what it’s all about”
for the garden, the community, and the
students.
She creates the space for her
children to “get in there and figure it out
together,” believing that this fosters a
generation of leaders. “Ooh, that’s where
all the magic is,” Tonya excitedly explains.
“I serve all students — the extremely
gifted, the special needs, and everyone
in between. When students are engaged
and sharing the work together, they
inspire each other, and that’s where the
beauty is.”
Pugh’s response to the word science
is “curiosity.” It begins with asking
questions, and first graders are perfect
for that. “Science involves the curiosity
of the child and the enthusiasm of the
teacher.” Pugh says, “Children will go to
the moon for you, but they have to know
that you care and that you want and
expect them to learn.”
A Florida native, Pugh and her
family moved to Georgia 13 years ago,
prompted by her husband’s job, and
made Clayton County their home. Her
commitment as a mother of four to
three boys and one girl constantly flows
into the classroom and rewrites the
future of 23 more students every year.
Pugh uses her classroom to live out
the African proverb “It takes a village
to raise a child.” Pugh says, “I’m a
mother first, a teacher second and you
better believe that I give my students
what I give my children. I want them to
have everything they need to succeed
because the future leaders will be mathematicians and scientists. I’m just doing
my part as a teacher to get them ready.”
Alumnus Alvin Davis Receives
National Recognition From
White House
students with mentors to track their
For FAMU alumnus Alvin Aureliano
academic progress. Before seniors
Davis, there is no greater or more
even think about performing in the band,
honorable profession than being a
they must show Davis proof that they’ve
teacher. Davis, a music teacher at
Miramar High School in Broward County, applied to college and have registered to
take their college entrance exams.
describes education as the cornerstone
As Florida’s Teacher of the Year,
of the “American Dream” and teachers
Davis also served as the state’s Christa
have the rewarding opportunity not only
McAuliffe Ambassador for Education,
to make a difference, but also to change
visiting schools throughout Florida to
lives.
speak on education issues. At the time
Davis’ commitment to his craft has
of his selection, Davis spoke enthusiastinot gone unnoticed. During the past few
cally about his service in the role.
years, he was named the 2012 Macy’s
“It is an honor and humbling
Florida Department of Education’s
experience to be chosen by my peers
Teacher of the Year and was selected
and fellow educators to be their voice
as one of four finalists in the 2012
for the next year,” Davis said. “People
National Teacher of the Year.
forget sometimes that
Davis earned his
educators are preparing
bachelor’s degree in
generations not just
music in 2000 from
Alvin Davis was
to appreciate and
FAMU and was a
honored at Vice
imbibe a liberal art,
member of the
President Joe Biden’s
but also to learn
Marching “100”
residence at the U.S.
how to live and be
during his time at
Naval Observatory in
successful in whatever
the university.
Washington, D.C.
becomes their chosen
As a part of his
profession. We are
recognition, Davis was
preparing students to be the
honored at the White
leaders, doctors, CEOs and even
House as one of four finalists for
presidents of tomorrow.”
National Teacher of the Year with the
Davis’s competition for the national
top honor going to Rebecca Mieliwocki,
prize included the teachers of the year
an English teacher from California.
for Alabama, California and the U.S.
President Barack Obama made the
Department of Defense. Davis was
announcement during a White House
honored at Vice President Joe Biden’s
ceremony.
residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory
Davis, who has taught music for 11
in Washington. Biden’s wife, Dr. Jill
years at the Broward County public high
Biden, an educator for more than 30
school, had already been named top
years, hosted the reception.
teacher in Broward County and Florida
After being selected as a finalist,
for 2011. He was named a finalist for
Florida Education Commissioner
the prestigious national award by the
Gerard Robinson described Davis as
Council of Chief State School Officers.
“a competent and passionate educator
As band director at Miramar High,
who makes sure his students have every
Davis requires a one-hour study hall for
chance for success.”
all band members, and he also pairs
From The Bookshelf
BY [ Ahjah ROBERT ]
5ALTHA F. MANNING
“Though people will
read the book and see
the story of my life, I
hope when they read
it, they will be able to
reflect on their own
experiences,”
As a teenager, ALTHA F. MANNING said her passion for literature was
engrained in her. When Manning was filled with thoughts, she would write them
down on pieces of literature and run and stick them in a drawer.
Manning, a Tallahassee native, said her youth was a creative time and as an
adult, she continues that same tradition. The book, “Slices of Life,” is composed
of short stories and poetry by Manning.
“It’s about universal life experiences,” Manning said.
The book is cut into sections. The first section, which is titled “Daily Living,”
embodies how nature corresponds in life through love and humor.
The “Travel” section in the book pulls readers into her experience, which
she hopes will drive them to want to travel or remind them of past travels. The
“Humor” section of the book reflects on how people experience humor.
A 1961 FAMU graduate, Manning explained the book title goes along with
what all people go through and was written to share those experiences.
“Everyone goes through the same cycle of experiences in life, regardless of
when and what time it happens to them,” she said.
She said she wants readers to see that although people
may feel like they’re the only ones who have been through a
particular experience, that is “just a slice of life that is dealt
to us.”
“Though people will read the book and see the story
of my life, I hope when they read it, they will be able to
reflect on their own experiences,” she said.
Manning, who once served as interim vice president
for Research and executive director of Alumni Affairs
at FAMU, plans on resuming her book tour this
summer and is finishing up a collection of stories.
“Slices of Life” is available for purchase at Barnes
& Noble through Amazon.com in ebook or in print
form. Individuals may also purchase the book from
the author for a lower rate by going to althamanning.com.
FAMU Alumna Samantha Luck’s College Experiences
Serve as Inspiration for New e-Book, ‘Organic Leaves’
SAMANTHA M.C. LUCK wrote her first book in the fourth grade as part of
a school project at St. Anne’s Academy in Washington D.C. Although she never
sold it for publication, it remains on her bookshelf as inspiration.
Twenty years later, Luck, a 2006 graduate of the Florida A&M University
(FAMU) School of Journalism and Graphic Communication (SJGC), has put her
passion on paper with her new e-book, “Organic Leaves.”
“As far back as I can remember, I’ve been a storyteller,” Luck said. “When I
was able to talk, I would tell my mom and siblings about my dreams and I think I
made stuff up as I went along. I feel like I’ve always known I wanted to be a writer.
It’s always been a part of me.”
The book follows the character of Melanie Bridges who gets a wedding
invitation in the mail from her former college beau who is marrying her college
nemesis. As she revisits her past, she discovers that over time she’s lost the
essence of who she really is, as if what’s authentically and organically her just up
and walked away.
Another major theme of the book is dating violence in college, a subject Luck
felt needed to be addressed.
“Melanie has lived through her share of drama like many of us,” Luck says of
the book.
While in college, Luck, who later earned her master’s degree in business
administration from Trinity Washington University in Washington D.C., always
imagined putting her life in a story.
“I had some adventures, hardships, discoveries and drama,” she admits. “I
knew that people would be able to relate to all of the characters. Either they
could see themselves or someone they knew. Organic Leaves is my testimony
and the testimony of many others wrapped up in a fictional story.”
Luck says FAMU nurtured her, with the staff and classes helping to hone her
writing skills.
“Through my education at FAMU, I learned how to be a great observer, a
great reporter and a great storyteller. I believe all of that contributed to and
influenced my writing,” said Luck.
While at FAMU, Luck wrote for the FAMUan where she had the opportunity
to conduct celebrity interviews. She also wrote for Journey Magazine, serving as
the arts and entertainment editor. She cites her internship at the Tallahassee
Democrat as an amazing learning experience that taught her that she could do
anything.
“FAMU contributed to my ‘anything’s possible’ attitude,” she said.
Luck’s advice to aspiring writers is to “sit your behind down and write” —
simple words that have echoed within her since being taught by former FAMU
Professor James Stephens.
“It’s one thing to have stories in your mind, but if you don’t take the time to sit
down and write it, what good is it?” she asks. “Nobody’s going to go in your brain,
pay for the story and read it. I would also say be confident. Some don’t realize
how talented they are and they second-guess themselves. Everyone has a story
to tell, and if you have the talent to write, believe that no one can write that story
like you can. Just do it and you’ll reap the benefits.”
Organic Leaves can be purchased on Amazon.com to be downloaded on
Kindle and Kindle apps for mobile devices. It’s also available on Smashwords.
com, where the book can be downloaded to iBooks, Nook, Sony Reader and
many other e-readers. Organic Leaves will be in print this summer and available
for purchase on Amazon.com.
For more information on the book and its author, visit www.samanthamcluck.
com.
5SAMANTHA M.C. LUCK
SBI Alumnus Jemal Gibson Comes Full Circle
With, ‘Drugs: My Curse, My Savior’
5JEMAL GIBSON
The year is 1969. Chicago’s inner city is riddled with drugs, gangs, violent
crime and despair of epidemic proportion. Born to drug addicted parents,
JEMAL GIBSON’s options early in life were gang banging, selling drugs, prison,
and possibly death – like so many of those who had come before him. These
same options that operate in a cyclical pattern have been affecting a multitude
of families for decades. As family and friends in his old neighborhood still deal in
meager amounts of drugs to this day, Jemal is selling billions of dollars worth of
drugs and making millions of dollars in the process. The amount of money most
street dealers only aspire to, Jemal deals legally.
Although he physically makes it out of the ghetto, during his ascent up the
corporate ladder, Jemal’s heartstrings are tugged at from his place of origin.
His close ties to his family and friends who continue to struggle, often draw
him in as if he had never left. This keeps guns, gangs, violence and death as
common occurrences in his personal life, while he delicately balances corporate
politics and multi-million dollar business deals.
Sounds like the next summer blockbuster hit? The storyline is in fact the
memoir of FAMU alumnus Jemal Gibson, a 1993 graduate of the School of
Business and Industry. Drugs: My Curse My Savior is full of heart wrenching
twist and turns at the impact of drugs--both illegal and legal.
“I wanted to chronicle my life story for my daughters
because I knew if something happened to me, no one
would be able to piece my life together,” said Gibson,
who currently resides in Atlanta with his wife and three
daughters. “Then, after talking with (motivational
speaker) Les Brown, I knew it was more than just my
story, but a story that could be used to help uplift
others. I didn’t have a title until I was finished
writing the book. It wasn’t until I read the book in
its entirety and it literally came to me in a very
tearful yet clairvoyant way. That’s exactly
what drugs had been to and for me my
entire life.”
Gibson, who currently serves as the
commercial business director for AstraZeneca
Pharmaceuticals, admits there were a few challenges when
he took on the task of writing his first book. He cites it being very
difficult reliving life experiences and putting all those thoughts into words.
His second hurdle was trying to tell a story of how something severely impacted
him while protecting those who are a part of the experience.
“It’s very easy to think about something and then quickly compartmentalize
it,” he said. “But obviously, I couldn’t do that with a book otherwise, it would have
been pretty short. So spending long periods of time reliving moments were
painful.”
Gibson said he hopes that when people put the book down, they feel that
“anything is possible,” no matter where they are in their life.
“I believe God reminds us of divine order in many ways,” he said. “ Remove
Author ALONDA THOMAS takes the tension out
of “the talk” in her first book, It’s Okay To Wait:
A Father/Daughter Conversation.
the word ‘drug’ from the title and put anything one
feels has been a curse and it very well could be their
savior.
He said he believes his book is for three types
of readers: For those who love reading and enjoy
seeing the underdog triumph, for those who
need a little inspiration to get to that next level of
achievement, and for people who may be struggling
and need another encouraging and inspirational
tool — something to help see that all is not lost. He
says he’s had many mothers who’ve read the book,
and then contact him to send a copy to their sons in
prison.
“I talk about so many issues in the book,” he said.
“In some aspects it’s a memoir but there are hidden
nuggets dealing with American history, poverty,
teen violence, peer pressure, healthcare, abuse,
corporate politics, decision making, love, forgiveness
and many more. And what’s so rewarding are
hearing readers talk about the things that resonated
with them most. It’s not just a story about a
young black boy, but a human being with relatable
experiences that have deeply touched people
regardless of race, age, gender etc.”
Gibson arrived at FAMU as a student with $20
in his pocket, and without housing or financial aid.
He received numerous scholastic achievement
awards, including an Army ROTC scholarship. After
completing two internships with Apple Computer,
Inc., he was offered a full-time position as a systems
engineer while he was still a full-time student. Gibson
later served as an infantry officer in the United
States Army. He says the discipline he gained
through these educational and business experiences
stand in direct contrast to his chaotic upbringing.
“There is no doubt in my mind that I am the man
I am today because of FAMU,” he said. “When I
arrived with just $20 and no financial aid, they could
have sent me home – which they almost did. But
(FAMU Professor) Dr. Richard Flamer saved my life.
I don’t mean that tongue and cheek. Many in my
family didn’t make it and if he would have sent me
home, I honestly believe there is a good chance I
wouldn’t be here. So when I say ‘FAMU, I Love Thee,’
I truly mean it.”
For more information about Gibson and his book,
visit www.jemalgibson.com.
By Denzel Willis
The 24-page picture book
is designed to make it easier
for parents and kids to discuss
issues of sex. The book portrays
a father talking to his daughter
about the problems she may
come across in her pursuit
of love. The daughter being
comfortable with her father
openly begins to ask questions
about love, dating and marriage.
“I wrote this book because
I feel not enough parents have
that conversation with their
kids these days,” said Thomas,
a FAMU graduate. “Although
this conversation can and
should be led by either parent,
I hope seeing this portrayal will
5ALONDA THOMAS
encourage more men to take on
the responsibility instead of passing the baton to the mothers.”
Thomas says she believes kids who don’t get the talk from their
parents, gain knowledge about sex and relationships from friends at
school, sex education classes, music and television.
“We just assume that kids
know what we would want
from them instead of giving our
opinion on the subject, instead
of asking how they feel about
the subject, or telling their kids,
‘I think you’re valuable, precious
and you should wait.’”
Thomas explained that she
chose a father to interact
with his daughter in the story
because they will be able to
give their daughters the male
perspective when it comes to
relationships, love and sex.
“We definitely need to keep men in these conversations because
I think it’s powerful when a father has this conversation with his
daughter,” said Thomas. “There are a lot of single fathers out there
in today’s society that will have to address this issue with their
daughters.” For more information visit www.itsokaytowait.com.
UNIVERSITY FACULTY TRANSFORMING
CONCEPTS INTO REAL SOLUTIONS
‘‘
COVER STORY
BY [ Deidre WILLIAMS ]
Leading Innovation in the Marketplace with
U.S. PATENTS
‘
The light on the path toward economic growth
and competitiveness is dimmed when innovation
is narrowly defined as an idea. The inventors at
Florida A&M University understand this truth. In
fact, they each know firsthand as generational
problem solvers that true innovation happens
once a brilliant concept is transformed into a real
solution for an increasingly complex world. This is
why after spending years in laboratories, there are
many FAMU faculty, staff members and students
who have attained what few ever will—a patent.
A
‘
It’s almost unheard of that a relatively
small research faculty from what is
considered to be a small institution
with modest levels of research
expenditures can generate such an
impressive number of patents...
FAMU discoveries in pharmacy, agriculture,
physics, engineering and business. Recently,
the university has received several patents
that could potentially lead to cures for HIV,
breast cancer, mental disorders and chronic
skin disease.
“I salute the achievements of our faculty
for continuously creating novel inventions,”
said Kinfe Ken Redda, Ph.D.,
acting vice president for
Research at FAMU. “We
strive to make the filing
process as simple as possible
so inventors can spend more
time developing the latest
technology and remedies
to make a difference in the
world.”
ccording to Rose Glee, Ph.D., interim
director of the FAMU Office of
Technology Transfer, Licensing and
Commercialization (OTTLC), the university is
experiencing a boom in patent applications
that reflect current trends nationwide.
It typically takes between seven to 10
years for a university technology transfer
office to mature (or be capable of filing its
first applications with the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office). The OTTLC matured early
in 2002, and has since submitted 58 patent
applications of which 29 have been issued
(approved). Approximately 50 percent of
FAMU patents are currently in development
for mass-market distribution.
BREAST CANCER
“It’s almost unheard of that a relatively
small research faculty from what is
The Centers for Disease
considered to be a small institution with
Control estimates more than
modest levels of research expenditures can
40,000 women die from breast cancer in
generate such an impressive number of
the United States each year.
patents within the existence of the Office of
African-American and
50
TTLC,” Glee said. “The fact that not a single
younger women are
percent of
patent application from FAMU has ever
at a greater risk for
FAMU patents
been rejected speaks to the rigorous
developing tripleare currently in
vetting process our office uses.”
negative breast cancer,
development.
The USPTO has protected several
a rare and aggressive
The Stories
Behind the
Numbers
3NAZARIUS LAMANGO
Developed a
therapeutic method
to diagnose and
treat various types of
cancer.
5KEN REDDA
Serving as vice
president of Research,
he led his team in
securing a patent for
a new HIV treatment.
4
COVER STORY
estrogen hormones from
binding to receptors that
trigger the disease. Breast
cancer is the most common
type of cancer affecting 1.5
million women worldwide with
the highest incidence rates in
Europe, Australia and North
America according to the
World Health Organization’s
International Agency for
Research on Cancer.
Specifically, Cooperwood’s
invention targets triple
negative breast cancer, which
disproportionately affects
African-American and Latin
women who are younger than
40 years old.
“The market potential for
this drug is vast,” Cooperwood
said. “In addition to breast
cancer, women who suffer
from osteoporosis, menopause,
endometrial cancer,
premenstrual syndrome and
Alzheimer’s disease could also
benefit.”
The OTTLC is currently
helping him file an international
patent application to protect
his invention abroad. This
pivotal step involves preparing
the power of attorney,
declaration and assignment
agreements before sending a
‘‘
‘
‘
cancer that has a high potential
for relapse 3-5 years after
remission.
“Early detection is necessary
to improve the survival rate of
cancer patients,” said Nazarius
Lamango Ph.D., who holds a
patent for a potential first-line
diagnostic test and treatment
for triple-negative breast cancer.
“Also, identifying the cause of
cancer is essential for finding
effective treatments, ensuring
accurate diagnoses, better
prognosis and better disease
management overall.”
Lamango holds another
We are confident that
one of the drug compounds
derived from these plants
will be simple enough to
synthesize in a short period
of time to provide an effective
and inexpensive treatment for
MRSA patients...
patent that identifies the cause,
target and possible treatment
for a range of cancerous
tumors that are resistant to
current lines of therapy.
John Cooperwood, Ph.D.
has developed a new drug
that hinders the growth of
breast cancer cells by blocking
5SETH ABLORDEPPEY
His third patent could stop the spread of MRSA.
complete application to USPTO
headquarters in Arlington, Va.
This year, U.S. patent laws
have changed to correspond
with the patent filing laws with
other countries. Now, instead
of granting patents to the “first
to invent,” the USPTO grants
patents to the “first to file,” or
to the inventor who gets to
the patent office first. Thus,
seasoned and aspiring inventors
should avoid discussing their
new ideas so freely with others
before filing because of the new
law.
HIV
Time is a resource that few
inventors have to spare. When
he is not teaching medicinal
chemistry to aspiring doctors
or busy leading the Division
of Research, Redda works
tirelessly in the lab. This year,
he and his research team
are celebrating a significant
milestone in their careers.
They have secured a patent for
developing a new therapeutic
treatment for humans inflicted
NELLY N. MATEEVATARKALANOVA4
Worked as a postdoctorial
researcher in Dr. Redda’s
laboratory
with HIV infections. It is a first
step toward a more effective
and cost-efficient drug
treatment for the 34 million
people living with HIV worldwide.
Vice President for University
Relations Thomas Haynes
believes that every university
stakeholder should recognize,
understand and support the
contributions that leaders like
Redda is making to society.
“FAMU is more than an
institution of higher learning,”
said Haynes. “FAMU is a
thriving and bountiful resource
of talented men and women
who are dedicated and capable
of closing huge gaps in the
marketplace.”
Another trailblazer in the
pharmaceutical industry is Seth
Ablordeppey, Ph.D., a professor
in the FAMU College of
Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical
Sciences. He has received his
third patent for developing a
drug compound derived from
a plant native to the western
region of Ghana, Africa. The new
drug could stop the spread of
an antibiotic-resistant bacterium
called Methicillin Resistant
Staphlycoccus Aureus (MRSA).
This dangerous “super bug”
that is commonly found in
hospitals and communities has
made clinical treatment difficult.
Ablordeppy’s discovery has the
potential to eliminate MRSA
infections before it evolves
into a deadly disease capable
of destroying large human
populations.
“We are confident that one
of the drug compounds derived
from these plants will be simple
enough to synthesize in a
short period of time to provide
an effective and inexpensive
treatment for MRSA patients,”
Ablordeppy said. “This is
important as new strains of
MRSA continue to appear.”
Carly Barnes, a north Florida
resident, thinks she contracted
MRSA in a dormitory while
attending college a few years4
‘
‘
‘‘
MRSA “SUPER BUG”
...identifying the cause
of cancer is essential
for finding effective
treatments, ensuring
accurate diagnoses,
better prognosis
and better disease
management overall.
COVER STORY
3KARAM SOLIMAN
This patent provides a
nutraceutical formulation
for Parkinson’s pateints.
ago. She believes in healing
remedies that use natural
resources like the plants used in
Ablordeppey’s research.
“I truly believe that our
natural environment is
By 2014,
the key to fight natural
the skincare
organisms,” Barnes
market is
said. “If I would
have been offered
expected to
the
opportunity to
reach
take a more natural
$91 billion
route other than taking
antibiotics, I definitely
would have…”
Ablordeppey’s other two
patents include: a modified
drug to treat infections
commonly found in HIV/AIDS,
chemotherapy and organ
transplant patients and; a new
anti-psychotic medication with
fewer side effects for treating
Schizophrenia and other mental
illnesses than what is currently
available.
In addition to natural
remedies, bioengineer and
Professor Marlon S. Thomas,
Ph.D. says reducing the
time it takes to diagnose
life-threatening ailments like
MRSA is significant. His work
developing a new method to
quickly identify bacteria strains
during lab analysis was patented
prior to joining the FAMU faculty;
but it could have a tremendous
impact on teaching future
FAMU science students and
medical professionals. Thomas
is hopeful that this method will
be incorporated and used as a
standard technique to assist in
bacterial species identification,
such as the Gram staining
technique.
“Gram staining has been the
gold standard for over a century
and our technique could be a
rapid method to further narrow
it down and possibly identify a
bacteria,” Thomas said.
Today, Thomas’ work
producing a microfluidic
invention—which involves using
small devices coupled with
optical detection for physicians
and healthcare professionals
to better manage chronic
diseases—is being evaluated for
patent protection through the
FAMU OTTLC.
SKIN DISEASE
Contrastingly, the multi-million
dollar skincare industry is abuzz
with reports of tremendous
growth as “the cornerstone of
beauty and personal care for
‘‘
‘
‘
“There are five
basic steps that
are uniform
that must be
followed to take
an idea from
conception to
patent and to the
marketplace.”
5 JIANG LU
Developed a new
large fruited variety of
Muscadine grape.
JAMES MUCHOVEJ 4
Developed a new
mycoherbicide
to control Congongrass.
the past 15 years,” according
to global market research firm
Euromonitor International. By
2014, the skincare market,
which has continued to grow
despite the most recent global
recession, is expected to reach
$91 billion. Yet, the allure of high
profit margins for new product
developers is not the reason
why Karam Soliman, Ph.D. and
Elizabeth Mazzio, Ph.D. decided
to tap in. They have developed a
holistic herbal extract skin gel to
treat dyshidrosis—a chronic skin
condition characterized by small,
fluid-filled blisters on the hands
and feet—and other chronic skin
conditions.
“Standard topical treatments
address only the surface area of
the skin” Soliman said. “They do
not treat the underlying cause
of chronic skin conditions like
dyshidrosis.”
The product, which Soliman
says is the first in a unique
skincare line that is ready for
market, is an “inside-outside
treatment approach to skin
disease” that promotes rapid
healing of damaged or lost
skin, increases blood flow to
the skin and has antibacterial
and antiviral properties that
counteract autoimmune attacks
associated with skin flare ups.
Soliman and Mazzio are
working through the OTTLC to
search for the right company to
manufacturer their product for
the masses.
CANCER DIAGNOSIS
CONGONGRASS
Professors James Muchovej
and Oghenekome Onokpise
have together developed a
new mycoherbicide to control
Congongrass—an invasive weed
that destroys crops in the
southeastern United States and
infests nearly 500 million acres
of agricultural land worldwide.
“This patent provides
for a method of controlling
Congongrass without the use
of harmful chemicals, using a
species of fungus that is native
to Florida,” said Muchovej. “The
Office of Technology Transfer
and Commercialization was of
great help getting through the
red tape that filing a patent is
about.”
According to Glee, it typically
takes between 18 to 24 months
for the USPTO to issue a final
decision on awarding a patent.
In recent years the timeframe
has more than doubled to three
to seven years, partly because
of the backlog of applications at
the USPTO.
“Any person interested
in protecting an invention
should understand that the
filing process varies for each
application,” said Glee. “There
are five basic steps that are
uniform that must be followed to
take an idea from conception to
patent and to the marketplace.”
PATENT FILING
PROCESS AT FAMU
First, inventors who are
faculty, staff and students at
FAMU, must submit an Invention
Disclosure Form to be reviewed
by OTTLC staff. Second, the
inventor must pitch their idea
to the Intellectual Property
Review Committee that will vet 4
COVER STORY
3 JOHN COOPERWOOD
Developed a new drug
that hinders the growth
of breast cancer cells.
‘
the invention based on novelty,
relevance and commercial
potential. Third, the review
committee will make one of
the three recommendations
to the OTTLC –proceed,
resubmit, do not pursue.
Fourth, recommendations to
proceed are assigned to a
patent attorney or law firm that
collaborates with the inventor to
prepare the final application.
Next, once the application
is received by the USPTO, an
examiner is assigned who
contacts the attorney of record
for further information (called
an “office action”) if needed.
The inventor is entitled to
three office actions before a
‘
We assist inventors
and entrepreneurs at
universities and research
institutes in all phases of
new company creation,
including business
strategy and planning,
market assessment,
financial planning and
analysis, business plan
development and investor
interaction, corporate
infrastructure, and
much more.
patent is issued or denied.
If issued, the University
pays maintenance fees
to the USPTO on behalf
of the inventor, which
are due three times
during the life of the
patent.
The most
common of the
three types of
patents filed
through this process
is the utility patent,
which grants intellectual
property rights for making,
using, or selling an invention
for 20 years. Design patents
are issued for 14 years and
may be granted to protect
the look of a new, original,
and ornamental design.
According to the USPTO
website, provisional patents
are granted for one year to
give inventors a means to
establish an early effective
filing date. Also the term
“patent pending” can be
applied to the description
of the invention during this
time and the invention can
also be marketed.
‘‘
FROM INVENTOR TO
ENTREPRENEUR
Still the ultimate goal
for every inventor is to
commercialize his or her
technology. According to
Phil Hipol, an entrepreneurin-residence with the
Florida Institute for the
‘‘
‘
‘
FAMU is leading innovation as it continues to produce new
technologies, biological materials, new tools and processes that
contribute to the quality of research currently available. Their hard
work also improves the quality of lives for generations today and
tomorrow, generates new business and creates new jobs.
Commercialization of Public
Research, the most important
step after a patent has been
filed is to establish that a market
for the technology exists.
“Our goal is to help
universities create successful
start-up companies based on
publicly-funded research,” said
Hipol. “We assist inventors and
entrepreneurs at universities
and research institutes in
all phases of new company
creation, including business
strategy and planning, market
assessment, financial planning
and analysis, business plan
development and investor
interaction, corporate
infrastructure, and much more.”
Hipol’s region includes the
Florida Panhandle, including
FAMU, Florida State University
and the University of West
Florida, as well as other
non-profit research institutions.
Since program inception,
the institute has funded 12
companies throughout the
state of Florida and can provide
funds to entrepreneurs after
matching private investor funds
are secured.
Based on recommendations
by the FAMU OTTLC, the
Florida Institute for the
Commercialization of Public
Research currently lists
15 “commercially viable”
technologies in life sciences,
manufacturing and clean energy
produced by FAMU on their
website (www.florida-institute.
com) as potential start-up
companies. Once established,
the institute can assist start-up
companies in identifying
experienced management
and investors as the company
grows.
R&D SUPPORTS
FAMU
After the inventor gets a
patent to commercialize the
technology, the institution may
license it to a private industry,
an investor, or to the inventor
who establishes a start-up
company. The university pays
for all patent expenses for
inventions approved by its
Intellectual Property Review
Committee. After costs have
been recovered, FAMU shares
40 percent of the royalty
proceeds with the inventor,
10 percent goes to the
inventor’s campus department
or unit and 10 percent to the
inventor’s college or school.
The remaining 40 percent goes
to the university to fund other
technology transfer efforts,
research and development or
infrastructure projects.
In addition to patents, the
FAMU Office of Technology
Transfer and Commercialization
also utilizes other mechanisms
for protecting various types
of intellectual property. These
include copyrights, trademarks,
services marks, trade secrets
and branding. The office also
assigns ISBN and Library of
Congress numbers on behalf of
the university.
“Ultimately, everything
valuable requires protection,”
Interim President Larry
Robinson said. “FAMU is leading
innovation as it continues to
produce new technologies,
biological materials, new
tools and processes.
FAMU has
The work of our
produced 15
faculty involves
students who
“commercially viable”
then also
technologies in
adopt an
life sciences,
entrepreneurial
manufacturing and
spirit. Their hard
clean energy
work also improves
the quality of lives for
generations today and
tomorrow, generates new
business and creates new jobs.”
So, the next time a brilliant
idea comes to mind, write it
down, look to FAMU patent
holders for inspiration, and
immediately start the patent
application process. For, while it
is true that there is nothing new
under the sun, there are great
ideas lurking in the shadows just
waiting to be discovered in the
bright light of innovation.
COVER STORY
This charts highlights a few of the patents,
with descriptions, market problem
highlighted and potential market solutions,
to provide an overview of the process.
6
NAME & PATENT
INVENTION DESCRIPTION6
CURRENT MARKET PROBLEM6
This invention describes a comprehensive
nutraceutical designed to antagonize major
mitigating factors associated with specific nerve
degenerative processes inherent in Parkinson’s
Disease.
To date, standard medical treatment of PD involves use of
therapeutics that address symptomatic neurological effects
through modulation / regulation of neurotransmitter function
rather than slowing dopaminergic nerve degeneration
specifically in the substantia nigra. Therefore, treatments are
not aimed at addressing the underlying etiology.
“Topical Treatment for Dyshidrosis
(Pompholyx) and Dry Skin Disorders”
(#7357950)
This product is the first in a line of unique topical
holistic herbal extract skin gels created by the
inventors.
Millions of people around the world are afflicted with chronic
skin conditions many of which are not treated effectively
through mainstream traditional medicine or over the counter
ointments. In the US alone, the number of office-based visits
to dermatologists is over 37.9 million, most common skin
disorders, in the order of magnitude, are acne, contact
dermatitis, unspecified conditions of the skin, warts, melanoma
and psoriasis. And many individuals continue to live with these
chronic diseases.
“Method of Treating Dyshidrosis
(Pompholyx) and Dry Skin Disorders”
(#7666451)
This product is an inside-outside treatment
approach to skin disease. Skin being the largest
organ of the body, should be treated not only
locally with topical treatments but systemically
with nutraceuticals that improve the health
of the skin, improve blood flow to the skin and
antagonize autoimmune elements.
Standard topical treatments are local , addressing only the
surface area of the skin. Traditional medicine or over the
counter ointments, do not treat the underlying cause of the
chronic skin conditions at the systemic level. Often times, blood
supply to the skin , chronic vitamin B3 deficiency , viral factors
or autoimmune attack are involved with flare ups of the skin
and chronic skin conditions.
Developed a new therapeutic treatment for
HIV infections in humans from a synthetic plant
compound.
HIV is a serious health hazard affecting society. Approximately
50,000 people are newly infected with HIV each year in the
United States. The highest rate of incidence is among African
Americans.
Developed a new drug that hinders the growth
of breast cancer cells by blocking estrogen from
binding to receptors that trigger the disease.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting 1.5
million women worldwide—the highest incidence rates are in
the UK and the United States. Women undergoing hormone
replacement therapies are at great risk.
Karam Soliman
Elizabeth Mazzio
“Nutraceutical Agent for Attenuating
the Neurodegenerative Process
Associated with Parkinson’s Disease”
(#8,367,121 B2)
K. Ken Redda, et al.
“Synthetic Flavonoids and
Pharmaceutical Compositions
and Therapeutic Methods of
Treatment of HIV Infection and Other
Pathologies” (#8314143)
John Cooperwood
“SERMS for the Treatment of
Estrogen Receptor-Mediated
Disorders”
(#WO/2012/142029)
MOEUB LANH 4
Developed finger flag assembly.
POTENTIAL MARKET SOLUTION6
To provide a nutraceutical formulation that PD patients can take orally,
that do not interfere with PD drugs (no drug nutrient interactions), that will
slow/halt the neurodegenerative process by antagonizing multiple targets
including dopamine (DA) oxidation inhibition of COX, PLA2, LOX, xanthine
oxidase, tyrosinase, , PARP-1 mitochondrial function, alpha-synuclein
aggregation, excitotoxicity , inflammation and and N-methyltransferase.
This topical formula is a safe and effective ointment containing [1] antimicrobial: anti-parasitic, anti-bacterial, anti-protozoal, anti-fungal and
anti-viral properties [2] dermal anti-inflammatory agents: antagonizing local
dermal eicosanoids and prostaglandins [3] cutaneous vasodilators that
inhibit thromboxanes, and increase local endothelial nitric oxide to increase
blood flow to the area of injury [4] aloe vera gel as a base in order to
promote rapid healing of damaged or lost skin tissue and [5] compounds
that destroy or remove dead skin, which appear to correlate with rapid
healing : including Garlic.
The components of formula described in US patent number 7357950
are augmented by a nutraceutical pack that aids in system health to the
skin. This invention provides an inside /outside approach to treatment of
chronic skin conditions.
This invention has the potential to be a more effective and affordable
treatment for the 34 million people living with HIV worldwide, thereby
impacting the number of people who subsequently die from AIDS (stage 3
HIV).
This invention has the potential to prevent/treat other estrogen related
disorders, including osteoporosis, menopause, endometrial cancer, premenstrual syndrome, and Alzheimer’s disease.
COVER STORY
NAME & PATENT6
INVENTION DESCRIPTION6
CURRENT MARKET PROBLEM6
Seth Ablordeppey
“3-Subsituted Quinolinium and
7H-Indolo Quinolinium Salts as New
Anti-infectives”
(#8288410)
Developed a new anti-infective agent to inhibit
the spread of disease causing bacteria that have
become resistant to traditional antibiotics like
penicillin.
Currently, there is growing concern about an antibiotic
resistant strain of staph infections (known as MRSA) that
makes clinical treatment difficult in communities, thereby
causing infections to spread and become life threatening.
“Antifungal and Antiparisitic
Indoloquinoline Derivates”
(#8158646)
Extensively modified the drug Cryptolepine
(which is derived from a plant native to Ghana)
to treat infections commonly found in HIV/AIDS,
chemotherapy, and organ transplant patients.
Opportunistic infections (OI)—which attack weakened
immune systems in sick patients—have become increasingly
problematic in the United States. There are few effective drugs
on the market to treat new and emerging OIs.
“Haloperidol Analogs”
(#7700587)
Developed a new method for treating mental
health patients suffering from psychosis by
altering the chemical structure of Haloperidol—
the drug of choice for schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness affecting 2.4 million
American adults over the age of 18. There is a continuing need
for medication that produces fewer side effects while treating
the psychotic symptoms of this illness and others like it.
Developed a new mycoherbicide to control
Congongrass--one of top 10 worst weeds in
the world. It is toxic to the environment with
significant impact to many natural ecosystems.
Congongrass infests nearly 500 million acres of agricultural
land worldwide. In Florida, the weed is ineffectively controlled by
herbicides at an annual cost of nearly $20 million.
James Muchovej, et al.
“Mycoherbicide for Controlling
Congongrass” (#8278248)
Nazarius Lamango
“Inhibitors of Polyisoprenylated
Methylated Protein Methyl Esterase”
(#8097722)
“Cancer Diagnosis by Measuring
Polyisprenylate Methylated Protein
Methyl Esterase Activity”
(#8053207)
Jiang Lu
“Muscadine Grape Plant Named
Majesty”
(#PP21,965P3)
Evan Anderson, et al.
“A Baby Bottle Holder”
(#WO/2010/129377)
Developed a therapeutic method that can be used
to diagnose and treat various types of cancers
and neuropsychiatric disorders.
Developed a potential first-line diagnostic test and
treatment for triple negative breast cancer.
It is estimated that there will be approximately 40,000 deaths
from breast in the United States in 2013. Triple-negative
breast cancer accounts for 15% of all breast cancer cases
and has a high potential of relapse 3-5 years after remission.
Developed a new large fruited variety of
Muscadine grape. Named Majesty, its unique for
its rich taste, high fruit yield, and size—it nearly
measures three to four times larger than any
Muscadine grape on the market.
Majesty is a reddish-black skinned berry that is highly disease
resistant with a very low fruit rot. Fruit rotting diseases reduce
yields and make berries unmarketable for either wine or fresh
sales.
Invented a holster for a baby bottle that
includes music and multimedia communications
components including a voice recorder, image
display, and night light.
New mothers who choose to bottle feed their baby enjoy the
flexibility of not having to schedule work or other obligations
around an infant’s feeding schedule.
OGHENEKOME ONOKPISE 4
Developed a new mycoherbicide to
control Congongrass.
POTENTIAL MARKET SOLUTION6
This invention has the potential to eliminate the “super bug” MRSA
before it evolves into a deadly disease capable of destroying large human
populations (like the Bubonic plague did during the Middle Ages).
This invention has a high potency for a wide spectrum of infections and
fewer side effects than current drugs on the market. The modified drug
can also be used to combat malaria in Central and Western Africa, where
90% of the 1 million annual deaths from the disease occur.
This invention has the potential to provide a more effective anti-psychotic
medication with long-lasting therapeutic attributes and fewer side effects.
This improvement will minimize relapse, reduce hospitalizations, and give
patients a greater opportunity to undergo counseling.
This invention has the potential to provide a more cost-effective solution
for controlling and managing an invasive weed that destroys crops in the
southeastern United States (AL, FL, GA) and worldwide.
Since early detection improves the survival rate of cancer patients, there is
a market for additional diagnostic tools and related therapies.
Majesty’s size and high fruit yield contributes to the Muscadine’s
reputation for being a great source and supply for antioxidant, anti-infammatory, and anti-cancer health benefits.
The multimedia components of this invention have the potential to keep a
mother more intimately involved during feedings while away from the baby.
The bottle holder also occupies a baby enough to give any caregiver time
to attend to their immediate needs.
Hands
of a
Future
Surgeon
FRESHMAN EXCELS AFTER
INVENTING SURGICAL TECHNIQUE
BY [ Ahjah ROBERT ]
TONY D. HANSBERRY is not your average college freshman. Perceived
as a child prodigy after developing an innovative suture method that
decreases hospital stays and increases efficiency during operations for
hysterectomies, the then 14-year-old said he just wanted to bring a prize
back home from the science fair.
“People think I’m a genius,” Hansberry said. “It’s not
that at all; I just like medicine.”
Hansberry, a freshman bio-medical engineering
student at Florida A&M University, said after not winning
in the science fair in the eighth grade, he teamed up
with an administrator at Shands Hospital to create the
innovative surgical tool for procedures.
Hansberry discovered the method by using two laparoscopic tools to create a new stitching technique after
diligent research and practice on mannequins.
The research was done at the Center for Simulation
Education and Safety Research (CSESaR) Jacksonville,
Fla., where Hansberry volunteered after being selected
from his class by his teacher. Hansberry was determined
to perfect the technique, and he worked alongside his
then mentor, Bruce Nappi.
Nappi said when Hansberry took on the project, he
worked until he received a final outcome and that the
amount of focus he had was very rare for a 14-yearold. Nappi added the amount of intellectual maturity
Hansberry possessed for his age was unheard of.
“Tony was focused, mechanically skilled, creative and
intellectual for a 14-year-old, and he was exceptional in
interaction.”
Nappi said Hansberry did his presentation alongside
doctors and talked to surgeons and the press at a
mature and professional level that was well beyond his
years. Nappi said he knew Hansberry would excel in any
field in science and in the laparoscopic field.
Hansberry has continued his education in the field
that caught his interest early on as a youth. When Tony
was a child, Hansberry’s father, Elder Tony Hansberry,
said he and twin brother, Tyler Hansberry, were typical
and respectable kids who were easy to raise and loved
by parents and extended family. Elder Hansberry said his
sons enjoyed playing basketball like any other young boys
would, and they played on a Christian basketball league
called Upward.
The 18-year-old Hansberry is no stranger to the hills
of FAMU. Born in Tallahassee and raised in Jacksonville,
Fla., Hansberry considers FAMU to be home.
Both Hansberry’s mother and father attended college
in Tallahassee, Fla. Hansberry’s mother is a Florida State
University alumna, and his father is a FAMU alumnus.
Like their father, the twin brothers have the Rattler
leadership venom in their veins. Elder Hansberry was in
the Marching “100” for two years, and he was the King
of Orange and Green. He also pledged Kappa Kappa Psi
during his sophomore year and finally became involved
in student government during his junior and senior year
at FAMU. Elder Hansberry said despite his exceptional
background at FAMU he had little influence on Tony or
Tyler attending FAMU.
“There was influence but no pressure,” Elder
Hansberry said. “I wanted my sons to carry out their own
legacy, not walk in my footsteps.”
Tony and Tyler Hansberry are both freshmen senators
in Student Government Association. Tony, like other
first-time students, said he continues to learn how to
balance school and extracurricular activities while he
maintains his good grades.
“Make sure you know the priorities of school before
you join any organization,” said Hansberry, who is also
a member of the Green Coalition at FAMU. Being a full
time student and freshman class senator requires a lot
of time and networking, but Hansberry said he knows it is
something he can master. He was torn about changing
his major from bio-medical engineering to chemistry,
but he now finds comfort in knowing that he has a clear
definition of what he wants to pursue for the longevity of
his career – a trauma surgeon.
“I decided to go with chemistry,” he said.
Hansberry acknowledges that this career path
requires dedication and plenty of studying and long nights,
but he has the drive and will to get there.
“I don’t know how I’m going to get there. I just know I
will,” Hansberry said.
Overseeing the collection is the Kinseys’ son,
Kalil, who inspired his parents to initially build the
collection.
“I’m proud of these two,” a tearful Kalil Kinsey
said of his parents. “It’s an amazing thing to work
with my family everyday.”
Jim MacPhee, senior vice president for Walt
Disney World Parks, said the company is thrilled to
bring the Kinsey Collection to Epcot guests.
“Epcot is such a rich, cultural tapestry that it
serves as the perfect showcase for this powerful
collection with its celebration of the human spirit,”
he said.
BY [ Stephanie LAMBERT ]
Young, Black and Leaning In
Ladies Learning to Lead
Sistas are doing it for themselves!
In today’s market, businesswomen are “leaning in” and making marks in
their respective fields. By taking charge, getting more involved and refusing
to sit back, lady Rattlers — from CEOs to entrepreneurs — are strong,
fearless and competitive as they climb the corporate ladder. These women
not only have a place at the table, they are leading the charge with a vision
and taking the necessary steps to achieve their goals.
Setting New Standard of Beauty
Growing up, EUNICE NUEKIE COFIE was made to feel
she was not beautiful because of her dark complexion and
tightly coiled hair. She was verbally and physically bullied —
with girls pulling her hair.
“I remember crying endlessly as I was being called
names like ‘blackie,’ or ‘nappy head,’” the Tallahassee
native said. Cofie explained her saving grace was her
father’s encouragement that she pursue science. “He
spent countless hours teaching me how to create science
projects. In the first grade, my father helped me to enter
my first school science fair. I won first place in the school
science fair.”
From that moment, Cofie said she began to gain
confidence. “What I understood from that experience was
that I may not have been viewed as the prettiest girl in the
room, but I knew that I could be the smartest girl in the
room. Science had become my oasis and my strength. It
became my love.”
3EUNICE COFIE
turned her painful childhood memories
into a profitable cosmetic line.
That love led Cofie, who in 2004 earned her chemistry
and molecular biology degree from FAMU, to create her
own cosmetic line, “Nuekie.”
“One day while in my organic chemistry lab class, my
eyes were opened to the realization that the cosmetic
industry lacked effective treatment products that took into
account the unique structure and function of ethnic skin
and hair,” she said.
When her professor wanted the students to
understand how to apply organic chemistry to their
everyday lives, Cofie said she was bitten by the creative
bug.
“I began working alongside my professor outside
of class learning as much as I could about cosmetic
science.”
Her company provides quality dermatological products
for ethnic groups, which include: African, African-American, Hispanic, Asian, Middle Easterner, Native American
and Pacific Islander customers. Cofie said she wants her
company to be known as the global leader in ethnic skin
care.
Some of the products include Nuekie Moisture Therapy
Crème and the Nuekie Pre-Cleanser. The moisture
therapy crème contains active ingredients that help to
4
YOUNG, BLACK AND LEANING IN!
Not Afraid to Succeed
retain moisture in the skin. The pre-cleanser helps
decongest the skin and removes debris, sebum and
make-up.
The company has enabled Cofie to be active in her
community, where she encourages minorities and
women to pursue careers in science, technology,
engineering and math (STEM). She has been featured in
“To Get Her There,” a Girl Scout of America-sponsored
mini-documentary that encourages young women to
pursue STEM careers and entrepreneurship.
“Our company is initiating an internship program that
will give college students an opportunity to learn about
the opportunities in STEM,” the scholar said.
Her deep commitment to worldwide social causes
has helped her make a positive impact across the globe,
specifically in Ghana and the Philippines. While in college,
Cofie spent her summers working in a village community
in Ghana, West Africa implementing the “Save a Million
Lives HIV/AIDS Education and Prevention Program.”
As the former Miss Black Florida USA, Cofie also
spent a year promoting her platform “Preventing
Childhood Obesity and Diabetes through Education and
Life Transforming Habits.”
In addition, Cofie is president of Enspiring Concepts,
LLC, a life-empowerment firm, which seeks to inspire
others to be their best and to follow their destiny. She
is the founder and executive producer of the annual
“Moving Closer to My Dreams: A Young Women’s
Empowerment Conference” designed to empower young
professional women to realize their dreams.
Cofie says the key to her success is her willingness
to face her fears and not being afraid of failure. Her
tenacious approach has afforded her numerous recognitions. She was named by Forbes magazine as one of the
“20 Youngest Power Women in Africa” and lauded as
a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.
She was also featured in Scientific American as “What a
Scientist Looks Like” and has been highlighted as “Profile
of the Week” on the STEMinist Website. The Governor
of Florida and the Florida Commission on the Status
of Women honored Cofie with the prestigious Florida
Achievement Award for her commitment to improving
the lives of women and families in her community.
Cofie was also named by the Tallahassee Democrat
newspaper as one of the “25 Women You Need to
Know in Tallahassee.”
VALORIE BURTON could have easily pursued the
corporate public relations world after earning her master’s
in journalism from FAMU – but she chose to sacrifice
earning a large salary for her dream and purpose. Burton,
a best selling author, life coach and motivational speaker,
is president of Inspire Inc. and CaPP – the Coaching and
Positive Psychology Institute.
“I didn’t always have others to help me and work with
me,” she said. “For many years, it was me working from
home, alone. It was all worth it to know that I am on my path.
There are a lot of sacrifices. That’s why a lot of people don’t
go for their dream in their heart. They may be too afraid.”
Burton has served as a certified personal and executive
coach to hundreds of clients in more than 40 states and
10 countries. For more than a decade, Burton’s books,
speaking engagements and coaching resources have helped
people improve their lives.
“I had an epiphany in 1999 that I was supposed to be
inspiring others and I was supposed to do it through writing
and speaking,” she explained.
She has written eight books, including: Successful
Women Think Differently, Your 5-Minute Personal Coach,
and What’s Really Holding You Back? Her book, Why
Not You?, was named one of the “Top 25 Must-Read
Success Books” by Success Magazine. Her books have
been translated into three languages and sold hundreds of
thousands of copies worldwide.
“I was always a writer at heart,” said Burton, who has
a master’s degree in applied positive psychology from the
University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s in international
affairs from Florida State University. “After graduating from
FAMU, I started my own public relations firm. I was good at
it, but I was never really passionate about it. I began to pray
about it. It was really clear. A few weeks later, I began writing
my own book. I have been writing and speaking ever sense.”
Born into an Air Force family in Panama City, Fla., and
raised in Aurora, Colo., Burton says she was given the gift
of gab. Her close-knit family has believed in her from the
beginning and continues to be proud of her ever-growing
success.
“My parents would say I was very inquisitive,” she said of
her childhood. “I read a lot. I loved to write. I talked a lot my
mother says, which is not surprising that I now talk for a
living. My family is very supportive today.”
Burton has appeared as a guest on the “Today Show, “Dr.
Oz,” CNN, HLN and hundreds of other radio and television
LIFE COACH/AUTHOR VALORIE BURTON 4
chose to follow her purpose and
found success along the way.
shows. She has also co-hosted two national television
programs, “The Potter’s Touch” with T.D. Jakes and
“Aspiring Women,” which won two regional Emmy
nominations.
“My parents have always told me that I was going
to do something that was meaningful,” she recalled.
“Since I was a kid, they told me my grandfather was
very insistent about that. I believe that we can speak
blessings over our children. My parents and grandparents did that for me.”
She has written for Oprah Magazine, Essence, Ebony,
Woman’s Day and many more. As a speaker, she has inspired
audiences for GE, McDonald’s, Goldman Sachs, State
Farm, Accenture, General Mills, FDIC, Deloitte,
U.S. Army National Guard, NASA, Wells
Fargo and BlueCross BlueShield, among
others.
“The best professional advice I
ever received was from a friend who
told me do what you love and the
rewards will come. It seemed to be
too good to be true at the time,
but now I know it’s true. It may
not always be the reward you
think, but there is a satisfaction
and a peace in knowing that you
are living your life on purpose
and that you are accomplishing
the mission you were created
for.”
Hollywood Swinging
N.D. BROWN understands that “to whom much
is given, much is required.” Serving as the CEO of Tri
Destined Studios in Hollywood, Calif., Brown oversees
business and legal affairs, corporate structure and
strategic planning, and green-light projects for the film
company and its subsidiaries.
“Each work day is filled with new challenges and
problem solving, but at Tri Destined Studios, our mantra
is team work makes the dream work,” said Brown, a Warrensville, Ohio native. “Great
leadership is not only about
having power, it’s about
empowering your team to be
the best they can be also.”
Tri Destined Media
Enterprises, Inc. was
founded in 1998 to provide
world-class film, video and
television production that
empowers, entertains and
inspires urban and modern
America. Tri Destined
Studios, a subsidiary of
TDME, is comprised of: Tri
Destined Films, Tri Destined
Television, Tri Destined
Independent and Tri Destined
V.I.P. Since its inception,
the company has produced
more than 100 multi-media
projects.
“I started my company
because I wanted to create
5MEDIA MOGUL N.D. BROWN
urban entertainment that
creates inspirational urban entertainment
through her company TriDestined Studios.
empowers, entertains
and inspires our youth
and community, as well as
provide unique employment
opportunities to minorities and women who are often
underrepresented in the entertainment industry,” Brown
said. “I also want to expose this same talent to an awaiting
global audience.”
Some of the company’s projects include: “Note To
Self,” starring Christian Keyes, Richard T. Jones, LeToya
Luckett and Brian McKnight; BET Network’s “He’s Mine
Not Yours,” starring Jason Weaver and Wendy Raquel
Robison; The Rom Com “Perfect Combination,” starring
Christian Keyes and Angel Conwell; the filmed stage
plays: “Lord All Men Can’t Be Dogs,” starring Vivica A.
Fox, “Suddenly Single,” starring Garcelle Beauvais and
Isaiah Washington and “She’s Still Not My Sister,” which
broke network ratings and became The GMC Network’s
premiere television series. The play starred Jackee Harry,
Kellita Smith and Clifton Powell.
Brown and co-founder Trey Haley named their
company Tri Destined because they wanted a name to
represent their Christian foundation.
“Tri stands for the Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy
Ghost and destined acknowledges that God has already
destined our victory in this industry and beyond,” she said,
adding that if her life were a movie, it would be a faith
based-romantic comedy.
When afforded down time, Brown practices yoga five
times a week, reads books and watches movies. She also
serves on the board of several organizations, including
“Diamond In The Raw,” a foundation that teaches young
girls the skills needed to succeed in life and in the industry.
Brown said attending FAMU was one of the best
decisions she ever made. Several FAMU alumni are
partners and executives at Tri Destined, including the
company’s president of film Gregory Anderson, and vice
president Veronica Nichols.
“Not only did I learn the essential business skills
needed to excel in corporate America from our renowned
School of Business and Industry, but I also discovered
the importance of sisterhood, community service and
social activism from my sorority Delta Sigma Theta, which
propelled me to be the conscious woman I am today. It’s
nice to be able to work with people who are more than
coworkers and who I truly consider FAMU-ly.”
Southern Girl Desserts tickles
L.A.’s sweet tooth
Southern hospitality never tasted so sweet!
FAMU alumna CATARAH HAMPSHIRE has always
been interested in baking and desserts. It was not until
she moved to California in 2005 and could not find her
favorites in the city that she decided to make a career in
the dessert industry.
“If I did find them, it was not like home,” said the Green
Cove Springs, Fla. native. “In addition, the customer
service from many businesses I would encounter did not
give me that southern hospitality I was use to.”
Hampshire partnered with FAMU alumna SHONEJI
ROBISON, whose roots are also in Florida, to open
“Southern Girl Desserts” in Los Angeles.
“Rattlers stick together out here,” said Robison, who
earned her degree in history and geography.
“Going into the dessert business just kept
coming to me over and over and I finally
realized that God was telling me what I was
called to do.”
The two combined their family and
personal recipes and haven’t looked back.
As a team, the first step Hampshire and
Robison took was renaming their desserts.
Each dessert has a story and is named
in honor of a family member or popular
Southern term.
“My family has been very supportive and
has even come out to visit and assist with
the store,” said Hampshire, who earned
her bachelor’s degree in 2002 in public
relations. “They couldn’t be more proud of
Shoneji and me, and I am so grateful to have
them.”
A major turning point for the young
entrepreneurs was receiving a call from
two-time Oscar-winner Denzel Washington,
who placed an order.
“[Washington’s] wife, Pauletta is also a
huge supporter and their family has been a
blessing to our business,” Hampshire said. “I
have yet to meet Mr. Washington, but he is
a frequent customer.”
Since then, other notable customers
have turned to the duo for their Southern-inspired treats. The star-studded list includes:
music legend Stevie Wonder, singer Mariah
Carey, actress Reagan Gomez Preston, NFL
standout Chad Johnson, entertainer Nick
Cannon, actress Kimberly Elise and actorauthor Hill Harper.
Hampshire said L.A.-based FAMUans
have also been supportive of their business
and she would not expect anything less.
The two businesswomen have become
great friends over the years, and their
partnership has become a sweet recipe for
success.
“Catarah is full of wonderful ideas and
she is always super excited,” Robison said. “I
am very laid back, so we balance each other
out. We respect each other and the roles
we play in our business. Although we may
not always agree, we both have a very clear
vision of what we want for Southern Girl
Desserts.”
In 2010, the company was featured
on the Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars.”
During the episode, they competed to
provide 1,000 cupcakes for the George
Lopez Foundation Golf Tournament. Their
bacon and maple cupcake was born out
of the episode. That same year, they were
featured on Home and Garden Television
when their bakery was remolded. Later in
2011, the Food Network called “Southern
Girl Desserts” again to be apart of the 2011
season of “Cupcake Wars,” where viewers
watched them compete for a second try at
$10,000. The dessert divas competed for
the big prize again in 2013.
This year, Hampshire and Robison
finished wrapping the pilot for a new E!
Network reality show tentatively titled “LA
Sugar.” It will feature four popular dessert
companies in Los Angeles as they tackle
the obstacles and fun of owning a dessert
business in L.A.
Robison, who started cooking when she
was 8-years old, said the first item she
learned to bake was homemade biscuits.
Today, she struggles with resisting indulging
in her favorite dessert, which changes from
day-to-day.
5CATARAH HAMPSHIRE AND SHONEJI ROBISON
combined their family recipes to create the Los
Angeles-based bakery, Southern Girl Desserts.
“The problem is that I really and truly love
everything that we make,” she said with a
laugh. “A little too much.”
Hampshire, who cites the bakery’s sweet
potato cupcake, pecan pie cupcake and
caramel cake as her favorites, has been
cooking since she could reach the stove.
As one of five children, she cooked for her
younger siblings while her parents were at
work.
Robison believes FAMU taught her to
hustle and not give up even when times get
a little tough.
Hampshire said there were many lessons
she learned as a student at FAMU, however,
the most important was networking with
fellow Rattlers to create life-long friendships
that transcend “The Hill.”
“My time at FAMU was life changing,”
Hampshire exclaimed. “Without the support
and concern from my professors, staff and
fellow students, I would be a very different
person today.”
Empowered Upward
5ENTREPRENEUR ARIAN SIMONE
is taking over Hollywood one
movie at a time.
Lifestyle entrepreneur ARIAN SIMONE has a celebrity clientele that
she has promoted through her company, Arian Simone Enterprises.
She provided event planning services for: rapper Lil Wayne’s 25th
Birthday Bash, Pro Bowl wide receiver Braylon Edwards’ Quarter of
the Century Celebration, singer Chris Brown’s MTV Super 18 and
countless others.
“I think it takes faith, persistence, dedication and authenticity to be
successful in any field,” she said. “The keys to being a successful businesswoman include maintaining a respectful reputation. Always being
professional and being a lady is still in style.”
However, with great reward came much sacrifice for the FAMU
alumna.
After graduating with her master’s in business, Simone moved to
Los Angeles with her job. After one month of employment, the company
was sold and she was laid off. She then moved from the apartment she
could no longer afford to her car.
“Never would I have imagined that all this would happen to me!” she
said. “Here I am, full of education, undergraduate school, graduate
school and no job. I applied for more than 150 jobs and no one hired
me. I tried temp agencies, was on welfare and food stamps and had
to check into a shelter. I called my mother one day and told her I didn’t
even see the purpose of living if this is what life was like.”
After much longsuffering, Simone was referred for public relations
and marketing work and later moved into an office space with the help
of a fellow Rattler.
“The office was a blessing,” she said of the space she shared with
a local radio station. “I would wake up every morning and network with
whatever celebrities were at the radio station for the morning show. I
made plenty of contacts.”
Simone then contacted FAMU alumni Will Packer and Rob Hardy of
Rainforest Studios. Her company was provided the opportunity to work
on their movies “Stomp the Yard” and “This Christmas.” Subsequently,
Sony Pictures became a client and she completed marketing for films
including: “Takers,” “Quantum of Solace (James Bond),” “Hancock,”
“Seven Pounds,” “First Sunday,” “Taking of Pelham 123,” and “Sparkle.”
“I don’t think I got that feeling of I have arrived until recently,” she said
with a laugh, “but I did know when I started working with Chris Brown
and Lil Wayne that I hit a high peak in the music industry. When I got a
James Bond movie, I was like this is it!”
Growing up in Detroit, the young Simone was ambitious, adventurous
and creative — words she still uses to describe herself. She is publisher
of Fearless Magazine, a publication for trendsetting women who have
an endless love for urban culture. Simone has also been featured in
a plethora of media publications, including being recognized by Ebony
magazine as one of the “Top 30 Business Leaders under 30.” She has
facilitated various entrepreneurial seminars inspiring youth to pursue
their dreams. Using her life as an example, she serves as founder and
executive director of the non-profit organization, Live Your Dreams
Foundation, which empowers today’s youth to live a fulfilled life.
FAMU salutes alumni who have paved the way
for others in numerous professions such as
academia, law, politics, medicine, business,
entertainment and much more. Their footprints
of achievement have paved the way for other
FAMUans to make their mark on the world.
BY [ Pam TOLSON ]
Below is a listing of alumni who have made it possible for
others to Strike and Strike and Strike Again.
ACADEMICS
Castell V. Bryant
First woman to lead FAMU as
interim president
Col. (Ret.) Wilbert Bryant
First Rattler to serve as
Secretary of Education for the
Commonwealth of Virginia
Alvin Aureliano Davis
First Rattler to be selected as
Florida’s Teacher of the Year
Vyrle Davis
First African-American
appointed principal for St.
Petersburg High School, Fla.
and first African-American
area school superintendent for
Pinellas County Schools, Fla.
Emma Waters Dawson
First African American to
receive a Ph.D. from the
University of South Florida in
English
Helen Dubose
First African-American woman
in the United States to earn a
degree in agriculture
FRED JEROME GAINOUS
First African-American and
longest serving chancellor for
the Alabama College System
Education equals Fred J. Gainous. He is the “first” African American to serve
as chancellor for the Alabama College System, Department of Postsecondary
Education, a position he held for 14 and half years. To date, Gainous is still the
longest serving chancellor.
Gainous is also the “first” African-American assistant commissioner of Education
for the state of Kansas and the “first” African-American director of Education and
Information Center for the state of Florida.
“I was honored to have served as chancellor for the Alabama College System,”
said Gainous. “I worked with some good people in improving higher education. My
only goal was that every student had an opportunity to learn.”
Speaking of learning, lets rewind to 1965. Ganious, a native of Tallahassee,
started his education journey at FAMU. He chose FAMU because he said FAMU
was kind enough to allow me to attend and receive an education.
“FAMU was the only place I could go,” said Gainous. “FAMU gave me an
opportunity that I would otherwise not have.”
Gainous went on to earn his master’s degree in agricultural education, doctor
of education and an education specialist in curriculum and instruction from the
University of Florida. His bachelor of science degree is agricultural education.
Another pivotal career achievement for Gainous was when he served as the
ninth president of FAMU from 2002 to 2005. During Gainous’ presidency at
FAMU, he commenced numerous innovative initiatives during his tenure including
the “Creating One FAMU” campaign.
Gainous, a proud alumnus of FAMU, expressed what makes FAMU so unique.
“FAMU has a way of taking raw material, a raw product, and produce a student
that is capable to compete against other students in the country, anytime and
anywhere.”
Gainous has received several honors. He was recognized by the Tallahassee
Democrat as one of the top three Leaders for 2003; in 2001, the University of
Florida honored him as an Outstanding University Graduate; and Black Issues in
Higher Education recognized him as one of 15 influential state/federal appointees
from across the nation for contributions to equity in higher education. He is
the recipient of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Shirley B. Gordon Award of
Distinction and recipient of the University of Montrevallo (Ala.) Kermit Mathison
Outstanding Junior College Administrator Award.
Having accomplished so much in his career, what are the next steps for
Gainous?
“I am looking forward to retiring and farming,” said Gainous, a proud father of
three daughters and one stepson and even prouder grandfather of 11 grandchildren. Two of his children are graduates of FAMU.
Well deserving for a man that has given so much.
ADVICE TO RATTLERS
It is important for Rattlers to know to not be afraid to learn. Learning is an
individual thing; therefore, one should learn the way that is best for them. They
should always seek to prepare themselves for the unknown.
FEATURE STORY
BUSINESS
Frederick S. Humphries
First African American to obtain
a Ph.D. in physical chemistry
from the University of Pittsburgh
Brittney Newby
First African-American female to
be admitted into the University
of Florida M.D.-Ph.D. Program
Tiffany Butler Quaye
First African American to
graduate with a Ph.D. from the
Department of History at the
University of North Carolina at
Greensboro
Larry O. Rivers
First African-American male to
successfully defend a doctoral
dissertation in Vanderbilt University’s Department of History
William H. Robinson
First African American to earn
promotion and win tenure in the
Vanderbilt University School of
Engineering
Walter L. Smith Sr.
recipient of the
National Education Association’s ApplegateDorros Peace and
International Understanding Award
JOHN HAUGABROOK
John Haugabrook has achieved notable “firsts” during his professional career.
In 1974, he was the first black general manager of Jewel Grand Bazaar, a food
store in Chicago. A year later in 1975, he was named the first black operating vice
president for Jewel Food Stores. He held the position of vice president for 10 of his
20 years at the company. In 1985, Haugabrook became the first black executive
vice president for Jackson Park Hospital in Chicago, a position he held for five years.
“I always felt a great deal of pressure to represent my people well,” Haugabrook
said. “It was a tremendous burden to carry. It wasn’t an easy go, but I had the
wisdom from family and my experience from the Army to succeed.”
Haugabrook, who arrived at FAMU in 1950, completed his freshman year before
being drafted into the Army, where he served a two-year stint in the Korean War.
However, he was determined to return to FAMU, so he did in 1955 and graduated
in 1958.
A native of Coleman, Fla., Haugabrook was the “first” in his family to become a
college graduate. He set a high standard because he had a sister and a brother to
follow his footsteps of graduating from FAMU as well.
According to Haugabrook, his parents did not have the money to send him to
FAMU. Fortunately, G.W. Conley awarded him a $500 scholarship.
FEATURE STORY
T.J. Rose
ENTERTAINMENT
Reginald A.
Montgomery
clown for Ringling Bros.
and Barnum & Bailey
Circus
vice president for Audax
Group (2007-2011)
and ABRY Partners
(2011-Present)
Anika Nona Rose
Disney’s first animated
African-American
princess
HOSPITALITY
John Thompson
Erinn D. Tucker
faculty member hired in
the School of Hospitality
Administration at
Boston University
LAW
First African American
to serve as CEO of
Symantec, a leading
technology company
“That was a lot of money in
1950,” Haugabrook said. “That
is what got me to FAMU and a
part-time job in the agriculture
department.”
On the day he graduated from
FAMU he was offered a full-time
position as an accountant at the
FAMU hospital. Two years later
he was offered the business
manager position.
Haugabrook is a life member
of FAMU’s National Alumni
Association, Indiana University’s
National Alumni Association, the
National Black MBA Association
and the NAACP as a Golden
Heritage Member.
W. George Allen, Esq.
Lynita MitchellBlackwell
to serve as president
of the Georgia Chapter
of the American
Association of AttorneyCPA’s
Judge Joseph W.
Hatchett
COMMUNICATIONS
Cynthia-Val Chapman
female public relations
director for Chicago’s
O’Hare International and
Midway Airports and
the former Meigs Field
Airport, Chicago
to graduate from the
University of Florida’s
Law School
elected to the Florida
Supreme Court
E. Belicia Ayers, Esq.
The youngest, the only
female and the only African
American who is serving
as a judge on the appellate
panel for the South Carolina
Department of Employment
and Workforce
Dr. LaSalle D. LeFall Jr.
Attorney H.T. Smith
First African-American assistant
public defender for Miami-Dade
County (Fla.)
Theodore N. Taylor, Esq.
First lawyer of African American
descent to open a law office in
Plant City, Fla.
Mitzi Miller
First Rattler to serve as editor-inchief for JET Magazine
MEDIA
Pam Oliver
First female Rattler to serve as a
sportscaster for FOX News
Gail Andrews
First African-American president of
the American College of Surgeons
and the first African-American
president of the American Cancer
Society
MEDICINE
Alfreda Blackshear, M.D.
First African-American woman to
open a private medical practice in
Tallahassee
First news reporter with TV
stations at the Capitol, launching
her career as an anchor and
political reporter in Tampa, Orlando
and Tallahassee for CBS NewsNet.
She was the first African-American
communications director for the
Florida Democratic Party, Press
Secretary to the Senate President.
Freddie StebbinsJefferson
woman editorial board
member for The Palm
Beach Post
Kathy Times
First Rattler to serve as
president of the National
Association of Black
Journalists
Monroe Mack, PharmD.
First African-American professional
pharmacist at Tampa General
Hospital and first African American
appointed to the Florida Board of
Pharmacy
Willie L. Bryant, D.D.S.
First member of the North
American Society of Orthodontics
to receive the prestigious Howard/
Peterson Award twice
Makeba S. Earst, D.D.S.
Only African-American female
practitioner in Tallahassee who
operates her own dental practice
Jacquelyn Hartley
First African-American president
of District 5 for the Florida Nurses
Association and first vice president,
co-editor of its newsletter
Robert Hayling, D.D.S.
First African-American dentist in
the state of Florida elected to the
American Dental Association
Spurgeon McWilliams, M.D.
First state consultant to the Florida
Medicaid Program
MILITARY
Major General (Ret.) Eugene
Cromartie, LLD. (Hon.)
First inductee into FAMU’s ROTC
Hall of Fame
FEATURE STORY
Colonel (Ret) Ronald Joe
First civilian to lead the
40-year-old Defense Equal
Opportunity Management
Institute, which he commanded
as a colonel from 1991-1996
Capt. David L. Johnson
commander of Alpha Company,
3-124th Infantry Battalion in
Tallahassee, Fla.
Capt. Brian C. Lucas
FAMU’s first wartime military
spokesman (Iraq War, 2004)
SHIRLEY TAYLOR
Florida A&M University alumna Shirley Taylor, truly personifies
being a “first.”
Taylor was the first female and African American to serve as the
physical security officer in charge of the Underground Pentagon.
During the George H. W. Bush administration, Taylor was in
charge of more than 200 physical security military police soldiers
who provided security for the Pentagon (Site R alternate military
command). She served as a military police company commander
and executive officer with a Top Secret Clearance. In total, she
served 13 years in the military with six years of active duty and
seven years of active and inactive reserve service, before being
honorably discharged.
In Taylor’s current position, she is the first African American to
serve as the senior director and chief security officer for CareFusion
Corporation, a leading global medical technology company.
In the January/February 2013 issue of ASIS International
Dynamics, a feature article titled “ACIS Women in Security Spotlight”
highlights Taylor’s accomplishments and achievements. She is first
African-American female to be featured in this publication.
Taylor was commissioned in the U.S. Army as a military police
officer at FAMU, where she achieved the rank of captain. Taylor, who
was an ROTC cadet in the Rattler Battalion program, said FAMU
played a significant role in advancing her military career.
“The ROTC program prepares us for the truth about how to be
successful,” Taylor said. “It was a great launching pad for where
preparation meets opportunities.”
Originally from Hartford, Conn., Taylor graduated with honors
(cum laude) with a degree in criminal justice. She also completed
the Security Executive Program from The Wharton School of the
University of Pennsylvania. She currently sits on several executive
security councils.
She resides in San Diego and Chicago and has one son who is a
practicing attorney in New York City.
ADVICE FOR CURRENT RATTLERS
Take advantage of the moment you have. Make good grades,
which will be the platform for your success. Never let anyone define
or put a label on you. Make every interaction a positive experience.
MUSIC
POLITICS
Samuel A. Floyd Jr.
First to organize and direct a comprehensive research center at an institution
of higher learning (Columbia CollegeChicago)
Ruby Bullard
Elected as one of the first
African-American city councilwomen in West Palm Beach,
Fla.
Gwendolyn Cherry
First African-American woman
elected to the Florida House
of Representatives and Dade
County’s first black female
attorney
William P. Foster
“The Law” and “The Maestro” was the creator of
the world-renowned Marching “100.” He is credited
with revolutionizing marching band techniques and
reshaping the world’s concept of the collegiate
marching band. Foster brought more than 30 new
techniques to the band that have now become
standard operating procedure for high school and
college bands nationwide. Under Foster’s leadership,
FAMU was awarded the Sudler Trophy, the highest
honor a collegiate marching band can receive. The
Marching “100” is the first and only historically black
college or university to receive this honor.
Elliot Seagraves
First Caucasian to join the Marching
“100”
Norma White
First female student to march in the
Marching “100”
Robert B. Donaldson
First African American in
the County of Cook, Illinois,
to be appointed to the Public
Building Commission of
Chicago
Andrew Gillum
At the age of 23, the youngest
person elected to the
Tallahassee City Commission
Addie Greene
First African-American mayor
of Mangonia Park, Fla.
Alcee L. Hastings
First African-American federal
judge in the state of Florida
who served in that position for
10 years
Sen. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa,
became the first African-American
woman to ever serve as the Senate
Democratic leader for the Florida
Legislature. Joyner, who will serve for
the 2014-2016 legislative term, will be
the second woman to ever serve in this
position.
An attorney, Joyner was first
elected to the Senate in 2006, and
served as minority leader pro tempore
in the 2010-2012 legislative term.
She also served in the Florida House
of Representatives from 2000-2006.
Throughout her decades of public
service, Joyner has been internationally recognized as a tireless advocate
for human and civil rights, including a
1995 appointment by President Bill
Clinton as a member of the United
States Delegation for the United
Nations 4th World Conference on
Women held in Beijing, China. She
has also received numerous awards
and recognitions for her work as an
attorney and lawmaker.
Joyner received her undergraduate
and law degrees from FAMU. She has
been practicing law longer than any
black female attorney in the history of
Florida.
“My seven years of study at Florida
A&M University shaped me and
directed my career path to public
service, including my election to the
Senate, and, ultimately, my selection
as Democratic leader designate for
2014-2016,” she said. “Growing up
in a period of emerging civil rights
activism, I was aware of the critical
importance of engaging in the political
process as a means of achieving
equality and opportunity for everyone.
The values I developed at FAMU, and
the lessons I learned, have stayed with
me over the years, guiding my work on
behalf of the communities I represent
and issues for which I continue to
advocate.”
FEATURE STORY
SEN. ARTHENIA JOYNER
Joe Lang Kershaw Sr.
legislator in the state of
Florida after the Reconstruction Era, he was elected in
November 1968 to serve in
the Florida House of Representatives for Dade County
Maude Ford Lee
First African-American county
commissioner for Palm Beach
County, Fla.
Henry Lewis III
elected to the Leon County
Board of County Commissioners in Tallahassee
Eva Williams-Mack
Florida’s first African-American mayor (City of West Palm
Beach, Fla.)
Congresswoman
Carrie Meek
elected to U.S. Congress from
Florida since the Reconstruction Era and the first AfricanAmerican female elected to
the Florida State Senate
Jesse J. McCrary, Jr.
secretary of state for Florida
since Reconstruction
MARCUS KNIGHT
Advice for Current Rattlers
First and foremost, students
should appreciate the opportunities at FAMU. Students need
to really take advantage of what
FAMU has to offer. FAMU will
prepare them to enter into the
workforce and be able to add
value to their organization or
company. Rattlers should make
sure they make a difference
every day and seek out how to be
of service to their communities.
They should want to be more
engaged in the community.
When alumnus Marcus Knight was elected
at age 33, as the first African-American mayor
of Lancaster, Texas in 2008 he was elated.
Knight grew up in Dallas, Texas and moved
to Lancaster in 2000.
“It is an honor,” Knight said about being a
first. “It has always been about performance. It
has been a privilege to serve in this capacity.”
Knight is following in the footsteps of his
father, Richard Knight Jr., who was appointed
Dallas’ first black city manager more than 22
years ago.
Although Knight did not plan to have a
career in politics, after moving to Lancaster
Knight served on several boards and
commissions in the city. This prepared him to
run for mayor twice. He was later re-elected in
2012 for his second term. He was a member
of the Lancaster Economic Development
Corporation Board, Planning and Zoning
Commission and Charter Review committee.
Knight, a 1996 honor graduate of the
FAMU School of Business & Industry, began
his professional career at Toyota Motor Sales
USA after graduation. He eventually joined his
family’s business, Knight Waste Services, Ltd.,
which is a residential waste hauling company.
Knight said since his first visit to the
campus, he knew he wanted to study business
at FAMU.
Knight maintained FAMU prepared him
to lead Lancaster, which has a population of
37,000.
“The university prepared me to embrace
and navigate public service, how to network
and how to achieve positive outcomes,” Knight
said. “For years, FAMU has encouraged
students to be involved in organizations and the
community. FAMU prepared me for my career
today.”
Knight’s wife, Tengemana, is also a graduate
of FAMU with a bachelor’s and master’s
degree. The couple has three children — a son,
13, and two daughters, ages 10 and 6.
With a slight assertiveness in his voice,
Knight said, “My wife and I have are talking to
our children now about attending FAMU.”
Daryl Parks, Esq.
SPORTS
Alonzo Smith “Jake” Gaither
First and only FAMU football coach
with the record for all-time leading
wins for FAMU football (203-36-4)
Willie (The Wisp) Galimore
Most rushing yards for FAMU
football team (FAMU) (3,592)
Holds the single game record of
295 yards in one game (FAMU)
First student body president at FAMU
elected for two consecutive terms
Althea Gibson
Judge Edward Rogers
First African-American assistant state
attorney and one of the first black
judges in Palm Beach County, Fla.
Melanie Roussell
First African-American woman to win
championships at Grand Slam tennis
tournaments such as Wimbledon, the
French Open and the United States
Open
First FAMU graduate to serve as
national press secretary for the
Democratic National Convention
C. Bette Winbish
First African-American city council
member in St. Petersburg, Fla
Ozzie Youngblood
First African-American city council
person for Delray Beach, Fla.
Robert Lee “Bullet Bob” Hayes
The only person to win both an
Olympic gold medal and a Super
Bowl ring
Tommy L. Mitchell Sr.
First Rattler to tour with the Harlem
Globetrotters
ANDRE DAWSON
Andre “The Hawk” Dawson, a
Miami native, knew as a child he
wanted to play baseball. However,
his mother and grandmother
wanted him to go to college to get
an education. His grandmother
told him that an education was a
stepping stone to his future.
All of their dreams came true.
When Dawson arrived at FAMU,
he tried out for the baseball team
and started playing as a freshman.
“FAMU gave me an opportunity;
it was a stepping stone,” said
Dawson. “ I was drafted at the end
of my junior year. It was a blessing
I had been waiting for because my
childhood dream was to play professional baseball.”
Several doors of opportunities seem to open for Dawson
throughout his career.
Dawson had a stellar collegiate
career at FAMU, where he played
under legendary Coach Costa “Pop”
Kittles from 1973 to 1975. He
was drafted by the Montreal Expos
his junior year and went on to the
majors to make his mark on the
league.
After the Montreal Expos,
Dawson, as a walk on, played with
the Chicago Cubs and earned the
National Baseball League MVP in
1987, while being on the last place
team. To date, Dawson is the only
player to hold this honor in Major
Baseball League.
He was not paraded into Chicago.
He had to take a major risk in order
to convince Chicago to allow him to
play for them. Dawson showed up
at the Chicago Cubs training camp
and offered to sign a blank contract.
He would not be denied as he had
his most productive season that
year and was signed to an extension
with the Cubs.
That blank contract was full of
promise.
Let’s fast ball forward to July 25,
2010. That day, Dawson was one of
three enshrinees into the National
Baseball Hall of Fame. He is the
“first” Rattler to be inducted into the
Hall of Fame. He ended his career
officially with 438 home runs.
Dawson is a man that holds
his family close to his heart. His
mother, who passed away in 2006,
assured him it was inevitable that he
would make it into The Hall.
During his acceptance speech at
the Hall of Fame ceremony, Dawson
expressed that his mother was why
he was being inducted.
“More than anyone else, or
anything else, this is for my mom,”
Dawson said. “She raised her family
and taught her kids right from
wrong.”
Making the Hall of Fame was not
the original goal of Dawson when he
began playing baseball, but he said
it was a testament of what could
result from hard work.
“I never tried to perform to the
expectations of others,” Dawson
said. “I never played the game
with the attitude to make the Hall
of Fame. My career has come full
circle. God saw to it.”
Dawson still has baseball flowing
through his blood. Currently, he
is the special assistant to the
president for the Florida Marlins.
ADVICE TO RATTLERS
You should follow your dreams and
believe in your ability. Everyone has a
special gift of talent. You just have to
find out where that gift is and believe
in yourself. Once you do that, set
goals and work in that direction.
BY [ Karl ETTERS ]
SPECIAL TO A&M MAGAZINE
[
FAMU STUDENT
OVERCOMES
CHALLENGES
On Friday afternoon, ALYSSA CRAWFORD was doing her hair. She did not
have much time to talk on the phone because she had a World AIDS Day
kickoff banquet she was going to later that evening to show her support.
L
ater, Crawford, wearing
a string of pearls and a
red dress, sat quietly, giggling with
a friend while health professionals
talked about trends in HIV and AIDS.
For Crawford, however, this is no
laughing matter.
She has lived every day of her life
with HIV – something she has known
about since she was 10 years old.
The stigma and discrimination
against individuals with AIDS can be
crippling, but the junior attendant
on the Florida A&M University Royal
Court has learned to embrace who
she is, dwelling on helping others and
community outreach.
However, life was not always that
easy for Crawford.
“The struggle is no longer there,”
Crawford said. “It’s not the same at
least.”
When she was born to a drugaddicted mother in 1992, HIV was
a relatively new, misunderstood virus
that doctors scrambled to curb. Her
life expectancy was only five years,
but she found solace in the strength
of her grandparents, whom she calls
Mom and Dad.
Crawford, a junior pre-nursing
student, reminisced about her
childhood. She was a normal kid
with lots of friends and enjoyed the
nuances of life that come with being
a kid.
“Taking medications, being sick,
hospital beds – that was a way of
life to me,” Crawford said of her
childhood. “I didn’t really think too
much of it because it’s not like that
was my whole life. It didn’t captivate
my life.”
Her father, an immigrant from
Barbados, was a subscriber to old
ways. He refused to admit sickness
and often told her to eat more fruits
and vegetables and “keep it moving.”
She struggled in middle school,
wading through the negative words
of her classmates about HIV without
saying a word about her status. She
did tell a friend. Emotions welled up,
and she felt it was the time to tell
someone. That friend told another
friend, and Crawford was welcomed
with open arms.
The barrier of always knowing
that she was HIV-positive weighed
on her when she was a teen. She
remembers those years with a
feeling of dread – waking up and
having to take thumb-sized pills and
nine scoops of powdered medicine
daily, forcing herself to eat and not
being able to sleep in when she was
feeling her worst.
“It wasn’t a walk in the park,”
Crawford said.
Her daily routine of medicine and
fatigue was not the worst part. The
psychological toll of adolescence and
HIV forced her into good days and
bad days. For her as a young woman,
the worst days included thoughts
of dating and boys, which welled up
lingering feelings in the back of her
head, and she was constantly left
with the question of whether she
would be accepted.
The one thing that she continued 4
‘‘
SPECIAL TO THE A&M MAGAZINE
‘
‘
Get tested. Watch
what you say. HIV
is something you
don’t need to waste
your fear on. It’s
something to be
understood.
to hinge her feelings on was: “You
know who I am, but you don’t really
know fully who I am. And if you found
out, what would be the repercussions?”
Crawford went through high
school without disclosing her status
to anyone.
Her defining point came in her
sophomore year of college after
she attended a camp in Texas for
children with HIV. She had gone
through the same program, Camp
Hope, when she was younger. Then,
the chance to get away and attend a
gathering of people experiencing the
same inner, health and social turmoil
without being judged gave her a
sense of place.
After giving back, returning and
serving as a counselor in 2010, she
decided to disclose her status at the
same time she was running for junior
attendant because she felt she could
make a difference and give the HIV
community a voice at FAMU.
“I accepted myself and decided to
go public,” Crawford said. “I didn’t run
for a facial image. I ran for a totally
different thing. I know I’m not the
traditional person on the court, and
I appreciate my peers for voting me
in.”
She went public through her poem
“My Status” at an event on campus.
Tiara Glover was Crawford’s
roommate in Truth Hall when they
were both freshmen. The junior
English education student from
Orlando remembers when Crawford
revealed her story.
“When she came out, she basically
just came out,” Glover said. “There
was no prior discussions.”
Glover said there were discussions
about HIV, and Crawford educated
her and several other friends about
the subject without them knowing
her status.
“She didn’t really talk about it,”
Glover said.
Glover added that when she did
find out, her friendship with Crawford
became much stronger.
Crawford works as a peer
advocate for the Minority Alliance for
Advocating Community Awareness
and Action (MAACA) at Bond
Community Health Clinic, and she
is the president of the Respect
Yourself, Check Yourself, Protect
Yourself Movement.
Glover and several other friends
work with the group, trying to
bring awareness to FAMU and the
community. One message always
in mind is that HIV does not have a
face.
“You don’t know who has it,”
Crawford said. “Get tested. Watch
what you say. HIV is something you
don’t need to waste your fear on. It’s
something to be understood.”
Crawford’s boss, Sylvia Hubbard,
who serves as the executive
director of MAACA, said Crawford’s
enthusiasm and motivation for the
work she does makes her a strong
voice in the health community. She
said in outreach efforts aimed at
HIV awareness, Crawford’s public
perspective and age helps to convey
the message of education to younger
people.
“She is good at that,” Hubbard
said.
After graduating, Crawford said
she would like to become an advanced
registered nurse practitioner.
Hubbard said Crawford is “a living
testimony” to the success of living
with HIV.
In Florida in 2010, 97,978 people
reported living with HIV, 49 percent
of them African American.
The latest available data for
gender demographics is 2006, when
41 percent of African Americans
with HIV were women. The largest
growth in prevalence has been in
men who have sex with men. As
many as 46 are infected each week.
Education of those who do not
know is the biggest challenge.
“If everyone was on the same
page, this world wouldn’t turn out
right,” Crawford said. “Someone has
to be ignorant; someone has to be
wise; someone has to be alert. Which
one are you going to be?”
Crawford’s goal is to make HIV
awareness a year-round event
instead of only during the first week
in December.
“We can’t do it alone,” she said.
“Yes, I’m positive, but my status is
Alyssa, and I so happen to be HIVpositive.”
Life for her can be summed up in
one word – “limitless.”
Karl Etters is a 2013 graduate of the FAMU School of
Journalism and Graphic Communication.
Refuses to Let Challenges Prevent Success
While most students were looking forward to making it to
their graduation day, Bryan C. Jones was simply looking
forward to making it to his next day. Diagnosed in 1984
with HIV/AIDS, initially referred to as Gay-Related Immune
Deficiency, Jones contracted the disease while he was a
student at FAMU. Jones was told he only had six months to
live by his doctor who abruptly hung up the telephone after
delivering the news. He said planning for his future after that
point was unfathomable.
“It’s
very hard trying
to remember
when I didn’t have it,” said
Jones, a Cleveland, Ohio native.
“I remember partying like it
was 1999, even though it was
only 1984. I thought that if I
were numb enough, I wouldn’t
feel the pain. It was like I was
living in a matrix. I did not have
a day-to-day because my life
didn’t consist of days — only
hours ticking by waiting for the
moment I would perish.”
As the new virus began to
receive exposure in the media,
details about its effects and
treatment changed everyday.
Jones said he convinced
himself the doctors were wrong
about his diagnosis, but by
that summer in Atlanta, Jones
received a huge wake-up call.
“People were dying all around
me,” he said. “I just knew I would
be dead in a matter of months.
Today I have been living longer
with HIV/AIDS than without.”
Jones, now 52, earned his
bachelor’s degree in broadcast
journalism in 1985. He currently
works as an actor, choreographer and HIV/AIDS activist.
He appeared in a number of
Broadway shows, including “The
First Lady” with Vickie Winans
and Clifton Davis, and the long
running hit “A Chorus Line.” For
the past three years, Jones has
performed a one-man theatrical
piece titled “A.I.D.S. and I Die
Slowly,” which chronicles his
29-year journey of being HIV
positive through characters,
songs and narrative. In 2012,
Jones was invited to perform
this piece at the International
AIDS Conference.
“Even though acquiring
AIDS has definitely made my
life different, it has given my life
more purpose and clarity of
direction,” said the charismatic
performer. “Now I am able to put
aside my own pride to help others.
I realize today that it’s not just
about me.”
Jones is a member of the
National Steering Committee
of the Campaign To End AIDS,
the AIDS Alliance for Children,
Youth and Families, Ascend
Empowerment Program, the Ryan
White Planning Council, the Metro
Health Hospital Compass Services
Peer-to-Peer Mentoring Program
and others. He is also involved with
the HIV Law and Policy organization in New York and the Positive
Justice Project. Jones often visits
prisons to speak to and assist
HIV/AIDS support groups.
In the mid-80s, Jones carried
the burden in silence. While a
student, he shared his diagnosis
with no one other than
medical personnel
because the stigma
was so intense it
would have been
what he described
as suicide to
disclose. It was
not his plan to
tell his family or
anyone.
“I was too mortified
to tell anyone,” he said.
“I was in denial in many ways
myself. At that point, I also think I
had a lot of self stigma looming in
my head.”
‘
‘
‘‘
[
FAMU ALUMNUS
It’s very
hard trying
to remember
when I didn’t
have it...
CONT’D pg. 79
Kinsey Collection
Featured at Disney’s Epcot Center
For FAMU alumni BERNARD AND SHIRLEY
KINSEY, the African-American narrative is
a part of the narrative that is America.
Beginning this month, the Kinseys’ exhibit
“Re-Discovering America: Family Treasures
from the Kinsey Collection” will be on display
at Epcot’s American Adventure, located at
Walt Disney World in Orlando.
T
he exhibit, representing more than 400 years of AfricanAmerican achievements and contributions, has been displayed
throughout the United States, including the Smithsonian National
Museum of American History. Approximately 40 pieces are on
display for Epcot guests for the three-year run of the exhibit.
“Art is everything,” Bernard Kinsey said. “It connects the AfricanAmerican story of accomplishment and achievement
through a one and two-dimensional world. It shows
that our people not only mattered, but they
produced artifacts that changed America
fundamentally.”
The exhibit, which features the themes of
hope, belief, courage, imagination and heritage,
provides optimistic and empowering stories
from American history from voices that are not
commonly seen or heard. To enrich the interactive
storytelling experience for the exhibit, guests are able
to use touch screens placed around the exhibit to further
explore the art, artifacts, and history. Guest-activated lanterns help
bring the story to life with narration provided by actors Whoopi
Goldberg, Kerry Washington, Tyrel Jackson Williams, Chandra
Wilson, James Pickens Jr. and others.
“When we were approached to be a part of something so
historically significant, I felt it was required of me to do so,” said
Pickens, who stars on the television show Grey’s Anatomy. “To add
a little panache to it, I was proud to be a part of it.”
Wilson, Pickens’ co-star on the medical drama, agreed.
“I’ve often gone through the parks, whether it’s Disneyland or
Disney World, and I’ve heard voices of different celebrities bringing
things to life,” Wilson said of her voiceover work. “To know that
my voice is a part of that legacy and with this collection, it’s an
overwhelming honor.”
Shirley Kinsey, who was all smiles at the event, said she felt like
the athletes after the Super Bowl when they shouted, “I’m going to
Disney!”
“These two kids from Florida have come full circle; we
have now come back home,” said Shirley Kinsey, who
married her husband 46 years ago on the campus
of FAMU. “Disney is clearly a place where magic
happens. It’s a place where dreams come true
even if you don’t know you have that dream.”
Overseeing the collection is the Kinseys’ son,
Kalil, who inspired his parents to initially build the
collection.
“I’m proud of these two,” a tearful Kalil Kinsey said of his
parents. “It’s an amazing thing to work with my family everyday.”
Jim MacPhee, senior vice president for Walt Disney World
Parks, said the company is thrilled to bring the Kinsey Collection to
Epcot guests.
“Epcot is such a rich, cultural tapestry
BERNARD KINSEY4
that it serves as the perfect showcase for
addresses the
this powerful collection with its celebration
crowd at the
Walt Disney
of the human spirit,” he said.
World collection
opening.
‘‘
‘
‘
All we ask people to take
away from the exhibit is
the saying, ‘I didn’t know
that,’” Bernard Kinsey said
at the official opening of
the exhibit that welcomed
more than 300 guests. “If
we can do that, we know
we are filling that hole in
your heart.
t
C.WILLIAM
t
JENNINGS
A STRONG AND QUIET
WARRIOR
SPECIAL TO THE A&M
5BILL JENNINGS
former chair of the FAMU Board of
Trustees.
In discussing his service on Florida A&M University’s
Board of Trustees, C. William Jennings says no single
action stands out during his 13 years. What he is most
proud of is his work behind the scenes as the longestserving member of any Board of Trustees in the State
University System of Florida.
H
‘‘
‘
‘
e served during one of the most pivotal times in the history
of the University. Shortly after he became a member, the
board faced the end of the presidency of Frederick S. Humphries, who
became one of FAMU’s most accomplished leaders. While in the
position, Jennings and the board made a series of critical decisions
that shaped the public’s perception of the university and impacted
the university’s future. During his tenure, the board appointed
two permanent presidents, three interim presidents
and a chief operating officer. The board has seen the
university rebound from being placed on probation
in 2007. As a result of board action, the university
has continued to excel beyond a 45 percent plus
cut in state funding to FAMU. The board also
saw operational efficiency enhanced through
a massive restructuring of the university and
established a model anti-hazing program
following the hazing death of a FAMU student.
It has been “a labor of love,” said Jennings,
who notes that the actions taken by the board
were difficult. However, he believes that he has
made significant contributions by working feverishly
behind the scenes to do what is in the best interest
of FAMU.
“Whatever I am today, it’s because of the foundation built
while I was at FAMU,“ said Jennings. “Beatrice Clark taught me
math. The caring she and others provided was so impactful. Those
people believed in me and it made a difference in my life.”
When asked what he sees in FAMU’s future, he highlighted
the need to continue to prepare students for careers in the STEM
(sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics) areas. He says
the university needs to focus on its mission and shore up recruitment
of scholars in undergraduate and graduate programs.
4
Whatever I am
today, it’s because
of the foundation
built while I
was at FAMU.
FAMU was fortunate to have someone like Jennings serve on
its board says Mazimiano Brito of Rhodes Brito Architects out of
Orlando. Brito and his partner Rhodes Brito are graduates of the
FAMU School of Architecture and had worked with Jennings on
projects related to the Orlando Airport.
“He is intelligent, soft spoken and does a lot of work behind the
scenes,” said Brito. “He gets a lot done. Every move is very well
thought out and measured. He is a very caring individual.”
JENNINGS NEAR AND DEAR TO FAMU
The following article, which highlights Jennings’ life story and commitment to FAMU, appeared in the Tallahassee Democrat on January 13, 2010 (reprinted with permission).
BY [ Angeline J. TAYLOR ]
B
ll
Jennings
doesn’t
mince words when he
talks about his early school
experiences.
“I absolutely hated school,”
Jennings said. t’s an odd
statement coming from the
Florida A&M University graduate
who, as chairman of FAMU’s
board of trustees, helped save
his alma mater three years ago
when the university was “going
over a cliff.”
FAMU’s perilous situation
became headline news. Money
had been poorly managed and
two presidents had left when
Jennings accepted the helm of
the university’s trustee board.
He could have done as he did
as a child after becoming bored
in a classroom. A young Jennings
would leave school to wander
around his native Orlando, with
only his math books in tow.
As an adult, he could have
walked away from FAMU. Four
other trustees did.
Instead, FAMU’s mismanagement was fixed — in no
small part because of Jennings’
involvement….
“Whatever I am today, I owe
a part of that to Florida A&M
University,” Jennings said. “To be
in that perfect storm, to see and
hear and read the things being
said about my institution, it was
some dark days.
“If I’m honest with myself,
I really felt that somehow we
would pull through.”
ROOT OF THE PROBLEM
Steering
the
university
through financial woes — at one
time a whopping $39 million was
misused — wasn’t difficult when
the problems were identified,
Jennings said….
Jennings’ reputation could
have taken a huge hit had the
university’s status not improved.
“I had someone tell me that
if I stay on the board and the
university goes over the cliff, then
my image would be tarnished.
Given that, (I should) leave,”
Jennings said, remembering the
advice he was given. “But I wasn’t
going to do that.”
Prior to becoming trustee
chairman,
the
soft-spoken
Jennings worked for one of
the country’s largest airports
—
the
Greater
Orlando
Aviation Authority. Before his
2006 retirement, he was the
executive director of GOAA
with its 600-member staff and
operational budget of $400
million.
“He had the respect of the
Orlando business community,”
said Jennings’ former teacher
and mentor, Jim Davis. “(GOAA
has) two airports, a hotel and a
shopping center. He had quite a
responsibility.”
CHALLENGES AWAIT
FAMU has now experienced
back-to-back clean audits.,,,
FAMU’s College of Law has
received full accreditation — an
issue near and dear to Jennings’
heart.
Jennings
served
as
co-chairman on the committee
responsible for securing the law
school in Orlando. The building
sits four blocks from where he
grew up.
“When I was a little boy, I used
to play in the vacant lot where the
law school is,” he said.,,
But challenging days await
FAMU, which, like the other
schools in the State University
System, has suffered dramatic
decreases in state funding.
“My focus is now shifted, along
with the rest of the board, to the
financial challenges that the university’s facing,” Jennings said.
New challenges involve “just
coming up with ways to get the
funding to keep us as a viable,
competitive institution. How do
you manage in these very tough
economic times? We’re facing
these budget issues and I don’t
see a revenue solution.”
It’s been difficult to properly
recognize employees, Jennings
said.
Jennings’ wife, Ann, believes
his concern for FAMU employees
comes from a “humanistic and
caring view towards people.”
“He really, deeply cares. He
stands up and fights for the
underdog sometimes at his own
peril,” she said.
Ann Jennings said her
husband is seen as the quiet guy
who doesn’t talk much. But that’s
not what she sees every day.
“He has a great sense of
humor. He’s a fun person to be
around,” she said. “He loves to
travel and he talks all the time.”
Ann Jennings is a psychotherapist. She and her husband have
taken it upon themselves to take
kids to special events like football
games to ensure the youngsters
see how much fun life can be.
FAMU ALUMNI IN THE MILITARY
Alumni Veterans Sustain
Important Roles
At Home And Abroad
[
From physical and basic training to Advanced Individual Training or AIT,
a soldier is groomed to give his or her all and put everything on the line
for one’s country. However, no matter how much soldiers may prepare
mentally for the separation from their children, it may never be enough.
F
or Florida A&M University
alumni Pilar Aloya Batts
and Jerry L. Lightfoot, leaving their
son, Isaiah C. Lightfoot, in the states
after they were deployed to Bagram,
Afghanistan, was the ultimate
sacrifice.
“My son doesn’t deserve to be
without his parents, especially both
of us at once, and as a mother, you
don’t think there is anyone who can
care for your child like you can,” said
Batts, who has been in Afghanistan
for the past seven months. “In this
field you do what you must, and the
sacrifice is worth it in the long run.”
According to the United Sates
Department of Veteran’s Affairs,
by the end of 2008, 1.7 million
American service members had
served in “Operation Enduring
Freedom” and “Operation Iraqi
Freedom” with nearly 40 percent
being deployed more than once.
Forty-three percent of active duty
service members have children.
Batts says the couple tries to
speak to their son every two days,
but sometimes the Internet is out or
their mission doesn’t permit the time,
so they will have to go a few days
without calling. Unable to have the
opposite sex in her room, Lightfoot is
restricted to stand at Batts’ door as
they call 2-year-old Isaiah through the
computer.
“There was a conversation we had
recently and Isaiah says, ‘I wanna
see you. Where are you? Can I come
to work with you?’” says U.S. Army
160th MP Battalion Sergeant Batts,
a West Philadelphia native.
“We had to tell him, ‘We miss
you too, Punkin. We’re at work
and it’s too dangerous.’He
responded, ‘Danger scares me.
Can you just tell danger to be nice
to me? It’s not too dangerous for
me, I’m a superhero.’ It’s sometimes
unbelievable to think that this was a
conversation with a 2-year-old.”
RAISING ISAIAH
Raising the toddler has become
a family affair. Shontell Williams,
Lightfoot’s aunt, is Isaiah’s primary
caretaker. Williams, who resides in
Atlanta, works as a contractor and
leaves for assignments for weeks at
a time every few months. When she
goes, she takes Isaiah to Alabama to
stay with her mother and cousins.
“They stay in the country, so Isaiah
can run himself silly,” Batts said.
4
ISAIAH LIGHTFOOT4
Two-year-old Isaiah poising for the camera
in his aunt’s livingroom, where he has lived
since his parents have been deployed.
FAMU ALUMNI IN THE MILITARY
“They go fishing a lot, and there are dogs
there for him to run around and play with.
Jerry’s uncle in Atlanta keeps Isaiah, and
he loves it there also. And my mom is in
Philadelphia, and she calls him often. They
all have been a blessing to us.”
ADJUSTMENTS
Lightfoot, a New York native, says being
civilians, people often take for granted
small luxuries such as deciding what they
want to eat or what they will wear for the
day.
“Here we are praise-dancing if the
showers are warm and the toilets are
working,” Batts said with a laugh. “Being
from the city, I’m used to hearing my
neighbors outside and trains passing, but
I don’t think I’ll ever get used to hearing
bombs going off or hovering helicopters.”
Lightfoot, 28, and Batts, 26, who met
at FAMU in the fall of 2004, agree it’s all
about working together and keeping some
sort of peace of mind. They would advise
soldiers who are going through a similar
situation to be as active as possible in their
child’s life while they are gone.
“It hurts to be away, but while you’re
gone, memories are being made,” Batts
said. “Send handwritten letters and
pictures despite the convenience of the
Internet. When you get home, you can
scrapbook these things. I record conversations with my son and listen to them when
I’m down or just want to hear his voice. It
is very easy to get depressed when you’re
in this situation. If you aren’t pro-active in
finding ways to soothe yourself, negative
emotions will consume you, and that is not
ideal in a war-zone.”
SINGLE-PARENT HOUSEHOLD
Having a parent
away from home
3PILAR ALOYA BATTS AND
who is mobilized or
ISAIAH C. LIGHTFOOT
deployed is also a
are grateful for family help
tough experience for
back in the states to help
care for their young son.
the entire family.
FAMU alumnus
Brian C. Lucas,
44, is raising his
children while his wife, Lieutenant
Colonel Samantha Lucas, serves in the
Army. Lt. Col. Lucas has been away
from her family off-and-on for
different amounts of time
throughout her career in
the military, the longest
of which was her
deployment to Iraq.
“Naturally, no one
wants to be in different
places when it comes to
family, but military families
are aware that this is always
a possibility,” said Lucas, who
met his wife while they were
both students in the Army
Officer Basic Course at
Fort Lee, Va. in 1993.
“One strong point for
Samantha and me is
the fact that as a former Army officer and
a combat veteran myself, I have always
understood how situations may come
about that can cause a military member
to be away from his or her family. This is
something that has helped us both along
the way.”
PHASES OF DEPLOYMENT
According to the National Center for
Mental Health Promotion and Youth
Violence Prevention, military deployment
comprises three phases: pre-deployment,
deployment, and post-deployment. Each
phase has its unique challenges and can
affect children, youth, and families in
different ways. The pre-deployment phase,
prior to the service member’s departure,
is often characterized by a lack of concrete
information and fear of the unknown; during
the deployment phase, families must learn
how to adapt to their new lives without
the military parent; the post-deployment
phase affects returning service members
and their family members in many distinct
ways. For some families this phase can be
joyous, while for others it can be particularly painful.
“Children’s reactions to a parent’s
deployment vary by child, and more broadly,
by a child’s developmental stage, age and
presence of any preexisting psychological
or behavioral problems,” according to the
National Center of Posttraumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD). “Very young children
may exhibit separation anxiety, temper
tantrums, and changes in eating habits.
School-age children may experience a
decline in academic performance and have
mood changes or physical complaints.
Adolescents may become angry and act
out or withdraw and show signs of apathy.”
DADDY DAYCARE
Lucas, whose children consist of
Christopher, 13, Jonathan, 10, and Sophia,
2, describes his days as extremely long
just as any other parent. His daily routine
consists of getting the kids up and ready
for school and at the end of the day, once
he leaves work, he’s shuttling the kids
around to different activities and dinner
and helping with what he perceives as “a
lot more homework than what I remember
having as a child.”
“Now that our children are a little older,
getting them around to all of their school
events and other activities and functions
is more challenging,” he said. “Of course,
this is in addition to making sure they are
progressing in school like they should.”
The whole concept of “daddy duties”
among society in general is what Lucas
picked up on the most when he assumed
primary care. He simply considers what he
does each day as normal parenting duties,
but over the years, he’s learned that society
in general has not reached that point just
yet.
“There are times now, and especially
when my sons were toddlers, that I would
take them somewhere and people would
approach me and say, ‘Oh, I see you are
babysitting today.’ Of course, the concept of
babysitting your own children would never
be made to a mother seen out in public
with her children. I’m hopeful that one day
society will view the same situation with
men as just a father who is out, taking care
of his kids.”
PARENTAL ADVICE
Lucas says what he has learned from
this experience is the importance of
parents being involved in their children’s
lives regardless of the circumstances. He
added that something that has worked
well for his family has been keeping positive
thoughts and images of each other in their
children’s minds throughout the duration of
their time apart.
“When the parent at home constantly
speaks to their children positively about
the spouse that is away, it helps,” said the
Augusta, Ga. native. “By doing so and taking
advantage of as many opportunities as
possible to see and speak with the parent
that is away, it is difficult at best for children
to become detached from the parent or
feel abandoned by him or her.”
Lucas and the Batts-Lightfoot family
agree that families in these situations
should remain focused on providing for
each other and their children
“Always remember why you are making
such a tough sacrifice,” Lucas said. “Staying
positive and focused on achieving your
family’s goals will definitely help you get
through those times whenever they arise.”
5ALUMNUS BRIAN C. LUCAS
has mastered the art of “daddy
duty” for his kids while his wife
Samantha serves in the military.
FAMU’s Military Presence
FAMU has been very instrumental in
military recruitment and preparation.
In March of 2013, FAMU, along with
Florida State University and Tallahassee
Community College, hosted a Veterans
Consortium in an effort to make the
respective campuses as veteran friendly as
possibly.
“Our veterans have sacrificed a great
deal in their efforts to protect the ideals
and freedoms for which our nation stands,”
Interim President Larry Robinson said.
“We should all be grateful, and we must
involve ourselves in efforts to ensure we are
doing our best to accommodate them in
their pursuit of a college degree. Possibly,
not since the end of World War II, have
so many young men and women who have
served our nation had such great opportunities to pursue this dream due to the
creation of the current Post 9/11 GI Bill.
And at FAMU, we are working hard to help
America’s finest accomplish their dreams.”
Earl Holmes
ASCENDS TO HEAD COACH
OF THE RATTLER FOOTBALL TEAM
BY [ Vaughn WILSON ]
FAMU SPORTS INFORMATION
RATTLER ATHLETICS
In early January, the Florida A&M Department of Athletics announced that Earl
Holmes was selected as the new head football coach. Holmes, a FAMU graduate and
All-American in his playing days with the Rattlers, has served as defensive coordinator
the last two years and acting head coach for the final two games of the 2012 season,
guiding the program’s day-to-day operations thereafter.
was a full-circle journey for
the FAMU High School (DRS)
graduate, who played in
Bragg Stadium in high school and walked
on to play for coach Ken RIley and later
Billy Joe.
FAMU director of athletics, Derek
Horne, is very pleased that the process was
done in an expeditious manner, resulting
in a thorough vetting of the candidates by
a cross-section of constituents.
“We are excited about the new era
of FAMU football under the leadership
of Earl. He has done an awesome job of
transitioning immediately to acting coach
and maintaining the program through
this crucial recruiting period,” Horne said.
“We look forward to his dedicated efforts
in this next level of leadership.”
FAMU Interim President Larry
Robinson said, “I believe we have selected
the right coach to lead Rattler football.
I am impressed with his plan to develop
the whole person, not just the student’s
athletic ability. Coach Holmes is a solid
choice when you consider his vision for
the program, 10-year- career in the NFL
as a linebacker and experience gained
at FAMU as a defensive coordinator
and linebackers coach. I look forward to
the launch and achievements of the Earl
Holmes era. I look forward to presenting
this appointment to the Board of Trustees
for consideration.”
Holmes is overwhelmed with the
reality of leading the Rattlers. “ I am truly
humbled,” said Holmes. “First, I would
like to thank God, because he continues
to prove that he is able to make dreams
come true. I want to thank Coach Joe
Taylor for his mentorship and having
the confidence in me to bring me back
It
to FAMU as a part of the coaching
staff. I also want to thank everyone from
President Robinson, athletic director
Horne, the entire athletic staff, the search
committee and everyone who has offered
encouragement to me in the pursuit of
me being in this position today. There is
no one you could have selected that will
work harder to return FAMU football to
the prominence it deserves than I am
dedicated to doing.”
Holmes wasted no time in putting his
stamp on the Rattler football program,
hiring a coaching staff of professionals
from the professional to high school levels.
Levon Kirkland, a former All-Pro teammate
with the Pittsburgh Steelers, was brought
in as defensive coordinator. Kirkland
taught the defense to Holmes when they
were playing together. He also brought in
former Steeler great Ernie Mills to coach
the receivers. Rounding out his staff is
former All-Pro defensive back Corey Fuller
(Minnesota Vikings/Cleveland Browns/
Baltimore Ravens), safeties coach Chris
Cash (Detroit Lion/Atlanta Falcons),
offensive line coach Edwin Pata, running
backs coach Elijah Williams (Atlanta
Falcons). Holmes retained associate
head coach George Small, who will coach
the defensive line and Juan Vasquez, who
coaches special teams.
Holmes, affectionately known as “The
Hitman” in his playing days at FAMU,
played from 1992-1995, leaving with
several school records including most
career tackles. He captured NCAA DI-AA
and Sheridan Broadcasting All-American
honors in 1994 and 1995. He was
named Sheridan Broadcasting Network
and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Defensive Player of the Year in 1995.
A three-time first team All-MEAC
selection, Holmes was a devastating
tackler while at FAMU, completing his
career with 509 total tackles, 309 solo
takedowns and 200 assisted tackles - all
Rattler career records. His 1995 senior
season totals shattered all existing school
marks for season solo tackles (103)
and total tackles (171), highlighted by a
spectacular one-man demolition derby
performance against Southern University
in Atlanta on November 4, when he totaled
30 tackles against the Jaguars.
Following his collegiate career, Holmes
was drafted in the fourth round of the
1996 National Football League drafted
by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played 10
seasons in the NFL as linebacker, six with
Pittsburgh (1996- 2001), one season
with the Cleveland Browns (2002) and
three with the Detroit Lions (2003-2005)
before retiring.
Holmes is married to the former Tiffany
Bell and they have one child, Earl Jr.?
“I would like to thank the head football
coach selection committee that worked
through the holidays to maintain the
strict timeline I charged them with,” said
Horne. “We appreciate each one of them
and commend committee chairman,
Dr. Ebenezer Oriaku, and the entire
committee for their service this effort.”
“With our football program in place,
it’s now time for our Rattler fans to put
100-percent support behind Coach
Holmes, the athletic department and the
university to bring the environment back
to the great days past and even better
days ahead,” Horne concluded.
On a November evening
during the same week
Barack Obama was elected
the nation’s first AfricanAmerican president, I
arrived at the Charlotte,
N.C., home of Jake
Gaither’s niece. Her name
was Francina King and
she was ready for my
visit. By that time, I was
already several years
into the research for a
book on black college
football and civil rights,
a book that focuses
very much on Florida
A&M University. But
because Coach Gaither
and his wife had both
died well before I began
my work, and because they
had no children of their own,
I was still piecing together
the story of this
remarkable
man.
SAMUEL G. FREEDMAN’s book
about black college football and civil
rights, “Breaking The Line,” will be
published in August 2013. Read an
excerpt and order an advance copy
on his website, samuelfreedman.
com. If interested in having
Freedman speak to an alumni
chapter, church congregation,
or any other group, email him at
[email protected]
RATTLER ATHLETICS
Jake Gaither, Football, and Civil Rights
BY [ Samuel FREEDMAN ]
R
ecounting Coach Gaither’s
accomplishments with the Rattler
football team was simple enough,
of course. All the evidence was readily
available – the career record of 203-36-4,
the championships, the awards. I could
speak to many of his assistant coaches
and former players. Jake Gaither as a
figure in civil rights history, however, was
not as immediately apparent, perhaps
because Jake Gaither did some of his most
important and effective work behind the
scenes and away from the white media.
Welcoming me into her living room,
Francina showed me the Gaither family
Bible, which she had inherited. Then we
both noticed a fragile, yellowing piece of
newspaper tucked between the pages.
Carefully, we pulled it out and read it,
and the experience seemed like finding
a Rosetta Stone for Jake Gaither’s value
system, his moral code. The article was
almost certainly from an African-American
newspaper, and seemed to have been
written in the early stages of World War
I because it made reference to thenpresident Woodrow Wilson’s call to “make
the world safe for democracy.”
Wilson was an idealist in international
relations and simultaneously a bigot on the
subject of race. Yet the article argued that
black Americans should volunteer for the
army in spite of hatred, prejudice and the
rampant reign of Jim Crow. “It is our hope,”
the article continued, “that out of this awful
struggle a true Democracy will rear its altar,
giving out shining hope and promise to the
black man in America, a real Democracy
that knows no creed nor color.”
Here was an early articulation of the
idea that in World War II was called
“Double Victory.” I have come to believe
football served for Coach Gaither as a
version of military service – a vivid way
of demonstrating black capacity, black
sacrifice and black excellence. The more
work I did for my book, the more clues
I found to support that view of Coach
Gaither’s life and work.
In FAMU’s Black Archives, for example,
Coach Gaither’s collected papers contain
the texts of speeches he made to various
black audiences throughout Florida, from
church groups to sports banquets to
education associations. In a 1952 address
to the workers of a wood-pulp company, he
described the history of black soldiers in
the American army, from Crispus Attucks
to the Battle of the Bulge. Long before the
Rev. Jesse Jackson invoked the phrase,
Coach Gaither told those workers, “You are
somebody.”
The illustrious role that Florida A&M
University played in the civil rights movement
has been well documented. The university’s
assistant coaches to track their attendance
and grades. One of Coach Gaither’s former
players, tight end John Eason, ultimately
devoted his doctoral dissertation to
examining the coach’s effect on the young
men. In a survey of 96 former Rattler
players, Eason found that 86 had graduated
from college. And of those 86, 60 went on
to earn advanced degrees – an exceptional
record.
Coach Gaither used his coaching talent
to defy Tallahassee’s official segregation. In
my research, I discovered an oral history
that Coach Gaither made late in his life for
the Junior League of Tallahassee. Speaking
with unusual bluntness, he recalled the time
when as a young coach he had asked to
attend an all-white coaching clinic at Duke
University, offering to sweep the floor as
“....that proves a game of that type – with tension and
competitiveness – could be played between whites and blacks in
the Deep South without any undue racial violence, without the
fans, the players, or the community becoming upset, with good
sportsmanship by both teams and the public. I wanted to prove
to myself that it could be done in Florida – the deepest state in
the Deep South, and we did it.”
students volunteered in Tallahassee’s Bus
Boycott and in protests against segregated
lunch counters and movie theaters. Many
of them went to jail in the process. It must
be acknowledged that Jake Gaither was
not one of the FAMU faculty members who
publicly supported them. His failure to do so,
though, did not mean he was opposed to or
indifferent to the movement, as some of his
critics charged. Rather, he had his own ways
of making change.
First and foremost, Coach Gaither saw
his role not as winning football games, but
as creating dignified young men, each of
them a living, breathing argument for racial
equality. He insisted his players attend class
and attend church, and he assigned his
the janitor just so he could listen to the
sessions. He never even got a reply, and he
never forgot the racist snub. So when Coach
Gaither held his own clinics in the 1950s
and 1960s at FAMU, he attracted both
black and white coaches, including such
luminaries as Woody Hayes of Ohio State
and Bear Bryant of Alabama. Together,
across racial lines, they learned from Coach
Gaither.
The ultimate example of Coach Gaither’s
role in the civil rights movement came in
1969, when FAMU played the University
of Tampa in the first-ever football game
between a black school and a mostly
white school in the South. Using all the
CONT’D pg. 79
Class of 1962
Gives Back to
Alma Mater
“We wanted to ensure that the kids who
come after us and who are financially challenged
are able to receive an education and meet many of the
successes that our class experienced...”
- Col. (Ret). LaVert Jones
BY [ Alonda THOMAS ]
As the members of the Florida A&M University Class of 1962 returned to the ‘Hill’ after their
50th anniversary, several alumni had more than just fellowship on their minds. For this class of
dedicated Rattlers, reaching back and leaving a legacy for the university’s continued success was
their goal as the group presented a check this year in the amount of $62,250 to the university
toward the establishment of scholarships for students in need.
C
ol. (Ret.) Wilbert Bryant, 1962 class
president, said the group worked
tirelessly to create a database of alumni to
target for donations. In today’s economy,
students need more support than ever
before to attain a college education; so it
always means a lot when alumni help the next
generation.
“I finished 11th in my high school class,
but they only gave out five scholarships,” said
Bryant, who made ends meet by working on
campus in the Registrar’s Office, collecting
tickets at the Friday night movies in Charles
Winter Wood Theater, as a resident assistant
in Gibbs Hall and receiving a monthly check
for being an advanced ROTC. “We want to
make it possible for deserving and needy
students to get their education.”
Booker Daniels took the skills he gained
at FAMU to the business world as an IBM
executive before returning to his alma mater
to teach in the School of Business and
Industry. The former student vice president
said the initial goal was to have fun during
their anniversary weekend and present the
university with a nice gift.
“It was wonderful seeing people, many of
whom had not seen each other for 50 years,”
said Daniels. “Once we made our decision,
everyone wanted to ensure the money was
going to help the students. We were so
3CHECK PRESENTATION
Left to right: Faye Daniels, Booker Daniels, Dr. Robinson,
COL (ret) Wilbert Bryant, Attorney Robert Woolfork
(Beige suit); COL (ret) LaVert Jones (brown suit);
Erma Jones and Dr. Thomas Haynes.
happy that our check was not a pledge but
real money.”
Collecting the funds needed for the
donation did not occur instantly, according
to project organizers. With the help of the
FAMU Office of Alumni Affairs, the planning
committee was organized to spearhead the
effort. They built a database of contacts,
sent letters, e-mails and placed phone calls
to classmates for more than a year to help
make the project a success. Col. (Ret). LaVert
Jones, a senior adviser for the project,
commended the entire team for their service
to secure the donations. He hopes all FAMU
alumni will make more strategic efforts to
support the university through options such
as estate planning or property donations.
“We wanted to ensure that the kids
who come after us and who are financially
challenged are able to receive an education
and meet many of the successes that
our class experienced,” Jones said. “We
benefitted significantly from the Rattler
experience. It molded us for our journey.”
Committee member Lea Ester Byrd-Ragsdale said her classmates understand that
it still takes a village to raise a child. Many
students in the class of 1962 are grateful
for the helping hands they received while
in school and they are excited to keep the
generosity going.
“The idea of helping others in ingrained
in us,” said Byrd-Ragsdale. “When we help
others, we inspire them to keep giving as
well.”
LIST OF COMMITTEE
MEMBERS
Wilbert Bryant, president, Class of 1962
Booker Daniels, vice president
LaVert W. Jones, senior advisor/special projects
Eleanor Verdon (Miller) Padgett, secretary
Georgia Saylor Buggs, member
Lea Ester Byrd-Ragsdale, member
Raymond Ross, II, member
Nathaniel Russ, member
Patricia James Cheavers, member
Erma (Cobbs) Jones, member
Robert Woolfork, member
Contributing Participants
Faye (Greene) Daniels
Janie (Smith) Drisdom
Hazel (Wade) Gray
Freddie Groomes-McLendon
Cleo Gwendolyn Harris
Sarita Jones (Daughter - LaVert & Erma Jones)
Maudine (Lomax) Peters
Isaac Ragsdale (Spouse - Lea Ester Byrd-Ragsdale)
Gussie (Morris) Simms Davis
Video Developer
Penelope (Thompson) Jones (Class of 1963)
applause
Alumna Antoneia Roe
is FAMU’s Director of
Judicial Affairs
Graduate Bryan Smith
is FAMU’s Special
Assistant for Anti-Hazing
Alumnus Travis Williams
to be Featured in
Documentary
Alumna Antoneia L. Roe, Esq.
is the director of Judicial Affairs
at FAMU. Roe once served as
assistant general counsel for
FAMU. In that capacity, one of her
primary responsibilities included
working with the Division of Student
Affairs. She handled student
judicial and academic issues
including student-related rules and
regulations.
Roe received her juris doctorate
from the University of Miami in
2002 and her bachelor of science
degree in political science from
FAMU in 1998.
In February 2013, alumnus
Bryan F. Smith became FAMU’s
special assistant to the president
for anti-hazing. Previously, Smith
was the executive director/
co-founder of Destined for Success
Educational Services, Inc. in
Decatur, Ga.
He is registered as a certified
mediator for the State of Georgia.
Smith received his juris
doctorate from John Marshall
Law School, a master’s degree in
public management from FAMU
and a bachelor’s degree in political
science from North Carolina A&T
State University.
Growing up in Fort Lauderdale,
Fla., alumnus Travis Williams
saw how the poor were “abused
by the criminal justice system.”
This inspired Williams to want to
work to prevent injustices from
occurring.
Williams’ passion was recently
noted in a documentary called
Gideon’s Army, which appeared on
the cable network HBO. A segment
of the piece was featured on the
New York Times website as part of
an op-doc.
The documentary follows
Williams and two other public
defenders based in the South. The
film focuses on the struggles of
working as a public defender, and
issues dealing with difficult cases,
managing the workload and the act
of balancing a personal life.
Williams is a senior attorney at
the Hall County Public Defender’s
Office in Gainesville, Ga.
Robert Hayling
Earns St. Augustine’s
Top Honor
Gregory Clark
Promoted to Lieutenant
Colonel
Alumnus Will Packer
Makes TheGrio.com’s
100
Robert B. Hayling, a key figure
in the St. Augustine civil rights
movement, was presented with the
Order of la Florida award by the St.
Augustine City Commission. He is
the first African-American recipient
to ever receive the honor.
The award is the city’s most
prestigious honor and recognizes
people who have “contributed
extraordinary services” to the
community.
A native of Tallahassee, Fla.,
Hayling, 84, earned a bachelor’s
degree in biology from Florida A&M
College in 1951. He later joined the
U.S. Air Force, where he earned the
rank of first lieutenant. He earned
his doctorate in dental surgery in
1960 and opened a dental practice
in St. Augustine, becoming the first
black dentist in Florida elected to
local, regional, state and national
components of the American Dental
Association.
As a civil rights leader in St.
Augustine, Hayling worked closely
with Martin Luther King Jr. and
the Southern Christian Leadership
Conference to desegregate the
nation’s oldest city. Hayling said he
was shocked by the extreme racism
he witnessed in St. Augustine,
although he served white and black
patients.
By 1963, Hayling was adviser
to the NAACP Youth Council in St.
Augustine. In 2003, the city’s mayor
issued a Certificate of Recognition
for Hayling’s “contributions to the
betterment of our society,” and a
street was named after him.
Alumnus Gregory L. Clark has
been promoted to the rank of
Lieutenant Colonel in the United
States Army Reserve. A veteran
of Operation Enduring Freedom,
Clark has served in the military for
24 years. He is currently assigned
to the Natural Disaster Medical
Systems Team (NDMS), United
States Army Medical Command in
Fort Sam Houston, Texas where
he serves as chief of operations/
plans.
Clark currently also serves
at the 1st vice president of the
Florida A&M University National
Alumni Association. He received
his bachelor’s degree in business
economics from FAMU in 1992
and has served a financial advisor
for more than 16 years. Clark
founded AUREUS Financial
Management, an office of MetLife,
in February 2008. His practice
is a relationship-based firm that
focuses on helping individuals,
businesses andfamilies achieve
their financial planning goals by
providing advice on investment
planning, insurance planning,
retirement planning, estate
planning, intergenerational wealth
transfer planning; and educational
savings planning.
In February 2013, producer
Will Packer made theGrio.com’s
100. The 100 individuals were
selected for making history today.
Packer made the list along with
U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice,
actress Kerry Washington, Olympic
gymnast and gold medalist Gabby
Douglas and Mayor of Charlotte
Anthony Foxx, to name a few.
Producer Packer was noted for his
romantic comedy Think Like a Man,
which was at one point the No. #1
movie in America totaling $91.5
million. Packer was described as
taking over Hollywood one film at
a time.
Packer was also featured on
NBC’s 11Alive in Atlanta in honor
of Black History Month.
Campus Notes
FAMU Announces
Collaboration with the
Federal University of
Technology, Nigeria
Interim President Larry
Robinson and the Honorable
Prof. Adebiyi Gregory
Daramola, vice chancellor
for the Federal University of
Technology, Akure signed
a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish
and strengthen scholarly
academic opportunities.
FAMU and the Federal
University of Technology,
Akure agreed to exchange
faculty and staff for short,
medium or long-term periods,
which will enhance and
guarantee further scientific
and scholarly cooperation in
teaching and research. In
addition, the collaboration also
includes the following:
• Increase student and
faculty global research
development
in
the
science,
technology,
engineering
and
mathematics (STEM);
• Increase
international
student enrollment at
FAMU at the master’s
and doctoral levels;
• Increase FUTA graduate
students
research
capability using stateof-the-art
research
equipment at FAMU; and
• Pursue joint research
opportunities to fund
students/faculty
research,
curriculum
and institutional capacity
development at both universities.
New Director of the Division
of Physical Therapy
Dr. Dawn Brown-Cross
is the new director of the
Division of Physical Therapy.
Brown-Cross comes to FAMU
after spending 16 years at
Nova Southeastern University,
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. She
received a bachelor of science
degree in physical therapy
degree from Kean College/
UMDNJ, an MBA from the
University of South Florida,
and a doctorate in education
from Nova Southeastern
University specializing in
instructional technology and
distance education. We are
confident she will be an asset
to the Division, the School of
Allied Health Sciences and to
the university.
Pharmacy Accreditation
Reaffirmed
The Accreditation Council
for Pharmacy Education
conducted a focused
evaluation for the “purposes
of considering the continued
accreditation of the doctor
of pharmacy program.” The
focused on-site evaluation
was conducted to assess the
implementation of the plan for
expansion of the program to
the Crestview, Fla. campus. It
was the decision of the Board
that accreditation of the
doctor of pharmacy program
be affirmed.
Department of Theatre
Wins Awards
The play, “Ma Rainey’s
Black Bottom, which also
featured Mr. Luther Wells,
chair of the Department
of Visual Arts, Humanities
and Theater, won several
awards at the 40th Annual
Vivian Robinson AUDELCO
Recognition Award for
Excellence in Black Theatre in
New York. Essential Theatre
alumnus Reggie Wilson was
recognized as the best lead
actor. Niiamar Felder, fine
arts major/theatre minor
alum, was nominated for Best
Costume Design.
Dean Robert Taylor to Serve
on USDA Advisory Board
Robert W. Taylor, dean
and director of Land-Grant
Programs for the College
of Agriculture and Food
Sciences, will serve an
extended term on the
USDA National Agricultural Education, Extension
and Economics Advisory
Board to the U.S. Secretary
of Agriculture. This is the
only USDA Advisory Board
mandated by Congress
and the U.S. Secretary of
Agriculture that must respond
in writing to the board
regarding member recommendations.
Program Director Appointed
to EPA Advisory Board
Cynthia M. Harris has been
selected as a member of the
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency’s Science Advisory
Board for a three-year term
ending Sept. 30, 2015.
Harris will serve as a special
government employee and will
provide independent advice on
technical issues underlying the
EPA’s policies and decision
making. Professor Harris is
the director of the Institute of
Public Health in the College of
Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Academic Administrator
Completes ACE Fellows
Program
Donald E. Palm III,
assistant vice president for
Academic Affairs, completed
the American Council on
Education Fellows Program.
Palm underwent a national
competitive selection process
and was chosen as part of
an elite group of candidates
to participate in the Class
of 2011-2012 ACE Fellows
Program. The ACE Fellows
Program, established
in 1965, is a leadership
experience designed to
advance leadership readiness,
strengthen institutional
capacity and build leadership
in American higher education.
Environmental Scientist
Selected as a Leopold Fellow
Jennifer Cherrier in the
School of the Environment
has been selected as one
of 20 Leopold Leadership
Fellows for 2013. She is the
first fellow to be selected
from FAMU. The Leopold
Leadership Program, located
at the Stanford Woods
Institute for the Environment
at Stanford University, was
founded in 1998 to fill a
critical gap in environmental
IMPACT
Nationally Acclaimed
Alumnus Makes Valuable
Contributions
decision-making: getting the
best scientific knowledge into
the hands of government,
nonprofit, and business
leaders and the public to
further the development
of sustainable policies and
practices.
Professor of History
Leads Organization
David H. Jackson Jr.,
professor of history and chair
of the Department of History,
Political Science, Public
Administration, Geography
and African American Studies,
was recently inaugurated as
president of the Southern
Conference on African
American Studies, Inc.
(SCAASI). Jackson was also
selected as the No. 1 SCAASI
Member of the Year.
The Office of
Communications Wins a
CASE Award of Excellence
The Office of Communications won a Council
for Advancement and
Support of Education
(CASE) Award of Excellence
for its FAMU Taught Me
commercial. FAMU Taught
Me is a campaign, which
consists of 30-second
commercials featuring
students, professors, alumni
and ‘Friends of FAMU’ who
highlight their successes and
tie them to what they received
from the FAMU experience.
There were more than 1,000
entries in the competition. It
was in the commercials/
PSA’s category.
Simply Marvelous Women’s
Flag Football Team Wins
10th National Championship
The Simply Marvelous
Women’s Flag Football Team
won their 10th national championship. This dynamic team
and their coaches, Marvin
E. Green Jr. and Derrick
Folson, are to be commended
for their hard work and
dedication. Some of the other
schools that competed in
the championship included
Old Dominion, University of
Nebraska, Northern Iowa,
Texas State, University of
Central Florida, Howard
University, Southern University
and Georgia Southern.
Students Participated at
the Harvard National Model
United Nations
The chapter of the Model
United Nations will represent
the university at the 59th
session of the Harvard
National Model United
Nations. The nine student
delegates interacted and
competed with more than
3,000 university students
from around the world.
FAMU was the only historically black university invited to
attend the conference.
Delegates have drafted
comprehensive resolutions
about their assigned
countries and will debate
pressing issues of international interest. The FAMU
delegates, who are split into
teams of two, will represent
the countries of Barbados and
Tajikistan.
He has marched the streets of
Sanford, Fla., in pursuit of slain
teen Trayvon Martin, he has
protested on the front steps
of Florida’s Capitol on behalf
of the family of Martin Lee
Anderson, and he continues to
fight assiduously in the courtroom
as he becomes one of the most
successful litigators in the nation.
Attorney Daryl Parks, a partner
at Parks & Crump LLC in Tallahassee,
believes in the power of the underdog. He
says serving as the “voice of the voiceless”
gives him a sense of purpose.
“You aren’t just existing — you’re taking on a role and
doing something,” he said.
Parks, a native of Haines City, Fla., earned bachelor’s
degrees from Florida A&M University in political
science and economics in 1992. He later earned his
juris doctorate from the college of Law at Florida State
University. He cites his motivation for going into law was to
help and empower people.
“Those cases where the system refused to help
someone it should have helped are the most rewarding for
me,” he said. “I enjoy those cases where I get to help those
people who truly needed our help or otherwise would have
faced a bad situation—normally life-threatening.”
Alongside his business partner, Benjamin Crump,
the law firm has been in the national spotlight for the
duo’s pursuit for justice for the underserved, with Parks
appearing on national television broadcasts on NBC,
MSNBC, Fox News, and CNN.
In 2006, Parks and Crump represented the family
of Martin Lee Anderson, a 14-year old who died after he
was restrained, beaten, and suffocated by guards at a Bay
County juvenile boot camp. The beating was captured on
security surveillance cameras and the Anderson family
received a multi-million dollar settlement, the largest
amount ever paid by the State of Florida in an individual
wrongful death case.
In early 2012, the firm became counsel for the Trayvon
Martin family. Martin was an unarmed teenager shot to
death by neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman in
CONT’D pg. 63
Fallen
Rattlers
Florida A&M University
Mourns the Loss of
Dr. Charles C. Kidd
The Florida A&M
University family was deeply
saddened by the passing
of Dr. Charles C. Kidd, who
once served as associate
vice president for Academic
Affairs and as dean of the
former College of Engineering
Sciences, Technology and
Agriculture He was also a co-founder of the
FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. Kidd was
respected as a scholar and leader among
his colleagues and students. During his 19
years of service at FAMU he established
several scholarship funds, and created the
environmental Sciences Institute through a
$4 million grant from the U.S. Department
of Energy. At the time, the grant was the
largest award given to a single principal
investigator in the university’s history.
A native of Washington D.C., Kidd held
a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering,
a master’s degree in radiological health
sciences, a master’s of science degree in
civil engineering, and a doctorate in environmental health sciences.
Throughout his career, Kidd remained an
advocate for educating and training AfricanAmerican students in science, technology,
engineering and mathematics.
Zelda B. Colson, January 2013
Colson served as an adjunct
professor in the Computer
Information Systems (CIS)
Department at FAMU.
Glenn F. Bostic, January 2013
Bostic was an alumnus of FAMU
who served an extensive career
in the banking and finance
industry. A highly requested
musical artist, he was also
a renowned psalmist whose
musical gift of singing touched
the hearts of many.
Carrie M. Lawson, January
2013
Lawson was an alumna of FAMU
and an avid civic contributor to
the Midway, Florida community.
She was also the mother of
current FAMU Trustee Kelvin
Lawson and his brother Sen.
Alfred “Al” Lawson, Jr.
Patsy G. Sissle, January 2013
Sissle was an alumna of FAMU
who served as a public school
teacher in Hillsborough and
Leon Counties for more than 35
years.
Tony J. Manson, February
2013
Manson served as a professor
and chairman of secondary
education and foundations at
FAMU. He earned a bachelor’s
degree in health and physical
education from Wayne State
University, a master’s degree in
school curriculum from Eastern
Michigan University and a
doctoral degree in curriculum
and instruction/teacher
education from Kansas State
University .
Edwin Lawson, March 2013
Lawson was a member of the
FAMU Sports Hall of Fame. As
a student at FAMU he was a
defensive end on the championship football teams of
1943-47 under the leadership
of legendary coach A.S. “Jake”
Gaither. He earned a master’s
degree from Teachers College at
Columbia University in New York.
Queen Brown, March 2013
Brown earned a bachelor’s
degree from FAMU in 1952 and
a master’s degree in 1959. She
was a retired director of the Title
I Program in Jackson County
Florida.
Timbrina Thomas, March 2013
Thomas was a junior psychology
major at FAMU from Miami,
Fla. She was also a proud and
dedicated saxophonist in the
Marching “100.”
BRYAN JONES
GAITHER
IMPACT
Eight years after he was initially
diagnosed, his mother found out about
his status when she opened a letter in
the mail from the social security office
that was addressed to Jones. The letter
stated that because of his HIV status, he
was being denied social security.
“My mother went on to ask without
missing a beat if I wanted her to tell any
one else,” he recalled. “I said no because
they can’t cure it. This was a defining
moment for me because I’m sure when
my mother hung up the phone, she was
just as devastated as I was when I found
out, but when she read it, she did not
gasp, pause or hesitate. She just kept
right on going. It was then somewhere
in my head that I knew everything was
going to be alright.”
He continued, “Five years after that
moment, the rest of my family found out.
Many times, we are faced with situations
that we know for a certainty will turn out
bad, but really ends up being a blessing.
My entire family, as well as extended
family and friends, are very supportive.”
AIDS was first recognized by the
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention in 1981. Its cause—the
Human Immunodeficiency Virus —was
identified in the early part of the decade.
Since its discovery, more than 600,000
people with AIDS in the United States
have died. The CDC estimates that 1.1
million people in the United States are
living with HIV — and nearly one in five
of those people are not aware they are
infected.
“People try to give HIV/AIDS a profile,
but it’s important to know that HIV
doesn’t have a face, nor does it have a
demographic. It does not discriminate
no matter what your social status,
education or sexual preference. If you
are breathing, then we all are at risk for
contracting HIV.”
political chits he had
accumulated over
decades and employing
his renowned gifts of
persuasion, Coach
Gaither had lobbied
the state Board of
Regents for several
years to approve the
barrier-breaking game.
The decision was
considered so risky the
regents left no written
record of their consent.
The result, though,
was another kind of
double victory. FAMU
won on the field, 34-28
and a capacity crowd
of 40,000 got along
without incident
“That game has
to be the most
important game of
my life,” Gaither said
afterward, “for that
proves a game of that
type – with tension
and competitiveness
– could be played
between whites and
blacks in the Deep
South without any
undue racial violence,
without the fans,
the players, or the
community becoming
upset, with good
sportsmanship by both
teams and the public.
I wanted to prove to
myself that it could be
done in Florida – the
deepest state in the
Deep South, and we
did it.”
Sanford, Fla. Zimmerman noted that he shot the teen
in self-defense. There was an outcry for justice in both
cases, and respective rallies took place around the
nation for slain teens.
“With the Anderson case, I learned the power of the
people and the power of the media,” said Parks, who
continues to assist with the Trayvon Martin civil case and
serves on the board for the Trayvon Martin Foundation.
While still a student at FAMU, Parks served as
Student Government Association president for two
terms — 1990-1991 and 1991-1992.
The history of student advocacy at FAMU is evident,”
he said. “From the days of (former SGA President)
Brodes Hartley to my days of protesting the first Gulf
War, cuts on education, the appearance of (activist and
a former Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux
Klan) David Duke at the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic
Center. There’s a lot to be said about taking positions
and not just standing by.”
Parks has served his alma mater as Board of the
FAMU Foundation chair, the FAMU Boosters, and
FAMU Board of Trustees vice chair. He has provided
financial support and service as a member of the board
of directors for varied human service agencies including
the Tallahassee Urban League, the Leon County Sickle
Cell Foundation, the Bethel Community Development
Corporation, and Legal Services of North Florida, to
whom his law firm made a $1,000,000 contribution
to fund a legal aid center in Gadsden County, Fla. Parks
has an uncommon interest in improving the lives of
the people on the continent of Africa by making both
a personal and financial investment in improving the
educational options found on the continent. He has
partnered with humanitarian trips in Senegal, Ghana, and
Tanzania.
As a lifetime member of the National Bar Association,
Daryl Parks has held national leadership positions over
the last sixteen years, including General Counsel, Vice
President of Finance, Regional Director of Region XI, and
President of the Virgil Hawkins Florida Chapter of the
National Bar Association. He also received Presidential
Awards in 2005, 2007, 2008, and 2009. In 2011,
Parks’ commitment and dedication to the National
Bar Association were rewarded by his election as its
69th president. The American Association for Justice
appointed Parks to serve as its minority caucus chair
and membership on its Board of Governors. He has held
a number of leadership positions with the Florida Justice
Association, including serving on the Board of Directors.
He has also provided his expertise to the Florida Bar,
serving as a member of the Florida Bar Foundation
Board and the Florida Bar Student Education and
Admissions to the Bar Committee.
CONT’D pg. 57
CONT’D pg. 71
CONT’D pg. 61

winter2013 summer2013

Transcription

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