Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) is being well represented at the 2015 Association of Public and Land-grant Universities Annual Meeting, held at the J.W. Marriott in Indianapolis, Ind.
The Annual Meeting has become the premier event for public university leaders to meet and exchange ideas with colleagues from across the country and all of North America.
On Sunday, in conjunction with the Council of 1890s Universities, President Elmira Mangum, Ph.D., presented on the topic “Globalizing HBCUs: International Student and Faculty Engagement in the 21st Century.” The presentation comes on the heels of President Mangum’s recent participation as an inaugural invitee at the Study Abroad Leadership Workshop for Minority Serving Institutions in Berlin, Germany.
The presentation also is timely as the University is celebrating its annual International Education Week, starting today through Nov. 20. The celebration is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education.
FAMU also took center stage on Sunday evening, as alumna Doris Hicks made history as one of the first recipients of the inaugural APLU 1890 Universities Career Exemplar Award. The award recognizes alumni from the 19 historically Black land-grant universities who have made advancements in STEM careers and provide mentorships to aspiring students in similar career fields.
After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in education from FAMU, Hicks spent nearly 40 years working tirelessly to educate and uplift young minds as a public school teacher before retiring in 2003. In addition to her work as an educator, Hicks also serves as the president of the Polk County, Fla. FAMU Alumni Chapter, a position she has held for 15 years. Throughout her tenure as president, Hicks has raised more than $175,000 for scholarships, University programs, and projects.
“I’m just so very excited,” Hicks said. “I was so taken aback when I received the email congratulating me. This is truly such an awesome honor, and I’m feeling so grateful and humble about being included.”
The awards were presented in honor of the 125th anniversary of the Second Morrill Act, which provided endowments to FAMU and other HBCUs to support branches of learning in the areas of agriculture, mechanical arts, and military tactics.
“The first class of 1890 Career Exemplar Awards recipients are a testament to the tremendous contributions 1890 institutions make to our society through their instruction, research, and community engagement,” said APLU President Peter McPherson. “These alumni have not only achieved success in their own careers but worked with their alma maters and current students to serve the institutions that had such a formative influence on them.”
