When junior broadcast journalism student Larry O. Rivers was elected as a member of the Ocklocknee River Soil and Water Conservation District Boardof Supervisors, many people thought he was in over his head.
Now he’s running for SGA president.
He, along with Virgil Miller, a senior biology pre-medicine student from West Palm Beach, hopes to put the ticket’s slogan, “Drafting the Design of Upliftment by Building the Framework of Empowerment,” to work.
“The Blueprint,” as their administration would be called, plans to work with FAMU administration on financial issues, as well as work on customer service Rivers said.
“Our motivation is to serve the students at FAMU,” said the 21-year-old from Tallahassee.
Miller, who has no experience in SGA, brings a wealth of knowledge to the table.
“I’m bringing fresh ideas to the table that weren’t necessarily the SGA status quo,” said Miller, a drum major with the Marching 100.
“Some of those are the ideas of the students who feel distanced from SGA.”
Rivers said instead of so much new construction, he planned on making sure FAMU renovated and improved what was in place.
Rivers said they planned to add sprinklers in the dorms and reinstate $2 Tuesdays in the Cafe and Orange Room.
Rivers and Miller said they’d like to work on helping find things that would benefit FAMU.
“FAMU is in a fragile state,” Miller said. “There are a lot of issues that could have drastic affects on the future of the university.”
Rivers agreed.
“We need to raise more money without increasing tuition and fees,” he said. “If not, enrollment could drastically decrease.”
Rivers and Miller both agree that they are not just working for next year’s FAMU.
“We have a genuine interest in next year,” Miller said. “But we’re also looking out for the future of FAMU.”
Marlon A. Walker can be reached at MarlonAWalker@aol.com