After students graduate from college, one can only hope to give back to their alma mater that gave them the education to take on the job market. Michael Reid, owner of MLR Entertainment, Inc., is a Florida A&M University alumnus who donated $100,000 to the School of Business and Industry. When asked what he received his degree in, Reid said, “My degree says accounting, but I think I received a degree of a heck of a great time.”
? Not only did Reid have a great time, but he also received the knowledge to build a successful company. Reid owns a hospitality business that does travel packages and ticket brokerages. A special plaque to announce the six-figure gift was unveiled on Oct. 29 during a Homecoming Reception at the Sybil C. Mobley School of Business and Industry. Reid said the gift is to encourage other alumni to “accept the challenge”. He also said, “This is my way of showing appreciation to the school.” ? ? During the reception, other alumni and professors spoke about why the School of business and Industry was one of the best choices that they’ve made. Aaron Allen, class of 2005, said, “My life would not be what it is today without the School of Business.” The keynote speakers told of their success stories; and, the audience was able to get a sense of the opportunities available upon graduation from the school. ? ? When asked what advice Reid would give to students, he exclaimed, “Find something that you really enjoy doing, and maintain your integrity.” Reid enjoyed his partnership with his late wife Audrey Jones-Reid. Always up for a competition, Reid proposed to his wife of five years, that for every two dollars she put in, he would give three. Reid’s accumulation of the money came from a combination of personal savings and revenue from his company. His wife’s occupation was providing financial consulting to business such as H&R Associates and the Department of Health.
Reid’s determination to give back to the school began when he was enrolled at FAMU in 1980. One of his former professors told him that he would never amount to anything, and that he was committed to nothing. At that moment, Reid decided that he wasn’t “going to show that the professor was wrong, but to prove that he wasn’t right”.
Now that Reid has contributed to the betterment of students, he doesn’t want to stop his generosity. “This was just the first hurdle. The goal is to keep it going. It’s not over, by any stretch of the imagination,” Reid said.
Reid was the third alum to donate a high amount to the School of Business and Industry. Before him, Michael Robinson and a group of SBI alums showed their generosity as well.
? Current students should strive to follow in Reid’s footsteps to success. Angela Tidwell, Ph.D., a SBI professor, said, “Most of the students are focused. They know what they want in their career goals. That’s truly their motivation.” ? ? Self-motivation is the driving force for some students, and the SBI fuels their fire. Sam Floyd is pursuing his bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in finance. Floyd says, “I like being in the School of Business because it gives me the tools necessary to be unique from the competition, as well as quantitatively strong.” ? ? To contact the School of Business and Industry, call (850) 599-3565.