FAMU Sends Students to National Alumni Association Convention

FAMU Student National Alumni Association joins the National Alumni Association for a welcoming reception at the Buffalo Soldiers Museum in Houston. 

 

The students of the Florida A&M University Student National Alumni Association (SNAA) have just returned to Tallahassee after attending the FAMU National Alumni Association (NAA) Convention.

From May 14 to May 17, SNAA joined the FAMU NAA as they convened in Houston, Texas and debriefed on the year's successes, challenges and finances.

The FAMU NAA was established to serve alumni and the university by actively promoting the interest of FAMU as an institution of higher learning. The NAA works to stimulate interest in the university amongst students, graduates, corporate partners and others while providing moral, political and financial support.

As a branch of the NAA, one of the primary roles of SNAA is molding current FAMU students into alumni who are active and supportive of the university in their post-graduate careers. For years, SNAA has served as a liaison between the NAA and the student body. While the NAA has invested in the student body, the student body has invested in the NAA by making alumni aware of what they can do to recruit the missing demographic of young active alumni.

“SNAA does a great job of bridging the gap between alumni and students by serving as an avenue for both entities to effectively communicate with one another,” said SNAA member and newly elected Miss FAMU, Annie Taylor.

“With the lines of communication left wide open, students are able to witness the benefits of becoming active in the alumni association, as well as how deserving students can benefit from graduates being active in the association,”said Taylor.

“The Student National Alumni Association takes the liberty of showing students the benefit of being a rattler years after earning a degree. Traveling to the NAA convention allows students to interact with successful, established FAMU alumni that give back to the institution as often as they can and don't mind investing in the future of a rattler. While each one is reaching one, each one is also teaching one, and influencing younger rattlers to be future givers,” said Michael Davis, the president of SNAA.

Alumni raised over $200,000 at the fundraising breakfast held this past Saturday. As a non-profit organization, all funds will be used to sustain the functioning of the NAA and create scholarship opportunities for current students.

Outside of the financial support available, students are able to create long-lasting relationships by having exposure to the alumni network and possible career and internship opportunities.

Alumnus Akacia McBride expressed how the FAMU alumni network has influenced her rattler pride and decision to return to FAMU for graduate school this fall.

“As products of FAMU, an investment in a rattler is an investment in yourself. I will never be able to repay this institution for all that it has invested in me. The best thing I can do is stand together with other alumni and continue reaching back to ensure that FAMU will always be taken care of. FAMU today, FAMU tomorrow, FAMU forever,” said McBride.