FAMU's official Be Out Day flyer.
Photo Courtesy of FAMU Info.
Be Out Day is a concert and festival that Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University hosted annually. For the past few years, there has been a Be Out Day in Atlanta, but not in Tallahassee.
Alexia Bell, chair of Be Out Day and a third-year facilities management major at FAMU, said this event has not been hosted by the university on university grounds since 2012.
“It was the idea of the Senate President Rochard Moricette to bring back Be Out Day and he appointed me to spearhead it. He decided to bring this back because Be Out Day is supposed to be an annual event and it’s a wonderful event to have in the spring to give the students a free concert and festival,” said Bell.
Attendees of Be Out Day in Atlanta enjoyed the experience and felt like they got a feel for what FAMU was like even before they stepped foot on the campus.
“Be Out Day Atlanta was an amazing event that convened FAMU alumni, current Rattlers and prospective students alike into one commonplace to fellowship, reminisce, and pass along valued knowledge. I had the unique experience of being able to attend Be Out Day as a prospective student, and it was amazing to experience the intense presence and spirit of the FAMU community despite being a full four-and-a-half hours away from campus. I met so many students that would end up being some of my closest friends, and alumni that would eventually serve as mentors throughout my time at FAMU,” said second-year business administration major Kameron Gomez.
Gomez received a $3,000 scholarship at the event based on his academic performance, interview responses and an essay he wrote when applying for it.
Jade Fryer, a third-year business administration major, also received a total of $3,000 in scholarship money from the event and is excited to attend now that it’s on campus.
“I got the Friends of FAM Scholarship. Friends of FAM is an organization started by a group of FAMU Atlanta alumni that serves Atlanta students who attend FAMU, both financially and with mentorship. I received the scholarship two years in a row. The first was $1,200 and the second was $1,800. I’ve attended Be Out Day Atlanta every year since it was established. Be Out Day ATL was a chance for me to network and meet FAMU alum from my hometown. I’m excited to see Be Out Day being brought back to campus, especially because I know that a lot of FAMU alum speak highly of it and have been asking about its return.”
Moricette, who was recently elected the 2019-2020 Student Government Association president, believes that the return of this event will be great for the campus and for Tallahassee.
“The 48th Student Senate wanted to bring back Be Out Day because it was a major event that had an impact on the FAMU experience of many students. Be Out Day is a day where the community and, this year specifically, potential students get a taste of FAMU and the FAMU experience. This is a major recruiting factor because it is happening in conjunction with Spring Preview and the spring game,” said Moricette.
The soon-to-be SGA president added that the Be Out Day committee has been working tirelessly since fall semester to bring this event to fruition and execute it successfully.
The day will feature various activities including the spring game and a concert. The event will be held from noon to 9:30 p.m. Saturday.
According to Moricette, “Be Out Day is completely free for the community and students alike. We will have special performances by singers, campus organizations, and FAMU’s own K. Michelle. We cannot spoil the entire line-up, but we will have different forms of entertainment to engage the crowd.”
Many students are eager to see what the revival of this event will do for the campus and the potential Rattlers that will be visiting.
Gomez said, “Bringing Be Out Day back home to FAMU’s campus will be a critical stride in preserving the culture of the university that everyone loves. We need more events on this campus that increase student morale. The school can accomplish that by reflecting on the university’s vibrant history, and bringing back beloved traditions such as Be Out Day. Be Out Day will unite our campus and community as it has in the past, while also sparking a fire in our students to uphold the university’s orange and green spirit going forward.”