Photo courtesy Fonzi Selmour
Being a transfer student is not always easy. Finding your niche in an unfamiliar place can be a challenging task.
But for senior food science major Fonzi Selmour, who transferred to Florida A&M from Florida State, that has not been the case. Selmour is a regular at any gym he can find and always makes it a habit to eat right by meal prepping and cooking his own homemade meals. Selmour is a diehard vegan and has been for two years.
The FAMU Recreation Center has been the Bradenton native’s favorite place to be for some time now. Not only is he an employee working there, he also makes the time to interact with gym goers every shift.
Hayley Giannuzzi, a sophomore nursing student at FAMU, frequents the gym at least four times a week and shares her story on how Fonzi is constantly pushing her to do better.
“Ever since I was diagnosed with scoliosis I had to stop working out and now that I am back training with Fonzi he has greatly increased my strength and helped me get back to my regular self,’ Giannuzzi said. “I like the gains that I’m seeing and I can tell that my body is regaining strength by the day.”
Selmour recently landed an internship with the strength and condition coach in the athletic department. He is the first and only strength and conditioning intern at FAMU.
As an athletics intern Selmour gets to interact regularly with student-athletes. “I love doing this because getting to spend time with the athletes I can push them harder than regular people I train knowing they can handle it,” Selmour said. “What motivates me is showing people that if you really work hard you can reach the goals you set forth for yourself.”
Selmour’s ability to make meaningful connections with athletes and regular students is something he cherishes every day. The gym is not the only place where he makes these connections.
“Fonzi pushes me beyond my limits whether it be in the gm or out of the gym,” junior public relations major Ivy Gray said.
“When I thought I wasn’t going to succeed he made my end goal seem attainable, which is pretty awesome.”
Selmour is also an active member of the FAMU Chapter of Collegiate 100.