FAMU Forward Rally flier
Florida A&M University students gathered around the steps of Lee Hall for a student rally on Thursday. Although it was not a huge turnout, students still showed their support.
Posted on social media platforms, the flier encourages students to come out and “make the pledge to move FAMU forward.” Student leaders feel as though students need to be informed and involved with university affairs.
Presidential ambassador and third-year healthcare management student, Brooksie McGraw, said recruitment is important, but the students here need to be satisfied and informed.
“We’re here to support our president and to show our ambition on how students can help move FAMU forward. We’re giving out pledge cards which state ‘I pledge to commit myself to using my time, talent, and resources to move #FAMUForward by focusing on academic excellence and service to our community,’” McGraw said. “Students need to know exactly what’s going on because we want to better FAMU in every possible way we can.”
The pledge cards are a way to keep students accountable for FAMU’s progression plan discussed in the press conference with FAMU President Elmira Mangum earlier this morning, said Pernell Mitchell.
“I stood next to Dr. Mangum this morning while she delivered to the world her FAMU Forward plan, which is a plan to move the university forward within the next two to three years,” Mitchell said. “We really want the students to get behind this because the only people that can change our performance (and) our graduation rates (and) the student-stigmas at FAMU are the students.”
The pledge cards with signatures will be posted in front of Lee Hall so Mangum can see the students are fully behind her plan to move the university forward, according to Mitchell.
The university has experienced recent administrative turmoil during the last month with the resignation of two BOT members and two attempts to fire Mangum.
Some students like Amelia Tyson, a second-year business administration student, thinks students should stand together.
“I think we all need to stand together as an HBCU because there’s not many HBCUs left,” Tyson said.