Fall 2017 graduate Zuri Montgomery | Photo credit: Brandon Adlam
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University’s (FAMU) 2017 fall graduates are almost to the finish line, and they’re taking time to reflect on their growth from their years on the hill.
Hard times created life lessons, and good times created fond memories that will be carried into their post-graduate lives after walking across the stage of this higher learning institution.
These graduates are now coming to the realization that they will finally be alumni of FAMU.
“FAMU teaches you that there is more, you’re going to get through it. You may not be able to see it right then and there, you may not understand the process, but you’ll get through it because everything happens for a reason,” said Kori Andrews.
Andrews, 22, is graduating with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Psychology.
She is the first student in the psychology department to intern as an undergraduate student at the Apalachee Center, a mental health facility.
College allows individuals to explore career paths, build a sense of independence, and essentially become part of a vast and continuously growing alumni network.
“I’m excited to travel and meet other rattlers and see where they are in their lives. I want to take from them what they’ve learned and experienced,” said Zuri Montgomery.
Montgomery, 21, is no stranger to the “famuly.”Her parents met at FAMU, both of her siblings attended FAMU, and one of her brothers met his wife at FAMU.
Montgomery will be graduating fall 2017 with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Music Education.
FAMU has cultivated a plethora of individuals with a variety of backgrounds.
Fall 2017 graduate Victoria Roberts/photo credit: Brandon Adlam
Students on this campus come from families with a long lineage of Rattler pride, while others may be creating their own legacies by being the first of their family to go to college or even go to a historically black institution.
“I am the first one in my family to attend FAMU, I will be starting the rattler tradition,” said Victoria Roberts.
23-year-old Roberts will be graduating fall 2017 with a B.S. in Animal Science.
“I do plan on continuing to express my rattler pride even after I graduate. The culture and the love here make this is a beautiful school. There are so many opportunities I’ve been provided because of this school,” said Roberts.
Spring 2016 graduate Toran Davis said, “I encourage all current graduates to take every lesson learned while attending FAMU and apply it to their life for it is truly a different world once you step outside FAMU.”
Davis, 25, graduated from FAMU with his B.S. in Architecture and is currently pursuing his master’s degree in Architecture and Facilities Management.
“The greatest feeling of being an alumnus of FAMU is knowing that you played part in a legacy of excellence. When others see you with your FAMU alumni paraphernalia they expect nothing less than top-notch,” said Davis.
Fall 2017 graduate Kori Andrews | Photo credit: Giles Williams
These graduating rattlers wanted to leave a few encouraging words for their fellow colleagues
“Things don’t always go good, but still be faithful, still be positive…trouble doesn’t last always,” said Roberts.
Roberts hopes to obtain her Doctor of Medicine degree from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Tuskegee University, in Tuskegee, Alabama.
“Keep pushing, no matter what. Strive for the highest thing you can possibly strive for and always have goals. You’ll never have enough goals to reach,” said Andrews
Andrews will be pursuing her master’s degree in Community Psychology at Florida A&M University.
“You have to have faith in yourself and what you’re doing because someone can recognize that in you and what you can bring to the table,” said Montgomery.
Montgomery hopes to attain her master’s degree in Expressive Arts Therapy at California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco, California.
Commencement for fall 2017 will occur on Dec.15 at 6 p.m. and Dec.16 at 9 a.m. in the Alfred Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center and Teaching Gymnasium.