Program honors scholars

Thursday’s Honor Day Convocation recognized students who achieved a 3.0 or higher grade point average. Students, faculty and staff attended the convocation, which was themed, “Challenges and Commitments: Necessary Prerequisites for Success.”

Keynote speaker, state representative Arthenia L. Joyner, D-Tampa, told honor students the world needed more people like them.

“We need people like you, those who are willing to use every resource that is at their disposal,” she said. “People who are willing to ask questions that no one wants to hear.”

Ivy Mitchell, director of the university honors program said of all the convocations that are held throughout the school year, the honors day convocation is one of the most significant. “{At the convoca-tion}, we pay tribute to our outstanding students and tell them we are grateful they have chosen this university,” she said.

Joyner’s speech focused on the essentials that would guarantee success. “To believe we can achieve success without challenges and commitments is to look at a glass dimly”. She went on to say that challenges are required for optimum achievement.

Darius Graham, a 20-year-old, junior political science student from Charlotte said he thinks it is important for university students to aim for academic excellence. “With the negative publicity that the university is receiving, it should be a goal for FAMU students to do well in order to shed a positive light on FAMU.”

Regina Paul, a 22-year-old junior nursing student and honor student from Tallahassee, said she agreed. “Students should constantly strive for success because it brings personal growth for ourselves and it means we are representing the school well.”

Graham also said blacks students are indebted to those who worked hard to ensure equality for today’s generation “As young black people, we owe people like Arthenia Joyner who sacrificed for us to have the rights and opportunities we have.”

Joyner recalled the civil rights movement and her involvement to ensure equality. “We fought because we believed we should have had the same rights as everyone else.”

During the convocation, two students from each school were honored for their accomplishments. Mitchell said three distinguishing characteristics of an honor student are maintaining a high GPA, leadership skills and their ability to mentor and give back to their community.

Joyner reminded students that other critical qualities associated with achievement are integrity, determination and a willingness to succeed.

“It is one thing to make a fire that flickers bright and burns out quickly,” she said. “It is another to create a fire that brings warmth for all them around them.”

Contact Danielle Lewis at famuannews@hotmail.com.