FAMU Day at the Capitol provides an opportunity for the Rattler family, including friends and supporters, to convey concise messages about FAMU’s contributions to Florida as well as advocate for carefully chosen legislative priorities that will ensure the institution’s continued success.
For the 2022 legislative session, FAMU has prioritized securing financial support to cement its gains in student success even in the face of a relentless pandemic.
The university’s primary hope is that its legislative priorities are supported. During Thursday’s annual event at the Capitol, FAMU administrators and others lobbied to make elected officials more aware of FAMU’s contributions to enhancing the lives of its students and their families. Last fall, U.S. News & World Report ranked FAMU the top-rated public HBCU in the nation, and among all schools in the nation it ranked No. 12 in social mobility.
The university hoped on Thursday to create a greater sense of fellowship among Rattlers.
President Larry Robinson said students are the key to articulating the university’s needs and the impact the Legislature’s support can have on their wellbeing as they matriculate at FAMU.
“FAMU students get to meet legislators and witness how the government works at the state level,” Robinson said. “Students also get to meet with alumni who are key players in organizing FAMU Day at the Capitol and witness their hard work in support of FAMU.”
Maurice Edington, FAMU’s provost and vice president for the Office of Academic Affairs, added that attending Thursday’s event will benefit students by allowing them to network and connect with legislators.
“Students in attendance will benefit by obtaining a first-hand view of critical components of the legislative process, as well as by serving as ambassadors for the university,” he said. “During the event, students have many opportunities to observe and interact with legislators and university supporters.”
Records have shown that even while experiencing many challenges such as a global pandemic, FAMU has improved tremendously with the support of the state’s legislators.
FAMU is the highest-ranked public HBCU for the past three years, according to the U.S. News & World Report 2022 Best Colleges ranking of top public universities.
“We rose to 104 among Top Public universities, up from No. 117 a year ago,” Robinson said.
Robinson stressed that the university is grateful to the Florida Legislature for partnering with the institution and supporting the future of FAMU by securing the economic well-being of Florida citizens.