Photo of The FAMU Connection courtesy: Kendall Williams
After a week of recruiting and a win in Saturday’s annual Florida Classic, this past weekend marked the end of travels for FAMU’s annual St. Petersburg, Tampa and Orlando Presidential Recruitment Tour.
Reaching more than 3,500 students from different high schools and colleges in Central Florida, prospective students were left excited for the opportunity to embark on an education at FAMU.
In this, a big pull was the performance by The FAMU Connection. This group was a highlight for students and alumni in attendance.
The FAMU Connection is an entertainment showcase organization of performers, musicians and technicians created to assist in recruitment efforts at FAMU.
The group performs a 10–15 minute show engaging students in music, dance and culture while presenting various university offerings. The organization’s mission is to help increase the number of students who choose FAMU as their institution of higher learning.
The FAMU Connection is nothing new to FAMU recruitment; this year, the 39th class company completed its final fall semester show. The organization began in 1985, aiming to make performances interactive and fun. Outside of selling FAMU to students, sing-alongs to popular songs such as “Tap In” by Saweetie are high-energy crowd favorites.
Andrea Small, associate professor of theater, has also served as The FAMU Connections adviser for the past eight years. Small enjoys the unique recruiting style and enjoys the group’s impact on students.
“I surely hope The Connection has a great impact on students,” Small said. “The wonderful thing about the President’s Recruitment Tour is that we are unique in that we don’t just recruit students to the university through presentations. Our company uses trendy music and captivating choreography to amusingly deliver information about the rich history, legacy and accolades of our illustrious university. I’d be sold.”
Another significant aspect of recruiting is bringing diversity for recruits to see. This is also exemplified in the show as cast members are from various places and study different majors. Kyra Morris, a Connection cast member and Tallahassee native, shared her role in the show and what excites her about performing to bring the best and brightest to the hill.
“I’m a performer in the Connection, and my favorite part is bonding with the cast. We’re all connected,” Morris said. “The most exciting part is that the individuals who are watching get the opportunity to see a fun and different side of FAMU that’s packed with energy.”
Rebekah Tyson, another FAMU Connection cast member, also values the bonding among the team.
“Performing, traveling and bonding with the company is the best aspect of bringing The Connection on recruitment trips,” Tyson said. “Seeing students engage and react to our shows makes the long hours of rehearsals, conditioning and boot camp worth it.”
Last year, more than 20,000 students applied to FAMU. With energy like what The Connection brings, the numbers can only go up.
Be sure to stay updated with The FAMU Connection on Instagram @thefamuconnection_ for the latest updates.