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FAMU Up Close and Personal Tour Nets Thousands in Scholarship Dollars for Local Students

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Local students awarded scholarships during the Florida A&M Univeristy President's Tour: FAMU Up Close and Personal at Miami Carol City Senior HIgh School.

Ammons On Tuesday, March 8, Florida A&M University President Dr. James H. Ammons and a contingent of student representatives and staff brought the University 'Up close and Personal' on their fourth annual tour of key locations in Florida. Miami-Carol City Senior High School was the setting and Miami-Dade County School Board Member Wilbert "Tee" Holloway welcomed Dr. Ammons and guests to Miami-Dade County and specifically, District 1 that he represents.

More than 30 students from Miami-Dade and Broward counties were offered scholarships ranging from $4,000 to the top award, the 'Life Gets Better Scholarship" valued at $64,000. The Life Gets Better Scholarship is $16,000 per year, full-ride, for four years. Tuition, housing, books all paid. The students also receives $500 per semester, a laptop and an iPad. As Ammons said, "when a student receives the Life Gets Better Scholarship, life gets better for the entire family."

There were several wonderful student speakers and Miss FAMU Kindall Johnson, from Tampa, did not disappoint as she very regally greeted the audience in Arabic. Johnson shared an overview of her experience at Florida A&M and how the University has prepared her for postgraduate studies; to compete on a global level and given her life-long friends. Another highlight of the student speakers was Omi Taylor who in her rich Trinidadian accent, passionately and eloquently spoke of how Florida A&M University changed her life.

The University's traveling entertainment troupe, the FAMU Connection, gave their typical exciting, professional performance inspite of some equioment challenges. A number of the Connection members are from Miami so that made the evening all the more special for their family and friends in the audience.

The Miami Carol city Jazz Band, under the direction of Michael Scott, former Head Drum Major for the FAMU Marching 100, did not disappoint with wonderful renditions of jazz classics and a student vocalist that we are sure to hear from in the near future.

President Ammons spoke of the opportunities Florida A&M University has to offer for students who are willing to work hard. He warned of the academically competitive students at the University who take advantage of the scholarship funds availalble as well as prestigious internships. One of the main reasons students do not complete their studies or take a longer time to finish is due to financial hardships. If a student works hard enough, and performs exceptionally well, it's possible to obtain an undergraduate degree at Florida A&M as well as secure a spot in several prestigious graduate programs at FAMU or in partnership with other institutions.

Ammons also issued a challenge to the FAMU alumni Miami-Dade County to beat the Broward County area in recruiting students to the University. Currently, Broward area leads Miami-Dade 1,600 students to Dade's 1,400 students.

Some of the local high schools represented by the awards recipients were: Miami Carol City; Miami Northwestern; Dr. Michael Krop; North Miami Beach; Miami Norland; Young Women's Prep; Northwest Christian Academy; School for Advanced Studies; Miramar High; Blanche Ely; Coral Reef; and McArthur.

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President Ammons with local family members - (from left) Verna Edington; Dr. Ammons; Naomi Smith and Baljean Smith

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FAMU Royal Court, Student Government leaders and Presidential Ambassadors

Click here for more photos of the FAMU President's Tour 

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