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Tampa Chapter FAMU National Alumni Association Preparing For Annual Scholarship Gala
Tampa Chapter Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) National Alumni Association (NAA) is preparing for the annual scholarship events to improve educational opportunities for students and families in the
Tampa Bay communities.
The National Association, under Col. Gregory L. Clark, President, created a special program several years ago to keep minority students at the university to support their chances to graduate in
four years. The FAMU NAA is working to ensure resources are available for more Tampa Bay area, Hillsborough County students to matriculate suc- cessfully, both academically and financially, at the #1 Pub- lic Historically Black Colleges
and Universities (HBCU) in America, #1 HBCU for Re- search and Development, #1 Producer of Pharmacists, Nursing Master passing rate of 100%, Concert Chorale sched- uled to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York and a 70% four (4) years graduation rate of 2019 class of athletes and a 3.9 GPA offensive lineman en- rolled in SBI, with countless other commendations achieved by FAMU students.
The FAMU NAA has put more than $1.2 million over two years in a fund that was disbursed to students to help them stay in school, namely SAVE OUR STUDENTS (S.O.S.). Chapters around the country are hosting events to duplicate S.O.S. for their local area students and to con- tribute to the national and Florida Region scholarships annually at the Alumni Con- vention.
Join the Tampa Chapter on April 4, 2020, at 6 PM at Mar- riott Tampa Airport with ac- tress Angela Robinson of Tyler Perry’s “The Haves and The Have Nots.”
The Tampa Chapter em- barked upon a scholarship campaign many years ago and selected to re-design their ef- forts the past five years to raise a quarter of a million dollar for local students.
Chair Carolyn Hepburn Collins stated, “The Tampa Chapter went from a $10K NIGHT from 20-30 years ago, to a scholarship program over
the past 5 years under Presi- dent Wendell Duggins and funding available from former President Jackie Hearns and retired alumni President Mary White Darby.
The scholarship program is working and the Tampa Chap- ter extends gratitude to all the alumni, businesses and friends for assisting us in reaching more than 85% of the quarter of a million-dollar goal.
Two younger FAMUANS are co-chairing the 2020 Scholarship Gala to pay it for- ward. Ms. Paula Goodman and Ms. Teresa Scott Davis are among the young and en- ergetic Rattlers that are co- chairing this year’s Gala.
The co-chairs are asking everyone to go to the website at WWW.FAMUALUMNITA- MPABAY.ORG, or call Chair Collins, President Dug- gins, or any of the Gala com- mittee members, officers or members of the Tampa Chap- ter to obtain information on ads, tickets, silent auction items, and/or sponsorships to make a difference in the lives of young Rattlers on the hills and the potential young Rat- tlers in the classrooms, PK – 12, FAMU Ignite Programs at HCC and SPC, and transfer students in the Tampa Bay area.
Actress Angela Robin- son a FAMU graduate, is proud to reach out and touch chapters raising scholarship funds for students and their families.
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