FAMU's recruitment of National Achievement Scholars rebounds

FAMU’s renewed focus on recruiting the nation’s top-performing black high school students is paying-off. This fall, the university enrolled six National Achievement Scholars, a more than 50 percent increase over last year. It also lured 14 finalists and 10 semifinalists.

The turn-around stems from President James Ammons’ decision to re-institute time-tested recruitment methods that were successfully utilized by former President Frederick S. Humphries. To help kick-start this process, Ammons hired Roland Gaines, another Humphries-era veteran, to head FAMU’s Division of Students Affairs in 2007.

“Through aggressive recruitment campaigns, which led us across the nation to places like Boston, New York, Houston, Atlanta, Los Angeles and the State of Florida, we were able to show prospective students that FAMU is an institution that provides an enlightening academic experience and faculty that care about student development,” Gaines said. “This increase in National Achievement Scholars is just the beginning.”

The Humphries recruitment model came under attack three years ago from former Interim President Castell Bryant.

Bryant falsely claimed that despite FAMU’s success in attracting National Achievement Scholars, most of those that enrolled in the Class of 1997 didn’t graduate. Contrary to Bryant’s “fuzzy math,” 68 percent of those scholars actually graduated in six-years, a number well above the state’s average.

The new administration's success in attracting National Achievement Scholars has set FAMU on pace to reclaim its crown as the top destination for such high-scoring students .

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