In the world of academia, the Doctor of Philosophy (or Ph.D.), is still considered the gold standard of all degrees. According to the National Science Foundation, FAMU leads all America’s public universities in preparing blacks to earn this coveted title.
NSF’s “Survey of Earned Doctorates” reveals that 27 blacks who received baccalaureates from FAMU earned Ph.D.s in 2006, the largest number from any public college or university in the United States.
Howard University was first overall with 40.
FAMU’s performance stood out within the State University System of Florida. In 2006, Florida State University’s undergraduate program produced 9 blacks who earned Ph.D.s. The University of Miami and University of Florida both had 5.
“FAMU’s ‘Excellence with Caring’ approach is a winning formula,” said President James H. Ammons. “Our faculty and administration are dedicated to the goal of increasing the number of African Americans who earn their Ph.D.s. In addition, our faculty works to equip students with the discipline, knowledge, and research skills they need to become America’s top scholars.”
FAMU’s Graduate Feeder Scholars Program accounts for much of the university’s success. It serves as a pipeline that sends FAMU’s top-performing students on to advanced degree programs at more than 40 research universities. Participating institutions include the University of California, Berkeley, UCLA, and Vanderbilt.
“The success of a university’s graduates is one of the best measures of its academic quality,” said Chanta Haywood, dean of FAMU’s School of Graduate Studies and Research. “This data shows that FAMU’s baccalaureates are regarded highly by Ph.D. program admissions committees across the nation. It also proves that FAMU’s students leave here ready to compete and excel anywhere.”
NSF has tracked earned doctorates since 1966 and its online records extend to 2006. Over those 40 years, FAMU graduated 599 black baccalaureate degree recipients who went on to complete Ph.D.s, the largest all-time number from any public higher education institution. Only Howard (1,285) and Hampton (628) managed to edge out FAMU during that time period.
Ammons has eyes on an even bigger goal
FAMU’s press release clearly indicates that the Ammons administration plans to use the momentum from this good news to help reach an even more ambitious objective: making FAMU the number producer of blacks with Ph.D.s. FAMU already leads the nation in producing blacks with baccalaureates.
The first critical step is to implement all the doctoral programs that were authorized for FAMU’s Center of Excellence in Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology (or COESMET), which was approved by the Board of Regents as part of the State University System’s 1999-2003 Strategic Plan. The program’s purpose: increase black Ph.D. recipients in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
So far, FAMU’s Ph.D. in Physics in the only COESMET program that has been initiated. Its success was highlighted in FAMU’s press release with the following caption:
“Distinguished Professor of Physics Joseph A. Johnson, III, Ph.D. works with students in the 30,000 square foot lab at Innovation Park in Tallahassee. FAMU is one of the national leaders in awarding Ph.D.s to African Americans in physics. FAMU awarded five Ph.D. degrees in physics to African Americans during the 2006-2007 academic year—a significant portion of the total national output.”
Former President Frederick S. Humphries and Ammons had set the foundation for a Ph.D. in Physics even before COESMET received formal authorization. Years earlier, they had begun scraping and saving money from FAMU’s general budget to hire as many physics professors as possible. This enabled the Physics Ph.D. program to begin shortly after 2001.
Coming up on RN:
Next week, we’ll provide additional coverage and analysis on FAMU’s success in getting blacks ready doctorates. We’ll also look at FAMU’s path towards awarding more Ph.D.s.
Ammons envisions FAMU as a national leader in STEM Ph.D.s
I'M SO GLAD I'M FROM FAMU.
ReplyDeleteHoward has 40 PHD graduates
ReplyDeleteThanks RN for being on top of it and for providing us with the good news and facts about FAMU that the local media chooses to ignore.
ReplyDeleteI really like the message sent by the photo in this story. It shows how FAMU's professors are using Innovation Park's facilities to give our students a top-level education. Those research labs are critical to us.
ReplyDeleteCan you imagine what would happen if we ever bowed down to FSU's demands for us to leave Innovation Park? It would devastate the efforts of great faculty members like Dr. Johnson.
GO RATTLERS!
ReplyDeleteThat's all nice, but FAMU still hast to strive for more:
ReplyDeleteHoward Awards Highest Number of Doctorates to Blacks
WASHINGTON (January 5, 2009) – Howard University produces the most African-American doctorates in the United States, according to the National Opinion Research Center.
The preliminary report, “Doctorate Recipients from United States Universities,” shows that from 2003-2007 Howard University awarded 296 doctoral degrees to African Americans.
The following rounded out the top five doctoral degree-granting institutions: Nova Southeastern University, University of Michigan, Walden University, and the University of Maryland. Three other Historically Black Universities also ranked in the top 20: Clark Atlanta University, Morgan State University, and Jackson State University.
Last fall, the National Science Foundation ranked Howard University first as the producer of the highest number of African-American bachelor’s degree recipients who continued and earned science and engineering doctoral degrees nationally.
Howard led the country with 224 doctoral recipients in science and engineering from 1997-2006. HBCUs took eight of the top 10 spots. Rounding out the leaders were Spelman College (150), Hampton University (135), Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (100), Morehouse College (99), North Carolina A&T University (89), Southern University A&M College at Baton Rouge (79), and Xavier University (73).
For more information on Howard University visit www.howard.edu.
Beating Howard is a long-term goal. One step at a time.
ReplyDelete