Industry Cluster donates more than $850,000 to FAMU

The FAMU Industry Cluster presented $851,914.67 to the University during halftime of this past weekend's halftime homecoming football game.

Cheryl Harris, chairperson of the Key Executive Advisory Council of the Industry Cluster (interim), and David Blanding, also a member of the Key Executive Advisory Council of the Industry Cluster, were on hand to present the check to FAMU President James H. Ammons and Carla Willis, vice president for University Relations and executive director, FAMU Foundation, Inc.

“It means a lot for the Business and Industry Cluster to provide funding for FAMU to help students pursue careers with various industries and companies,” said Harris, who is a 1989 graduate of FAMU and The Americas Procurement Lead for Accenture LLP. “Our [Industry Cluster] goals are to double this contribution this time next year.”

Blanding, a technical fellow for Platform Subsystems Technology with Boeing Research and Technology, shared his thoughts about the donation.

“The donation amount is going in a new direction,” said Blanding. “The same way that FAMU is going under the leadership of Dr. Ammons.”

There are more than 40 members of the FAMU Industry Cluster that provides financial and programmatic support to the University.

During their annual meeting, the group’s theme was “Navigating the Economy: Demonstrating Maximum Value.” The keynote speaker, Peter McKay, a FAMU graduate and now a financial reporter with the Wall Street Journal, discussed the economic outlook and provided some insights regarding recovery.

He indicated that many economic projections show that recovery will not be uniform but regional and that some market sectors will see a faster recovery than others. A panel discussion that included long-time Cluster members and one new member focused on the value of the partnership.

Panel members stressed the importance of maintaining a relationship with FAMU and its students even during the lean times and illustrated the difficulty of rebuilding. A panel of four students from the School of Business and Industry discussed the results of a Case Study that was sponsored by Medtronic. The Case Study was one that is pertinent and relevant to many corporations today, which discussed the challenges of recruiting and retaining candidates from Generation Y and provided recommendations. Many Cluster participants commented on how relevant the Case Study was and how well the students knew, understood and communicated the problem, the opportunities, and the recommendations.