Last week, FAMU announced the young men and women who will be honored at the Young Alumni Awards: A 40/40 Celebration, Friday, October 29, in the Alfred L. Lawson, Jr. Multipurpose Center and Teaching Gymnasium. The gala is part of this year’s Homecoming celebration and celebrates the accomplishments of alumni who are under 40 years of age.The 40 honorees include actors, business executives, filmmakers, politicians, and educators.
The names include: Joe Briggs, attorney for the NFL Players Association; Dwight Bullard, Florida House of Representatives (District 118); Dr. Makeba S. Earst, Dentist, All About Smiles Center; Andrew D. Gillum, Tallahassee City Commissioner; Amber D. Hall, Florida Region Sales Operations HR Manager, Frito Lay; Rob Hardy and Will Packer, Rainforest Films; Oscar Joyner, President and COO, Reach Media; Melanie Roussell, Press Secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); Alan Williams, Florida House of Representatives (District 8); Lonnie Rashied Lynn, Jr. – “Common,” actor and rapper; Anika Noni Rose, actress.
One big highlight of the list is Michael Bundy (pictured). Bundy, an alumnus of FAMU's School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, graduated first in his class at the Harvard University School of Dental Medicine in 2008. He's currently completing a six-year residency at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Medical Center, specializing in oral and maxillo facial surgery.
Bundy and Makeba S. Earst are both examples of FAMU's ability to attract students with the potential to become top-rate dental surgeons. FAMU President James Ammons is vigorously lobbying for a College of Dental Medicine to be established at Florida's only public historically black university.
View the full list of honorees here.