FAMU First-Experience Program honors three Rattlers for their contributions to its success

Elizabeth Dawson, director of the FAMU Black Archives and an honoree of the First-Year Experience Program Appreciation Banquet

The FAMU First-Year Experience Program recently held an appreciation banquet to honored three Rattlers for their contributions to its success.

This year’s honorees were Clyde Ashley, a professor in the School of Business and Industry, who was named Advocate of the Year; Elizabeth Dawson, a professor in the College of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities, was named SLS 1101 Instructor of The Year; and Alphonse Brenet Etienne, a senior public relations student from West Palm Beach, Fla., was named Peer Mentor of the Year.

“The purpose of the banquet was to bring attention to the First-Year Experience Program while honoring those individuals who have played an important role in helping the First-Year Experience Program grow and to help our first-year students to transition to Florida A&M University,” said Lawrence Brown Sr., coordinator for the First-Year Experience program.

The FAMU First Year Experience Program, housed within the Office of University Retention, and is designed to assist all incoming student’s transition from high school life to life as a student FAMU. It allows its participants to interact with different clubs and organizations and various departments on campus while gaining knowledge about campus services and resources.

“This program sets the foundation and helps our students to successfully navigate and matriculate through FAMU,” said Ashley, Advocate of the Year. “As educators, our job is to make sure students are equipped with the necessary tools to make their marks on world.”

The program provides academic, social and cultural transition to all incoming freshmen students.  The SLS 1101 course provides students with the foundations to be successful students on the campus. Dawson, a professor who’s dedicated countless hours to SLS 1101 students, was honored as the Instructor of the Year.

“I am proud to be a part of numerous innovative solutions being implemented to strengthen the university in this area,” said Dawson, who is also director of the Carrie Meek-James N. Eaton, Sr. Southeastern Regional Black Archives Research Center and Museum. “I am grateful that my own mentors impressed upon me the importance of being an advocate for students.  As an educator and information provider, I do find pleasure in helping students and others connect to appropriate resources, on and off campus, that help them meet their academic, professional and personal needs, especially at such pivotal points in their lives.”

The Peer Mentoring initiative is another critical part of the First Year Experience Program that gives students the opportunity to receive a helping hand from some of FAMU’s best and brightest students.

“To be honored and selected by my peers was an amazing experience that has really humbled me,” said Etienne, Peer Mentor of the Year. “It goes to show that hard work and dedication pays off. I love being a part of the First-Year Experience Program. Being a Peer Mentor is one of the wisest decisions I've made. I really enjoy imparting knowledge to people in hopes that they can avoid the obstacles and adversity that I faced.”