According to the Times, Lawson “said that he reached the
decision to apply for the FAMU presidency just this week after being encouraged
by others to apply. The school needs an apt fundraiser, who can help recruit
students and has the connections among the elected officials who control the
purse strings at the Capitol, he said.”
“I don’t know anyone who can do that any better than I can,”
Lawson told the Times.
Lawson, 65, is a successful insurance executive and business
man. He represented Tallahassee and Leon
County in the Florida Legislature for 28 years from 1982-2011.
During his time in the Legislature he was an avid supporter
of FAMU, guiding through legislation to establish the FAMU-FSU College of
Engineering and reestablish the FAMU College of Law in 2000. He can be credited with the renovation and
construction of many facilities across the campus including the School of Journalism
and Graphic Communication Building, New Developmental Research School,
Multi-Purpose Teaching Gymnasium (that bears his name), University Commons
Renovation, Gore Education Complex Remodeling, Jones Hall Remodeling, Tucker
Hall Remodeling, College of Law (Orlando) and Pharmacy Phase II.
The FAMU Board of Trustees will discuss the pool of
applications on Jan. 3. It has scheduled interviews for Jan. 6.