FAMU officially installed Elmira Mangum as the university’s eleventh
and first female president on Friday. Mangum, who began leading the school in
April, chose to schedule her inauguration on the date of the school’s 127th
birthday.
“There are many open doors that we must go through, and
there are many doors that we need to shut.
But most of all we must keep the doors open that lead to a better life,
and a brighter future for our students,” Mangum said during her inaugural address.
James H. Ammons, who served as FAMU’s tenth president from
2007 until 2012, was on stage to place the presidential medallion on his
successor. He praised Mangum’s skills and vision.
“This is a perfect match for the needs of Florida A&M
University at this time and her skill set,” Ammons said in an interview with
the Capitol News Service.