The awards, which highlight the professional and personal achievements of FAMU alumni, will be presented during the 2015 National Alumni Convention, on Friday, May 16, 2015 at 7 p.m. at the Doubletree by Hilton Greenway Plaza in Houston, Texas.
"We are excited to present the Distinguished Alumni
Awards in Houston as this will be the first time that this event is held away
from FAMU's campus since its creation in 1990," said Awards Chair Doris
Hicks. "With more than 70,000 graduates hailing from FAMU and several
deserving candidates nominated for recognition, it made sense to increase the
number of honorees that will be celebrated during this 25th
Anniversary Black Tie affair."
The Distinguished Alumni Awards serves as a reminder that
FAMU Rattlers are striking from the top in a variety of roles. For example,
alumnus Oscar Joyner is the President of the nationally syndicated radio show,
The Tom Joyner Morning Show, where he manages the Tom Joyner Foundation Fantastic
Voyage Cruise and the Tom Joyner Family Reunion. Alumna Cheryl A. Harris (pictured)
is the Senior Vice President of Sourcing and Procurement Solutions for Allstate
Insurance Company. In this role, she is responsible for optimizing Allstate's
spending portfolio of $14 billion through collaboration with internal business
partners.
"We are extremely proud of the accomplishments of
FAMU's alumni," said FAMU NAA President Tommy Mitchell, Sr. "We
appreciate everything they do to represent our brand positively through their
work and at home through their support and service to their alma mater."
In addition to serving as an opportunity to highlight
outstanding alumni, Hicks added a fundraising component in 2012 to support
educational programs at FAMU. Over the past three years, the event has raised
more than $25,000 through the support of honorees recognized over the past 25
years.
The 2015 Distinguished Alumni honorees are:
Arts
Victor R. Gaines, computer information systems c/o 2008
Ineria Hudnell, education c/o 1943
Business
Seabon Dixon, Business c/o 1975
Emma James Fountain, Business Administration c/o 1973
John L. Green, Accounting c/o 1969
Cheryl A. Harris, Business Administration c/o 1989
Milton Jones Jr., Political Science c/o 1963
Thomas Jones, Jr., Accounting c/o 1977
Oscar Joyner, Business c/o 1998
Sonia Jackson Myles, Business c/o 1985
Twuanna Munroe Ward, Accounting c/o 1986
Communications
Cecka Rose Green, English c/o 1991
Community Service
Shirley Carrington, Sociology c/o 1966
Jean Downing Jr., Business Management c/o 1974
Don Jordan, Data Processing Engineering c/o 1984
Mary Smith, Nursing c/o 1975
Earl Eugene Williams, Commercial Arts c/o 1974
Education
Rachel D. Blanks, Business Administration c/o 2008
William Hudson Jr., Psychology c/o 1995
Thomas Haynes, Guidance c/o 1977
Government
Rufus N. Montgomery, Psychology c/o 1995
Bobby Powell, Jr., Public Relations c/o 2003
Law
Nicole T. Jones, Accounting c/o 2000
Military
Steve L. Lewis, Agriculture c/o 1946