Yesterday, FAMU Trustee Harold Mills hosted a reception for
semifinalists from the Orlando area at his home in Windermere, Florida. Trustee
Thomas Dortch Jr. will host an event for semifinalists in the Atlanta area at
his Buckhead home on Nov. 29 at 6 p.m.
FAMU Board of Trustees members are working closely with Interim
President Larry Robinson, senior staff, deans, and the Division of Student
Affairs to ensure that FAMU meets and exceeds the state goal for each
university to become a National Merit college sponsor.
Mills said, “It’s critical to match our great university with great students, and it’s an honor to be a part of that process.”
On Monday, Trustee David Lawrence held the first reception
for semifinalists in Coral Gables, Florida.
“It is a privilege to be a host and even a recruiter for
prospective FAMU students – great people, already successful in high school,
and destined to contribute to a better world,” Lawrence said.
Robinson expressed the importance of the events as FAMU
continues its focus on recruitment, retention, and persistence to graduation.
“I am grateful to our trustees who are opening their homes
to host National Merit semifinalists who will add to FAMU’s history of
producing some of the world’s most forward-thinking and socially-aware
scholars,” said Robinson. “FAMU has a rich legacy of attracting some of the
nation’s brightest minds, and offering those students world-class academic
programs, internships, and research opportunities.”
In keeping with the best practices for many of the nation’s
prestigious scholarship programs, the deadline to apply is November 30.
The trustees’ events are opening the door for participation
in the state’s Benacquisto Scholarship Program. The program is designed to
bridge the funding gap for National Merit Scholars and keep high-achieving
students in Florida. Combined, the program and scholarship will provide merit
scholars who come to FAMU with the total amount of costs to attend the
university full-time each term, and may include but is not limited to tuition
and fees, on-campus housing, books, supplies, travel, and miscellaneous
expenses.
PHOTO: National Merit semifinalists Adriana Arcia, Katherine DeJesus (left), and Armani Arellano (far right) enjoy a reception hosted by FAMU Trustee David Lawrence. Pictured with the potential Rattlers are Yvette Tamargo of Doral Academy Preparatory High School and Latricia Bazile (center).
Interested students may RSVP with Dedra O’Neal, director of university scholarship programs, at (850) 412-5483 or Dedra.ONeal@famu.edu.