The enduring power of FAMU's academic brand remains strong, despite the frequent self-inflicted missteps brought on by its controversial MAGA president Marva Johnson, whose nine-month tenure has been defined by series of questionable appointments, and a growing rift with the university’s core community.
Preliminary admissions data for the Class of 2030, posted on the FAMU admissions office social media page this past Friday, reveals an institution in high demand. With more than 32,000 applicants from 49 of the 50 states. FAMU has admitted more than 8,000 students, a group distinguished by strong academic credentials, including an average core high school GPA of 3.9, an average SAT score of 1120, and an average ACT score of 23. The typical yield or show rate for admitted students is about 25%, according to experts.
Many of the prospective new Rattlers are sharply focused on practical fields: nursing, pre-medicine, business, engineering, and architecture top the list of their intended majors. Notably, 3,300 are first-generation college students, and 1,500 are dual-enrollment admits who will arrive with associate degrees or significant college credit.
“We have been very focused and strategic in our recruiting. Assembling an academically talented class that can finish in four years, or less. The students we have admitted aren't just coming to college; they’re coming with a plan,” said William E. Hudson Jr., Ph.D., vice president of student affairs. “They are targeting the critical fields where our graduates have historically excelled and where societal need is greatest. They see FAMU as the launchpad.”
“These students are a reflection of the legacy we’ve built over generations—a legacy of excellence and opportunity,” said a FAMU political science, who requested anonymity for fear of retribution. “They are coming for the FAMU that exists despite the current leadership, not because of it.”
Appointed last summer, Ms. Johnson's tenure has been the subject of fierce criticism marked by a series of decisions that critics call politically motivated and ethically dubious.
The major flash point came in February, when Johnson attended a Black History Month event at the White House hosted by President Donald J. Trump. The appearance was met with immediate outrage from many alumni, faculty, and students, who saw it as a profound misstep.
“It was a symbolic betrayal,” said Marcus Harper, a sophomore allied health student. “It disregarded the sensitivities and the political consciousness of the very community she was chosen to lead.”
“Her actions reek of self-interest and contempt for the established meritocracy that has built FAMU’s reputation,” said Robert M. Boyd, FAMU alumnus in Atlanta recently posted on social media.
Despite a leadership crisis that has rattled FAMU for nine months, the incoming class reflects the enduring power of its 139-year legacy. For now, the university's national stature remains steady even as its president, and top leadership, casts a long shadow over its future.