TALLAHASSEE, Fla.\u00a0\u2014 Florida A&M University (FAMU) is proud to announce\u00a0Kristin Harper, esteemed marketing executive, entrepreneur, and FAMU alumna, as the keynote speaker
\n for its Fall 2025 Commencement Ceremony. The ceremony will be held on\u00a0Friday, December 12 at 6 p.m.\u00a0in the\u00a0Al Lawson Center.<\/p>\n
\u201cKristin Harper\u2019s commitment to giving back \u2013 to FAMU, to HBCU students, and the next
\n generation \u2013 speaks volumes about her mission and character. Her return to the Hill
\n is a proud moment for the entire FAMU community,\u201d said\u00a0FAMU President Marva Johnson,\u00a0J.D.\u00a0\u201cShe reflects the talent and drive that inspires and I am sure that her words will
\n resonate deeply with our graduates and remind them that their FAMU education is both
\n a foundation and a springboard to a successful future.\u201d<\/p>\n
Harper is the founder and CEO of Driven to Succeed LLC, an award-winning market research
\n and consulting firm. A trailblazer in the corporate world, she rose from intern to
\n Global Vice President at a Fortune 15 company before founding her own firm, which
\n serves clients across industries including healthcare, fintech, and consumer goods.<\/p>\n
\u201cEducation is a transformative force, and I\u2019m thrilled to return to the \u2018Highest of
\n Seven Hills\u2019 to celebrate a new generation of Rattlers whose brilliance, resilience,
\n and purpose will carry FAMU\u2019s legacy forward,\u201d\u00a0said Harper.<\/p>\n
Throughout her career, Harper led household brands like Crest\u00ae, Oral-B\u00ae, and Hershey\u2019s
\n KISSES\u00ae during her tenures at Procter & Gamble, The Hershey Company, and Cardinal
\n Health. She is also the author of \u201cThe Heart of a Leader: 52 Emotional Intelligence
\n Insights to Advance Your Career\u201d\u00a0and has been featured in national outlets including
\n CNBC, Entrepreneur, and Business Insider.<\/p>\n
A passionate advocate for FAMU and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs),
\n Harper and her husband Andre\u2014whom she met at FAMU\u2014established an endowed scholarship
\n for SBI students and co-founded Pacesetters Unlimited, a nonprofit that has taken
\n dozens of students on HBCU tours and awarded more than $30,000 in scholarships to
\n HBCU-bound scholars.<\/p>\n
Harper is the immediate past chair of the FAMU Board of Trustees, where she led key
\n initiatives that elevated FAMU\u2019s national ranking and helped solidify its position
\n as the nation\u2019s top public HBCU and top 100 higher education institution.<\/p>\n
A proud lifetime member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Harper co-chaired the
\n BADST Fortitude campaign, a historic grassroots scholarship fundraising campaign that
\n ushered in an era of affinity giving at FAMU.<\/p>\n
Harper earned her Bachelor\u2019s and MBA degrees simultaneously from FAMU\u2019s School of
\n Business and Industry program. She also served as the third female Student Government
\n Association president in FAMU\u2019s history. Together, she and Andre are proud parents
\n of three\u00a0children including a second-generation Rattler.<\/p>\n
Approximately 580 students from the University\u2019s 14 schools and colleges will receive Media Contact:<\/p>\n Rachel James-Terry
\n their degrees during the fall ceremony. It will be live-streamed on FAMU Facebook
\n and on YouTube at\u00a0@FAMUTube1887<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Kristin](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1024x768_IMGEHarperCommencement.jpg\" "\\"Kristin")
<\/p>\n
Senior Director of Strategic Communications
rachel.jamesterry@famu.communications<\/a><\/p>\n