{"id":86919,"date":"2025-12-17T17:48:13","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T17:48:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/86919\/"},"modified":"2025-12-17T17:48:13","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T17:48:13","slug":"under-the-lights-famus-fall-2025-graduates-took-their-bow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/86919\/","title":{"rendered":"Under the Lights, FAMU\u2019s Fall 2025 Graduates Took Their Bow"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Alfred Lawson Center at Florida A&M University (FAMU) was packed with anticipation
\n and bursting with a contagious excitement for the Fall 2025 Commencement ceremony
\n held on Friday, Dec. 12. Heels clicked and clacked across the floor, and tassels waited
\n to be turned as 696 graduates waited to cross the stage and head into their destinies.<\/p>\n

\"PresidentPresident Marva B. Johnson, J.D., made her graduation ceremony debut. (Photo by Jesse
\n Romimora)<\/p>\n

For the first time, President Marva B. Johnson, J.D., presided over commencement as FAMU\u2019s 13th president, guiding graduates forward while
\n grounding them firmly in the university\u2019s 138-year legacy.<\/p>\n

Welcoming one and all to the space was Student Government Association President and Student Trustee Zayla Bryant.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, we gather not only to celebrate academic achievement, but to honor the spirit,
\n resilience and brilliance that defines FAMU,\u201d she told the audience. The Atlanta native
\n and fourth-year business administration student described the evening as a true “celebration
\n of excellence,” shaped by community just as much as their academic pursuits.<\/p>\n

\"SGAZayla Bryant, SGA President, brought greetings and shared her sentiments about the
\n ‘Oh so fly, class of 2025.’ (Photo by Glenn Beil\/FAMU)<\/p>\n

\u201cThis ceremony is especially close to my heart. As I look across the arena, I don\u2019t
\n just see graduates. I see friends. I see mentors. I see line sisters, brothers and
\n peers. I see the people who grew with me on the Hill,\u201d Bryant said. \u201cPeople who pushed
\n me, supported me, challenged me, and reminded me of who I wanted to become. I see
\n people who have shaped me in ways big and small. And because I knew them, I have been
\n changed for good.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Fall 2025 class comprised 566 bachelor’s, 94 master’s, 21 doctoral, and 15 juris
\n doctoral candidates, with an average GPA of 3.16. Thirty-six students graduated with
\n perfect 4.0 GPAs, while hundreds more earned Latin honors. They hailed from 21 states,
\n represented multiple generations, and proved that there is no single pathway for success
\n at FAMU, only follow-through.<\/p>\n

\"PresidentPresident Marva. B. Johnson, J.D. matched the upbeat vibes of the room throughout
\n the evening. (Photo by Glenn Beil\/FAMU)<\/p>\n

President Johnson stood at the podium with a beaming smile that never disappeared.
\n FAMU, she reminded the crowd, is the No. 1 public HBCU in America for the seventh
\n consecutive year and a Top 100 national public university.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are graduating at an extraordinary time in FAMU\u2019s history,\u201d she said. \u201cRattlers
\n can do anything. That\u2019s not a slogan. That\u2019s a fact \u2013 proven by 138 years of graduates
\n who walked across this stage and then walked into boardrooms, operating rooms, courtrooms,
\n newsrooms, and classrooms to change the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

She spoke of a university building a culture of competitive excellence. Not just in
\n the classroom, but in research, athletics, and every space where Rattlers show up
\n to compete. \u201cYou’ve been trained by faculty who are leaders in their fields. You’ve
\n been tested by a curriculum that demands excellence. And you’ve been shaped by an
\n institution that has always believed\u2026.that you belong at the highest levels \u2014 spring
\n boarding from the Highest of Seven Hills,\u201d said President Johnson.<\/p>\n

Lessons in Faith, Action, Mentorship and U<\/p>\n

Earlier in the evening, President Johnson introduced keynote speaker FAMU alumna and
\n trustee Kristin Harper, celebrating her own 30th anniversary as a Rattler. Framed around an acronym that
\n spelled FAMU, Harper guided graduates through lessons on Faith, Action, Mentorship,
\n and ultimately, U (You).<\/p>\n

Her message was layered with a little history and humor, and a lot of hard-earned
\n wisdom. She reminded graduates that faith is not abstract at FAMU.<\/p>\n

\"FAMUFaithful FAMU alumna Kristin Harper poured into the graduates with light, laugher
\n and love as she addressed them from the podium. (Photo by Glenn Beil\/FAMU)<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom 1887 to this very day, we\u2019ve come this far by faith,\u201d she said, tracing the
\n university\u2019s origins from its earliest days with 15 students and two teachers to its
\n present-day stature as a national force in social mobility, research, and innovation.
\n She reminded graduates that faith showed up when financial aid was delayed, when papers
\n were written on lunch breaks, when exhaustion whispered quitting would be easier.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was faith,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd you\u2019re standing here today as proof that it still
\n works.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Harper was quick to clarify that faith alone does not build futures.<\/p>\n

\u201cFaith will show you the mountain,\u201d she said. \u201cAction enables the climb.\u201d<\/p>\n

She urged graduates to move with intention. To create rather than consume. To shape
\n moments instead of waiting for them. Action, she explained, is woven into the DNA
\n of Rattlers. It’s why the university exists at all. Ordinary people making bold decisions
\n and taking extraordinary risks.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf there\u2019s no space for you at the table,\u201d said Harper, CEO of Driven to Succeed.
\n \u201cbring a folding chair. Or better yet, build a whole new table.\u201d<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll Never Meet A Stranger<\/p>\n

Harper challenged graduates to move boldly, create what doesn\u2019t exist, and refuse
\n to wait for permission. The M, she emphasized, was for Mentorship, and it was not
\n optional. It is the engine of the FAMU experience. She described the university as
\n an annuity. An investment that pays dividends for life through its alumni network.<\/p>\n

She then rattled off a list of influential alumni, including former Atlanta Mayor
\n Keisha Lance Bottoms, journalist Vaughn Wilson, actress Anika Noni Rose and comedian
\n and author Roy Wood Jr. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019re a Rattler,\u201d she said, \u201cyou should never start at first base in life.\u201d<\/p>\n

She shared stories of meeting lifelong friends in dorm rooms, landing global internships
\n alongside fellow Rattlers, and launching businesses supported by alumni. She talked
\n about her daughter, who had graduated from FAMU the previous year, and her exploration
\n of Japan. With one phone call, Harper was able to connect her with a fellow Rattler
\n also in Japan.<\/p>\n

\"FAMUKristin Harper is CEO of Driven to Succeed LLC, a marketing research and consulting
\n firm. (Photo by Glenn Beil\/FAMU)<\/p>\n

The message was clear. FAMU is not a chapter you close. It is a network you activate.<\/p>\n

And finally, Harper arrived at the U.<\/p>\n

She urged graduates to be upright, undeniable, unshakeable, and unapologetically themselves.
\n To live by design, not default. To reserve the right to change their minds. And above
\n all, to remember that wherever they go, they carry FAMU with them.<\/p>\n

Harper told graduates to resist the pull of conformity, sharing advice that has guided
\n her own journey.<\/p>\n

\u201cA mentor once told me, whatever 98% of people are doing, do the opposite,\u201d she said,
\n encouraging the class to embrace the uncommon path. She challenged them to become
\n \u201ctwo percenters\u201d who blaze trails, break molds, and live as proof that \u201cordinary is
\n optional.\u201d<\/p>\n

She also emphasized the importance of inner steadiness, reminding graduates that strength
\n is not always loud. \u201cStand your ground with grace,\u201d Harper said, noting that not every
\n challenge deserves a response. \u201cSometimes the strongest move is to stay still and
\n let time reveal what truth already knows.\u201d<\/p>\n

Progress, she explained, may ebb and flow, but purpose must remain constant. \u201cProgress
\n may slow, but it can never stop,\u201d she said, telling graduates to remain \u201cunshakeable\u201d
\n and \u201cunstoppable,\u201d even when fear, doubt, or difficulty attempt to stall their momentum.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I leave you with this: be ubiquitous because everywhere you go, every boardroom,
\n every stage, every lab, every company, every city, every country, you represent, Florida
\n Agricultural and Mechanical University,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

At that, the audience joined her in unison, reciting the university chant: \u201cOctober
\n 3, 1887. Whattttttttttt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\"PresidentIn a touching point in the ceremony, President Marva B. Johnson, J.D., consoles the
\n mother of Mardochee Simon, a Rattler who unfortunately passed away before he could
\n accept his degree. (Photo by Jesse Romimora)<\/p>\n

A Moment of Silence<\/p>\n

The most emotional moment of the evening came when Johnson paused the ceremony to
\n confer a posthumous degree upon the family of Mardochee Simon, a psychology major from Fort Myers, Florida, whose life was cut short just days
\n before commencement.<\/p>\n

As his mother and father stood before the crowd, his mother, overcome with grief,
\n was unable to speak as tears streamed down her face. One by one, nearly everyone in
\n attendance stood, offering a sustained standing ovation that felt less like applause
\n and more like a hug of support.<\/p>\n

In that moment, the Lawson Center was a room united in collective loss and the unbreakable
\n bond between FAMU and its students. It was a reminder that while commencement celebrates
\n triumph, it also honors those whose journeys were unfinished but never forgotten.<\/p>\n

\"AA family displays celebratory signage of their loved one. (Photo by Glenn Beil)<\/p>\n

\"GraduatesGraduates could not contain their joy as they fulfilled a major educational milestone
\n that concluded with a traditional ceremonial salute to the past and hello to the future.
\n (Photo by Jesse Romimora)<\/p>\n

The Final Charge to the Class of 2025<\/p>\n

Once every graduate had been acknowledged with their name called and a ceremonial
\n walk across the stage, President Johnson returned to the podium to deliver the final
\n charge, and her words felt like both affirmation and ignition.<\/p>\n

She told them whatever industry they were entering, they carried something others
\n did not. A FAMU education. Training from faculty who are leaders in their fields.
\n A curriculum that demands excellence. And an institution that believed in them, even
\n when the world did not.<\/p>\n

\"PresidentPresident Marva B. Johnson, J.D., sharing words of inspiration before the close of
\n the ceremony. (Photo by Glenn Beil\/FAMU)<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, here\u2019s what I want you to do,\u201d she said. \u201cThink big. Act bold.\u201d<\/p>\n

She urged graduates to reject what feels “reasonable” and embrace what feels audacious.
\n To build bridges using one of the most powerful alumni networks in the world. And
\n when they reached positions of influence, they reach back and bring others forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cStay connected to FAMU,\u201d she added. \u201cThis institution invested in you. As you rise,
\n invest back.\u201d<\/p>\n

In her closing moments, President Johnson addressed the families who cheered until
\n they were hoarse and the faculty and staff who poured into these students day after
\n day. Then she turned back to the graduates one final time.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe world is full of people who will tell you what you can\u2019t do,\u201d she said. \u201cIgnore
\n them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are Rattlers. You come from a lineage of doers, builders, and barrier-breakers.
\n There is no room you cannot enter. No goal you cannot achieve. No dream too big for
\n you to pursue.\u201d<\/p>\n

Congratulations, Fall 2025 graduates. FAMU is behind you, today and always.<\/p>\n

\"OmariTwo former Mister FAMU’s Omari Rasheed (left) and Devin Noble show off their accolades
\n along with their President’s Award. (Photo by Jesse Romimora)<\/p>\n

\"YoungGraduates waited for their college to be called before taking a final walk in FAMU’s
\n Al Lawson Center (Photo by Jesse Romimora)
\"PresidentPresident Marva B. Johnson J.D. greeting newly commissioned military cadets. (Photo
\n by Jesse Romimora)
\"DecorativeA decorative commencement cap giving honor to God, who appears to be the head of their
\n life. (Photo by Glenn Beil)
\"MotherA mother takes time to fix her daughter’s stole before the graduation ceremony. (Photo
\n by Jesse Romimora)<\/p>\n

Media Contact<\/p>\n

Rachel James-Terry
Senior Director of Strategic Communications
rachel.jamesterry@famu.edu<\/a><\/p>\n

Back to Stories<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Alfred Lawson Center at Florida A&M University (FAMU) was packed with anticipation and bursting with a contagious…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":86920,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[232,234,233],"class_list":["post-86919","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tallahassee","tag-tallahassee","tag-tallahassee-headlines","tag-tallahassee-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86919","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=86919"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86919\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/86920"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=86919"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=86919"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=86919"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}