Florida A&M University (FAMU) has implemented a clear bag policy for the 2019 Summer Commencement to provide a safer environment for the public and expedite entry into the Alfred Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center and Teaching Gymnasium.
The rule limits the size and types of bags permitted. Items must be carried or fit into a permissible clear plastic bag or a small clutch no larger than 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches.
All persons, approved bags and permitted items are subject to search upon entry and may be subject to additional search within the Alfred Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center and Teaching Gymnasium, 1800 Wahnish Way, Tallahassee. Anyone possessing prohibited items will be asked to return them to their vehicle or dispose of them at the entrance doors. FAMU has the authority to prohibit any items deemed to be a security or safety risk.
The 6 p.m. commencement ceremony will be for graduates from all 13 schools and colleges. More than 300 undergrad, graduate and law degrees will be conferred during the ceremony. Doors open at 4 p.m. Parking is available in designated areas.
Senior African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Bishop Adam Jefferson Richardson, Jr., a 1969 FAMU graduate, is scheduled to be the commencement speaker. While at FAMU, Richardson studied philosophy and religion and was a drum major in the Marching “100” band.
He served as pastor of Bethel AME Church in Tallahassee for 18 years before being elected as the 115th AME Bishop in 1996. The Senior Bishop is the active bishop with the longest tenure of service in the AME Church and is first in order of precedence among the Council of Bishops. Richardson is expected to serve as bishop until his retirement in 2024.
