Left to right standing: Kelvin Lawson, Rufus R. Little, III, Teddy B. Taylor,
Col. Marion C. Carrington, Artie Polk, D. Min., and Wendell Duggins.
Seated: Angela Adams Suggs, Larry Robinson, Ph.D., Lt. Col. Gregory L. Clark,
Doris Hicks (Distinguished Alumni Awards chair) and Lynette P. Wims.
(Photo Credit: Victor Gaines)
The Florida A&M University (FAMU) Distinguished Alumni Award celebrates the extraordinary contributions and achievements of select FAMU graduates. On May 26, nine FAMU alumni received the prestigious award during a black-tie gala at the FAMU National Alumni Association’s (FAMU NAA) National Convention in Baltimore.
Hundreds of alumni, FAMU trustees, Interim President Larry Robinson, Ph.D., and guests gathered to recognize the following honorees:
- Col. Cedric Carrington (Military Honoree), director of Strategic Wargaming, U.S. Army War College
- Wendell Duggins (Technology Honoree), retired senior manager, IBM
- Kelvin Lawson (Business Honoree), FAMU Board of Trustees chair and Acosta Sales and Marketing service director
- Rufus R. Little, III (Community Service Honoree), compliance and risk management professional, Infosys Ltd.
- Kimberly Michelle “K. Michelle” Pate (Entertainment Honoree), singer, songwriter and television personality
- Artie L. Polk, D. Min. (Community Service Honoree), executive pastor of Mount Gilead Baptist Church and project manager, EBA Engineering, Inc.
- Angela Adams Suggs (Athletics Honoree), senior associate athletics director, FAMU
- Ambassador Teddy Taylor (Government Honoree), U.S. Consul General, Cape Town, South Africa
- Lynette P. Wims (Education Honoree), retired educator, Broward County Public Schools
K. Michelle, entertainment honoree (Photo Credit: Victor Gaines)
The honorees represent the 27th class to receive the award. The Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honor bestowed upon a graduate of the University.
“It was heartwarming to hear about the accomplishments of the individuals honored,” said Robinson. “They were well deserving. Their individual and collective achievements after leaving FAMU help one to appreciate the value of a FAMU educational experience.”
FAMU NAA President Lt. Col. Gregory L. Clark said the honorees have left a unique mark in the U.S. and abroad.
“They have carved out a niche in their respective fields, and they have a genuine interest in changing the lives of others,” Clark said.
About FAMU Graduates
Founded in 1887, FAMU has educated some of the best and brightest students, even enrolling more Black National Achievement Scholars than Harvard University in past years. Many FAMUans have nationally-recognized careers including film producers and engineering graduates Will Packer and Rob Hardy; actress Kelsey Scott; rapper, actor and activist Common; Tony award-winning actress Anika Noni Rose; Jami Valentine, Ph.D., the first African-American woman to earn a doctorate from the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the Johns Hopkins University and many others.
