Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University News March 23, 2012 FAMU Students Encouraged to Push Themselves during State of the Black Student Summit Florida A&M University (FAMU) has welcomed a bevy of guest speakers throughout the years. Recently, Grammy-award winning musician John Legend was added to that list when he, along with Author Marc Lamont Hill, Counselor Jaquelyn Del Rosario and others participated in the State of the Black Student Summit at the university. The summit brought together a diverse group of national leaders in business, academia, media and education to discuss major domestic and global issues affecting America's students. "Just because you leave FAMU, doesn't mean you have to stop learning," Legend said. "This is just the beginning." Legend added that the key to success is a world-class teacher. "We have to invest in our future," he said. Hill, an associate professor of education at Columbia University, said America needs to reorganize its priorities. "We live in a place that has first-class jails and second-hand schools," said Hill. "We still have a long way to go. I appreciate all the work of President (Barack) Obama. I encourage everyone to continue to challenge him and push him. I am appreciative to all that President Obama has done." Carmen Wong Ulrich, a finance editor at MSNBC, told the audience of more than 300 there are many opportunities available for minorities. "There are so many corporations that are dying to find minority talent," she said. "They just don't know where to find it. You have to go to places you wouldn't normally go and meet people you wouldn't normally meet. Fear is good. That means you are pushing yourself." Hill said the summit was a good starting point, but the students most put the words into action. "After we leave this room, we have to organize," he said. "Don't just talk about it - do something. It is time for us to fight back." SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-520-0593 Skype:sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Register now http://www.hbculibraries.org/html/2012meeting-form.html for the October 21-23, 2012 HBCU Library Alliance 5th Membership Meeting and the Photographic Preservation Pre-Conference in New Orleans, LA. The Pre-Conference and Membership meeting are open to directors and other librarians.