Florida Memorial University News September 23, 2021 FLORIDA MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY’S THE ROAR MARCHING BAND NAMED NUMBER TWO HBCU BAND BY ESPN Florida Memorial University's renowned The ROAR marching band has been recognized by ESPN as the number two band in Division II among historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the nation. In January 2020, FMU President Dr. Jaffus Hardrick created a Department of University Bands and hired legendary educator and musician Richard Beckford, who brings more than 30 years of experience building stellar band programs. Since that time, The ROAR has received local and national acclaim. Led by Mr. Beckford, the ROAR’s foundation is a dynamic staff comprised of some of the country's most talented performers/educators. "Through joining The ROAR, we strive to empower students to graduate and go out into the world as successful leaders, hopefully even as world changers," said Richard Beckford, Band Director. In addition to their regular performances, the band frequently hosts special events, camps, and clinics open to local students interested in developing their musical talents, performance skills and possibly pursuing music or some area of the performance/entertainment industry as a career. "Although only a year old, The ROAR has quickly become a very valuable addition to FMU," said Dr. Hardrick. "Having a world-class marching band elevates the college experience and helps attract prospective students." To read the full story, visit: https://theundefeated.com/features/florida-am-and-benedict-college-top-hbcu-bands-in-first-rankings-of-season/ In addition, we captured the excitement of the news through a video promotional piece. Visit, YouTube: https://youtu.be/GDAXuJSE_r0<http://enflyer.emsvc.net/lt_forward.php?s%5bmember_id%5d=2852147;s%5bmember_key%5d=DxU2ZbfUNa;s%5blt_key%5d=e8b402ff04959faf0bdc7924e61521ae>. Sandra M. Phoenix HBCU Library Alliance Executive Director Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library 111 James P. Brawley Drive SW Atlanta GA 30314 404-978-2118 (office) 404-702-5854 (cell) http://www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> Honor the ancestors, honor the children and those yet to come. Building Capacity for Humanities Special Collections at HBCUs – Become an ally and partner with us to protect, preserve and share a more authentic record of American history. Follow this link http://hbculibraries.org/humanities-2019.html for more information. Follow this link http://hbculibraries.org/ and click on the Donate Now button to invest in this project. Your support is appreciated. Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/ and Twitter at https://twitter.com/HBCULibAlliance Check out "PULSE!" The HBCU Library Alliance's News Source! - https://hbculibraryalliance.wordpress.com/