During a meeting in Tallahassee on Friday, April 19, the Task Force placed the former home of Florida Memorial University (known then as Florida Normal & Industrial Institute) in St. Augustine in the top spot for Florida’s first state-sponsored Museum of Black History. 

     Since the announcement of this proposal, there has been some misinformation circulating about FMU selling this historic land. This is not the case; the Florida Memorial University Foundation (FMUF) has agreed to lease 14.5 acres of property in St. Augustine to St. Johns County for the purpose of building the Florida Museum of Black History.

      When completed, the museum will be an outstanding historical and financial partnership for FMU and will create job opportunities for the citizens of St. Johns County.

Wellness Wednesdays is quickly becoming a popular event here on campus.

FMU’s Counseling and Support Services is not only here for your emotional needs, but they are also there to get you over the mid-week hump.

Every Wednesday at Noon, students are greeted by a supportive counseling staff who are eager to bring some joy to your day with a variety of giveaways.

Personal care items, snacks, and more are available while supplies last.

But more importantly, students are forming friendships while playing games such as “Let’s Make a Deal” and “Trivia.”

Counseling and Support Services can be reached at 305-626-3138.

In March, we acknowledged 145 Years: A Founders’ Day Journey: Honoring Our Legacy, Shaping Our Destiny.

FMU has endured many challenges since 1879, but our legacy is built on steadfast dedication and the commitment to instill in our students what it means to be a Lion!

Please enjoy the Founders’ Day 2024 photos, which you can download from FMU’s official Flickr account, and the video recap of some of the most memorable moments.

Founders’ Day Ceremony

Jazz on the Lawn and Greek Showcase

Founders’ Day 2024 Video Recap  

“I am deeply grateful for this opportunity,” said Herod. “I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to AD Horn, Brentwood Partners (search firm), and the FMU athletic leaders for their confidence in me. Their support is instrumental in our shared vision for the future of FMU Women’s Basketball.”

Assistant Vice President and Director of Athletics Jason Horn expressed his enthusiasm, “The appointment of Kevin Herod is a testament to our commitment to excellence. His proven track record and dedication to student-athlete success both on and off the court are what set him apart. We are excited to see him bring his championship experience to our program.”

Herod’s recent tenure at Langston University culminated in the 2023-24 season  with a record of 24-8 overall, including a second place finish of 17-5 record in the Sooner Conference and a trip to the NAIA national tournament.

His eight seasons at Talladega College were highlighted by a 171-68 win-loss record, making him the most successful HBCU women’s basketball head coach during that period.

In addition to his on-court achievements, Herod has been a champion for academic excellence. At Talladega, he produced many GCAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll award recipients, and his players have achieved a 96 percent graduation rate. This commitment to education and athletics exemplifies Herod’s holistic approach to coaching.

With a history of consistent success, including multiple GCAC Regular Season and Tournament Conference Championships and significant national tournament achievements, Herod’s strategic vision and dedication to athlete development have earned him numerous coaching honors.

As a graduate of Talladega College and a veteran coach, Herod’s expertise and passion for basketball are set to inspire a new chapter of triumphs at Florida Memorial University.

Follow Florida Memorial University Athletics on social media
Instagram: @GoFMULions/@FMUwbb | Twitter: @GoFMULions | YouTube: Official FMU Lions

Martinez expressed his enthusiasm about the new role, stating, “I am thrilled about the challenge and the opportunity to make a mark in a vibrant city like Miami. My goal is to compete at the highest level, strive for excellence, and lead our team to nationals. We will build on our past successes and aim even higher, with a big focus on winning. I also want to thank the search committee and Athletic Director Jason Horn for giving me this opportunity to lead the men’s soccer program.”

Previously, Martinez served as the head men’s soccer coach at Jarvis Christian University, another HBCU, where he led the team to its most successful season in 2022. The team boasted a 10-5-3 overall record and a 7-3-3 conference record, securing a spot in the conference postseason for the first time ever. Under his guidance, the team also reached the RRAC semifinals and maintained an undefeated home record.

“We are thrilled to welcome David to our team as the new head coach,” said Assistant Vice President and Director of Athletics Jason Horn. “His track record of fostering winning teams and nurturing growth both on and off the field aligns perfectly with our vision for the program. David’s commitment to excellence and his ability to develop graduates who excel in soccer and life is exactly what we need to propel Florida Memorial’s men’s soccer to new heights.”

During his tenure from 2018 to 2020 as the assistant men’s soccer coach at Louisiana State University in Shreveport, Martinez achieved significant milestones, including a regular-season conference championship in 2018, and a national tournament first-round appearance in 2019 with the 16th-ranked team in the nation. Since 2019, Martinez has also been dedicated to individual coaching, helping athletes refine their skills and advance to higher levels of play. In 2016, he contributed as an intern coach for the women’s soccer team at Missouri Valley College.

As a player, Martinez’s achievements are notable. He was part of the Missouri Valley men’s soccer team that reached the national tournament semifinals in 2015 as the third-ranked team and was a finalist in the Heart of America Final Conference in 2016. In 2017, he was honored as the team captain.

Martinez’s early career included playing for the Venezuela National Team U15 in 2009, the U17 Ibero Americano Venezuela Professional Team, where he celebrated a championship win in 2010, and the U20 Mineros de Guayana Venezuelan Professional Team.

Martinez is an alumnus of Louisiana State University in Shreveport, where he earned a Master of Science in Counseling degree with a 3.45 GPA. He completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science at Missouri Valley College in 2017, achieving a 3.4 GPA and making the Dean’s List in 2016.

Follow Florida Memorial University Athletics on social media
Instagram: @GoFMULions/@FMULions_msoc | Twitter: @GoFMULions/@FMU_MSOC | YouTube: Official FMU Lions

“It means so much to us to be here at NAIA Nationals,” said FMU Head Cheer Coach Ayana Harris. “This was only our third year competing in the NAIA. In stark contrast, we started off with six cheerleaders on the mat three years ago. We could barely field a team, and it just seemed like an insurmountable task at our very small university. Coming out of COVID, we had between 900-1,000 kids at our university, and it seemed impossible to actually get a competitive team going. I can remember that first year in conference, my athletes were so discouraged, wondering how we would ever look like those teams. So I told them, having the courage to get on the mat with only six of us, is going to be the building blocks for our program at Florida Memorial. The following year we doubled up and had 12 on the mat, and we performed even better. And this year, we had 14 athletes, in which 13 competed due to an injury on the night before, but they’ve gotten out there and realized that they can stand shoulder to shoulder with all of these teams across the country that are putting in work to be counted among the best in the NAIA. So what does it mean to be here? It means everything to us to be here, especially where we started from.”

Finals Performance Highlights

St. Ambrose (Iowa) wins its second straight Red Banner after one runner-up finish and twice in third.

The Bees beat their own record for the highest score in the championship, raising it by 1.77 points.

Xavier (La.) leaped over Oklahoma City to grab second place during their final performance, with the Stars finishing third.

Hometown Concordia (Mich.) and Dickinson State (N.D.) claimed fourth and fifth respectively.

In total, five teams scored in the 90’s while the other 10 were over 82 points.

Cumberlands (Ky.), Georgetown (Ky.), Missouri Valley, Northwestern (Iowa), Saint Mary (Kan.) and Xavier (La.) did not receive any deductions.

All 15 teams finished with team scores above 82 points, a first in the history of the NAIA Cheer National Championship.

Florida Memorial and Saint Mary (Kan.) made their NAIA nationals debut, the only two teams in the field to do so.

Thirteen of the 15 teams who reached the championship this season competed in the event last year.

Concordia (Mich.), Indiana Wesleyan, Missouri Valley, Oklahoma City, and St. Ambrose (Iowa) have qualified for the championship each season the NAIA has hosted the competition.

Saturday’s Final Round was 75 percent of the total team score.

Final Combined Team Standings

1. St. Ambrose (Iowa) — 97.28
2. Xavier (La.) — 96.91
3. Oklahoma City — 95.91
4. Concordia (Mich.) — 91.73
5. Dickinson State (N.D.) — 91.06
6. Northwestern (Iowa) — 88.55
7. Missouri Valley — 88.46
8. Florida Memorial — 87.95
9. Saint Mary (Kan.) — 87.78
10. Cumberlands (Ky.) — 86.75
11. Tennessee Southern — 86.00
12. Indiana Wesleyan — 85.08
13. Georgetown (Ky.) — 84.70
14. Midland (Neb.) — 83.04
15. MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) — 82.33

Students with varying majors representing the Schools of Arts and Sciences, Business, Education and Social Sciences took to the mic inside the Nathan Collier Library on Tuesday.

Each poem was judged on originality, creativity, impact, and delivery.

Here are the lists of winners along with their titled poem selected by the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Committee.

School of Arts and Sciences (One – First Prize Winner, Two – Second Prize Winners, Two – Third Prize Winners)

1^st Prize:  Charlissia Ferguson – “Black Is”
2^nd Prize: Rashaud Marcelin – “Then I Realize, I’m in Love with You”
2^nd Prize: Akil Rose – “Mothers Always… Fathers Maybe”
3^rd Prize: Onelia Yearde – “Thinking”
3^rd Prize: Anthony Broderick – “On Purpose”

School of Business

1^st Prize: Ryeyauni Bush – “The Journey”

School of Education and Social Sciences

1^st Prize: Amelia Smith – “Her Anger”
2^nd Prize: Taela Campbell – “This is not a Love Poem”
3^rd Prize: Yasmeen Mapps – “Tribe Call”

All first prize winners will receive $800, all second prize winners will receive $500, and all third prize winners will receive $300.

Lunch was provided for the contestants, students, and guests as the DJ played a genre of music in the background.

Click here for the photos of the competition.

Dr. Idriss Abdoulaye will contact each of the winners to provide details on when and where they can receive their prize money from the QEP Spoken Word Competition.

Thanks to Dr. Hardrick’s decades long friendship with philanthropist and dedicated supporter of the arts, Rose Ellen Greene, the university received a $170,000 donation.

Ms. Greene has had a life-long commitment to the arts and education, and stated she has been a follower of the ROAR Marching Band since learning about Dr. Hardrick’s vision.

She is member of the Board of Trustees of the Perez Art Museum Miami, serves on the Board of Directors of the New World Symphony, and is a supporter of the Miami City Ballet.

Because of her friendship with Dr. Hardrick and her love for the arts, today’s donation is her personal gift that is be used to purchase uniforms for the ROAR Marching Band.

Tuesday’s announcement was an exciting surprise for the band and the chorale members who were invited to a special luncheon in the Smith Conference Center.

The room erupted into thunderous claps and cheers upon hearing the news from Ms. Greene.

Formed by Dr. Hardrick and led by renowned Band Director, Dr. Richard Beckford, The ROAR has steadily been collecting accolades since its founding in January 2020, including ESPN’s Band of the Year in December in Atlanta.

Click here for photos of today’s announcement.

“I’ve been following Nancy and her teams for a few years now and have enjoyed the organization and tenacity her squads have always brought to the arena. She brings a leadership level that will definitely add to the fabric of our athletic department and complement our coaching staff,” said FMU Assistant Vice President & Director of Athletics Jason Horn.

Sikobe joins FMU after most recently served as the Director of Athletics, Senior Woman Administrator and head volleyball coach at Wiley University. In eight seasons as head volleyball coach at Wiley, Sikobe racked up a record of 146-108, including four appearances in the Red River Athletic Conference championship game in five seasons. As the all-time winningest coach in school history, her teams were ranked in the top five in blocks, assists and kills in the NAIA, and won a program record 22-straight home matches.

Out of six 20-plus win seasons in the history of the program, Sikobe lead the charge for four of them.

“I give glory and honor to God for this opportunity,” said Sikobe. “I am so excited to come to Miami, and I look forward to working with the young ladies and the FMU community as a whole.”

Player Development/Accolades at Wiley University

• · Six NAIA All-Americans honorees
• · 11 AVCA All-Region honorees
• · One AVCA All-Region Freshman of the Year
• · One RRAC Front Row Player of the Year
• · One RRAC Defensive Specialist of the Year
• · Two RRAC Newcomers of the Year
• · 46 All-RRAC/All-GCAC honorees
• · Two RRAC All-Tournament selections
• · One GCAC All-Tournament selection
• · Eight NAIA Daktronics Scholar-Athletes
• · Nine All-RRAC Academic Team selections
• · 33 Red River Athletic Conference Scholar Athletes

Following her time at Wiley University, Sikobe served as the head volleyball coach at Dillard University from 2016-19, making a trip to the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference championship game. She also spent time as head coach at St. Mary-of-the-Woods for a brief stint.

As a player, Sikobe was a key player for the Telkom Kenya women’s volleyball team that was a powerhouse in Kenyan volleyball in the 1990s. She was a key player on the team that won five African Club Championships. She also was team captain of the Kenyan National Women’s Volleyball team, Malkia Strikers, in the 1995 All-Africa Games as well as the 1996 World Cup. Her amazing talent on the volleyball court has allowed her to become one of the pioneers of the USA scholarship program. Sikobe also was named team captain for the 1991 World Cup team and played on the 1992 World Cup team.

What They’re Saying about Nancy Sikobe
“Coach Nancy Sikobe is an authentic, hard-working, individual that will bring not just her knowledge of volleyball, but also the love of female athletes to the forefront, and she will make a tremendous impact in the SUN Conference. Nancy is going to be a major positive impact in the lives of the women that she serves, and she will make an impact in the community that she lives in because of her cultural awareness and her ability to adapt. Those characteristics makes her the prime person to lead the volleyball program at Florida Memorial.”

Janet Eaton-Smith – Director of Athletics – Ottawa University
“Her presence creates a positive and encouraging environment. She is such a positive role model and an encouraging individual who is always willing to assist other coaches with anything they may need. Nancy is truly a team-oriented person and was a real delight to have as a member of our coaching staff.

Deanna Bradley – former Director of Athletics – St. Mary-of-the-Woods
While playing volleyball for the Eagles, Sikobe earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Central Methodist University and most recently earned a master’s degree in sports management from Missouri Baptist University. At Central Methodist, she was named the 2004 America Midwest Conference Freshman of the Year had an All-Conference Honorable Mention in 2004, 2005 and 2007.

Follow Florida Memorial University Athletics on social media
Instagram: @GoFMULions/@FMULionsvolleyball | Twitter: @GoFMULions/@volleyball_FMU | YouTube: Official FMU Lions