"Lift Every Voice and Sing" was publicly performed first as a poem as part of a celebration of Lincoln's Birthday on February 12, 1900 by 500 schoolchildren at the segregated Stanton School.
Born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1983, Barrington Irving spent his childhood in inner-city Miami, where he and his friends found little opportunity or incentive to get off the dangerous streets and pursue a professional career.
FMU seeks an experienced and resourceful president to lead the institution during this period of unprecedented transformation and development. This person will need to bring to the position strong management and interpersonal skills; an open and collaborative communication style; and a record of integrity and effectiveness in interacting with a diverse range of constituents from political and business leaders to individual members of and groups in the minority and majority communities of metropolitan areas surrounding the University campus. Additionally, this person must also have the knowledge and leadership experience to coordinate the work of professional and support staff responsible for implementing the strategic goals of the University. Equally important, the new president must bring to the position an understanding of the range of resource development and management issues and challenges facing HBCUs as well as demonstrated commitment to and success in taking creative actions that lead to increased financial support, and a stronger image and standing, nationally and locally, for these institutions.
Other expectations of the new president include the ability to:
Florida Memorial University (FMU) is one of the nation’s primary producers of African American teachers with a current rank of ninth in the nation and second in the state in this category. Founded in 1879, the University has thrived over the last century as one of the oldest academic institutions in the State of Florida and, most notably, as the only historically black university in the southern region of the state. As a private, Baptist church-related, co-educational, liberal arts institution, FMU embraces a distinctive mission of instilling in more than 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students a desire for lifelong learning and a commitment to leadership through service that will enhance their lives and the lives of others. In serving its culturally and socio-economically diverse student body, the University is dedicated to the free exchange of ideas, pursuit of knowledge and truth, and the transmission and preservation of African American history and heritage.
FMU is a viable institution with a strong legacy and many achievements. In addition to its clearly articulated mission, the University boasts an attractive physical plant and campus, an increasingly well-prepared student body, a quality roster of undergraduate and graduate programs, improved fiscal controls, and a capable faculty and staff. FMU has evolved into a competitive institution with a stellar reputation for preparing students academically and professionally to become leaders equipped with the knowledge and skills to compete in the global marketplace. It offers high quality undergraduate and graduate programs in: arts and sciences, aviation, safety and security; business, education, health, and natural sciences. The University, which is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), operates on a modest yet stable financial base of approximately $64 million plus a current endowment of $10 million.
The University is becoming “an institution of first choice” for students seeking a rigorous, liberal arts education in an energized, learner-centered environment. As a private, non-profit institution, FMU relies primarily on student tuition and fees and secondarily on private financial support in the form of grants, gifts, and contributions from the church, alumni and friends, corporate, professional and philanthropic organizations, and state and federal sources. With a generally open admission policy, but an increasingly high tuition rate
(relative to the several public colleges and universities in the area), FMU diligently strives to retain the support, financially and otherwise, of these entities while continuing to recruit, both locally and nationally, a strong, motivated undergraduate student population that shares the institution’s values.
Foremost among FMU’s strategic goals is to feature a comprehensive academic program of excellence with effective educational support programs. The University serves a culturally diverse student population through 41 undergraduate and four graduate degree programs in liberal arts and technical education. The programs are offered in six academic schools: Arts and Sciences; Aviation, Safety and Security; Business; Education; Health and Natural Sciences; and Graduate and Continuing Education. Internships and other experiential learning opportunities are also incorporated into the FMU learning environment. In addition to regional accreditation by SACS, the University’s academic programs have earned professional accreditations by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs and the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. The academic programs are supported by a strong library, extracurricular activities, and a professional staff who offer student support services such as academic advising, testing, developmental education, career planning and placement, counseling, tutoring, and mentoring.
FMU uses technology not only for administrative processes, but also for support programs of instruction, research, and service designed to prepare students to enter a highly competitive technological, global society. Challenging educational opportunities are offered in an abundance of instructional formats for traditional and nontraditional students. The University also utilizes its technology by including a number of SMART classrooms in its academic buildings.
The University currently employs a faculty of 83 members with an impressive number (about 80% of full-time faculty) holding a doctorate or other terminal degree. The institution’s dedicated faculty and staff are uniformly described as talented and accessible, and they are known for going the extra mile to help students who are interested in learning. They also take great pride in fostering character development, spiritual values, and lifelong learning skills among the student body.
FMU enrolls approximately 2,000 students in its undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs. With its traditional commitment to the education of African Americans, the University is culturally diverse, with the majority of its students being African American and residents of the state of Florida (about 80 percent). A growing percentage of FMU students are international, representing some 41 countries, including most of those in the
Caribbean. Highly popular majors are in areas of business, social sciences, and education. Students are given a supportive yet challenging environment in which to learn with a chance to establish close student-faculty relationships and relevant social/professional networks. They enjoy access to social, athletic, and cultural activities in the city; campus based professional and social organizations; and intramural and intercollegiate sports that include basketball, track, and baseball.
FMU is committed to excellence in all facets of the university community experience. As the University continues to evolve, it is faced with several challenges and opportunities. The greatest opportunity, at this time in its historic transformation, is to sustain its legacy as an HBCU and its tradition of financial stability while continuing its journey toward excellence in education and service. With this opportunity comes a distinct challenge: the support of a strong and visionary president with the leadership skills, intellectual, analytical, and personal qualities for embracing and advancing existing and new academic programs, expanding campus facilities, and building partnerships with business, government, and philanthropic organizations. Other significant challenges are enhancement of the University’s image and reputation, locally, regionally, and nationally plus increased communication and collaboration, internally and externally. To help address these challenges, the University is seeking a president who is dynamic, creative, and an accomplished leader with the vision and integrity to advance the University’s goals.
The University was established by, and remains closely affiliated with, the Baptist Church. However, our motto, “Leadership, Character, and Service,” emphasizes Christian values. Strong moral character, mutual respect, freedom of worship, and a commitment to serve are the hallmarks of what it means to be a Florida Memorial Lion.
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ACCREDITATION: Florida Memorial University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools to award baccalaureates and master’s degrees. The University is also chartered by the State of Florida.
