Latest news with #DayattheCapitol
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'A critical economic engine': FAMU celebrates its impact at the Florida Capitol
Orange and green filled the Florida Capitol courtyard Wednesday as Florida A&M University celebrated its annual Day at the Capitol. The event drew a crowd of alumni, faculty, staff, students, and local officials. The Marching 100 and FAMU cheerleaders filled the space with booming brass and rhythm as they played a few crowd favorites that had alumni singing along as they performed. Following their performance, interim FAMU President Timothy Beard took the podium to a standing ovation. He reflected on his own time as a student, connecting the university's past to its present momentum. 'When I was a student in the early '80s, I heard (FAMU President) Walter Smith many times use the saying, 'FAMU means more than athletics and music.' That was 45 years ago,' Beard said. 'FAMU has produced remarkable results—strengthening the workforce, building the talent pipeline, and fueling economic growth. FAMU is a critical economic engine in our community, generating substantial returns year after year.' Florida State University System Chancellor Ray Rodrigues also took to the stage, praising the university's far-reaching impact. 'You attract students from all over the country,' Rodrigues said. 'With over 20,000 applicants, and 61% of your bachelor's degree graduates staying right here in Florida, FAMU plays a vital role in strengthening our economy.' The celebration extended indoors on the second and third floors of the Capitol rotunda. Various colleges and programs within FAMU showcased exhibits that highlighted student research and innovation. While FAMU's annual celebration at the Capitol takes place during the legislative session for stakeholders to advocate on behalf of the university's needs, FAMU National Alumni Association President Curtis Johnson does not think efforts should stop there. 'My charge to alumni is that we extend beyond just FAMU Day at the Capitol and that for us, it's a 365-day charge of developing, growing and nurturing relationships with our electees in our respective communities so that they are familiar with who we are and what we represent,' Johnson told the Tallahassee Democrat Wednesday. 'We're working lockstep with FAMU Government Relations since our advocacy is directly aligned with the university and what its legislative priorities are in the state and nationally.' FAMU's $55.5 million legislative request this year includes $35.5 million for academic excellence efforts such as 'leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies to revolutionize teaching, learning and research,' recruitment and retention for the College of Law, and renovations for the FAMU Center for Viticulture and Small Fruit Research at the College of Agriculture and Food Sciences. The remaining $20 million in FAMU's request would go toward student success initiatives such as recruitment scholarships and academic support for transfer students. While the main purpose of FAMU Day at the Capitol is to tout university achievements while individuals such as alumni, students and faculty seek support from lawmakers, this year it all comes during a time where FAMU is also seeking a new president. The university's presidential search committee is in the process of holding closed-door sessions, where it recently reviewed candidate applications and is expected to conduct first-round interviews Monday and Tuesday. But Johnson says there is 'not at all' an urge for lobbying to take place during the Wednesday event at the Capitol regarding FAMU's search for a new leader. 'Our main focus today is to go and make sure the legislators in the state of Florida are aware of our legislative budget request. Our theme today is laser-focused on that, making sure they are aware of that, and making sure those critical components are funded because they are essential to the existence of Florida A&M.' Tallahassee City Commissioners Dianne Williams-Cox and Curtis Richardson were among the dignitaries present, along with members of FAMU's Board of Trustees, including Chair Kristin Harper, Kelvin Lawson, and Student Government Association President Loryn May. Higher Education Reporter Tarah Jean contributed to this report. Mishalynn Brown can be reached at MBrown1@ Follow her on Twitter at @mishalynnb This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU celebrates its impact at the Capitol as state Legislature meets
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Members of MWEG gather at Utah Capitol for training
The leaders of Mormon Women for Ethical Government want to help the women in their organization to take a more active role in all levels of government, and so they're teaching them how to make their voices heard. That includes at the state level, which is why a group of women gathered recently at the Utah Capitol. Established in 2016 with fewer than a dozen members, MWEG now has hundreds of members around the nation, including in Utah. 'We want women to be involved civically ... and know that their voices count and make a difference,' MWEG Utah Chapter co-coordinator Melarie Wheat told the Deseret News. To that end, the group held a 2025 'Day at the Capitol' event at the Utah State Capitol in late January. Dozens gathered for the event, which featured member networking, presentations on getting involved with government and a tour of the Capitol. The organization is open to women of all political stripes and religious affiliations, and while many of them are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the group is not affiliated with the church. There was a lot of energy in the room as new and old members connected. Experienced members mentored newcomers on items ranging from tracking bills of interest to the best ways to contact their representatives. Several attendees wore purple — the organization's signature color — which is meant to be a reminder of their nonpartisan stance. To that end, MWEG does not endorse candidates or organize campaigns. Several Utah state lawmakers, including Sen. Ann Millner, R-Ogden, Rep. Verona Mauga, D-Salt Lake City and Rep. Gay Lynn Bennion, D-Cottonwood Heights, spoke to the MWEG members during their visit. They answered policy questions and shared their stories. 'The most important thing is that we should be serving our brothers and sisters. ... I see big gaps in that for our country and our state where we could be doing better. And so if our government isn't reflecting our values, we should be getting involved,' Bennion told the Deseret News. The organization admits people from any faith tradition, but all of their members are women. '(Women) do have different life experiences from men, and it's good for us to be able to be free to discuss those issues and not feel like we need to explain ourselves,' said Wheat. 'Many of us wonder how we can start (in politics),' said Bennion. 'MWEG is a great place for people to start to get involved and to learn about the process and to become more active as citizens.' This year, the group says it will advocate for legislation that falls into five main categories: democratic institutions, immigration, environmental protection, family and peacemaking. 'Personally, my faith inspires in all of those areas,' said Wheat. 'Especially when it comes to immigration ... and environment and caring for creation.' This session, Bennion said she is focused on affordable housing and water conservation, pointing to HB99 and HB89, respectively. Longtime member Rebecca Rogers, a resident of Utah Valley, shared that her interests this legislative session relate particularly to immigration. 'My daughter-in-law is Filipina and she's here, she's a (legal) citizen ... but I think when people are curious or suspicious of Asian people it reflects on her, and it also reflects on my grandson,' Rogers told the Deseret News. She said she is motivated to speak for other people who can't speak for themselves. 'That just brings me to be more (politically) active,' she said. MWEG's Day at the Capitol came ahead of the group's 2025 conference on March 22.
