TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Students say incoming FAMU President Marva Johnson will have to earn their trust.
- With the dust settled and Marva Johnson set to take over at FAMU, students say Johnson has a long road ahead.
- Johnson's first day as president will be August 1.
- Watch now to hear what one student says needs to be the first thing on her agenda.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Just one day removed from Marva Johnson's confirmation as FAMU president, it's time to understand how Johnson may be able to connect with FAMU's driver — it's students.
I'm Alberto Camargo, your neighborhood reporter in College Town.
I spoke with one student who was in the room when she was confirmed about where that relationship needs to start.
Earlier this week, I told you about a group of FAMU students who made the 400-mile trip to Boca Raton, to protest Johnson's confirmation.
One of those students, Krysten Hood, spoke about her connection to FAMU during public comment.
"Before I even started my collegiate journey, I knew the legacy and tenacity within FAMU's history."
In our one-on-one conversation, Hood says Johnson may have many corporate skills are that are transferrable, but leading an HBCU requires much more.
I asked Hood how Johnson can start to win over students once she starts her presidency.
"The most realistic olive branch she could extend would be to listen to the student body. No one experience at FAMU is the same, but everyone's goal is to cross the stage at graduation. So I think that if she was to listen to all those areas and make decisions based off of the realities of the students that attend FAMU, I think she could have a successful presidency and she could possibly gain trust with the student body."
During her own remarks Wednesday, Johnson said connecting with students is top priority after the rocky lead-up to her confirmation.
"I will use this experience with the Board of Governors, FAMU's Board of Trustees, and the FAMU leadership team to work from a place where I can have a deeper impact, working with students on the campus and with an extraordinary Rattler community. My mission is clear, it's to protect this sacred institution, to uplift its legacy, and to fight for a future that is as bold as its founding."
Johnson also said in her remarks that after receiving so much scrutiny in this experience, her door will remain open once she is on campus.
Her first day as president will be on August 1.
At FAMU, Alberto Camargo, ABC27.
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