COLLEGE TOWN, FL — A new era is officially underway at Florida A&M University as students, faculty, and alumni gathered Tuesday to witness the official installation of Marva Brown Johnson as the university's 13th president.
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FAMU's Board of Trustees picked Johnson to be the school's president last May, — after considering a pool of four candidates. The decision followed the 2024 resignation of Dr. Larry Robinson amid criticism over a fraudulent gift. Despite some pushback and a lawsuit that has since been dismissed, Johnson was approved by the Board of Governors in June of last year.
Beyond the ceremony, the focus is on what comes next for the university.
"Student success outcomes are the number one priority for this administration. It is the litmus test that every decision will be measured by. In plain language, everything that this administration does will be judged by one question and that is, 'Does it help our students succeed?'" Johnson said.
Faculty members were thrilled to hear this commitment.
"I think that is very important because we are here because of our students, and to have a president that has that focus is going to be very impactful to FAMU's future," Timothy A. Barber, the director of museum operations at FAMU, said.
Students are also excited about what is to come under the new leadership.
"Definitely having more exposure to different fields within finance as I am currently a student in the school of business industry. I believe that with Marva’s leadership, we will be able to have more opportunities and exposure to different fields such as asset management, investment banking, and private equity," Hudson Taylor, a FAMU student, said.
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Looking ahead, the new president hopes to advance the university's research capabilities.
"FAMU is a Carnegie R1 research Institute, and that is not a reflection of a title, that is a reflection of the productivity of the effort that our students will generate through transformational research that impacts not just industry, but it impacts the quality of human life," Johnson said.
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