TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Twenty-seven Florida A&M University (FAMU) Honors Program students garnered top awards during the 21st Annual Honors Conference of the National Association of African-American Honors Programs (NAAAHP). Hosted by Claflin University and South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, S.C., FAMU students placed in many activities including first place in the Academic Quiz Bowl and Model African Union competitions.
Anchored by senior bio-chemistry student Oleta Johnson, the Academic Quiz Bowl team also included senior biology/pre-medicine student Clasherrol H. Edwards, freshman pre-mechanical engineering student Onoride Onokpise and junior biology/pre-medicine student Evan Smith.
Nine delegates from FAMU represented the country of Nigeria in the Model African Union competition against Benedict College and South Carolina State University as the team researched issues prior to the conference, received daily assignments, researched them, and submitted the assignments to the facilitator.
The competition exposed the delegation to many social, political, economic, health, cultural and security issues and concerns as they pondered the role of current geopolitics in strengthening or weakening the resolve of the African Union and discovered multi-faceted and contemplative approaches in addressing world challenges.
The delegation consisted of pharmacy student Maroua Abouelhouda, junior biology/pre-medicine student Nellena Adekoya, sophomore English student Candace Daymond, junior chemistry student Alexandra Celusma, first professional year pharmacy student Jezreel Davis, sophomore pre-nursing student Shanele Jackson, senior chemistry student Kayla Simmion, sophomore chemistry student Kyle Steen, and pre-pharmacy student Kristen Williams.
FAMU was represented by junior biology student Cassie Hobbs and first professional year pharmacy major Courtney Stewart in the Debate Tournament, which eight colleges and universities competed.
In addition to participating in the Academic Quiz Bowl, Model African Union and Debate Tournament, 10 students presented papers on many diverse and fascinating topics such as business administration student Patrese Anderson, “Useful Math and Statistics Analysis;” pharmacy student Alethia Hinds, “Premature Birth in the United States;” junior mathematics student Sasha Matthews, “How Low Can Crime Go? Measuring the Decline in Crime and Setting Realistic Crime Reduction Targets;” junior accounting student Sharonda Moore, “African American Nonchalence;” sophomore pharmacy student Raven Mosley, “Battle of Complexions;” senior biology/pre-medicine student Shaena-Rene Robinson, “Avian Habitat Destruction;” senior chemistry student Martika Moss, “Junkanoo: A Bahamaian Festival and Tradition;” and senior mathematics student Lauren Thomas, “The History of Zero.”
Senior biology student Tamieka Atkinson and senior environmental science student Frank Johnson presented papers and posters, respectively: “Prostate Cancer: The Greatest Threat to African-American Men’s Mortality” and “Using G.I.S. Software to Create Maps Used by the National Weather Service to Aid in Damage Assessment.” Also presenting posters were junior physical therapy student Tara Kazemfar, “One-for-One: TOMS Shoe Company” and senior molecular biology major Zachary Walker, “Silencing Transcription by Kluyveromuces latics Origin Recognition Complex.”
Other featured events of the conference included the awards gala and “Honors Got Talent,” which was participated in by Atomic Attack: Tamieka Atkinson, Martika Moss and Zachary Walker, who lively entertained the audience with a creative mathematics rap and dance routine. Also assisting the students and attending the conference were Honors Program faculty and staff: Academic Coordinator Sam Brown, Adviser/Counselor Ravares Conner, Administrative Coordinator Frances McMillon and Director/Professor of English Emma Waters Dawson.
