57.4% of students at Florida A&M University are earning their bachelor's degrees after six years, rather than the traditional four years.
"Graduating on time," said Lauren Mickens. "I want to graduate in four years because I want to get my bachelors but I still want to make sure my friends graduate on time too along with me because everybody has different schools."
Now, new funding is working to increase student success and faculty recruitment at FAMU. Students are happy to hear the university is getting $23.4 million in funding to help support them on their academic journeys.
Jada Strange is now a junior at Florida A&M University.
"I transferred from California so I'm from the Bay area," said Strange.
She's had her eyes on the highest of seven hills since high school.
"FAMU, my cheer coach in California actually cheered at FAMU so that's why I'm here!"
She is one of the 57.4% of students at FAMU who are graduating in within six years instead of four. Strange said she was set to graduate early, but a late response from an adviser about a class set her back a semester.
"I didn't need one class but by the time they got back to me, so now I'm going to be graduating Spring 25 which I really didn't like and it wasn't even my fault," said Strange. "I was like early but like they pushed it back"
Freshman Lauren Mickens said it's been difficult trying to talk to an adviser. She said she and her friends have had trouble getting teachers and advising appointments.
"It took about like until today to get classes honestly and everybody's trying to do one thing at one time," said Mickens. "You know you would think it's like not a lot of things going on because it's summer, but still because there's not a lot of teachers and staff here yet it's kind of a struggle."
FAMU President Dr. Larry Robinson addressed how the university will increase faculty and staff. He says along with offering sign on bonuses, "we also have another pool of recurring funds that we received from the legislature that we're really really excited about that too that we're going to use to hire faculty," said Robinson.
And as far as helping students graduate within four years, "we've seen a steady increase overall of our graduation rates of our students and these investments will only contribute to those successful outcomes," said Robinson.
Investments of $15.9 million are going towards student success initiatives in areas of STEM, health care and business. $7.5 million will help hire new instructional faculty and another $10 million will hire other faculty, like advisers, to help students keep striking.
Strange is hopeful that additional funding will help support students like her moving forward.
"They say that they can help but please actually do it and put actions towards it instead of just talking about it but if it does I'll really be happy so I can spend the rest of my two years and one semester here," said Strange.
Robinson said they'll receive the new funding when their new fiscal year starts on July 1st.
