Announcements and Events
Celebrating FAMU Excellence at the 2026 NSN Student Conference
(From left to right - Front Row: Jasmine Morten, Layah Gaines, Jordyn Anderson, Kamau Randolph, Professor Valerie Anderson, Olugbemisola Odewole, Carlynn Andrews, Laila Crawley, Cameron Wong, Tatyana Rodriquez, Dr. Ava Holt Back Row: Hannah Brown, Daniyah Curry, Leylani Sime, Aaron Wooden, Jabari Mackey, Ryan Knight, Horatio Jones, Candace Harrison, Malik Peters, Moriah Deane, Johnathan Adams, Wesley Lambert, and Ce'Niyah Louden)
We are pleased to share highlights from the National Sales Network (NSN) 2026 Student Conference and to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of the students who represented our university. Of the 1,200 applications submitted nationwide, 200 students were selected; including 31 from FAMU. Our delegation included students from SBI and the School of Journalism & Graphic Communications. Additionally, 30 of the 200 students were selected for the inaugural class of the David Richardson Center of Sales Excellence, an exclusive two-day experience held before the conference. FAMU remains the nation's only collegiate NSN chapter.
Throughout the conference, our students demonstrated exceptional professionalism, teamwork, leadership, and sales acumen. Their achievements reflect not only their preparation and dedication, but also the continued support of our faculty, staff, and university community.
- Malik Peters
- Da’Rieon Gilbert
- Ian Rentz
- Leylani Sime
- Syrus Chivers
- Johnathan Adams
- Olugbemisola Odewole
- Hannah Brown
- Jabari Mackey
- Ian Rentz
- Cameron Wong
- Ian Rentz
- Scholarship Winner: Da’Rieon Gilbert — Raffle Winner ($1,000)
Special thanks to Professor Ava Holt as the Faculty Advisor for the National Sales Network Collegiate Chapter and Professor Valerie Anderson for serving as Co‑Advisor.
We are extremely proud of our students’ outstanding representation of FAMU and their continued commitment to excellence in sales, leadership, and professional development.
Student Spotlight - Lauren Mickens
Florida A&M University senior Lauren Mickens turned a setback into a major opportunity by excelling in national case competitions, winning first place in the Shell OneHBCU event and later leading her team to a second‑place finish in the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Innovation Challenge. Her success highlights her resilience, leadership, and the strong preparation she gained through FAMU’s School of Business and Industry as she continues pursuing new professional opportunities and future career goals. More >>
Student Spotlight - Jayden Sparkman and Khari Jackson
(From left to right: Jayden Sparkman and Khari Jackson)
Florida A&M University entrepreneurs continue to shine on the national stage as several Rattlers were recently featured on the award‑winning Bet on Black series. Their innovative ventures, determination, and standout performances highlight the growing impact of FAMU’s student talent. More >>
Alumni Spotlight - Shelton Franklin and Lakeisha Faulkner
(From left to right: Ryan McHenry, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer; Shelton Franklin, CEO; Lakeisha Faulkner, Chief Marketing and Growth Officer)
Florida A&M University alumni Shelton Franklin and Lakeisha Faulkner have launched New Life Campus, a student‑focused moving and storage service designed to make college move‑in easier and more affordable for FAMU students and their families. Created under the founders’ logistics company, New Life Logistix, the service provides storage bins, pickup, summer storage, direct delivery to residence halls, and assistance for students, especially those traveling long distances. New Life Logistix helps students avoid the stress and cost of transporting belongings each semester. Rooted in their own experiences as FAMU students, the alums built the service to support the next generation of Rattlers and streamline one of the most challenging parts of starting college. More >>
Student Spotlight - 1st Place Win at the Annual National Student Business Plan Competition
(From left to right: Dr. Harold Lundy, Jr., Assistant Professor; Rashada Houston Turner, Associate Instructor; President Marva Johnson; Dr. Shawnta Friday-Stroud, Endowed Professor; Carson Jones, Student; Kenneth Darien, Student; Dr. Mohammed Bhuiyan, Leadership Needed Foundation; Retired General Larry Ellis, Leadership Needed Foundation; Joshua Nickerson, Student; Dr. Ira W. Bates, Interim Dean; Junita McDaniel, Student; Christina Owens, Student; Tyosha Sheppard, Student; Jakobi Wooten, Student; Dr. Phylicia Taylor, Assistant Professor)
Student Spotlight: FAMU UNCF Stock Pitch Competition Team
Superstars from Florida A&M University School of Business and Industry took 1st place at the UNCF (formerly Wellington) Stock Pitch Competition in Boston, MA. This prestigious competition is the flagship finance faceoff across HBCUs. Teams competing included Howard (2nd place), Morehouse (3rd place), North Carolina A&T, Morgan State, Clark Atlanta, Xavier, and Hampton.
(From left to right: Ed Smith-Lewis (Senior Vice President, Strategic Partnerships and Institute of Capacity Building, UNCF), Kenyatta Rosier (Instructor, SBI), Aldous Blackwell (SBI Student), Ramona Copeland(SBI Student), Chandler Destra(SBI Student), Micah Askew (SBI Student), Shawn Thomas (Director, Investment Programs and Project ACCLAIM, Institute of Capacity Building, UNCF))
Aldous Blackwell
3rd year from Milwaukee, WI
Captain, FAMU 2025-2026 Stock Pitch Team
Vice President, Investments Club
"Winning the UNCF Stock Pitch means a lot to me because it showed me what's possible when you use the resources around you (like SBI's Bloomberg terminals), learn from your teammates, and keep pushing yourself to grow. SBI helped us get there by giving me the support of teammates I could learn from and professors who believed in me when I did not fully believe in myself." — Aldous Blackwell
Ramona Copeland
2nd year from Atlanta, GA
SFEPD Student Financial Ambassador
President, SBI Services Company
Member, Honors Student Association
FAMU Orange and Green Guide
"I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to expand my skillset into the world of equity research. Coming from an HBCU, seeing the dedicated support from organizations like UNCF and their sponsors has been transformative. While I didn’t initially see myself on this side of finance, the resources and mentorship provided by SBI gave me the toolkit to compete at the highest level. They instill a core philosophy that I’ll carry forward: success happens when preparation meets opportunity. This experience has shown me that with the right support, I can excel in spaces I never previously imagined." — Ramona Copeland
Chandler Destra
2nd year from Orlando, FL
Vice President of Professional Development, Scholars of Finance
FAMU Project ACCLAIM, Student Advisory Board Member
Member, Investments Club
“Presenting isn’t easy, in fact it’s the hardest part, because you only get one shot. But FAMU and my peers at SBI have been some of the greatest inspirations for me to push myself and excel in every endeavor I find myself in.”—Chandler Destra
Micah Askew
2nd year from Chicago, IL
Organization and Finance Committee Chairman, Student Government Senate
HBCU Fellow, Milken Institute
1st Vice President, Beta Nu Chapter, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc
"Winning the UNCF Stock Pitch Competition is more than an achievement, it represents growth I did not always see for myself. I am constantly impressed by the doors FAMU SBI opens for me, and I am excited to see what opportunities it still has in store. This experience pushed me beyond my comfort zone and showed me that I belong in rooms I once only observed. I look forward to participating in others and am excited to see what the future holds." — Micah Askew
The competition was scored by a distinguished panel of judges, including:
- Brendan Bradley, Chief Investment Officer, Acadian Asset Management
- Tim Codrington, Managing Director of Research, Fidelity Investments
- Phill Gross, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Adage Capital Management
- Anne Malone, Head of US Equity Research, Citi
- Marjorie Winfrey, Equity Research Analyst, Wellington Management
The competition was made possible by the generous support of its sponsors:
- Presenting Sponsors: Adage Capital Management, Acadian Asset Management and Wellington Management
- Competition Sponsors: Citi and Fidelity Investments
- Team Sponsors: Income Research + Management, Janus Henderson, and Loomis, Sayles & Company, LP
- Supporter: CFA Society Boston.
The team was advised by Dr. Inger Daniels-Hollar, Assistant Professor of Finance.
Forum Spotlight: Marcus Shaw, CEO of AltFinance
Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Dennis Ridley
Faculty Spotlight: Innovative Teaching & Student Engagement
Dr. Derek Holloman integrates innovative digital instruction into the Accounting, Finance, and Business Law curriculum to help students develop a strong conceptual foundation in financial accounting and decision-making. Through a structured instructional video series, Accounting Is a Joke, Dr. Holloman presents complex accounting principles in a clear, accessible, and student-centered format that emphasizes real-world application over rote memorization.
Financial Accounting 2026: Why It Matters and How It Shapes Decisions
An introductory overview of financial accounting that emphasizes how accounting information supports business operations, investment decisions, and public accountability.
Faculty Research Spotlight: Dr. Dennis Ridley
In The Mystery of Wealth by Dennis Ridley, PhD (and Andrea Nelson, JD), the author presents a macroeconomic framework (the “CDR” model: Capitalism, Democracy, Rule of Law) to explain why some nations grow rich while others remain poor. Ridley argues that — more than natural resources or geography — it’s the presence (or lack) of these three institutional pillars that largely determines a country’s economic success, making wealth and poverty the outcomes of policy choices and political-economic structure rather than random luck. The book thus demystifies wealth at a nation-state level, showing that stable institutions and good governance are the true drivers of prosperity. Read More >>
Faculty Research Spotlight: Dr. Dennis Ridley
The “Rule of Law Paradox” lies in the fact that although rule of law is often thought of as a structural/institutional attribute of society, its very foundation rests on a deeper, more intangible and often fragile human phenomenon: collaboration. Read More >>
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