FAMU News

For decades, conversations about the nation’s top historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) almost always began with the same names. Schools like Howard University and Spelman College have long been viewed as the gold standard, attracting many of the country’s highest-achieving Black students – until right now. Recent rankings and enrollment data suggest there is a new sheriff in town. As Black students continue enrolling at HBCUs in record numbers, Florida A&M University (FAMU) is emerging as the nation’s top-performing HBCU, backed by strong academic rankings, student success metrics and steady enrollment growth.

FAMU Developmental Research School has earned a "B" grade from the Florida Department of Education for the first time in recent history. The grade marks an improvement from last year's "C". School leaders say it is the result of hard work by students, teachers, and families, and they are already setting their sights on an even bigger goal. FAMU President Marva B. Johnson, J.D., said the achievement reflects meaningful progress across the school community.

Researchers at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory have shown how higher magnetic fields can improve analysis of the molecules linked to Alzheimer’s disease, a finding that could aid the development of future treatments. In a study published in Solid State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, the researchers showed how a high-magnitude magnetic field can improve the accuracy of measurements that show the chemical composition of amyloid beta fragments, small pieces of proteins that have been shown to play a critical role in Alzheimer’s disease. They were able to analyze amyloid proteins even when they were structurally complex and mixed with lipids, creating conditions that more closely resemble the human brain than traditional laboratory samples.

Timothy Barber helps give a voice to the lions of history.