By Andrew Skerritt
Florida Board of Governors (FBOG) Chairman Brian Lamb issued a $100,000 challenge to his alma mater Florida A&M University Developmental Research School (FAMU DRS) to further science technology, engineering and math (STEM) and Science technology, engineers, the arts and mathematics (STEAM) educational opportunities for students.
Lamb spoke during the “Governor Brian Lamb Day” at FAMU DRS to an auditorium of students, his parents, Deloris and Eugene Lamb Jr., relatives, close friends, FAMU administrators, including President Larry Robinson, Ph.D., and Provost Maurice Edington, Ph.D. and deans. In making the challenge, Lamb addressed FAMU DRS Superintendent Micheal Johnson.
“JP Morgan Chase and our Advancing Black Pathways Center of Excellence is willing to take on a challenge with you Superintendent Johnson, if you are willing to take on a challenge where we can invest $100,000 into helping our Baby Rattlers engage deeper in the programs you have around STEM and STEAM engage deeper around the work that you’re doing with your labs and create pathways for your students for their futures so that they will be positioned to shoot the ball,” said Lamb. “I’ll leave you with that $100,000 challenge and you’ve got my commitment to deliver on it.”
In response to the challenge, Johnson said his goal is to build a STEM lab in a nearby field.
“It sounds like we are $100,000 closer to that goal right now,” Johnson said. “In two years, we will have a building built.”
Lamb’s challenge came after he used a basketball analogy to inspire students. The former 30 points per game scorer, recalled winning a state basketball championship in the 1993-1994 season ending a nearly 25-year drought for the DRS boys’ basketball program.
