There was lots of excitement in the air with the return of FAMU’s Marching 100 band performing at the Orlando Florida Classic Saturday, since being suspended after drum major Robert Champion was hazed to death on a bus in 2011.
Under new leadership the Marching 100 has downsized to less than half of its 350 members, instituted new rules for participation in the band, including students’ maintaining a 2.0 GPA, and employed new staff to ensure implementation of the new rules that bar hazing and bullying.
Businessman Derrick Wallace, candidate in the race for Orange County Commission, District 6, and a FAMU alumnus is pleased the Marching 100 has returned to the field, but believes the band’s past suspension must serve as a wake-up call and a lesson to students not only at FAMU, but universities and colleges across the country.
“My heart goes out to the family of Drum Major Robert Champion who no doubt continue to suffer the loss of their son,” he said. “But I hope we have learned a lesson from the tragedy and that FAMU will be stronger with the measures that have been implemented, serving as a model for other marching bands across the nation.”
Asked whether the Marching 100 should have been suspended for a longer period as Champion’s parents desired, Wallace said, “What’s the right number of years, that’s hard to determine. But given that the band was suspended for nearly two years should wake up kids to the fact that tragedies do happen and hazing and bullying will not be tolerated. The school too, suffered financially as a result.”
Wallace, who grew up in the Parramore and Washington Shores Communities which are part of District 6, graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Accounting from FAMU in 1975. Asked to reflect on his years at FAMU, Wallace had this to say:
“It was a serious time for me and I concentrated on getting out of university early so that I could go out and find a full-time job,” he said. “I worked part-time and went to school full-time and completed the four-year program in three years.”
FAMU’s School of Business and Industry (SBI) was established in 1974, under the leadership of the founding Dean, Dr. Sybil Collins Mobley who Wallace said, worked hard to prepare students for the working world upon graduation.
“Dr. Mobley focused on creating relationships with accounting firms and we had opportunities to do internships so we would be more than ready to start work upon completion of the program,” he added.
Noting that graduates continue to face tough times owing to the weak job market, I asked Wallace what advice would he offer to young people contemplating going to college or university.
“Currently the job market is very tough on young workers, but it is also true that if a person is college educated there’s a distinct advantage when it comes to job opportunities, depending on the field,” he said. “Studies have shown that there’s a need for more scientists, engineers and workers in the technology area.”
“But more broadly, we need to put in place policies that will generate strong job growth overall, to bring down young workers’ unemployment rates more quickly and effectively,” Wallace added. “And that’s what my campaign is all about.”
Turning back to the Florida Classic game, Bethune-Cookman University trounced FAMU, 29-10.
