Staff Report

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Selected from among 300 students representing 24 states, including the District of Columbia, Ghana, Nigeria and the Virgin Islands, Florida Memorial University (FMU) student, Dominique Nicholson, was selected to serve as a 2016 HBCU All-Star, a program under the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU All-Star Initiative). She joins 72 HBCU All-Stars comprised

of undergraduate, graduate, and professional students who were selected based upon their accomplishments in academics, leadership, and civic engagement. This is the third year of the HBCU All-Star Initiative.

“I was super excited!” says the 20-year-old finance major. As a native of Portland, Jamaica, Dominique will not only represent FMU, but her home country during this year-long program. “It means a lot to me to represent the school that I love and network with other HBCU All-Stars,” said Nicholson, who added the first person she called after learning of her selection was her mother in Jamaica.

Over the next academic year, the HBCU All-Stars will serve as ambassadors by providing outreach opportunities and communicating with other students about the value of education and utilizing the Initiative as a networking source.

In a press release announcing the 2016 selections, Deputy Under Secretary of Education and Acting Executive Director White House Initiative on HBCUs Kim Hunter Reed said, “Our goal is to provide a unique opportunity for these talented students that exposes them to critical national conversations and thought leaders. No doubt they will make their mark and represent their campuses well.”

Using social media, relationships with community-based organizations and sessions with industry professionals, the students will share best practices that support opportunities for all young people to achieve their educational and career potential. who is studying finance, plans to attend law school after graduation from FMU.

In her role as an HBCU All- Star, Nicholson will represent FMU in events that include the White House HBCU Week Conference, national and regional events, and professional webinars hosted by various industry professionals.