MIAMI GARDENS, Fla., Aug. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Earvin "Magic" Johnson will
be the guest of honor at Florida Memorial University's Eleventh Annual
Appreciation Dinner taking place on Friday, September 16, 2005 at 7:00 pm.
This event will be held at the Hyatt Regency Miami located at 400 SE 2nd
Avenue in downtown Miami, Florida. The retired NBA Hall of Fame icon turned
successful businessman will also be on hand during this appropriately coined
"Magic Night" to be conferred with an honorary doctoral degree and to discuss
the correlation between scholarship availability and students' pursuance of a
college education. Emmy award-winning CBS 4 Sports Director and Anchor Jim
Berry will serve as master of ceremonies while selected vocalists and
musicians from the school's music department will provide live entertainment.
In addition to Magic Johnson's guest appearance, various university
administrators are scheduled to present special appreciation awards to
sponsors, supporters and volunteers who have assisted in educational
advancement initiatives. This year's recipients are as follows:
Trustee of the Year Award Reverend Dr. Henry T. Rhim
Alumni of the Year Award Mr. Daniel McNeill
Carrie P. Meek Philanthropist Award North Dade Medical Foundation
Arthur J. Hill Award Burger King Corporation
Volunteer Award Mrs. Ozzie Ritchey
Corporate Partner Award Bank United, Commerce Bank,
Corporate Express, Metro-Miami
Action Plan Trust, Ryder System,
Inc., The Home Depot
Community Leadership Award Yolanda Cash-Jackson, Esq.
Dr. Albert E. Smith, President of Florida Memorial University, expressed
his gratitude while discussing the numerous supporters who have contributed
their time and effort to pending projects this year. "Failing to acknowledge
the individuals who propel our university's mission forward would be
committing a huge disservice to the community," stated Dr. Smith. "The
Appreciation Dinner is hosted every year for this purpose. It serves as the
perfect opportunity to say 'thank you' to our faithful supporters while
reiterating our university objectives to promote leadership, academic
excellence and economic development." When asked about Magic Johnson's
scheduled appearance at the dinner, Dr. Smith displayed his elation. "Having
Magic in attendance serves as its own reward. He embodies all of the personal
characteristics in which we encourage our students to emulate: ambition,
assertiveness, commitment and perseverance. I cannot think of an individual
who symbolizes these virtues quite like Magic."
Though Magic Johnson is one of the most illustrious professional
basketball players of all time, he managed to reinvent himself as a prosperous
entrepreneur. He prides himself in developing revenue-generating businesses in
underserved communities, thus providing desperately needed jobs to urban
America. As Chairman and CEO of Johnson Development Corporation (JDC), he has
revitalized inner city communities by providing quality entertainment
services, such as the Magic Johnson Theaters, and partnered with Burger King
Corporation in a multi-year agreement as a franchise of 30 restaurants. As
Founder and Chairman of the Magic Johnson Foundation (MJF), he addressed the
critical needs of inner-city youth by facilitating the Magic Johnson
Foundation Taylor Michaels Scholarship Program that provides college
scholarships, mentoring and internships. He has sent over 225 students to
colleges across the country through this program, and many of them have gone
on to begin careers with some of the companies that assisted in sponsoring
their education. Dr. Smith lends kudos to Magic for his efforts. "Magic is
one of the most underrated advocates for higher learning in America. With his
endorsement of Florida Memorial University, we will soon be on our way to
offering top-quality scholarships in hopes of recruiting the most promising
students on the local and national levels. My administration, faculty, staff
and I are all thrilled about this new partnership and look forward to
establishing a continued relationship."
Located in the City of Miami Gardens, Florida Memorial University is a
private, historically Black institution offering 41 undergraduate degree
programs and 3 graduate degree programs to a culturally diverse student body.
As South Florida's ONLY Black university, it is best known for being the
birthplace of the Negro National Anthem, "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing." Since
its inception in 1879, the university upholds a commitment to providing a
solid foundation for thousands of young people and opening doors to
educational opportunities that may have otherwise been closed to them. Tickets
for the Appreciation Dinner will be sold in advance for $60.00. For additional
information, please contact Joyce R. Forchion, Communications Coordinator in
the Office of Public Affairs at (305) 626-3624 or jforchio@fmuniv.edu .
SOURCE Florida Memorial University
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Related links:
http://www.fmuniv.edu
CONTACT:
Joyce R. Forchion of Florida Memorial
University, +1-305-626-3624, or jforchio@fmuniv.edu
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