For the first time in two years, WAAY 31 had access to Alabama A&M University President Dr. Daniel Wims as he spoke candidly about the progress and setbacks he faces as the head of the largest HBCU in Alabama. WAAY 31 Morning Anchor Demetria Green sat down with him for a two-hour interview, which was split into three parts.
The first two parts aired on WAAY 31 News earlier this week, and you can find them HERE and HERE.
In this third part, a digital exclusive, you can see an extended version of record firsts for the school and preparations for its 150th anniversary:
Alabama A&M University President Dr. Daniel Wims is on the go, while the university is on the “grow.”
In March, he completed the President's Scholarship Bus Tour across Alabama and Georgia, awarding more than $20 million in scholarships.
"I was very pleased to see the excitement and the crowds that came out. The parents who came out to witness,” said Wims. "We're so happy we're touching people across the state. The amazing part is the media is now covering it…Once our students, alums and constituents see and feel the energy, and the spirit of AAMU, we feel like they will make us their first choice and many of them did during this tour.”
Wims said about 25 percent of last year's freshman class was recruited from the bus tour.
"Some of these kids are high achievers, they have choices. That's the key to the bus tour. Some of them are from upper and middle class homes and could afford to go to college anywhere, but they're choosing us,” said Wims.
As the university prepares to celebrate 150 years, they are making history too with the first endowed chair in the College of Business, named after Vivian Malone.
"This one is very special and historic,” said Wims. “It couldn't be named after a better person.”
She was the first African-American to integrate the University of Alabama, and she started her studies at Alabama A&M.
“It helps us to recruit first-class faculty and administrators if we have endowments to help support,” said Wims. "The sad part is that it's the first, and we've been here 150 years and we are just getting our first endowed chair. We are coming very soon to announce our second endowed chair.”
Wims says, in the past three years, they've won the most research dollars in history.
“I was VP of research then, and we worked very hard with our faculty to put things in place.”
They developed a contract arm, which brought in a few million dollars.
"We're one of the few HBCUs in that space, and we are modeled for other HBCUs for contracts for the Department of Defense,” explained Wims.
And they established an international focus.
“We signed several memorandums of understanding with countries in South and Central America and sub-Saharan Africa,” said Wims. “We have an international faculty whose writing grants for projects to internationalize their discipline.”
At last check, nearly 7,000 students are enrolled. But the plan is to boost that number to 10,000 by providing more dual enrollment options and other amenities.
“Our scholars deserve the same treatment as our athletic scholars, so we're treating them the same,” said Wims. “There are many times we lost a student in the past because we showed a student our dormitories.”
The goal is to make the campus a welcoming, safe and peaceful place to study and develop as a professional.
“You can come here and live a first-class standard style of living equal to anywhere in the country,” said Wims.
Wims estimates there are around 15,000 alums in Madison and Limestone counties alone. He is leaning on them to come back to the school and get involved.
"We have music and fun activities,” said Wims. “We want children and high school students on our campus all the time.”
Because his ultimate goal is to make sure the school continues growing for decades to come.
“I want to set the institution up for the next 20 to 25 years to where it has continual growth,” said Wims. “I don't want to take progress for granted, but I also don't want to push too fast. I know where we need to be.”
Source: Alabama A&M University
