Florida A&M University (FAMU) is set to hire Angela Suggs as the next Vice President and Director of Athletics. Suggs previously worked at FAMU as the Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs. She leaves the post of the President and CEO of the Florida Sports Foundation.
Suggs is no stranger to Florida A&M. She attended school on the campus from elementary school through college. The FAMU High School graduate earned her bachelor’s in economics at FAMU before earning her master’s degree from St. Thomas University.
Suggs makes history as the first person to be born on FAMU’s campus and assume the role of Director of Athletics. From 1911-1971, FAMU had its own hospital on campus. The building which is now known as the Foote-Hilyer Administration Building is where Suggs first arrived in this world.
Angela Suggs comes to Florida A&M with a connection to the alumni base. She also becomes the second Director of Athletics to manage the entire athletic department in FAMU’s history. Her contract is up for approval at FAMU’s next Board of Trustees meeting on Friday.
In her past role in FAMU Athletics, she was a fundraiser. She worked under Athletic Director Bill Hayes, to start the 1,000 Strikes Campaign. The largely successful campaign was FAMU’s first athletic initiative aimed at raising funds beyond season tickets and parking. It was a widely successful campaign.
Under Milton Overton, Suggs would institute the “Investing in Champions” program. The largely successful program has been the most successful by far in FAMU Athletics history. Millions of dollars have resulted from the initiating of the investment campaign.
Suggs is well grounded in the community which will bode well for her efforts to raise funds for the department. Among her affiliations are: the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators; National Association of Athletic Development Directors; Leadership Tallahassee, Class 26; FAMU National Alumni Association (Life Member); Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; Jack & Jill of America, Inc., The Florida Historic Capitol Museum Board of Directors; Tallahassee Memorial Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees; First Tee Tallahassee Board of Directors; CONNECT Sports Executive Advisory Board.
Suggs also served as the Senior Woman Administrator at FAMU and has continued to support gender equity in sports. She will take over a program that has been thriving on the field and in the classroom, but must find a solid fitting in its fundraising and sustainability.