HOWDY!  On January 17 – 20, 2008, the Black Former Student Network (“BFSN”) will host the BFSN Summit on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas .

The BFSN Summit has become recognized as an insightful and informative event designed to facilitate communication, cooperation, and collaboration among Texas A&M University , its African-American alumni, and others who are committed to addressing higher education issues impacting the African-American community.  In addition to providing an excellent networking opportunity, the BFSN Summit provides campus updates, briefings, and panel sessions on a variety of topics, including:

• Undergraduate and Graduate Recruitment, Admissions, Enrollment, Financial Aid, and Retention;
• Student Affairs and Diversity
• African-American Issues in Texas Higher Education (with Texas State Senator Royce West )
• Athletics and the African-American Aggie Athlete
• Administrator, Faculty, and Staff Recruitment and Retention

Numerous university officials will attend the BFSN Summit to provide information on these and other topics and will be available for questions from BFSN members and other participants.  Attendees will also receive informational updates on the many activities of BFSN’s Committees and Chapters.

In addition to collaborating with the Association of Former Students, the African-American Professional Organization, the Black Faculty Association, the Black Graduate Students Association, and the Texas A&M University Offices of Diversity and Student Affairs, the 2008 BFSN Summit will be held in conjunction with the Southwestern Black Student Leadership Conference (“SBSLC”).  Celebrating its 20^th Anniversary, SBSLC is one of the largest student-run conferences in the United States .  The purpose of SBSLC is to promote the development of leadership skills among African-American college students through various workshops and speakers.  As one of the premier African-American leadership conferences in the nation, SBSLC has a tradition of excellence and will continue that tradition in 2008 and into the future.

For additional information on SBSLC, please visit www.sbslc.org.

The speakers for the 2008 SBSLC/BFSN Summit include:

• Dr. Randal Pinkett (winner of NBC’s “The Apprentice, Season 4”, and author of “Campus CEO”)
• Dr. Ed J. Davis (Interim President, Texas A&M University )
• Kevin Powell (author, journalist, and Hip Hop Activist)
• Texas State Senator Royce West (speaker for BFSN “Legacy Luncheon”)
• Robert Page (noted lecturer; Director, Office of Multicultural Affairs, The University of Kansas)
• Immaculee Ilibagiza (author of “Left to Tell:  Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust”)

The theme for the 2008 BFSN Summit is “Honoring the Legacy”, and it commemorates those who have cleared a path for the progress that African-Americans have experienced throughout the years, while also challenging future generations of African-American Aggies to continue to remember and honor their predecessors through continued progress and achievement.  Many of the African-American Aggie Pioneers have been invited to attend, and will be honored for their contributions at the BFSN Legacy Luncheon on Friday, January 18, 2008 .

The theme for SBSLC 2008 is “Redefining EXXcellence”, with the two “X’s” commemorating SBSLC’s 20^th Anniversary of success.  As part of the 20^th Anniversary commemoration, SBSLC and BFSN are inviting all SBSLC Former-Staff to attend and be honored for their contributions at the SBSLC/BFSN Closing Banquet on Saturday, January 19, 2008 .

Please encourage any African-American Aggies, Aggie Pioneers, SBSLC Former-Staff (or others who are concerned about higher education issues affecting the African-American community) to register for the BFSN Summit.  This is a crucial time for African-Americans, and the issues to be discussed at the Summit are of critical importance to us all.

YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO NETWORK WITH FORMER STUDENTS WHILE ADDRESSING SOME OF THE MOST CRITICAL ISSUES FACING OUR COMMUNITY!  HONOR THE LEGACY!

BFSN NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT ! ! !

Go to www.bfsn.org and REGISTER TODAY for the

BFSN SUMMIT - JANUARY 17 – 20, 2008 .