Smith-Pickard Friendship & Alliance Scholarship Full Story
50 years - 2 men - 2 countries - 1 VISION
His Excellency, Sir Cornelius A. Smith, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas,
The highest political leader of that nation, joined with Dr. William F. Pickard to launch a new educational scholarship program to help young people in Detroit and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas find careers in Agriculture and Business. His Excellency Governor General Smith was to change his career trajectory at that time. “As an educator and community activist one becomes keenly aware and deeply concerned regarding the social, economic, and cultural environment from which students and parents are drawn. I realized that systemic changes could only be achieved through involvement in the political process so very early in life I entered the political arena.”
DR. WILLIAM F. PICKARD
Pickard – changed careers from social work to business when he purchased his first McDonald’s franchise. Pickard began discussions with Smith about the need to have more people involved with and interested in careers tied to agriculture. Pickard, who has taught classes at the University of Michigan, Western Michigan and other colleges discusses his focus. “As my career moved from social work to entrepreneurship it became part of my mission to make sure educational opportunities were available to those who followed.”
THE FRIENDSHIP
50 years ago, when Pickard was on a family vacation in Freeport, he met an impressive young teacher named Cornelius A. Smith. They struck up a conversation, found they were like minded on the importance of education and knew it could help their respective communities. They kept in touch as each went on to have incredibly successful careers.
THE RESULT
Those talks resulted in the launching of the Cornelius A. Smith and William F. Pickard Friendship and Alliance Scholarship at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) in Tallahassee, Florida. The scholarship will be awarded to an equal number of students from Metro Detroit and the Bahamas pursuing a degree in agriculture with a minor in business. Both men are confident the opportunities offered by the Smith-Pickard Friendship & Alliance Scholarship will rebound in untold benefits to The Bahamas and America as both pursue a national goal of food sufficiency and food security.
Mrs. Bethany Barker, Greenstone Farm Credit Services Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer,
Joined the initiative to provide laptops, professional mentors, field trips and internships. “Our partnership with the Smith-Pickard Friendship Alliance Scholarship program is a natural extension of our commitment to bringing great talent into our industry. We are excited to support the youth of Detroit and Bahamas in their pursuit of a career in agriculture.”
Former Executive Director FAMU School of Business and FAMU Foundation, “Our ranking as the top public HBCU for the second year in a row along with our award-winning faculty allows us to not only provide an excellent learning experience, but one that positions our graduates for success in their chosen fields.” t got them to where they are.
