Alumni Spotlight 01.06.16

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Rachel M. Blanks

Rachel Melson Blanks attended FAMU with the Distinguished Scholars, National Coca- Cola, Toyota Community, and Eddie Robinson Scholarships, to name a few. Blanks graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the School of Business and Industry in 2008 and a master’s degree in educational leadership from the College of Education. After completing her master’s degree in 2010, she went into the classroom to change the lives of young people. In 2011, Blanks was named “School-Related Employee of the Year” for Bond Elementary School, Leon County Schools, and the entire State of Florida.

Blanks is currently working for Dayton Public Schools in Dayton, Ohio, and was honored as the 2012 “Educator Working for You” by WDTN Channel 2. Her hard work continued after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2013. Named a winner of Major League Baseball’s 2014 “Target Presents PEOPLE All-Star Teachers Campaign,” she represented thousands of teachers at the 2014 All-Star Game.

Blanks is a member of Webster Street Church of Christ, Delta Kappa Gamma, and the Dayton Chapter of Young Republican Women and several other advisory boards and committees. In her spare time, Rachel blogs (www.butterbakingandbacon.com) and bakes for her small business, Butter ‘n’ Bakin’ by Rachel.

Gregory Triplett

Gregory Triplett recently accepted a position as associate dean of graduate studies for the School of Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, Va. He previously served as an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Missouri’s College of Engineering. Triplett earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from FAMU and a master’s degree from Florida State University. He earned a doctorate degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

In 2008, Triplett received a $520,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for a five-year program to provide two-year scholarships, peer mentoring, tutoring and study tools for qualifying freshmen and transfer students. Called IncREaCE (Increasing Retention for Electrical and Computer Engineers), Triplett was inspired to write the grant after serving on an NSF committee charged with reviewing university scholarship programs. In 2011, Triplett was a nominee for the U.S. Professors of the Year program, and in 2013, he was named an SEC Academic Leadership Development Fellow. The development program seeks to identify, prepare, and advance academic leaders.

Pamela Pugh, Ph.D.

Pamela Pugh, Ph.D., is the owner of Regeneration LLC, a business that serves as a catalyst for economically sustainable and healthy urban communities. The business assists public agencies, organizations, and other businesses in building capacity through effective operations and winning partnerships. Prior to starting Regeneration, Pugh was employed by the Saginaw County Department of Public Health for 14 years.  She received a doctorate of public health from the University of Michigan School of Public Health and a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from FAMU.

Pugh has been appointed to numerous boards and policy development workgroups aimed at improving the quality of life for children and families, to include the Governor’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Task Force, Michigan Conference NAACP Health Chair, and past vice chair of the Michigan Environmental Council (MEC) Board of Directors. Pamela is a two-time recipient of the distinguished NAACP Dr. Montague Cobb Award for special achievement in social justice, health justice, health education and promotion, fundraising and research. Pugh was elected to the Michigan State Board of Education in November 2014.  Her term expires in January of 2023.