Here are 20 notable people who have graduated from Fayetteville State University

Akira Kyles, The Fayetteville Observer
·5 min read
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A notable alumnus of Fayetteville State University will be featured this weekend at the HBCU's spring commencement ceremony.

Nicholas Perkins, a Fayetteville native, is the president and CEO of Perkins Management, Black Titan Franchise Systems and is a Fuddruckers restaurant franchise owner. He will be the keynote speaker at the spring commencement ceremony, where the university will confer 1,067 bachelor’s degrees, 332 master’s degrees and 13 doctoral degrees, the school announced in a statement

The ceremony will be at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Crown Coliseum and will be livestreamed for the public.

Perkins is one of many Fayetteville State University alumni who have become well-known locally, nationally and internationally.

Here are 20 more notable people who graduated from Fayetteville State University.

Fayetteville State's Darrell Armstrong on November 6, 1989.
Fayetteville State's Darrell Armstrong on November 6, 1989.

Darrell 'Sky' Armstrong

Darrell Armstrong has been an assistant coach of the Dallas Mavericks. He helped lead the team to the NBA championship in the 2010-2011 season.

FSU Basketball coach Jeff Capel in 1991.
FSU Basketball coach Jeff Capel in 1991.

Jeff Capel Jr.

Felton Jeffery Chapel Jr. was an assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team from 2011 to 2013. Before his work with the 76ers, he was an assistant coach for the Charlotte Bobcats from 2004 to 2011.

He died in 2017 from Lou Gehrig's disease after being diagnosed with the disease in 2014.

Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin
Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin

Mitch Colvin

Mitch Colvin serves as the mayor of Fayetteville and is currently running to hold his seat. Colvin, a Fayetteville native, served as mayor pro tem from 2015 to 2017.

Colvin also leads the operation of Colvin Funeral Home Inc.

Affion 'Flex' Crokett

Affion "Flex" Crokett is a comedian, actor, dancer, writer, rapper and music producer. A year after graduating from FSU, he appeared in HBO's "Def Comedy Jam." Since then he has appeared in movies including "Fifty Shades of Black" and on MTV's "Wild 'n Out."

FSU graduate Algeania Freeman in 2001.
FSU graduate Algeania Freeman in 2001.

Algeania Warren Freeman

Algeania Freeman served as the 20th president of Wilberforce University in Ohio.

Guest speaker, South Carolina Senator Maggie Wallace Glover motivates students with an inspirational speech during Fayetteville State's Fall Convocation at the Seabrook Auditorium in 2000.
Guest speaker, South Carolina Senator Maggie Wallace Glover motivates students with an inspirational speech during Fayetteville State's Fall Convocation at the Seabrook Auditorium in 2000.

Maggie Wallace Glover

Maggie Wallace Glover was the first Black woman to be elected to the South Carolina State Senate. She served in the position from 1992 to 2004. She also served as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1989 to 1992.

Anthony L. Jenkins

Anthony Jenkins became the eighth president of Coppin State University in Baltimore, Maryland. He previously served at the president of West Virginia State University in Charleston.

Major Freddy L. Johnson
Major Freddy L. Johnson

Maj. Freddy Johnson

Maj. Freddy Johnson was appointed commander of the North Carolina Highway Patrol in April last year.

After graduating from Highway Patrol Basic School, Johnson started his career as a trooper in Lumberton and has served in Robeson and Cumberland counties. He was promoted to the rank of captain in 2013 and to major in 2017.

More: Fayetteville native named new highway patrol commander for North Carolina

FSU alumnus Michele S. Jones, class of 2003, delivers her keynote address while walking through the audience at the 144th Founders Day Convocation held at Fayetteville State University in Fayetteville on Sunday, April 10, 2011. The retired Command Sergeant Major in the US Army, the country's first woman to hold that position, is now Special Assistant and Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense and Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense.

Michele S. Jones

Michele Jones serves as the special assistant to the secretary of defense, according to FSU's website.

Jones was the first woman in the Army to reach the rank of command sergeant major. She was the first female non-commissioned officer to serve in the highest enlisted position of a component of the U.S. Army.

Fayetteville native, FSU alumna, and national vice-president of The Links, Inc., Dr. Kimberly Jeffries Leonard speaks at Fayetteville State University's 150th Founders Day on Thursday, April 20, 2017.
Fayetteville native, FSU alumna, and national vice-president of The Links, Inc., Dr. Kimberly Jeffries Leonard speaks at Fayetteville State University's 150th Founders Day on Thursday, April 20, 2017.

Kimberly Jefferies Leonard

Kimberly Leonard is the national president of The Links Inc. She is also the president and CEO of Envision Consulting. Previously, she was the chief operating officer for the District of Columbia Department of Health.

More: Fayetteville native rises to national president of The Links, Inc.

Joyce Malone
Joyce Malone

Joyce B. Malone

Retired Staff Sgt. Joyce Malone, a Fayetteville native, became the first Black woman and the oldest woman to earn Airborne wings in the U.S. Army.

More: Meet these female Army trailblazers who have served at Fort Bragg

Hector McEachern was the first African-American reporter for The Fayetteville Observer. He worked at the newspaper for about three years. He went on to a career working in human resources for a bank, becoming a top manager, and is the owner of The McEachern Group consulting firm.
Hector McEachern was the first African-American reporter for The Fayetteville Observer. He worked at the newspaper for about three years. He went on to a career working in human resources for a bank, becoming a top manager, and is the owner of The McEachern Group consulting firm.

Hector McEachern

Hector McEachern was The Fayetteville Observer's first Black reporter. He worked for the newspaper for about three years.

He went on to a career working in human resources for a bank, becoming a top manager, and is the owner of The McEachern Group, a Greensboro consulting firm.

More: Breaking Barriers: Trials and triumphs of the Fayetteville Observer’s first Black reporter

Jennifer Price launced DiMe, a streaming service for and by disabled people.
Jennifer Price launced DiMe, a streaming service for and by disabled people.

Jennifer Price

Earlier this year, Jennifer Price launched the streaming app DiME to increase the visibility of people with disabilities.

Price, who also graduated from Terry Sanford High School, previously worked as an attorney before launching her app, where she noticed people with disabilities being overlooked.

D'Shawn Russell got her start selling at the farmers market.
D'Shawn Russell got her start selling at the farmers market.

D'Shawn Faison Russell

D'Shawn Russell is the owner and CEO of Southern Elegance Candle Company in Raeford. She was featured in ABC's "Good Morning America" and "The View."

Kalecia Simmons operates The Chef and I restaurant in Junction City, Kansas.
Kalecia Simmons operates The Chef and I restaurant in Junction City, Kansas.

Kalecia Simmons

In 2020, Kalecia Simmons was the winner in her appearance on the Food Network's "Guy's Grocery Games." From the show, she took home $20,000.

Simmons is now based in Kansas.

Marquie Smith, a 2010 Overhills graduate, plays professional basketball in Spain.
Marquie Smith, a 2010 Overhills graduate, plays professional basketball in Spain.

Marquie Smith

After graduating from FSU, Marquie Smith got the opportunity to play professional basketball overseas. Before attending FSU, he graduated from Overhills High School in Harnett County.

In addition to his sports career, he also started a clothing line called Splashy the Wave.

More: The Black Experience: The life of a Black athlete (and Fayetteville State grad) in Spain

Artist Collyn Strother works on repainting the mural, which was recently removed, around the Market House on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021.
Artist Collyn Strother works on repainting the mural, which was recently removed, around the Market House on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021.

Collyn Strother

If you've visited downtown Fayetteville, you've most likely seen artwork by FSU graduate Collyn Strother. He, along with Malcolm Chester, painted "End Racism Now" and "Black Lives Do Matter" around the Market House.

More: Private donors to reimburse city for Fayetteville's 'Black Lives Do Matter' mural replacement

Marquelle Turner-Gilchrist

Marquelle Turner-Gilchrist is the merchandising manager for the Men's Ready-to-Wear Division of Gucci Americans.

Turner-Gilchrist previously worked as a Menswear Buyer for HUGO Boss in New York and for the Galeries Lafayette in the Middle East, according to FSU's website.

Joy Williams was named the Cumberland County Schools’ 2022 Principal of the Year on Oct. 18, 2021.
Joy Williams was named the Cumberland County Schools’ 2022 Principal of the Year on Oct. 18, 2021.

Joy Williams

In 2021 and 2022, FSU graduate Joy Williams was named Cumberland County Schools Principal of the Year.

Williams is the principal of Luther "Nick" Jeralds Middle School.

Col. Christopher Williamson
Col. Christopher Williamson

Col. Christopher Williamson

Col. Christopher Williamson is a patrol veteran who made history as the first Black commander to lead the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

Staff writer Akira Kyles can be reached at akyles@gannett.com.

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This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Notable Fayetteville State University alums: Nicholas Perkins, more