Stock Exchange Bell Ceremony Rings in New FedEx-HBCU Student Ambassador Program

By: Rose Jackson Flenorl, FedEx 

The FedEx-HBCU Student Ambassador Program was announced on Feb. 1 during the Closing Bell® at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). FedEx leaders, school presidents, and student program participants participated in the ceremonial presentation commemorating the launch of the program and a nationwide celebration of Black History.  The eight Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are:

  • Jackson State University,
  • Fayetteville State University
  • LeMoyne-Owen College
  • Lane College
  • Tennessee State University
  • Paul Quinn College
  • Mississippi Valley State University
  • Miles College

These eight HBCUs are regionally located within a short distance of a FedEx operating or distribution facility, which will allow students better opportunities to engage with FedEx team members and learn about the business.

The first cohort of students will participate in virtual and hybrid meetings.  Quarterly, participants will gain exposure to FedEx leadership, team members, and unique experiences. They will participate in seminars that are designed to provide empowerment, engagement, and education for students, and access to resources that will help them prepare to enter the workforce after college. The program’s sessions will focus on additional areas such as entrepreneurship, mentorship, and networking. In addition, the first cohort of student participants will help set the direction for upcoming FedEx Ambassador programs, such as career pathways initiatives, HBCU leadership institutes, and student forums/think tanks.

This initiative is an ongoing commitment from FedEx to support HBCUS, including a $5M donation announced last year.

Rose Jackson Flenorl

Rose Jackson Flenorl has more than 30 years of experience in marketing, communications and corporate social responsibility. She has worked in Corporate Communications for FedEx for 17 years and is currently a Manager of the internationally recognized FedEx Global Citizens group.  An active participant in many philanthropic organizations, Rose represents FedEx on the Conference Board Corporate Social Responsibility Council and serves on the board of directors of the National Civil Rights Museum. She is a former board member of the United Way of the Mid-South where she served for four years as Allocations Chair and Leadership Memphis where she served as board chair. A graduate of the University of Mississippi, Rose was the first black female named to the student Hall of Fame (1998) and was chosen by Glamour Magazine as one of the top 10 college women in the United States. Rose continues to make an impact as a leader at her alma mater where she has served as: president of the national Alumni Association, 2008; board chair of the University of Mississippi Foundation, 2015-2016; charter member of the Ole Miss Women’s Council; and in 2016, Rose received the Ole Miss Athletics Nathaniel Northington Trailblazer Award and the Black Student Union Legacy Award. Rose is a member of the Greenwood C.M.E. Church.  She is married to Richard Lee Flenorl.  They have one daughter, Lillie Clarissa.