FSU Announces Multigenerational Broncos as 2024 Family of the Year

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Fayetteville State University excitingly announced the Hamer Family as the 2024 Family of the Year during Fall Convocation: Celebration of our Founders ceremony on Sept. 19 in J.W. Seabrook Auditorium. As multigenerational Broncos, the Hamer Family’s FSU legacy spans from the class of 1949 to 2022.

Dr. Aljanal “Nel” Hamer Carroll ’94, Ty Hamer-Yelverton ’22, Bettye Gillespie Hamer and Deborah Hamer Skyes on behalf of parents Forrest T. Hamer and Bertha Barnes Hamer ‘49 accepted the award during the event.

Forrest T. Hamer, who attended Fayetteville State Teachers College from 1948 to 1951, met Bertha on campus. As a student, Bertha served in several student leadership role at the FSU Sunday School, president of the Drama Guild, as editor-in-chief of The Voice student newspaper and student council. At 19, she became FSU’s youngest alumna and was also a charter member of the Gold-Wayne Alumni Chapter in 1963.

Alton Hamer followed his brother, Forrest, to Fayetteville State Teachers College and enrolled in 1960. He met his wife, Bettye Gillespie Hamer at FSU in 1961. Their daughter, Nel Hamer Carroll, would attend Fayetteville State University and graduate nearly 30 years later.

Carroll earned her bachelor’s in accounting and economics at FSU in 1994. Carroll’s involvement as a student and alumna are extensive including Miss Gospel Choir ’91, Miss Harris Hall ’93, Senior Class Vice President ’93-'94 and pledged Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Fall ’93. Currently, she is an FSU National Alumni Association (FSUNAA) Life Member, President of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Alumni Chapter, and 2nd Vice President of the FSUNAA.

Ty Hamer-Yelverton, Bertha and Forrest’s grandson, earned a bachelor’s degree in education. He was also immensely engaged as an FSU student serving in several leadership roles such as editor of The Voice’s Arts & Culture section, president of the NAACP’s FSU chapter for 2019–2021, vice president of the Future Educators’ Club of the Student North Carolina Association of Educators, and senator and class president of the Student Government Association.

The Family of the Year recognition is a testament to the Hamer family's unwavering dedication to FSU and its values. Their commitment to higher education and community building resonates with FSU's mission and serves as an inspiration to current and future generations of Bronco family members.

FSU is honored to recognize the Hamer family as the Family of the Year and is grateful for their continued support and contributions to the university. Congratulations to the Hamer Family on this well-deserved recognition.