Avis Veronica Simmonds is coordinator of academic programs/designated school official for international students in the Office of International Education and Development (OIED); she is also the alternate responsible officer for J-1 Students/Scholars and H-1B Visas at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU). Mrs. Simmonds is a graduate of FAMU with a Master's degree in social work. She is from the beautiful island of St. Kitts in the Caribbean and has been living in Tallahassee, Florida, for over twenty years. As a poet, she has two poetry books, Words on Wings and Words from the Writer's Pens. This is her third one. She also enjoys writing quotes which she plans to have published one day. One of her well received poems is "Ain't We All International." One of her quotes is, "Teach me and I will learn, show me the world and I will understand my fellowmen." Mrs. Simmonds is married to Dr. Keith C. Simmonds, published author and professor in the College of Social Science, Arts, and Humanities at FAMU. She is also the proud parent of three children, Kenneth, Gwendolyn, and Kevin, and a recent daughter-in-law, Parisha. Two of her children are graduates of FAMU and one from Howard University. Avis is also a world traveler, having traveled to Hong Kong; Lagos, Nigeria; Durban and Cape Town, South Africa; Canada; and several countries in Europe, including Paris, France, England, and Germany. Two years ago, Avis presented at Mangosuthu University of Technology in their Empowered Administrators Conference and had poetry readings. One of her beloved activity is dancing.
