Florida A&M University (FAMU) announced The Lip Bar founder and Chief Executive Officer Melissa Butler as the summer commencement speaker.
About 500 graduates from more than a dozen colleges and schools are expected to participate in the Summer Commencement exercises scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday, August 2 in the Al Lawson Multipurpose Center & Teaching Gymnasium, 1800 Althea Gibson Way, Tallahassee.
“We are eagerly anticipating hearing from alumna Melissa Butler. Her personal story of entrepreneurship and perseverance serves as an inspiration to all Rattlers and is a reminder that you can get anywhere from FAMU,” said FAMU President Larry Robinson, Ph.D.
Butler graduated from FAMU’s School of Business and Industry (SBI) with a bachelor’s in business finance before working as a licensed stock broker on Wall Street. Being asked to speak to summer 2024 graduates is an honor, she said.
“I am both honored and humbled to speak at the Summer commencement,” said the the Detroit, Michigan. “FAMU gave me the aptitude to succeed, and it is my intention to pour into the next generation of leaders in the same way FAMU and its industrious alumni have poured into me.”
While working in the financial district, Butler founded The Lip Bar beauty brand in her kitchen. She was fed up with the toxic one-shade-fits-most beauty industry. So she turned her frustration into action, stepped off the corporate ladder and into her kitchen to whip up vibrant vegan lipstick.
A rejection on TV’s “Shark Tank” only fueled her tenacious Rattler spirit motivating her to reclaim power over her own dream, and she grew The Lip Bar beyond lipstick to TLB: the award-winning maximum impact, minimal effort beauty must-haves for all. Since its founding, the brand has become a pioneer on beauty and inclusion.
Butler describes her journey from stocks and bonds to beauty as a natural progression, not because she loved makeup, but because she was fed up with the industry and therefore created a solution.
Since she launched The Lip Bar, Butler has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, Inc, Allure, Cosmopolitan and Essence magazines.
While Butler has already accomplished much, she continues to take the beauty world by storm through innovation, integrity and passion. Her goal is to empower women everywhere of all ages, races and body types to be confident in their own skin by challenging traditional beauty standards through imagery, ingredients and affordable pricing.
“Everyone deserves to have representation. Without it, we are left seeking validation,” Butler said.
The FAMU Summer Commence ceremony is open to the public. No tickets are required; however, the clear bag policy will be enforced at the event. Parking is available at Bragg Memorial Stadium parking lot, but the parking garage is closed. The Venom will provide shuttle service beginning two hours before the ceremony and continuing up to two hours afterward.