Valencia Matthews, director of theatre and assistant dean of the FAMU College of Arts and Sciences, taught Rose during her tenure at FAMU. According to Matthews, she was a talented and driven student who was clear about her goals and committed to pursuing them.

"We are very proud of her," said Matthews. "Anika is doing what she loves and she is doing it well and enjoying it. That is just what we love to see all our students do. We are very pleased and excited about her success."

Luther D. Wells, chairman of the Visual Arts, Humanities and Theatre Department and associate director of theatre, also taught Rose. He had no doubts that she would one day be successful.

"She was a very serious student and Anika had that kind of spirit that was committed to the craft," he said. "She always wanted something bigger and better. When Anika graduated from FAMU, I had no doubt that she would be very successful."

Rose recently performed "Almost There," Princess Tiana's theme song, on "Good Morning America" and is also featured on the January 2010 cover of Essence magazine.
"The Princess and the Frog" is a musical and animated comedy set in New Orleans, La.

From the creators of "The Little Mermaid" and "Aladdin, comes a modern twist on a classic tale, featuring a beautiful girl named Tiana, a frog prince who desperately wants to be human again, and a fateful kiss that leads them both on a hilarious adventure through the mystical bayous of Louisiana.

"The Princess and the Frog" marks the return to hand-drawn animation from the revered team of John Musker and Ron Clements with music by Academy Award-winning composer Randy Newman.

-APA