rocks
EILEEN RODRIGUEZ Helping future geologists make “cents,” Pg. 12
Entrepreneur T. Hampton Dohrman gets creative to support art, Pg. 16 Gilbert King’s journey to a Pulitzer began with the death of a dream, Pg. 20 Salute to Life Members, Pg. 22
CONTENTS FEATURES
12
16
19
20
12 USF Business Expert Rocks Her Geology Roots Eileen Rodriguez, regional director of the USF Small Business Development Center, is also a longtime leader of the Geology Alumni Society. She and other members help ensure future geologists succeed on the business side. (On the cover: Rodriguez spells out her allegiance in bleached coral on Hawaii’s Big Island.)
16 Entrepreneur Finds New Ways to Make Music His left brain won when it came to T. Hampton Dohrman’s choice of education and career paths: accounting and business. But his right brain, which had argued in favor of a future in music, got its way, too, in a manner of speaking. Dohrman makes it his business to find creative ways to support local art and artists.
19 Struggling Vets Go to Kitchen Boot Camp at USFSM Displaced military veterans are gaining job skills through Vets2-Chefs, a new program at the university’s Culinary Innovation Lab. The brainchild of senior Bryan Jacobs, a retired Navy corpsman who suffered PTSD after two tours of duty in Iraq, Vets-2-Chefs covers everything from using knives to polishing a resumé.
25
8
40
20 Pulitzer Prize-Winner Fell in Love at the Library Gilbert King was a middling high school student who arrived at
USF more interested in playing baseball than learning. That changed when he started hanging out in the USF Tampa Library and discovered the power of the written word. “This university opened my eyes to a much bigger world,” he says. “It instilled in me a love of literature and learning.”
DEPARTMENTS 2 3 5 8 15 22 25 26
Five Minutes with Bill USFAA Board of Directors News Roundup Where’s Rocky? 5,000th SAA Member Salute to Life Members In the Bull’s-Eye Construction at USFSP
27 27 28 32 33 34 40 41
Blast from the Past Love USF Chapters & Societies Student Voice Employ-A-Bull Class Notes Athletics Calendar
SPRING 2015 | ALUMNIVOICE
1
Bill McCausland MBA ‘96 Executive Director USF Alumni Association
My Fellow Bulls, I rang in 2015 on a high note – an email from Dr. Charles Adams, dean of the USF Honors College. He sent a photo of himself on St. Augustine Beach with a group of Bulls, everyone smiling and throwing horns. You’d never guess from the picture that Dr. Adams and his wife, Rhonda, had never before met Michael Edmondson, '02, an Alumni Association Life Member, and his family. The two groups happened to be strolling the same stretch of beach on New Year’s Day. Since most of them wore Bulls gear, they immediately recognized their bond and shared their love of our great university. As I look back on the months since that email and forward to those ahead, I think about the importance of such moments. Great universities grow from the engagement, pride and camaraderie of great alumni. When we share the love, we stoke the loyalty and commitment that have made USF as highly regarded as many older public and private universities. Here, students, faculty, alumni and friends make the world better every day. It all starts with connecting – sometimes in ways as seemingly innocuous as the Adams’ and the Edmondsons’ chance meeting on a beach. But we can’t rely on serendipity, which is why I’m asking you to share the love with alumni who are not Association members. We want Alumni Voice® USF Alumni Association Gibbons Alumni Center University of South Florida 4202 E. Fowler Ave., ALC100 Tampa, FL 33620-5455 alumni@usf.edu USFalumni.org Alumni Voice Editorial: Penny Carnathan, pcarnathan@usf.edu or Rita Kroeber, rkroeber@usf.edu Advertising: Andrew Jordan, Connect Media International, 800-521-5730 or Rita Kroeber, rkroeber@usf.edu or 813-974-6312 Design: Jones Design Studios
2
Contributors in this issue: Michelle Bearden Penny Carnathan, ’82 Russell Coughenour, MA Elizabeth Engasser Karla Jackson, ‘88, MSM ‘13 Rita Kroeber, PhD Jordan See Sarah Smith Tom Zebold Alumni Association Contact Information Executive Director: Bill McCausland, MBA ’96 Membership: 813-974-2100 or 800-299-BULL Alumni & Student Programs: 813-974-2100 General Alumni e-mail: alumni@usf.edu Giving/Scholarships: Kemel Thompson, 813-974-1891
ALUMNIVOICE | SPRING 2015
to connect all of you, all 290,000, through meaningful events, programs and communications. Our singular mission is to help you maintain lifelong relationships, show your pride and make a positive impact on USF. How can you share the love? • You did it at the Brahman Bash in February. Our annual fundraising event was bigger and better this year thanks to you and the leadership of Association board member Jim Harvey, ’88, and his committee. • Tell fellow alumni about the myriad ways the Association supports students, ensuring their success while demonstrating the vital role they, too, will play post-graduation. This year, we’re awarding $501,851 in scholarships to 115 students, including Jonilda Francois, 21, grateful recipient of the first U Club Scholarship for children of Association members, (story, page 25). • You might mention that we recently welcomed our 5,000th member into the Student Alumni Association, the largest student organization on campus. He’s freshman Gabriel Arrillaga, (story, page 15). We also sponsor the USF Ambassadors and the Order of the Golden Brahman, two elite organizations composed of exceptional students who epitomize what it means to be a USF Bull. • Join us in celebrating your achievements. We recognize our alumni with awards that bestow prestige on recipients while also providing vehicles for passing along knowledge. Fast 56, coming up April 24, is an excellent example. The annual program salutes the world’s fastestgrowing Bull-led businesses and includes opportunities for networking and learning. • Come out to our tailgate and watch parties, and events like our annual Life Member Appreciation Baseball Game, scheduled May 15. Life Members and a guest get free tickets to see USF take on UCF, enjoy complimentary ballpark food and drinks, and spend time with spirited fellow Bulls. (Life Members, don’t forget to RSVP by May 6!) If you happen to run into a “stranger” wearing USF green and gold, don’t be shy about shouting “Go Bulls!” Send us a selfie and we’ll share the love, too. In Bull Pride,
Bill McCausland, MBA ’96 Executive Director, USF Alumni Association Life Member 2,331
USF Bulls License Plate: www.BullsPlate.org USF Alumni Association website: USFalumni.org Letters to the editor are encouraged. Please write to Penny Carnathan, pcarnathan@usf.edu or mail to the address at far left. Views expressed in USF Alumni Voice do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the USF Alumni Association, the University of South Florida or the editorial staff. USF ALUMNI VOICE USPS #025203 Number 32 USF Alumni Voice is published quarterly in the Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall as a benefit of membership in the University of South Florida Alumni Association, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., ALC100, Tampa, FL 33620-5455.
Periodical Postage Paid at Tampa, FL and at other mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: University of South Florida Alumni Association, Communications Department, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., ALC100, Tampa, FL 33620-5455. New Address? Moving? Update your official USF alumni record at myUSFbio.org or email your information to alumni@usf.edu. You also may remove the magazine label and send it with your correct address to USF Alumni Voice, USF Alumni Association, 4202 E. Fowler Ave. ALC100, Tampa, FL 33620. © 2015 All rights reserved.
2014 -15 USF Alumni Association Board of Directors Front row, seated from left: Monty Weigel, ’76, Past Chair , Lisa Provenzano Heugel, ’93, ’96 & MSCS ’07, Secretary, Mike Griffin, ’03, Chair, Betty Otter-Nickerson, ’76, Chair-Elect, Randy Norris, ’79, Treasurer Second row: April Monteith, ’01 & MBA ’03, Vicki Ahrens, ’73 & M.A. ’75, Richard Hartman, ’88 & Ph.D ’02, Ruben Matos, MPH ’92, Brian Campbell, ’93, Merritt Martin, ’04 & MPA ’06, Kathy Dorf, ’08, Jessica Leigh, ’01 Back Row: Jim Harvey, ’88, Mary Harper, ’97, M.Ed ’01 & Ph.D ’07, Andy Coe, ’95 & MBA ’00, Bill McCausland, MBA ’96, Executive Director, USF Alumni Association, Jordan See, President, USF Ambassadors, Rhondel Whyte, Vice President, Student Government, Katrina Anderson, ’09 & M.A. ’11 Not pictured: Franklin Biggins, ’69, Andrew Cohen, ’11, Sandy Pettit, ’94 & MCHE ’10, Ph.D ’14, Amy Walsh, ’85, Judy Genshaft, USF System President, Joel Momberg, USF Senior Vice President of Advancement and Alumni Affairs
SPRING 2015 | ALUMNIVOICE
3
4
ALUMNIVOICE | SPRING 2015
School of Accountancy Gets Generous Gift, New Name USF announced that its highly ranked accounting school has a new name, the Lynn Pippenger School of Accountancy, bestowed in February to recognize the retired accountant and Raymond James executive’s most recent gift of $10 million. USF may now have the first accredited accountancy school in the world named solely for a woman. (That’s based on a 2013-14 survey of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.) Pippenger, MBA '88 and an Alumni Association Life Member, comes from a long line of accountants. Her ancestors include accountants, bookkeepers, town treasurers; the treasurer of a railroad freight company; and the first auditor, county clerk and justice of the peace for Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Giving is also part of her DNA. She has donated more than $22 million to USF since 1986. “When I was 4 or 5 years old and given a small allowance, I was taught that I always had to give back some of it to church and charities, I had to save some of it, and I could spend some of it,” she said. “I still do that same thing today.” Pippenger went to work as a payroll clerk in 1969 at Raymond James, then an unknown brokerage firm. The job quickly evolved as she helped build the company: She created the firm’s Human Resources Department, launched its internal educational program, Raymond James University, and was the architect for a great deal of the company’s original technological framework. Calling her a “true USF success story” as well as great friend, USF System President Judy Genshaft noted that Pippenger’s gift “will enhance the academic opportunities provided to students and faculty for generations to come.”
Gift Bestows New Name on School of Mass Communications USF is now home to The Zimmerman School of Advertising and Mass Communications in recognition of Jordan Zimmerman's gift of $10 million – the largest in the College of Arts and Sciences’ history. Zimmerman is a USF Trustee and founder and chairman of Fort Lauderdale-based Zimmerman Advertising, the 14th largest advertising agency in the nation. The 1980 Mass Communications graduate and Alumni Association Life Member
is a 2007 Distinguished Alumnus Award-winner with a history of giving to the school. In 2002, he endowed a scholarship for advertising students; four years later, he established an endowed professorship in advertising. Each fall, top executives from his agency teach students cutting-edge strategies. The newly renamed school already is known for the Zimmerman Advertising Program (ZAP), founded by Zimmerman in 2005. The program houses students in the ZAP Living Learning Community while they work toward a business degree and a master’s focused on advertising analytics. “I am pleased to be part of the University of South Florida, and beyond honored to have the school that I attended bear my name,” Zimmerman said. “Being able to give back in a way that will change the lives of today’s students and future generations by enabling them to pursue their own dreams is something I’ve always aspired to do.” USF System President Judy Genshaft noted that the university was especially proud to have one of its Trustees make such a commitment. “The combination of his passion for his profession and his continuous support for the school creates greater learning and working opportunities for our students,” she said. Known as “Advertising’s Bad Boy,” Zimmerman’s clientele includes top-tier brands such as AutoNation, Papa John's Pizza, Toys "R" Us and CBS. He has credited ROI – Return On Investment – for his agency’s success. “Clients want to know that if they spend X, they’ll get X back,” he said. “That’s what it’s all about.”
Arts Alumni Shine in Hollywood Richard King, ’80, and Grace Gealey, ’06, are turning up the star power in Hollywood, King with his fourth Oscar nomination (he didn’t get the trophy, but he already has three) and Gealey with her fiery network TV debut as the star of Empire. King, a sound editor who earned a Fine Arts degree at USF, was nominated for Interstellar. What does it take to win – or be nominated – for sound editing?
SPRING 2015 | ALUMNIVOICE
5
“In the case of Interstellar, it was making interesting new sounds that describe experiences that people haven’t experienced, like being in a spaceship being buffeted by intense gravitational fields,” he said. The Oscar went to American Sniper, but King wasn’t crushed: “I get to do a really fun job, I’m well paid for it, and I chose to do it. I’m just the luckiest person in the world. Gealey, meanwhile, landed a lead role as Anika Calhoun in the hip hop soap opera that premiered in January. During her time at USF, she wrote in her IMDb bio, she found through acting “the opportunity to communicate viscerally, a desire that came from being a child of deaf adults.” She earned her degree in Theater Arts. Her character on Fox’s Empire is one audiences love to hate, which doesn’t bother her, she told interviewers on The Real, a daytime talk show.
6
ALUMNIVOICE | SPRING 2015
“There’s heroes and there’s villains and both are fun to play – and we need ‘em both!” she said.
USF and MOSI Join Forces with Innovative Partnership USF teamed up with its across-the-street neighbor, the Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI), in an innovative partnership expected to grow education in the Tampa Bay area. Together, USF and MOSI, the most visited museum in Florida, will provide service, technology, engineering, art, math and medicine (STEAMM) education to Tampa Bay students. They’ll work together in a variety of ways, collaborating on areas of common interest to
motivate K-12 students to pursue post-secondary education in STEAMM disciplines. Subject matter may include biotechnology, health, cyber security, entrepreneurship, engineering and global sustainability. "Individually, each of our organizations has a long history of creating impact in our community, but together, we will harness the unique contributions of both organizations, toward a comprehensive, synergistic vision of STEAMM education for all citizens,” said Molly Demeulenaere, interim president and CEO of MOSI.
USF Researchers Discover Potential Cure for MRSA USF Associate Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Biology Lindsey Shaw, PhD and graduate student Whittney Burda, Microbiology ’10, have earned a U.S. patent for their breakthrough research in antibiotic compounds targeting MRSA and other drug-resistant infections.
The team has worked alongside other USF researchers for years in studies of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other “superbugs,” and has developed a compound effective in treating difficult-to-cure infections. The problem has been that as antibiotics are developed, resistance to them grows quickly and the treatment options become limited, Shaw said. The compound he and the research team developed is a slight modification of compounds from a class known for treating a wide range of infections. The next step is entering the compound into preclinical testing. “The quinazoline class has been around a long time to treat a lot of different things, but the ones that we’ve developed [are] chemically different,” Shaw said, adding that they were discovered, created and designed entirely at USF specifically for MRSA and Acinetobacter infections, which affect troops in the Middle East.
SPRING 2015 | ALUMNIVOICE
7
Take Rocky on your next trip and email your information, along with high resolution photos (300 dpi), to pcarnathan@usf.edu or mail information and photo to Penny Carnathan USF Alumni Association University of South Florida 4202 E. Fowler Ave., ALC100 Tampa, FL 33620-5455
“Two proud Bulls,” Life Member Pamela Rolfsen Haber, ’85, left, and her sister Karen Rolfsen Phillips, ’86, take Rocky on RAGBRAI 2014, the 42nd annual seven-day bicycle ride across Iowa.
Tina Smith Golden, ’81, and Rocky say “howdy” to Big Tex, at the State Fair of Texas in Dallas. The 55-foottall cowboy has been a cultural icon since 1952.
Rocky discovers a real gobsmacker, as the Brits would say, at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, England. Behind him and Alumni Association board member and Life Member April Monteith, ’01 & MBA ’03, are the Water Terraces, one of many formal and pleasure gardens on the 2,000-acre palace grounds.
8
ALUMNIVOICE | SPRING 2015
Rocky and Life Member James Watkins, ’97, right, give Chief Engineer Bill Vaughan a hand running the engine room of the SS American Victory during a Tampa Bay cruise celebrating the life of the “Father of USF,” the late Sam Gibbons. Watkins is a former Alumni Association board member.
Another memorable mug joins former Presidents Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln during a visit with Patricia Bradley, ’63, to Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota.
Life Member Mary Thomas, ’80, gives Rocky the royal treatment in the drawing room of the Palace of Versailles outside Paris.
SPRING 2015 | ALUMNIVOICE
9
Where’s Rocky?
Was Ireland expecting their visit? Rocky discovers a “Beware of Bull” sign at Muckross Friary in County Kerry, Ireland while on a family vacation with, from left, Peter Donnelly, ’13, Sandi Conway, ’79 & MA ’91, Eric Conway, ’05 & MAcc ’07, and Susan Conway, ’09.
A bronze Ben Franklin smiles down on a herd of Rockys in the City of Brotherly Love, Philidelphia. From left, Daniel Armstrong, ’12, Melissa Bucholdt, ’11, Dr. Kathleen Armstrong, PhD ’96, Erin Armstrong, ’08, Dr. Mike Armstrong, ’04, MSBE ’04 & MD ’08, and former USF employee Rich Downs pay homage to the Ben bust titled Community Keys. Sun, sand, surf and the Atlantis Paradise Island resort greet Rocky and Life Member Stuart Winograd, ’84, in the Bahamas.
10
ALUMNIVOICE | SPRING 2015
Ali Specialties Atlas Professional Services, Inc. Bayshore Solutions Bayside Urgent Care Center, Inc.
Matcon Construction Services, Inc.
Behavioral Consulting of Tampa Bay, Inc.
Maximum Audio Video/Buzz-Off Alarm Systems
Bessolo Design Group, Inc.
Medical Collection Group, LLC
Bill Mariotti Site Development Co., Inc.
Miva, Inc.
Boddiford Consulting, LLC
MSS Care
BRANDT Consolidated, Inc.
Mueller & Associates, CPA LLC
BridgeView IT
myMatrixx
ClearTrust LLC
NoWait, Inc.
DBG Financial Group, Inc.
Nutter Custom Construction, LLC
Dynamic Communities, Inc.
Optimal IdM, LLC
Everett Financial Services, Inc.
Patel, Greene & Associates, PLLC
Flatwoods Consulting Group, Inc.
Peak 10
Florida Educators Insurance, LLC a Horace Mann Company
Perennial Software, Inc.
Florida Wellness Medical Group Fredrick James: Accounting, Tax & Consulting Ident-A-Kid Infinity Computer Solutions Intex Builders, LLC Jormac Aerospace JUNTO Design Studio JVB ARCHITECT, LLC Lair Services Laser Spine Institute Lightning Bay Pneu-Draulics Little Greek Restaurant Machine Tool Recyclers, Inc.
Private Physicians, PLC RIPA & Associates RS Platou Markets, Inc. Scar Heal, Inc. Simpson Air South Tampa Periodontics & Implant Dentistry Sun Country Homes of Florida, Inc. Tampa Civil Design Tax Refund Services, Inc. Uproar PR Vertical Integration VirTex Enterprises VoltAir Consulting Engineers William S. Foley, PA
SPRING 2015 | ALUMNIVOICE
11
Profile Eileen Rodriguez
Business Expert Rocks Her Passions
By Karla Jackson, ‘88 & MSM ‘13, and Penny Carnathan, ’82
W
12
hen business consultant Eileen different ways and Eileen has been instrumental Rodriguez went on vacation to in that,” says geology Professor Len Vacher, the Iceland, land of “gorgeous volcanoes,” impetus behind the society’s creation in 1997. she traveled with members of USF’s Geology “She brings those business skills and perspectives, Alumni Society. She couldn’t have chosen better which most of us [scientists] just don’t have. She companions. gets things done.” Non-rockhounds might have been tugging at Rodriguez manages the society’s finances, her sleeve to steer her into shops, she says. These coordinates banquets and creates educational and folks, like her, preferred to be outdoors soaking networking opportunities for students, including up the topography. Plus, she got to learn from teaching a fall master’s level course on vital geologists still working in the field. business-world skills for geologists. “They can tell you the whole “The Geology Department at USF Eileen Rodriguez, story; they can tell you how those has been a big part of my life,” she regional director for rocks came to be,” she says. says. “I moved to Florida because of USF’s Small Business it, met my husband through it, made a The regional director of USF’s Small Business Development Center Development Center, is ton of great friends. How could I not (SBDC), part of the Muma College also an active member want to give back?” of Business, Rodriguez is also a And she gets a lot in return, she of the Geology Alumni licensed professional geologist. She says, including the chance to share Society and part-time mind-blowing experiences, like gaping switched career tracks 18 years ago, becoming a full-time business College of Geosciences at Iceland’s spectacular columnar mentor the same year she coinstructor. “My whole basalt formations – stone columns founded the Geology Alumni created by lava – with equally adult life revolves Society, (“We call it GAS, which is around USF,” she says. awestruck friends. awful, I know”), one of the USF More important, she knows that Alumni Association’s most active by contributing to students’ success, groups. she’s helping society at large: “Everything geolo Members support future geologists in gists do is for the good of the public. We safeguard countless ways, including two endowments and the environment.” a scholarship fund; “Rock Breaker” get-togethers Rodriguez came to USF for grad school, earning at the beginning of each semester for students, her master’s in geology in 1987. faculty and alumni; and community education “My first semester here, I met my husband. He projects such as GeoPark, a rock zoo on USF’s was also in the grad program,” she says. Today, Tampa campus. Steve Camp, ’82, is a professional geologist for the “The alumni enrich our programs in a lot of Southwest Florida Water Management District and
ALUMNIVOICE | SPRING 2015
Photo courtesy of Eileen Rodriguez
From left, Eileen Rodriguez shares a dream geology vacation in Iceland with her husband, Steve Camp, '82, Lynn Maybury, '83, Jon Hull, '97, and Cathy Reas, '89. The five Geology Alumni Society members were taking in the columnar basalt formations (behind them) at the Hjรกlparfoss waterfalls in 2004.
SPRING 2015 | ALUMNIVOICE
13
Rodriguez and her husband, Steve Camp, show their Bulls pride at a recent game. The two met while pursuing master’s degrees in geology at USF.
14
Courtesy of USF SBDC
Rodriguez, center, meets with SBDC associate directors Bill McKown, left, and Yanina Rosario. Rodriguez, a licensed professional geologist, changed career tracks 18 years ago, but remains an active member of the Geology Alumni Society.
a member of GAS; the couple are Life Members of the USF Alumni Association. For several years, Rodriguez worked in hydrogeology, specializing in solving problems created by leaky underground fuel tanks. When she launched her own company, she got to know the SBDC, which provides low-cost training, free consulting, and business research for its clients. She took its managing and marketing classes, and its experts guided her through making Rodriguez Environmental Inc. eligible for government contracts. Along the way, she discovered a passion for business; she earned her MBA at USF in 2002. “She came back to us looking like a businesswoman!” Vacher says. And she rocked that role. A longtime member of the Hispanic Professional Women’s Association, Rodriguez worked to increase the number of SBDC bilingual consultants to meet growing demand. That effort, in part, led to her winning the USF Society of Latinos Staff Award in 2012. A nice surprise, she says, but she’s more proud of helping businesses of all types launch, thrive and create jobs. At last count, in 2013 the SBDC helped create 685 new companies statewide and generate $2.2 billion in sales for the 10-county Tampa Bay region. She brings that real-world know-how to geology students, too, says Vacher. Each fall she teaches Introduction to Professional Geology, part of a master’s level course that combines science training and workplace skills. More than a dozen geology alumni help out, serving as guest lecturers and professional mentors for students. “It was one of the best classes I’ve ever taken,” says 26-year-old Joel Raven, who enrolled last fall. “They really know their stuff, and you know what they’re telling you is going to help you a lot.” At the time, Raven was a newcomer to USF and in the midst of a discouraging job search. Through the class, he quickly found helpful new friends: the alumni. “They were forwarding me job opportunities and encouraging me. I was just a new guy and I felt like I had a whole team of people helping me,” he says.
ALUMNIVOICE | SPRING 2015
By the end of the semester, he had a job with his mentor, society vice chair Matt Wissler, MS '03 of Geosyntec Consultants. Stories like that make Rodriguez realize how far the tight-knit group has come. “When we started, it was just a great way to get together, drink some beer, have a good time,” she says. “It morphed over the years. It’s amazing the amount of things we do.” ®
Geology Alumni by the Numbers 1,213 Geology Alumni*
118 Alumni Association Members*
2 Endowments and 1 Scholarship Fund Dr. Richard A. Davis Jr. Endowed Fellowships Sam B. Upchurch Field School Scholarship Fund
27 Life Members*
GAS Field School Endowment +
1 Rock Sanctuary, GeoPark
*As of Jan. 12, 2015
5 Established, Recurring Events Fundraiser banquets Geology Expos Rock Breaker socials Professional Science Masters Symposiums Resumé workshops
Find the chapter or society that's right for you at www.usfalumni.org/groups.
Student Alumni Association
5,000th SAA member gives back to USF By Elizabeth Engasser, Class of 2015
W
hen Gabriel Arrillaga left his home in San Juan, Puerto Rico to attend USF last year, he worried that his chances for success would be hindered by some big challenges: He didn’t know anyone at the school, he’d be living off campus with a relative, and he’s a native Spanish speaker. “It was really scary because never in my life had I taken all of my classes in English,” he said. He also knew that student success is directly linked to involvement in university life, so he needed to find a way to fast-track the getting-toknow-you phase. He found it at CampU, an off-campus bonding experience hosted by USF’s New Student Connections, which helps newcomers plug into university life. The August weekend, held before the start of fall classes, set Arrillaga on a path that led to an auspicious occasion in January: He became the 5,000th member of the Student Alumni Association (SAA), the student chapter of the national USF Alumni Association and USF’s largest student organization. The SAA provides a means for students to interact with each other and alumni. “For me personally, being involved equals being successful, and that’s what SAA and New Student Connections promote,” he said. “Being involved really helps me to get higher grades.” The SAA also appealed to Arrillaga because he’d
already experienced the positive impact alumni can have on students. It was thanks to an Alumni Association CampU scholarship, one of a dozen the Association awards each year, that Arrillaga was able to experience the transformative weekend. In his first year at USF, Arrillaga has used all that he learned during CampU to stay busy. He’s taken part in awareness and service projects such as Hunger Banquet, Tunnel of Oppression and Stampede of Service. He became the community service and fundraising chair for the Boricua Student Association, a Puerto Rico-oriented student organization, and he works part-time as a lifeguard. His success at getting involved prompted him to sign up to be a counselor for next year’s CampU. “It takes me a lot of time with my job and 15 credit hours, but it’s pretty rewarding,” he said. It seems almost full circle for Arrillaga to be such a significant number for the SAA, said Kimberly Choto, the Association’s associate executive director. “It validates all of the hard work the New Student Connections team does to engage these freshmen to find their passion, their unique niche and get involved at USF,” she said. “We know that engaged students become engaged alumni, and I have no doubt we will be hearing great things from Gabriel for years to come.”
SAA Member 5,000 Who: Gabriel Arrillaga Year: Freshman Majors: Political science and criminology Activities: Hunger Banquet, Tunnel of Oppression, Center for Student Involvement, Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement, Boricua Student Association, lifeguard
®
SPRING 2015 | ALUMNIVOICE
15
Profile T. Hampton Dohrman
An Instrument for Change Entrepreneur T. Hampton Dohrman Gets Creative to Support the Arts By Michelle Bearden
M
Megan Hildebrandt holds a copy of Tunnel Visions, the book she wrote and illustrated as she coped with lymphoma in her mid20s. The $500 micro grant she received through Dohrman allowed her to publish the book.
Carry, from Tunnel Visions
16
egan Hildebrandt was an otherwise healthy 25-year-old USF art student when she learned she had Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer that had snuck into her lymph nodes. She underwent probing diagnostic tests, two months of chemotherapy, and a torturous emotional quest to make sense of the frightening blindside. To cope, she painted pictures about her feelings and experiences, and wrote a narrative to accompany them. The result: a graphic novel, Tunnel Visions. “I had never written anything before,” she says. “It helped me find my survivor’s voice and put it to good use.” Hildebrandt, MFA ’12, published 20 copies of Tunnel Visions thanks to a kindred creative spirit and fellow Bull, T. Hampton Dohrman. The book led to speaking engagements, where she shared her cancer journey to help others through theirs. “It’s amazing how $500 made such a huge difference,” says Hildebrandt, now cancer-free and an art instructor at the University of Texas in Austin. Dohrman, 31, would say, “You’ve got to think small to think big.” Hildebrandt’s funding came through a micro grant program he founded in 2011. Think Small to Think Big was one of many initiatives the entrepreneur orchestrated to help ensure Tampa Bay arts and artists thrive.
ALUMNIVOICE | SPRING 2015
It’s not how he initially planned to make music. A fifth-generation Tuscaloosa native, Dohrman dreamed of being the guy contributing the drums, cymbals and chimes to symphonies. He learned USF had one of the nation’s best percussion professors, Robert McCormick, so in 2001, he headed to Tampa. But on the way to his degree, Dohrman’s left brain kicked in. He loved music, but was it really career material? He might have better luck tapping another of his talents: numbers. As luck would have it, USF also had one of the nation’s top accounting programs. So he switched majors. “No matter what you pursue in life, everything comes down to numbers,” he says. “I never had any intention of abandoning the creative arts. I just knew I had to be practical about it.” While playing lacrosse and serving on student government, Dohrman earned a bachelor’s in accounting in 2005 and a master’s in 2013, then dabbled in real estate, corporate gigs and stock trading. “I couldn’t find anything in Tampa that fit exactly what I wanted to do,” he says. So he set about creating something. First, he got a job with the Artists and Writers Group, Inc., managing and developing art festivals in Ybor City. Then he founded Hampton Arts Management, a nonprofit dedicated to artists and artistic communities. He added yet another layer as executive director of Creative Pinellas, Inc. He began offering entrepreneurship forums tailored to artists and micro grants to fund their projects. He showed them how to put together marketing plans, customized economic strategies and social media campaigns. Learn these skills, he preached, and you can concentrate on your work without juggling menial jobs to pay the bills. Local newspapers named him Best Culture Crusader and one of the 10 Most Intriguing People. The local PBS affiliate, WEDU, tapped him as Nonprofit Entrepreneur of the Year. Tampa Business Journal gave him its Up and Comers Award.
Photo courtesy of Tampa Bay Times
Photo courtesy of Kevin Tighe
Dohrman, then director of Creative Pinellas, hands over proceeds from a 2013 FEAST Tampa Bay event to a local artist. Dohrman co-organized the live micro-fundraisers, which continue today.
Dohrman awards a $1,000 no-stringsattached Awesome Tampa Bay grant to Sean Verdecia, MARC ’11. Verdecia won for AbleNook, a post-disaster housing project. Awesome Tampa Bay continues to award grants for awesome ideas.
SPRING 2015 | ALUMNIVOICE
17
8 Ways to Support the Arts in Your Community
Photo courtesy of Candace Kaw
Dohrman and his thenbride-to-be, Erin Tracy, celebrate their engagement at an iconic Tampa tribute to local arts, the historic Tampa Theatre. Dohrman, who once studied to become a percussionist, and Erin, a dancer, married in spring 2014 and left Tampa in the fall.
“Hampton is one of the most impressive people I’ve ever met,” says Daniel James Scott, former associate director of the Entrepreneurship Program at USF St. Petersburg, which was a community partner with Creative Pinellas. “No one is more piercing when he focuses on something. And he knows how to pull the trigger and execute.” Dohrman “gets it” that a thriving community needs a healthy arts culture. And for artists to actually make a living at music, theater, dance or visual arts, they must understand marketing and money management. “When participants walked out of his workshops, they walked out with knowledge,” says Scott, ’00, ’MBA ’02 and MS ’06, an Alumni Association Life Member. Artists could also find funding, as Megan Hildebrandt did, for special projects. Dohrman founded or participated in several groups that give away micro grants of $500 to $1,000 provided by donors. One project brought local produce to lowincome residents of urban Sulphur Springs. Another allowed a director to secure rights for a show at Tampa’s nonprofit Gorilla Theatre. Yet another put a steel Ping-Pong table in a downtown Tampa park for free public use. Last fall, Dohrman moved to San Diego where his wife, Erin, was accepted into a dance theater master’s program. His new job has a familiar ring: director of finance for Mission Edge, which provides business development and support for nonprofits. Back in Tampa Bay, his legacy lives on in the bridges he built between the business and arts communities. While he didn’t become an orchestral percussionist in the way he once envisioned, he set a beat that continues to reverberate. “He was very gifted as a musician. But he also has a very good business mind that he put to good use,” says his former music professor, Robert McCormick. “Hampton didn’t have to leave the creative world behind. He embraced it so that it has benefited the arts community in a meaningful way.” ®
Y
ou don’t have to be an entrepreneur to help art thrive locally. Artists Bruce Marsh and Dolores Coe offer these suggestions.
1. Sponsor an Experience. An art workshop, theater ticket or music lesson can transform the life of someone who has not had the opportunity to experience art. 2. Ask, “Where’s the STEAM?” Education in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) has become a national priority. But without creativity – the arts – we lack an essential component of innovation, the key to economic prosperity. Advocate for putting the A at the center of STEM through inclusion of the arts in public education and equal access to arts participation in your community. 3. Feed a Passion. Provide instrument rental, art materials, a wall for a mural, a window for display. 4. Support Local Initiatives. Fund a teacher’s mosaic project; participate in the creation of public art; or contribute your marketing, business or other expertise to an initiative. 5. Promote the Arts. Include arts promotion in your newsletter or blog, on signage at your business or on a bumper sticker. 6. Indulge in the Arts. Take a class or workshop, attend live performances – cultivate your creative curiosity. 7. Support Creative Initiatives and Ideas. Small investments in innovative projects can yield tangible benefits in the community and energize creatives to engage and stretch. 8. Become a Member or Volunteer. Get involved with your local art center, museum or theater group.
USF School of Art Professor Emeritus Bruce Marsh and former Ringling College of Art and Design Professor Dolores Coe have played a central role in establishing and operating the Firehouse Cultural Center in Ruskin, Fla. The center offers arts programming and opportunities in all the arts for all ages. Visit www.firehouseculturalcenter.org for more information.
Bruce Marsh 18
ALUMNIVOICE | SPRING 2015
Dolores Coe
USF Sarasota-Manatee
Culinary Lab Cooks Up Innovative Outreach to Vets By Sarah Smith, Class of 2016
T
o USF Sarasota-Manatee student chef and military veteran Bryan Jacobs, it’s not just about making food, it’s about changing lives. With that goal in mind, Jacobs began a five-day culinary boot camp last summer for military veterans who struggle with reintegrating into civilian life. The handful of chosen vets met weekly for two months afterward, honing their kitchen and job skills and listening to inspirational stories told by others who’d walked in their shoes. Since then, three more groups have graduated from Vets-2-Chefs at USF Sarasota-Manatee’s Culinary Innovation Lab, and all of the veterans from the first group have found employment. “One has moved from waiting tables to working in the kitchen. Another is starting her first culinary experience as a junior chef,” said Jacobs, a senior in the College of Hospitality and Technology Leadership and the man who dreamed up the program. Jacobs is a military veteran himself, a combat medic who served two tours in Iraq. After his discharge in 2005, he, too, had trouble readjusting.
Suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, he was swept into a downward spiral of alcoholism and homelessness along with his brother and best friend, Kevin, a Marine who also served multiple tours in Iraq. Cooking school at the Culinary Institute of Virginia became Jacobs’ lifeline. His brother never found his; he tragically ended his life in May 2014. “The concept of Vets-2-Chefs was developed before my brother passed because we both struggled so hard to reintegrate back to civilian life,” said Jacobs. “I wanted to help people overcome the challenge and Kevin taking his life really solidified my direction. He always told me to help someone else – that I couldn’t help him.” With help from the Jewish Family & Children’s Services of the Suncoast, Inc., USFSM’s Culinary Innovation Lab and local philanthropist and former Marine Burton “Skip” Sack, Jacobs began designing a program. It includes training in basic kitchen skills, such as using knives, and in jobseeking skills, such as constructing a resume. To learn about ways to support Vets-2-Chefs, contact Dennis Stover at 941-359-4582.
Military vet Bryan Jacobs, right, says, “My major goal is not to create chefs but to create passion, direction, inspiration.”
®
SPRING 2015 | ALUMNIVOICE
19
Profile Gilbert King
A Conversation with Gilbert King, LHD '14
Life’s Plot Has Surprising Twists for Pulitzer Prize -Winning Storyteller By Penny Carnathan, ‘82
20
ALUMNIVOICE | SPRING 2015
G
ilbert King arrived at USF in 1981 with little interest in academics and the high school GPA to prove it. No problem. He planned to hit baseballs, not books, catch the attention of the pros and launch his big league career. “I was delusional. I went to the Bulls tryouts that fall and I was way out of my league. My dream was over at 19," he says. "I was looking for a form of escapism, I think, so I started hanging out at the library and reading the newspapers from around the world. That led to magazines and to books, and pretty soon, I was reading voraciously. I fell in love with stories.” King enrolled in literature and writing classes. He got a storytelling job as a comic with The Funny Farm out of Orlando. He was close, so close, to getting his bachelor’s in English – just two math classes to go – when he left school. “I had a girlfriend whose relative died and left a New York City apartment we could live in. We thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be fun to live in New York City?’ So we went.” King became a freelance writer and photographer, working his way into top-tier publications including The New York Times and Vogue magazine. In 2008, he published his first book: The Execution of Willie Francis: Race, Murder and the Search for Justice in the American South. It didn’t sell. Four years later, he tried again with another true-life narrative about crime and punishment in the Jim Crow era. Reviewers liked Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America, but it, too, failed to sell. King desperately wanted to keep writing books, but with two non-starters behind him, he was certain no publisher would give him another chance. And then, a year ago, he got a life-changing text message from a friend. The 2013 Pulitzer Prizes had just been announced and there on the list, King saw his own name. He didn’t even know he’d been nominated. Devil in the Grove, the winner for general non-fiction, became a New York Times best-seller. Last December, King returned to USF. This time, he left with a degree – an honorary doctor of humane letters.
Q. What got you interested in writing about blacks and criminal justice in the South? A. In college, the books I tended to read were about injustices and men falsely accused and sentenced to prison – Papillon, The Count of Monte Cristo. I was really drawn to prison escapes and correcting the wrong. Growing up in Schenectady, N.Y., I was mostly oblivious to issues of race. It was years later, once I started doing the research, that I came to understand, with horror, what had happened. It was shocking that my country had these laws and systems to suppress African-Americans. From a storytelling point of view, these underdogs and what they had to do to succeed captured my imagination.
Gilbert King, center, plays second base in Schenectady, N.Y., as a teen. “I just assumed I was going to continue this baseball career in college,” he says.
Q. Were you profoundly influenced by anything or anyone at USF? A. I still have the voice of [the late] Kenneth Kay in the back of my head when I write. He was a kind of curmudgeonly professor; I had him for expository writing. He’d look at what you’d written and say, “What does that even mean?” “What are you trying to say?” I wrote a story about boxing I thought was pretty good, and one day he told the class, “Today we’re going to read a story by Gilbert.” I thought, “He liked it!” The first two words were, “Throughout history” and he read that and stopped. He said, “Throughout history? Whose history are we talking about? I’m two words into this story and I’m lost!” Q. How did it feel to win one of the world’s most highly esteemed literary prizes? And so unexpectedly?
Receiving a degree has strengthened King’s bond with USF; he’s since spoken on campus and may soon be working with students. With him are Provost Ralph Wilcox, left, and President Judy Genshaft, and Trustee Stanley Levy, right.
A. The Pulitzer is pretty understated; you get a certificate and, basically, a paperweight. There are no speeches involved; you just go up and get your certificate. But it’s powerful; like getting struck by lightning. The biggest impact for me was that it meant I can write another book! Q. What advice do you have for aspiring writers? A. Write about the things you really care about. I come across great stories and I think, “This is something I want to read about,” but I don’t want to write it myself. With a book, you’re going to spend a couple years with the subject, so it should be something you’re passionate about. Q. Were you happy to finally receive a degree from USF? A. It was the greatest feeling in the world. I always felt like a loser who dropped out. My mom is extremely proud of that degree.
The understated crystal Pulitzer Prize “paperweight” belies the award’s immense power, King says. “If I think too hard about it, it’s intimidating.”
®
SPRING 2015 | ALUMNIVOICE
21
Salute to Life Members
A
lumni Association Life Membership represents a deep commitment to the University of South Florida and our mission to advance USF by providing Bulls with meaningful ways to make a positive impact. We gratefully acknowledge all of our 3,419 Life Members with a new tribute page at www. usfalumni.org/LMhonor. By making the complete Honor Roll permanently visible to the public, we recognize your generous contributions and perhaps inspire others who value excellence in student success, research and scientific discovery, innovation, and supporting scholarly and artistic engagement. The names of our 354 newest Life Members,
those who joined this elite group in 2014, are published here. Thank you! The pride and support of Bulls like you have made USF the acclaimed institution it is today. In our Circle of Excellence, we recognize Life Members who made additional unrestricted annual gifts to the Association in 2014 as well as all 26 donors in the prestigious University Club. These “U Club” alumni and friends have made a significant impact on USF through endowments of $25,000 or more. Your generosity allows us to continue to connect Bulls to one another and our university so we can share our pride, stay together, protect USF, and help it succeed. ®
A Thank You to 2014 Life Members, 2014 Circle of Excellence Donors, and to All U Club Donors University Club (U Club) Endowments of $25,000+
Diamond Level Donors of $1,000+
Timmer Ahrens, #2140 Vicki Ahrens, #2139 Angela Brewer, #594 James Brewer, #850 Wilson Craft, #608 Roger Frazee, #500 Daniel Harper, #1954 Mary Harper, #1953 Ben Heugel, #1421 Lisa Provenzano Heugel, #1420 Gail Jacobs, #3273 Ricky Jacobs, #1901 Anila Jain, #132 Kailash Jain, #1060 Mona Jain, #631 Roy Jewell, #755 Aileen Marti, #3275 Eduardo Marti, #3274 Glen Nickerson, #1795 Betty Otter-Nickerson, #1796 Michael Perry, #2718 Michele Perry, #2717 Jeffrey Reynolds, #810 Patricia Reynolds, #809 H. Monty Weigel, #1495 MaryAnn Weigel, #2881
Katherine (Leach) Andrews, #460 Christopher Angelo, #2512 Petchalot Angelo, #2513 Stephen Blume, #1832 Rick Brandt, #289 Betty Castor, #161 Kimberly Choto, #1019 Andrew Coe, #2293 Victor Connell, #1356 William Eickhoff, #80 Melanie Griffin, #3070 Michael Griffin, #973 John Harker, #683 David Hilfman, #263 Carol Hodges, #2136 Amy Jordan, #3326 Andrew Jordan, #3325 Jennifer Leavengood, #1833 Anne McCausland, #2332 William McCausland, #2331 April Monteith, #1422 David Schmidt, #1020 Amy Walsh, #2156
®
22
ALUMNIVOICE | SPRING 2015
Emer ald Level Donors of $500 - $999
Diana Ekonomou, #905 Richard Lane, #68 Merritt Martin-Lindstrom, #2327 Leonard Miller, #79 Marc Ostroff, #1595 Elizabeth Overstreet, #2055 Michael Overstreet, #2056 Jennifer Rendahl, #1600 Morris Rendahl, #2808 Kevin Shendok, #3007 Marcie Shendok, #3008 Denise Thomas, #2008 Bettina Tucker, #128 Scott Wheeler, #2675
Gold Level Donors of $250 - $499
Jeffrey Aguiar, #2621 Brandon Aldridge, #847 Gregory Ashley, #1089 Candice Castro, #2625 Jenny Cater, #1965 Amanda Coder, #3407 Rachelle de Moya, #1538 Carl Gingola, #838 Michelle Greene, #3038 Timothy Greene, #3039 Thomas Grippo, #2626 The Honorable Raymond Gross, #710 Richard Hartman, #3152 Kenneth Kalunian Jr., #35 Bonnie Kearns, #1689 Dean Martin, #2003 Paul Marton, #1307 Ruben Matos, #828 Michele Norris, #787 Randy Norris, #786 Ronald Pettit, #2824 Sandra Pettit, #539 Eric Smolin, #2378 Lew Wallace, #859 Judy Wallace, #860 R. James Welz Jr., #421 Gary White, #1519 Marion Yongue, #270 Lee Zimmerman, #1082
Silver Level Donors of $1 - $249
Barbara Abel, #2937 Jeffrey Abraham, #1872 Joseph Adamchak, #2612 Emily S. Adams, #730 Melanie Adams, #518 Marisa Adams Hoffman, #697 Nancy Alfredson, #520 Walter Amaden, #2623 Christian Anderson, #619 Lindbergh Andrew, #559 Robert Andrew Jr., #895 Lorraine Angelino, #1453 Lisa Annaheim, #2170 Eugene Balter, #1315 Susan Balter, #1316 Alan Batt, #2567 Suzanne Becker, #2264 William Becker Jr., #2265 Douglas Bell, #1086 Elizabeth Bell, #486 Jeffrey Belvo, #1124 Brad Bjornstad, #1937 Stirling Boomhower, #2134 Donna Brickman, #1403 Michael Brickman, #1404 Isabelle Brown, #47 Lorie Brown, #1470 Victoria Bruzese, #286 John Bullock Jr., #2573 John Bunch Jr., #2336 Kathleen Bunch, #2335 Margaret Burney, #2957 Christina Cameron, #3085 Anne Marie Campbell, #2688 Walter Carpenter III, #2268 Joyce Carroll, #1227 Suzanne Chandler, #1054 Catherine China, #2577 Andrew Cohen, #2320 Maren Cohen, #2853 Karen Colteryahn, #2591 Robin Conley, #2641 Kathryn Corrigan, #1936 James Council, #1184 Rebecca Craig, #2047 Angela Crist, #1576 The Honorable Victor Crist, #1575 Fran Darrach, #1598 James Davies, #2922 Jan Delesline, #2580 John Delesline, #414 Michael Deneve, #2657 Susan Deneve, #2656 Jason Dent, #2427 Katherine Dorf, #2120 Judith Draculan, #1857 Deborah Drewes, #1513 Tina Dry, #97
Catherine Duffy, #899 Jason Faulkner, #761 Michael Fimiani, #647 Bettyann Finch, #2823 Thomas Fitzgerald, #2597 Kurt Fleckenstein, #1169 Larry Flegle, #2650 Scott Ford, #2236 Louise Forsman, #302 Vergil Foust, #2738 Donald Frashier, #1691 Jason Freier, #2826 Vicki Freier, #2827 Anne Fried, #2666 Jeffrey Frishman, #2540 Robert Fuller, #2569 Kevin Gaffney, #2638 Ryan Gaffney, #2633 Mary Gaier, #2426 Roger Gallagher, #2596 Roger Garner, #2538 Lisa Gear-Smith, #1415 Justin Geisler, #2094 Kathryn Gerardo, #393 Jay Germano, #843 William Gibbs, #159 Larry Goodman, #1080 David Gordon, #2724 Greg Gotling, #1952 Jane Gradwell, #1317 Sue Grassin, #2241 Tyrone Gray, #2999 Sylvia Carra-Hahn, #380 Rosalind Hall, #547 Jay Hansen, #2473 Nikolina Hansen, #2472 Dean Hanson, #2370 Barbara Harken Monsour, #2361 Cynthia Harper, #588 John Harper, #587 Janice Hartley, #1708 Ronald Hartley, #1707 Katherine Hay, #1385 John Herndon, #138 Janice Hill, #507 R. Patrick Hill, #148 Andrew Hines Jr., #186 WayWay Hlaing, #1554 Maria Houmis, #2440 Nicholas Houmis, #2439 Joy Hugick, #2243 Zenaida Hunter, #2107 Karla Jackson, #3153 Kevin Jackson, #3154 Joseph Jaskiewicz, #2518 Richard Jennette, #2267 Francis Johnson, #2897 Bradley Joseph, #940 Bruce Kamelhair, #2279 Judith Kane, #2768 Conrad Kearns, #1125 Regina Kizer, #1071
Martha Lakis, #2276 Audrey Lampe, #3234 Mary Landsberger, #527 Kenneth Lane, #2894 Yanin Ledesma, #2653 Jessica Leigh, #3230 Cindy Lineberry, #1390 Dean Luethje, #2566 A.K. Mallik, #1344 Aileen Martino, #1098 Dennis Mason, #2691 Kimberly McCartin, #2148 Carol McCoy, #44 Carol McGlaughlin, #2546 Sara McMurry, #391 Timothy McMurry, #390 Jenny Meirose, #2271 Penni Meyer, #2715 Stephen Meyer, #2939 Thomas Meyer, #2714 Roger Monsour, #2360 Andrew Moore, #2860 Jo Ann Moore, #814 Karen Moore, #2859 Paul Moore, #1545 Joyce Morales-Caramella, #977 Curtis Moreau, #1662 Leslie Moreau, #1663 James Morrison III, #2797 Lawrence Murphy, #1615 Eric Newman, #400 Lyris Newman, #399 Thomas O’Horo, #1931 Peter Panos, #2736 Alise Pastorik, #2654 Karen Peters, #604 Harry Pfister, #2505 Winifred Pfister, #2504 Edward Phinney, #2610 Theda Phinney, #2611 Frank Pidala, #2560 Kevin Pindjak, #2673 Sheila Porter, #2749 Daniel Preslar, #2759 Sue Pugh, #2562 Rafael Ramirez Jr., #3033 Jonathan Rausch, #1300 Richard Reichle Jr., #105 Mark Reithmaier, #2604 Andrew Riviears, #1284 Burke Robinson, #1389 Nancy Rockstroh, #1637 Mary Ross, #2702 James Rush, #1290 Phillip Saladino, #2016 Gregory Salyer, #1668 David Sawicki, #1655 Melissa Schaeffer, #3203 Dawn Schocken, #2496 Wolfgang Scholl, #2093
Laurie Schroeder, #1920 Ada Seltzer, #1268 Fred Sikorski, #1371 Joy Sikorski, #1370 Dale Siler, #2058 Bradley Slipiec, #2732 Bill Smith Jr., #2799 Cara Smith, #1819 Devern Smith, #1906 Jon Smith, #1858 Robert Smith, #1414 Susan Smith, #2029 Kenneth Snead, #1296 Joseph Sonnenberg, #1673 Peter Sorensen, #8 Vicky Sorensen, #9 Ralph Stagner, #2719 Alan Steinberg, #1978 Elliott Stern, #901 Craig Storts, #540 Marybeth Storts, #541 David Suarez, #2959 Lorraine Suarez, #2958 Jennifer Swanson, #2706 John Swanson Jr., #2705 Tom Tagliarini, #2044 Tracy Taylor, #2100 Michael Thompson, #1812 Sherrill Tomasino, #1409 Denise Toole, #1748 Scott Tozian, #556 Richard Tron, #1435 Susan Tron, #1436 Kenneth Tucker, #53 Patricia Tucker, #54 Christopher Ugles, #2053 Lawrence Ulvila Jr., #2274 Robert Vargas, #2745 Gregory Vitale, #2585 Jeffrey Wagner, #492 James Wall Jr., #452 Edith Wallace-Green, #235 Belinda Walters, #2758 Diane White, #2465 Cheryl Whiteman, #1845 Thomas Whiteman Jr., #1844 Theodore Whitford Jr., #1664 Judith Whitman, #1654 Timothy Wiley Sr., #2742 Jason Williams, #1653 Bernard Wilson III, #2662 Ann Wolfe, #2406 Lisa Wunar, #2733 Frederick Yonteck, #1780 Patricia Yonteck, #1781
I give to the Alumni Association because I really enjoyed my time at USF and I’m grateful for the great start it gave me on my professional life. Being involved with the Association allows me to reconnect with that time and place, and I hope that, as Association members, we are collectively creating opportunities for other people to enjoy the benefits and value that USF has to offer. Amy Walsh, Mass Comm, ’85 Chicago Association board member
The Association means having an immediate bond and connection with other alumni, which means friendship, networking and shared pride. Bulls will always go out of their way to help fellow alumni and the Association is the organization that helps build and foster those relationships. Andy Coe, Marketing, ’95 & MBA, ’00 Cary, N.C. Association board member
SPRING 2015 | ALUMNIVOICE
23
Salute to Life Members 2014 New Life Members
I have seen alumni involvement in action during my time as a USF Ambassador, and their willingness to give back to USF, not only monetarily but with their time. That really struck home with me. I saw Life Membership as the way to maintain my connection with the University of South Florida so that one day I can reach out to students and provide them with the connections that I was so fortunate to have during my undergraduate career. Sidney Resmondo, Psychology, ‘14 Lady Lake, Fla. Miss Tampa 2015
I became a Life Member because my experience at USF has given me a lifetime of memories and opportunities, and I would like to give that back to the university. Monique Hayes, Political Science, ’01 Miami 2014 Outstanding Young Alumnus
24
George Adriaansen, #3178 Siviero Agazzi, #3308 Jason Alesnik, #3469 Monika Alesnik, #3468 Anthony Alessi, #3508 Ruth Alessi, #3509 Kristie Ali, #3290 Martha Allan, #3497 David Allen, #3350 Linda Allen, #3351 Peggy Allen, #3501 Adam Alvarez, #3192 Lisandra Andino, #3434 Erica Anstey, #3499 Steven Aper, #3349 Leslie Appel, #3311 Jose Arias Jr., #3359 Mark Asofsky, #3332 James Atchison, #3202 Samah Atfah, #3458 Carlos Aviles, #3315 Sheldon Babyatsky, #3199 Barbara Baccari, #3248 Elise Baclaan, #3356 Joan Barrentine, #3424 Patricia Barrentine Guay, #3462 Betty Beaty, #3247 Adam Beer, #3539 Pierce Bellaire, #3212 Enest Benton III, #3433 Hannah Benton, #3432 Jed Bernstein, #3197 Susan Bernstein, #3471 Lindsay Berstling, #3310 Robert Billington, #3272 Aaron Binstock, #3264 Quincy Black, #3546 Wallace Blackburn, #3400 Denise Blair, #3487 Kathleen Blair, #3288 Richard Blair, #3488 James Bockover, #3360 Grady Boddiford, #3244 Patsy Boleman Glover, #3235 Spencer Bolesta, #3306 Claudia Bonar, #3217 Brittany Boudinot, #3365 Thomas Bowen, #3441 Alistair Brice, #3343 Brian Bright, #3421 Mary Bright, #3420 Deborah Bromley, #3301 Max Bromley, #3302 Corinne Brown, #3397 Thomas Brown, #3268 Kevin Browning, #3448 Whitney Browning, #3500 Teresa Bryan, #3208 Michael Burkett Jr., #3409 Gregory Burns, #3271 Robert Cabot, #3267
ALUMNIVOICE | SPRING 2015
Aaron Cannon, #3504 Joseph Carey, #3370 Carolyn Cauceglia, #3196 Emma Chambers, #3426 Darlene Charles, #3405 Michael Charles, #3404 Cordell Chavis, #3541 Dean Cherre Jr., #3445 Roberta Cherre, #3444 Jennifer Chevalier, #3506 Amanda Chew, #3419 Roger Chewning, #3299 Janelle Christensen, #3354 Angelette Cintron-Aviles, #3316 Heather Cissel, #3328 Emmett Clary Jr., #3514 Francine Clegg, #3207 William Clegg III, #3206 Kenneth Clinebell, #3224 Jeanne Cohen, #3446 Brian Commons, #3416 Michael Concepcion, #3231 Thomas Conlon, #3286 Nicholas Contessa, #3341 William Cosper IV, #3534 Aaron Craig, #3545 Paul Crevello Sr., #3277 Jason Crews, #3294 Daniel Crile, #3348 Jeannie Dabasinskas, #3431 Ruth Dalton, #3291 Marc Davidson, #3324 Anne Davis, #3382 Julius Davis, #3213 Wisam Dawood, #3285 Phillip DeCubellis, #3515 Kimberly Denton, #3261 Kristen Desmarais, #3198 Gerald Detty, #3220 Adriana Diaz, #3459 Fermin Diaz, #3259 Oga Dim, #3188 Beverly Douglas, #3493 Ronald Douglas II, #3494 Deborah Doyle, #3238 Perlie Doyle Jr., #3237 Kevin Dutkowsky, #3239 Richard Dutton, #3258 Amy Dwyer, #3475 Christopher Eakes, #3410 Aimee Eden, #3251 Shannon Edens, #3463 Edward Eliasberg Jr., #3406 Patrick Emrich, #3486 Sherry Ergler, #3423 Jennifer Erickson, #3478 Bruce Evans, #3383 Abdelali Ezzouhairy, #3195 Annette Farah, #3495 Ryan Farris, #3455 Amelia Ferreira, #3415
Aaryn Fink, #3309 Sandra Fletcher, #3543 Susan Florin, #3442 Craig Foreback, #3312 Janet Frank, #3526 Eric Fray, #3364 Margaret Frotman, #3443 Perry Fulkerson, #3450 Frank Galdony Jr., #3225 John Garcia, #3221 Linda Garcia, #3179 Kenneth Getty, #3252 Amir Ghaeenzadeh, #3512 Daruish Ghaeenzadeh, #3513 John Giles, #3437 Tracy Gillette, #3379 Michael Glave, #3394 Brian Goff, #3427 Daniel Goldberg, #3525 Kimberly Goldberg, #3524 Debra Goldsmith, #3186 Cynthia Gross, #3517 Robert Guay Jr., #3391 Susan Guay, #3392 Lingchen Guo, #3362 Douglas Haeberlein, #3466 Kellie Haeberlein, #3467 Sharon Hamisak, #3371 Ronald Harrison, #3375 Shawn Harrison, #3369 Kyle Hartley, #3396 James Harvey III, #3385 Lee Hastings, #3210 Kari-Lyn Hatch, #3253 Lisa Hawkins, #3535 Jason Hayes, #3177 Monique Hayes, #3536 Jason Heffelmire, #3254 Harry Helmrich, #3357 Christine Herman, #3489 Betty Hill, #3393 Shannon Hill, #3209 John Hogan, #3388 Michelle Hogan, #3344 William Hoge, #3182 Julianne Holt, #3496 Jeffrey Hooper, #3411 Leslie Hope, #3451 Vernon Hope II, #3452 Kelly Hornick, #3520 Mark Hornick, #3521 Russell Hostetler, #3374 Rebecca Hurley, #3276 Devang Jani, #3361 Anna Janosik, #3296 Steven Janosik, #3295 Reginald Jefferson, #3204 Morgan Jewell, #3505 Gregory Johnson, #3340 Allan Jones, #3531 Catherine Jones, #3293 Ian Jones, #3474 Patrick Keane, #3205 Brianna Kesler, #3516
Stephen Kimbler, #3346 Vivian Kimbler, #3347 Kimberly Kindell, #3229 Richard Kindell, #3228 Adrienne Kinsella, #3477 Janine Kiray, #3298 Ann Kleintop, #3233 Joshua Koenig, #3329 Barry Komm, #3353 Jaime Koren, #3282 Vicki Kristoff, #3318 Mary Kupczyk, #3390 Phillip Kupczyk, #3389 Danielle Kushner, #3322 William Kyle, #3185 Loudia Lalime, #3284 Barbara Lancor, #3180 Michael Lawless, #3503 Steve Ledford, #3479 Justin Lieneck, #3215 Kyle Lieneck, #3214 Angel Lopez Jr., #3544 Richard Losinski, #3270 Thomas Lynn, #3430 Mary Macari, #3281 Robert Mahoney, #3314 Michael Maiorana, #3439 Michele Maiorana, #3438 Clifford Maker, #3456 Kristopher Mallard, #3408 Karen Mann, #3262 Christopher Mannoia, #3395 Deann Marasco, #3223 Patrick Marasco, #3222 Paula Marczynski, #3226 Christopher Marier, #3355 Jay Markell, #3532 Kara Markell, #3533 Marta Martin Matos, #3481 Neri Martinez, #3540 Annetta Mauck-Hastings, #3211 Matthew Maury, #3335 Sally Maylor, #3181 Rebecca McCall, #3342 James McClure, #3461 Antoinette McGarey, #3436 Donald McGarey Jr., #3435 Craig McGovern, #3367 Lori McGovern, #3368 Megan McKenzie, #3331 Andrew Messina, #3241 Jane Messina, #3242 Gail Meyer, #3266 Jason Moore, #3345 Debra Mundy, #3519 Eric Nathanson, #3491 Hayya Nathanson, #3492 George Newman, #3338 Briton Nold, #3313 Marlon Orellana, #3480 Janet Ostendarp, #3454
Thank You !
In the Bull’s-Eye: 1st U Club Scholarship Rosemarna Pajerski, #3236 Lauren Paladino, #3523 Juno Paramadevan, #3484 Dyna Paraoan, #3476 Jayant Patel, #3380 Royce Pearson, #3240 Mirna Pehar, #3287 Martha Penafiel, #3245 Michael Pesta, #3249 Mark Peterson, #3256 Tari Peterson, #3507 Christina Petsos, #3292 John Pezzatti, #3330 Elizabeth Phillips Swayne, #3323 Eric Philyor, #3377 Richard Piccininni, #3453 Donna Pierson, #3447 Norman Potts II, #3425 Cynthia Pridgen, #3190 Carolyn Quaid, #3269 Robert Rademaker, #3372 Jo Ann Rawley, #3414 Carl Rayford, #3358 Sidney Resmondo, #3334 Kathleen Rinaldi, #3337 William Rinaldi, #3336 Margaret Rita, #3373 Deborah Robinson, #3473 Ernest Robke, #3300 Alyssa Romola, #3297 Josh Rowberry, #3279 Ernesto Rubio, #3472 Matthew Rzepa, #3403 Kristin Saboe, #3216 Ann Samarkos, #3305 Charles Samarkos, #3304 Roxanne Sams, #3227 Barbara Sanderson, #3384 Barbara Savage, #3219 Bruce Savage, #3218 Robert Scarff, #3366 Kathleen Schelb, #3194 Alberta Schumacher, #3530 Ferdinand Schumacher, #3529 Doris Scott, #3263 Heather Scott, #3440 David Sharpe, #3187 Sheila Simon, #3250 Stephen Simon, #3522 Cynthia Sims, #3232 Paula Smith, #3498 Dawn Smith-MaGee, #3502 Michael Sogan, #3255 Antoinette Spoto-Cannons, #3243 Shaun Stickles, #3363 Karen Strand, #3319 Samantha Stratton, #3189 Jason Strickland, #3511 Louis Struikman, #3303 Lillie Sturkes, #3460 Glenn Stutzman, #3265 Elise Suarez, #3399 Joey Suarez, #3398
Elizabeth Sutton, #3378 Joe Tatum, #3191 Ralph Tindell, #3320 Steven Tozier Sr., #3490 Rene Trasorras, #3381 Deborah Trehy, #3401 Shirley Trestik, #3376 G. Steve Trout, #3483 Suzanne Trout, #3482 Candace Uhl, #3333 Hannah Ulm, #3422 Richard Valdesuso, #3193 Clifford Van Leuven, #3542 Brandon Walker, #3518 Joyce Walker, #3183 William Walters III, #3457 Mark Weber-Bodzislaw, #3510 Gary Webster, #3387 Patricia Weeks, #3470 Michael Weinberg, #3449 Ann Wellman, #3528 Mark Wellman, #3527 Jayme Welty, #3386 Nicco Wesch, #3352 William West III, #3339 Lori Westlund, #3464 William Westlund, #3465 Carol Whitman, #3428 Samantha Whitman, #3429 Taylor Whitney, #3283 Vera Wiggins, #3321 Brenda Williams, #3538 Lynne Williams, #3485 Michael Williams, #3537 Robert Woerner, #3289 Robert Wright, #3257 Jeoungae Yun, #3317 Samantha Zarate, #3184 James Zarinczuk, #3260 Amanda Zenger, #3417 John Zenger, #3418 Gregory Zolkos, #3246 David Zuberer, #3412 Karen Zuberer, #3413 Circle of Excellence donations are placed in the Executive Director’s Fund for Excellence. Recognition is based on giving to the Executive Director’s Fund for Excellence and the Alumni Endowment. The salute reflects Life Members’ Circle of Excellence donor designation as well as their individual ordinal Life Member number. This number serves as a source of pride in commemorating a Life Member’s unique place in this prestigious group. We have made every attempt to ensure the accuracy of our salute. Please accept our sincere apologies for any omissions or errors.
1st U Club Scholarship Recipient Says USF Shaped Her Childhood Jonilda Francois, center, her father, John Francois, ’98, left, and Association executive director Bill McCausland celebrate the first U Club Scholarship award.
W
hen Jonilda Francois, class of 2016, learned she’d won the Alumni Association’s first U Club Scholarship, she screamed. Then her eyes welled with tears. “I haven’t had a lot of financial support since I started school – no scholarships,” said the 21-yearold marketing major who works as a bistro server. “This will help a lot with books and tuition.” The scholarship for children and wards of Association members is made possible by U Club donors – Life Members who’ve established endowments of $25,000 or more. The first award, $500, covered the spring semester. Subsequent $1,000 awards will cover two semesters. “We limited eligibility as a way to recognize the invaluable role our members play in fostering learning, service and student success at USF,” said Bill McCausland, Association executive director. To qualify, Francois had to demonstrate academic excellence and write an essay about the impact USF had on her family and upbringing. She described childhood memories of tagging along with her dad, John Francois, ‘98, as he ran errands on campus. “USF made me dream about going to college,” she wrote. He also brought her to meetings of the Caribbean Culture Exchange Club and Club Creole, where she listened as the members planned service projects. That instilled in her the importance of giving back to the community. John Francois, owner of Francois Crowns, continues to serve. He’s on USF’s Upward Bound advisory board and the board of The Tampa-Hillsborough Action Plan, a nonprofit. He’s grateful for the effect his student years had on his daughter, he said. “We want Jonilda to be an example to her younger sisters.” For more on U Club Scholarships, visit www.usfalumni.org, click “Students” under “Quick Links,” and “Scholarships.” ®
SPRING 2015 | ALUMNIVOICE
25
USF St. Petersburg
Construction Begins on Tiedemann College of Business
C The future home of the Kate Tiedemann College of Business at USF St. Petersburg is scheduled to open in August 2016. The design drew inspiration from the waterfront university’s abundant natural amenities.
26
onstruction of the 68,000-square-foot Kate Tiedemann College of Business at USF St. Petersburg begins this spring and is expected to be completed by fall 2016. The building will give the college’s nearly 1,200 students and more than 40 faculty members their first home together. They’ve been working out of classrooms and offices scattered throughout the campus since the college was established in 2003. That wasn’t as onerous as one might imagine, said Reuben Pressman, ’11, the first graduate of the college’s Entrepreneurship Program. “A big selling point of the entire campus is that it’s smaller,” he said. But gathering everyone under one roof will encourage the teamwork and collaboration necessary for future business leaders to survive. “Students of different [business] majors will have more opportunities to meet, less time traveling, and a place they can call ‘home.’” Despite the less-than-ideal accommodations, the college, its students and faculty have racked up accolades. This year alone, its online MBA program was ranked 32nd in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and Professor Bill Jackson was named national Entrepreneurship Educator of the Year by the U.S. Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Its students won the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization’s Startup
ALUMNIVOICE | SPRING 2015
Simulation Challenge in 2012, 2013 and 2014. The four-story building will have at least a Silver LEED green certification. The façade will reflect the natural beauty of the waterfront campus, with white patterned glass and regional coral stone. Inside features include eight classrooms, four non-traditional learning environments and a trading room equipped with Bloomberg terminals so students and faculty can access real-time investment data and analytics. “Our community will benefit from this new building as well,” Regional Chancellor Sophia Wisniewska said in remarks during the groundbreaking. “Active learning environments will only strengthen our ability to develop and maintain important business and community partnerships. A new Accelerator lab will provide entrepreneurship students with an opportunity to work with local start-ups … A 200-seat amphitheater will provide an ideal venue for events.” The building will cost about $27 million. The school received $15 million from the Legislature and is seeking another $12.3 million this year. Private contributions such as philanthropist Kate Tiedemann’s 2014 gift of $10 million will be used to support programs, not construction expenses. – Penny Carnathan, ‘82
®
Registration Line, 1969
AEGEAN 1970, USF Library
Rain pours on the misery for students waiting outside to sign up for classes.
I am sure I was in that line somewhere. Judy Tyner Gordon, ‘71, Life Member I remember standing in endless roped lines for four to eight hours. Susan Chen, ‘85 I was a freshman ... still have nightmares of those computer cards! Ellen Shanks Rosenblum, ‘72, Life Member
And then you would get to the front of the line and that section was closed and you had to start all over again, or go find the professor and beg to get into his class ... Jacqueline St. John, ‘77 I finally figured out that if I could just register I could easily graduate. Steve Sherman, ‘89
Our Members Love USF! Alumni like Brad Rush, who lived on campus throughout his years at USF, have fond memories of homegrown entertainment, including pool and pinball in the UC game room and Talent Night at Argos, here starring Val Luko and Mark Pitts. I loved my time at USF. Two big deals were the opening of the new College of Business and construction of the Sun Dome. My favorite classes were Fred Powers’ intro to finance and Becky LaBeau’s Statistics for Business. I lived on campus the whole time and worked in the University Center. Brad Rush, ‘81, Life Member
The Oracle
Courtesy of Brad Rush
ALUMNI SHARE FAVORITE MEMORIES A cafeteria tray becomes a Florida toboggan south of the Epsilon dormitory during Tampa’s rare and memorable snowfall in 1977. I started in ’75 and stayed in Mu Hall. I was there when it snowed [January 1977] and some students took trays from the cafeteria and slid down the hills. Iris E. Cotton, ‘79 I started USF in 1971 and graduated in 1975. I participated in an environmental project called Pitch IN. We planted trees all over campus. Forty years later the trees are huge. I notice how big the trees have gotten every time I go to USF. Especially [those at] the main entrance. Jeffrey Neil Fox, ‘75, Life Member
Playing hoops outside Mu Hall just about every day/night. Hanging out at the Andros pool. Was like living at a country club. Good times! James Gaddis, ’94, Life Member My dad, Frank Spain, began at USF as the Registrar in 1959, the year before it opened. The first day of classes was in the fall of 1960. He retired as Director of Community College Relations in 1991. He is now 90 years old and continues to fondly reminisce on his days at USF. He and his colleague Betty Gillies were tremendous assets to the USF family and I’m so proud of both of them. Marsha Spain Fuller, ‘75
SPRING 2015 | ALUMNIVOICE
27
Gathered at their favorite watch spot, Libretto’s Pizzeria, members of the Charlotte, N.C., Alumni Chapter root for the Bulls as they play North Carolina State in Tampa. The game didn’t end well for USF, but these alumni and friends never let a little detail like that keep them from having fun. They are, from left, Meiko Dukes, ’10; Marisa Faigen, ’11; Dyna Paraoan, ’00; Sascha Denny, ’11; Jordan Lichstrahl, ’06; Stephen Boyle, ’11; Valerie Boyle.
This year for the first time, alumni chapters and societies around the country organized their own community service projects to coincide with the annual USF students’ Stampede of Service. Above left, John Morris, ’93, of the Washington, D.C. chapter gathers food donations with
28
ALUMNIVOICE | SPRING 2015
Life Member Connie Johnson-Gearhart, ’00 & MCE ’12, her husband, Ken Gearhart, far left, and Scott Linteau, ’99, join more than a dozen other Engineering Alumni Society members and friends for networking, sports and beer – not necessarily in that order – at Lee Roy Selmon’s restaurant. The society, which held its annual fundraiser, Bullarney, in March, has been raising money for scholarships, grants, educational programs and more since 1994.
his friends and family. Meanwhile, members of the Pinellas County chapter, above right, spent time dismantling old equipment for their local Humane Society. Afterward, from left, Juan Herrera, ’05, Vicki Morgan, ’07, Nanette Pluhar, ’14, and Randell Stokes, ’11, got some playtime in the kitten room.
Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla - Tampa
You don’t have to live in Tampa to be a convincing faux pirate, but it sure helps if you went to school there! The New York City chapter, above, and the Washington, D.C., chapter, left, held their own rousing pirate fests as Tampa celebrated its 100th Gasparilla in January.
SPRING 2015 | ALUMNIVOICE
29
No matter where you live, you’ll always be a Bull! The USF Alumni Association has alumni chapters all over the country. We also have college and special-interest societies for like-minded alumni. It’s easy to get involved. Just email the contact person of the group you’d like to visit. GEOGRAPHICAL GROUPS
INTEREST-BASED GROUPS
Anthropology Alumni Brian McEwen bmcewen@cachillsborough.com Architecture Alumni David Hunter David.Hunter@morganstanley.com Black Alumni Shomari Sanford shomari1906@yahoo.com Clinical Psychology Alumni Demy Kamboukos usfclinpsychalumni@gmail.com College of Behavioral and Community Sciences Patty Cleveland cbcs@usf.edu Manley Jaquiss manleyjaquiss@yahoo.com
College of Business Alumni Maegan Fader Maegan@usfcobalumni.org Engineering Alumni Pete Danile pdanile@tampabay.rr.com Entrepreneurship Alumni Jennifer Sineway jennagator@aol.com Geology Alumni Bruce Nocita bnocita@smeinc.com Honors Alumni Dan Ravicher ravicher@gmail.com Kosove Alumni Justin Geisler justingeisler@hotmail.com
Library and Information Science Society William (Bill) Harris wharris3@mail.usf.edu Lockheed Martin – Oldsmar Brent Lewis brent.a.lewis@lmco.com Medicine Alumni Catherine Warner cwarner1@health.usf.edu Music Society Keith Sanz usfmusicalumni@gmail.com Nursing Alumni Edwin Hernandez ehernan5@health.usf.edu Pharmacy Alumni Patti Shirley pshirley@health.usf.edu Psychology Alumni Monica Jackson Kim Read usfpsychba@gmail.com Public Administration Alumni Mike Rimoldi mike@rimoldiconstruction.com Public Health Alumni Natalie Preston-Washington npreston@health.usf.edu Student Government Alumni Cordell Chavis cordell.chavis@gmail.com Theater Alumni Kimberli Cummings kbdiva901@aol.com USF St. Petersburg Casey Bovee usfspalumnisociety@gmail.com Women’s and Gender Studies Zoe Fine usfwgssociety@gmail.com
Atlanta Louis Struikman usfalumniatlanta@gmail.com
Los Angeles Janet Foster usfbullsnla@yahoo.com
Austin Brad Heath gobulls@austin.rr.com
Manatee-Sarasota Jay Riley jayriley@sar.usf.edu
Boston Loren Glaser USFBostonBulls@gmail.com
Miami-Dade County Carlos Rodriguez USFmiamialumni@gmail.com
Broward County Ruth Rogge R_rogge@yahoo.com
Nashville Melinda Dale nashvilleusfbulls@live.com
Alan Steinberg usfbrowardalumni@hotmail.com
New Orleans Heather Tank heath014@yahoo.com
Charlotte Marisa Varian usfcharlottebulls@gmail.com Chicago Blake Rus WindyCityBulls56@gmail.com Columbus, Ohio Jason Griffin columbususfalumni@gmail.com D.C. Regional Mike Blackman usfbullsdc@gmail.com Dallas Ashlea Coulter ashleacoulter@gmail.com Denver Josh Flynn jflynn@mail.usf.edu Fort Myers/Naples Paul Winterbotham usfalumniftmyers@gmail.com Greater Tampa Megan Rentz Scott Burgess USFTampaAlumni@gmail.com
New York Nate Collins usfalumniny@gmail.com Orlando Heather Meglino usfbullsorlando@gmail.com Palm Beach County Scott Teich scott.teich@raymondjames.com Pasco County Paul Winterbotham usfpasco@gmail.com
Philadelphia Adam Feinberg usf.tri.state.alumni@gmail.com Phoenix Jillian Papa jillianpapa@gmail.com Pinellas Julie Pappacoda usfpinellas@gmail.com Raleigh, N.C. Bob Cohn bob.cohn@mssb.com
Hernando Kevin Floyd usfhcac@gmail.com
St. Louis, Mo. Mark Greenspahn usfstlbulls@gmail.com
Houston Angela Beeson usfbullshouston1@gmail.com
San Diego Josh Vizcay Josuevizcay@gmail.com
Jacksonville Paul Winterbotham winterbotham@usf.edu
Tallahassee Phil Canto pcantompa@gmail.com Jessica Leigh Jessicaleighesq@aol.com
30
ALUMNIVOICE | SPRING 2015
Bulls Identify with Most Popular U.S.Travel Trends
A
mericans have a growing desire to see the world, with increasing numbers planning to travel abroad this year, according to polls by TripAdvisor and AARP. European river cruises are the No. 1 favorite for luxury travel, a survey by Travel Leaders Group found, followed by Italy tours and Mediterranean cruises. That jibes with what Christina Cameron sees as the Alumni Association’s Bull Explorers travel director.
“One of our most popular recent trips was Accent on the Rivieras, a Mediterranean cruise that included ports of call in Rome and Monte Carlo. One couple had such a good time, they booked another cruise before they even got off the ship,” says Cameron, ’04, MA ’13, Life Member. The program offers alumni peace of mind as they travel. Travelers tell Cameron they like not worrying about the planning, and they enjoy being accompanied by fellow Bulls.
“A lot of them say they feel safer. Others like the camaraderie – when they want to do something with a group they can, or they can explore on their own,” she says. Space is still available for several trips, including Flavors of Northern Italy July 11-19 and the Baltic Marvels Cruise August 13-21. Watch for the 2016 schedule in early summer at usfalumni.org/travel.
SPRING 2015 | ALUMNIVOICE
31
Student Voice
Thank You, Alumni, for 4 Great Years! By Jordan See, Class of 2015
I
n May, I’ll receive my bachelor’s degree and become a USF alumnus. That honor has special meaning for me after four years of working closely with Alumni Association members and staff. I know firsthand the difference you make in students’ lives and the genuine caring that comes with it. That wasn’t the case when, as a freshman, I became a new member of the Association’s USF Ambassadors program. Within a week, I had an invitation to my first event: the annual Senior Send-Off, when Ambassadors say good-bye to the graduating students. With the seniors positioned at the front of the room, I watched intently as upperclassmen I didn’t know shared stories I didn’t understand about seniors I had never met. The last person to be recognized was not a student but our adviser, LaToya Wider – Ms. LaToya to us. From that point on, all I can remember are the
32
ALUMNIVOICE | SPRING 2015
tears. One by one, the seniors tried to address this woman, to say good-bye, but the words caught in their throats. “You all just don’t understand … what this woman has done for me,” said one of our seniors, the Ambassador president at the time. He was right. Many of us in the audience didn’t understand. I didn’t understand. Not yet, anyway. I’ve had four years to learn. The Alumni Association staff are some of the most caring, hard-working and genuine people I have ever met, and I have grown up so much in their company. Executive Director Bill McCausland, MBA ’96 and Life Member, taught me that you never know what someone can do for you unless you ask, and I have become more confident in the process. Special events coordinator Shari Martinez showed me that even the most stressful situations can be handled with humor and enjoyment. Ambassador advisers Tyrone Gray, ’13, and Ms. LaToya embody love and devotion to the students. Over the years they were not
only my advisers, but also at times my therapists and life coaches, and always my No.1 fans. I can’t even enter the building without receiving a warm hug from receptionist Yvette Harden (Ms. Yvette), and giving her an update on my day. The Alumni Association as an organization keeps you connected to your university and provides mentoring, financial support, valuable real-world opportunities and relationships to students that enrich our lives. But it’s easy to take for granted the dedicated staff and alumni who power the Association every day. I have met them, learned from them, confided in them and have become a better person for it. The Association staff has become my second family and, after four long years, I finally understand why my first Senior Send-Off was so emotional. It will be difficult for me to leave, but I know that as long as the staff keeps doing what they love to do, this new alumnus will never be too far away. ®
Russ Coughenour, MA Assistant Vice President for Career Services Student Affairs
Do be as enthusiastic, within the boundaries of your personality, as you can be. It’s never a good idea to try to be somebody you’re not, but you should strive to show some level of spirit and energy. Why? It’s a positive attribute that can’t be learned through employee training; if you lack enthusiasm during the first interview, the employer may assume you rarely have it. In today’s world of email and texts, the art of interpersonal communication can be lost. Practice!
Don’t speak ill of a former employer or supervisor during an interview.
7 Do’s and Don’ts for Great Job Interviews Many people fear they’ll lose their job opportunity with a single faux paus during an otherwise great interview. That can happen, but most employers consider the entire interview, or several interviews, before choosing one candidate over another. Ease your worries and lessen your chances of making a mistake with these “do’s” and “don’ts” for navigating the interview process.
We’ve all had bad experiences with a co-worker, supervisor or organization, and it’s often tempting to share, but be disciplined about staying neutral. Instead, use statements like, “I learned a lot at XYZ and I was able to grow my skills and gain confidence there” or “It was a great opportunity but I’m looking for even more of a challenge now.”
Do research the organization you are interviewing the same way you would research a large purchase.
This is something you control, so capitalize on that. First impressions are critically important. The more you look like what the employer expects, the better impression you’ll make. Tip: Many people know that a gray business suit is an excellent selection for an interview, but if you don’t look and feel great in gray, choose something else. Black, blue and other colors are perfectly acceptable. Choose accessories wisely and keep perfumes and colognes to an absolute minimum.
USF Career Services recently studied what information organizations most want you to know about them for the first interview. Here are the top six: 1. Company’s primary product or service and its history 2. Specific details of the job for which you are interviewing 3. The organization’s typical clients and customers 4. The organization’s culture (and how you will fit in) 5. Emerging issues with the industry 6. The organization’s efforts at promoting a sustainable workplace. Learning these things about the company before your first meeting is essential. Learning more is even better!
Don’t ask about salary until it’s appropriate.
Don’t discuss controversial issues.
Possibly the single greatest mistake made by novice jobseekers is asking about the salary during the first few minutes of an interview. Employers often view this as an indication the interviewee is interested only in a paycheck and not in the intangible rewards that make employees engaged with and excited about their jobs. Postpone the salary conversation until you are sure you are being made an offer, which usually does not happen during the first interview. If the employer brings up salary first, use responses like, “This job is very important to me; I am sure salary won’t be an issue if I’m made an offer” or “I know that XYZ Corp. pays market plus, so I don’t think salary will be an issue if I’m chosen.” Postpone and deflect until you are being made an offer!
Sensitive topics to avoid include religion, politics and school affiliations. Stay neutral and patient; keep opinions on matters not pertaining to the interview to a minimum.
Do look great for the interview!
Do use the STAR-L method to answer behavioral questions.
This method will keep you focused and succinct when giving anecdotal responses to questions like “Describe how you handled a challenging time-management problem.” Give a brief description of the Situation; the Task you faced; the Action you took; the Result; and, if applicable, what you Learned.
SPRING 2015 | ALUMNIVOICE
33
Don’t be shy, alumni! We’d like to include your news and photos in Class Notes. Email your information, along with high resolution photos (300 dpi), to Penny Carnathan at pcarnathan@usf.edu or mail information and photo to Penny Carnathan USF Alumni Association University of South Florida 4202 E. Fowler Ave., ALC100 Tampa, FL 33620-5455
60s Earl Lennard, Special Education ‘63, PhD ‘93, Life Member, has been inducted to the Wall of Legends at East Bay High School in Gibsonton, Fla. Lennard taught at East Bay from 1963-75, was superintendent of the Hillsborough County School District from 1996-2005, and Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections from 2009-2013.
70s Dana Thomas Beyerle, Mass Communications ‘78, was named director of communications for the Business Council of Alabama. A former journalist, Beyerle was part of the Tuscaloosa News team that won a Pulitzer Prize for coverage of Alabama’s deadly 2011 tornadoes. Jeffrey Brame, MS ’76, was awarded the 2015 Geology Alumni Society Award in February. Brame, who is being recognized in part for his contributions to USF geology, is president and chief geoscientist at Brame GeoScience in Durango, Colo. Lisa Calvert, AA ‘79, owns Calvert Stables, a full- service barn with riders of all ages in Lancaster, S.C. Calvert and her husband, Bill, have been in the horse business for more than 30 years. Harry Greene, Mass Communications ‘77, was appointed to the Florida Orchestra board of directors in St. Petersburg. Charlie Herndon, Engineering ‘76, joined HNTB Corp. as its Florida district leader. HNTB Corp. is
34
ALUMNIVOICE | SPRING 2015
an infrastructure solutions firm based in Tampa. Herndon is responsible for operations and client relations for the firm’s 13 offices throughout Florida. John Roy, Management ‘75, joined the Bank of Tampa as senior vice president and talent management director. Paul Rutledge, Mass Communications ‘75, was appointed first vice president of Casto Southeast Realty Services LLC with its retail brokerage group.
multiple honors, including Florida EMS Lifetime Achievement Award. Shawn Morin, Engineering Technology ‘87, was named president and chief operating officer at Ingram Content Group Inc., global distributor of physical and digital content. Morin joined the company in 2009 as chief information officer and has been COO since 2012.
80s
Jack Robb, Jr., Finance ‘82, joined Cadence Bank in Tampa as a mortgage loan originator.
Kevin Bakewell, Management ‘86, was appointed chief volunteer officer association chair on the national board of Prevent Blindness. The senior vice president and chief public affairs officer for AAA-The Auto Club Group, Bakewell is also chair of the Auto Club Group Traffic Safety Foundation, Inc. and board of directors chair for Prevent Blindness Florida.
Margaret Smith, Civil Engineering ‘88, MS Engineering Management ‘12, was appointed Director/County Engineer of the Engineering Services Administration in Pasco County, Fla. Smith will provide engineering support to internal and external customers, and suggestions for alternative design and construction strategies.
John Banks Jr., Engineering Science ‘82, joined the Sarasota office of Atkins, a design, engineering and project management consultancy, as technical director of solid waste services. Banks is a licensed professional engineer with 30-plus years of environmental engineering experience. Richard D’Orazio, MPH ’84, is an EMS Battalion Chief in Collier County, Fla., where he supervises EMT, EMS and paramedics. He is also a member of a National Incident Management Team, which provides organizational support to areas experiencing disasters and wildfires. Keith Garner, Art Education ‘88, joined Fifth Third Bank in Tampa as an investment executive. Donna Henson, Finance ‘86, Accounting ‘96, joined Shinn & Co. LLC accounting firm in Bradenton as audit manager. Conrad “Chuck’’ Kearns, Political Science ‘80, MBA ‘89, Life Member, was appointed president of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, the nation’s largest advocacy group for emergency medical service practitioners. Kearns formerly served on the American Ambulance Association Board and the FEMA National Advisory Council. He is the recipient of
90s Andrew S. Breidenbaugh, Library & Information Sciences ’96, is the new director of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library system, the 20th largest in the nation by population and expenditures. Breidenbaugh has been with the system for 18 years and oversees 25 libraries and two mobile outlets circulating more than 10 million items. Jose Clavell, Civil Engineering `99, was appointed senior associate at Gannett Fleming, a global infrastructure firm. Based in the Miami office, Clavell serves as director of planning and project development. He is responsible for overseeing and managing multimodal planning and preliminary design, project development, existing conditions assessments, and scoping support. Kim Davis, Elementary Education ‘99, is the Pasco County (Florida) School District Administrator of the Year. Davis has been the principal at Gulf High School since 2012 and a district employee since 1998. David Freeman, Electrical Engineering ‘93, joined VoltAir Consulting Engineers as a senior
electrical engineer and project manager in Tampa. VoltAir has offices in Tampa, Orlando and Houston. David Fries, MS Chemistry ‘99, was recognized by the Florida High Tech Corridor Council as one of its 2015 “Faces of Technology.” Fries is the co-founder and chief technology officer for Spyglass Technologies, which provides solutions for automated water monitoring, including fielddeployable, portable chemical and biological sensor systems. Richard Gaspar, MA English Education ‘93, PhD ‘97, has been inducted to the Wall of Legends at East Bay High School in Gibsonton, Fla. A former East Bay student and teacher, he has been recognized as a Florida Reading Teacher of the Year and Hillsborough County Teacher of the Year. He is a mass communications professor at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa.
Jim Gossett, MBA ’98, Life Member, has joined Tampa Bay WaVE’s FirstWaVE Accelerator mentor team. Gossett is chief operating officer and chief information officer for SCTC risk mitigation company for the petrochemicals industry. He is also a member of USF Connect Council of Professionals. Aamir Hussain, Electrical Engineering ‘92, has been named executive vice president and chief technology officer of CenturyLink telecommunications company. Hussain most recently worked in the Netherlands as Liberty Global’s managing director and chief technology officer for Europe. Peter Knize, History ‘96, MA ‘00, has joined the Henderson Franklin law offices’ estate planning and administration practice. Knize previously practiced law in Sarasota and Raleigh, N.C.
Andrew J. Mayts, Jr., Political Science ‘93, Life Member, was appointed to the board of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce. Mayts is a shareholder in the Tampa office of GrayRobinson PA. Jennifer Monahan, Business Administration ‘93, has published two books: My First Three Husbands and An American in Oz - Discovering the Island Continent of Australia, which won a 2011 Global Ebook Award in the action/adventure non-fiction category. Monahan’s books can be purchased on Amazon.com. Susan Platz, Mathematics Education ‘96, has joined Validus Group, a Tampa real estate investment firm, as property manager. Alfred Villoch III, Criminology ‘98, is a founding member of Savage, Combs & Villoch PLLC in Tampa, a law practice focused primarily on bankruptcy, commercial litigation and insurance defense matters.
SPRING 2015 | ALUMNIVOICE
35
Douglas Witter, MSPH ‘90, MD ‘94, has joined Access Health Care Physicians as a primary care physician. Witter, who has a particular interest in diabetes, hypertension and nutrition, is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians.
00s Catherine Astl, English ‘09, has published her first novel, Three Gates: Lessons in Humility, Virtue, and Honor, about a 30-something Florida woman who embarks on an academic adventure that takes her to the University of Cambridge. Justine Benstead, English ‘09, joined 83 Degrees Media as Innovation & Job News Editor. Benstead previously worked as a features writer for 83 Degrees, an online publication that covers innovative news in the Tampa Bay area. Robyn Bonivich, History ‘08, has joined the law firm of Chris E. Ragano in Tampa as an associate attorney.
Jennifer Marshall, MPH ‘08, PhD ‘13, center, and her research team, Amber Patterson, left, and Jerchelle Jean-Poix, have been asked by the Hillsborough County Early Childhood Council to evaluate the county’s Infant Mental Health Uniting Grant. Marshall is a research assistant professor at the USF College of Public Health.
Grace Gealey, Theatre ‘06, plays Anika Gibbons in Empire, a new Fox network drama set in the world of the hip hop and entertainment industry.
complishments as CEO at Lakeside Occupational Medical Centers in Central Florida. She previously served as Lakeside’s chief financial officer.
Nicola Peterson, Business Administration ‘06, joined accounting firm Shinn & Co. of Bradenton as an audit principal.
Tamica Gilbert, International Studies ‘01, was promoted to member services director at WUSF Public Media.
Thomas Kane, Jr., Political Science ‘03, has joined Banker Lopez Gassler PA as an associate. The law firm has offices throughout Florida.
Kathryn Gillette, Master of Health Administration ‘03, CEO and market president of Bayfront Health St. Petersburg, visited USF’s College of Public Health to speak at the monthly meeting of the Healthcare Management Student Association, which is sponsored by the American College of Healthcare Executives. Prior to her position at Bayfront Health, Gillette served as CEO of Osceola Regional Medical Center in Kissimmee.
Lisa Nugent, MPH ‘05, is the Ryan White Administrator at the Health Council of West Central Florida and the Suncoast Health Council. She won second place in the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County’s Business Plan Competition with Wellness Warriors, the health-oriented app she developed that includes a charitable giving component. The app launched late last year and logged more than 400 downloads in just its first few months.
Adrian Sarmiento, History ‘07, and Julia Sarmiento, English ‘05, have joined a new districtwide initiative for Hillsborough County public schools. The siblings are dropout prevention specialists for the Student Success Program.
Domingo “Mitch” Hernandez, Accounting ‘00, MAcc ‘03, has been elected president of the Rotary Club of St. Petersburg. A CPA and owner of Mitch Hernandez Accounting and Tax Services, Hernandez has served on the club’s board of directors since 2009.
Hana Osman, PhD ‘01, presented a Dean’s Lecture Series talk, “Advance Care Planning, Not Death Panels,” on new regulations under the Affordable Care Act. Osman is an associate professor at the USF College of Public Health; director of continuing education for the Sunshine Education and Research Center; and vice chair of the Jaeb Center for Health Research institutional review board.
Brenda Jacobsen, MBA ‘01, was featured in the Tampa Bay Business Journal for her ac-
36
ALUMNIVOICE | SPRING 2015
Jake Schoolfield, Finance ‘07, joined Sunshine State Bank as vice president, commercial lending officer, responsible for business development in the Tampa area. Schoolfield is enrolled in the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University, and was recently elected to membership in Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla. Daniel James Scott, Marketing ‘00, MBA ‘02, MS ‘06, Life Member, was named executive director of the Tampa Bay Technology Forum, the chief advocacy group for the regional technology industry. Scott previously served as associate director of the entrepreneurship program in the business school at USF St. Petersburg. Garrett Shinn, Accounting ‘08, was promoted to partner at Shinn & Co. LLC accounting firm in Bradenton.
Michael Smith, Finance ‘08, is the new director for investor relations at Vectrus, Inc., a $1.1 billion government service provider. He’ll work at the company’s Colorado Springs, Colo., headquarters. Rena Upshaw-Frasier, Civil Engineering ‘01, was promoted to partner at Quarles & Brady LLP, a full-service law firm with offices in Tampa. Amarilis Vazquez, MM ‘02, a Lakeland visual artist and musician, was recently featured in The Ledger of Lakeland’s “Perspectives” column. Vazquez’ art is on display at the Bartow Art Gallery and at www.CakesbyAmarillis.com. Alan Veitengruber, Business Economics ‘07, joined CBIZ MHM, LLC, the financial services division of CBIZ, Inc. with offices in Tampa, as a transaction advisory project lead. Ben Williams, Economics ‘08, became a deputy for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. Williams is a former USF football player.
10s Aimee Alexander, Mass Communications ‘12, joined B2 Communications in St. Petersburg as an account coordinator. Alexander previously worked at the Tampa Bay Times as a staff writer, chief editorial assistant and newsroom coordinator managing the Times’ editorial assistant team in Tampa. Travis Arango, Economics ‘11, co-authored an article that was recently published in Bloomberg BNA, which provides news and information to professionals in business, law and government. Arango, who is clerking in the Gassman Law Associates firm in Clearwater, wrote the article with fellow Stetson Law student Dena Daniels and lawyer Alan S. Gassman. Arango and his co-authors have also been published in Leimberg Information Services. Akilah Benton, MPH ‘11, is the new community mobilization coordinator for AIDS Partnership Michigan (APM), which serves six Michigan counties. Benton manages the APM hotline and Status Sexy, a project that helps HIV/AIDS patients cope with stigma.
SPRING 2015 | ALUMNIVOICE
37
Steve Kelly, Mass Communications ‘13, has joined Clean Design as a media planner. Clean Design is an award-winning brand agency located in Raleigh, N.C. Kelly was most recently a member of the media team in Mullen’s Winston-Salem office, working with top national accounts on planning the placement of print, online and video campaigns.
Matthew Moreno, Computer Science ’14, right, and his sister Amie, 18, won $10,000 in GTE Financial credit union’s Got Games app development contest. Tri-Jump, the Morenos’ financial gaming app, was released for Android and iOS platforms in February. Pictured with them is Brian Best, executive vice president of GTE Financial.
Brock A. Bjorn, Political Science ‘13, was promoted to marketing and projects coordinator for First Green Bank in November. He was also appointed to the USF Alumni Association Orlando Chapter’s volunteer board as the communications chair. Hanifa Denny, PhD ‘12, was elected dean of the College of Public Health at Diponegoro University in her hometown of Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia. Denny has been principal consultant for the Directorate of Occupational Health and Sports with the Ministry of Health in Indonesia; president of the Indonesian Public Health Union, and vice president of the Indonesian Professional in Occupational Health Management Union. She received the Satya Lencana medal from the president of Indonesia; a James P. Keogh Scholarship from the American Public Health Association, and Diponegoro University’s Distinguished College of Public Health Alumni Award. Christina Florand, Psychology ‘13, was recently included on www.mediation.com, a search resource for finding mediation providers. Florand has been a professional mediator for five years and serves on the board of directors of The Social
38
ALUMNIVOICE | SPRING 2015
Black Belt, a nonprofit focused on emotional wellness skills for children. Jordana Frost, MPH ‘11, received the Young Maternal and Child Health Professional Award at the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) annual conference in Washington, D.C. in January. An alumna of the MCH Leadership Training program at USF, Frost was recognized by AMCHP “for significant contributions to the health of mothers, children, and families in Connecticut and nationwide.” Frost is a consultant to the Connecticut Coalition to Improve Birth Outcomes and a childbirth doula. She’s pursuing a doctorate at Boston University. Cpl. Chris Gironda, Music Education ‘11, has been traveling the nation for two years as a euphonium bugler for The Commandant’s Own, the U.S. Marine Corps Drum and Bugle Corps. Gironda, who was the band/chorus director at Beasley Middle School in Palatka, Fla., before enlisting in the Marines, performs at military and civilian functions for guests ranging from visiting foreign dignitaries to President Barack Obama. Darren Hubay, Accounting ‘12, joined CBIZ MHM, LLC, the financial services division of CBIZ, Inc., in Tampa as a tax associate.
Nicholas Kensinger, Industrial Engineering ‘13, and Amy Holden, Criminology ‘13, have married. The two met while they were students at USF. Nick is an industrial engineer at Jabil Circuit in St. Petersburg; Amy is a sales and marketing professional at Good Food Catering in Tampa. USF alumni attending the wedding included Amy’s grandmother Helene Steinbrick, MA ’85; her parents, Scott Holden, ‘84, and Terry Golabek Holden, ‘85, and several aunts and uncles. Vanessa Lofstedt, MA Guidance & Counselor Education ‘10, was named Pinellas County’s Elementary School Counselor of the Year. Lofstedt is the guidance counselor at Garrison-Jones Elementary School in Dunedin, Fla. Anthony Morrison, Business Administration ‘11, is the new associate producer of CNN’s morning show, New Day. Morrison relocated to the New York City area from Orlando in 2012. He is also a freelance photographer, shooting for public relations clients such as Disney Creative. Joseph Pellegrino, Environmental Science and Policy ‘11, and Meridith Mitchell, Mass Communications ‘11, both Life Members, have married. The couple met at a USF football game in 2007 and continue to support the university that gave them their degrees – and each other.
Natalia Remizova, Accounting & Finance ‘12, joined CBIZ MHM, LLC, the financial services division of CBIZ, Inc. with offices in Tampa, as a tax associate. Jessica Scott, Mass Communications ‘14, joined SPARK advertising agency in Tampa as a front end developer. Michael Weinbaum, MS Mechanical Engineering ‘10, joined Orlando-based Aquatic Design & Engineering as a studio engineer. A licensed professional engineer, Weinbaum has served as a project engineer on a variety of notable endeavors recently, including the Ford stacked car display at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. He has also completed projects for Universal Studios, Wet-N-Wild and the Toys “R” Us Ferris wheel in Times Square. Ed Woodward, MS ‘13, a Pat Tillman Foundation Scholar and current USF Morsani College of Medicine student, was the focus of a poignant Super Bowl pregame show segment in February. A medical condition forced Woodward to abandon his dream of becoming a fighter pilot and he retired from the Air Force in 2006. He found new purpose when he decided to instead fulfill the dream of his twin brother, Gene, who died in a car accident in 2000 while studying to be a physician at USF.
In Memoriam Walter Schmidt, ’72, March 29, 2014 David Anderson “Andy” Smith, MS ’81, June 29, 2014 Dr. Marie Smith Charles, ’67 & MA ’72, Aug. 23, 2014 Pablo Manuel Miquel, ‘72, Sept. 19, 2014 Andria Troutman, MA ‘66, Nov. 20, 2014 Gary Alan McClelland, ‘08, Dec. 8, 2014 Donald Bryant, `88, Dec. 23, 2014 David R. Gunn, ’08, Jan. 7, 2015 Blake Lazzeri, ’14, Feb. 6, 2015
SPRING 2015 | ALUMNIVOICE
39
Bulls Take a Memorable Shot at the Big Prize as USF Hosts Women’s Final Four By Tom Zebold, USF Athletics
U
SF had the honor of hosting the second-ever NCAA Women’s Final Four in Tampa and the Bulls did their best to make it to the big event April 5-7 at Amalie Arena downtown. Cheering fans shook the Sun Dome as USF (27-8) tied the program’s singleseason wins record with a 73-64 victory over Louisiana State University in the first round of the NCAA tournament. No. 25 USF came up just short of making the Sweet 16 and ended its memorable season with a 60-52 loss to No. 8 University of Louisville – again in front of an enthusiastic Sun Dome crowd. “It was great for the university. It was great for the community,” said head coach Jose Fernandez of the atmosphere at both games. “It just showcases our athletic administration, their efforts,
40
ALUMNIVOICE | SPRING 2015
and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, and it gets everybody excited for the Final Four.” It was the Bulls’ second appearance in the NCAA tournament in the past three seasons. The team started its deep run by going 9-3 in the toughest nonconference stretch in school history with wins over big-name programs University of Oklahoma and Penn State. USF headed to the NCAA tournament ranked 25th in both national polls after becoming the fastest Bulls team to reach 20 wins. Prior to Selection Monday, the team gave top-ranked UConn a battle
in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) championship game. All but one player on the roster is scheduled to return next season, including senior-to-be stars guard Courtney Williams and forward Alisia Jenkins. Williams led the conference and broke the Bulls’ single-season scoring record with 710 points (20.3 per game). Jenkins finished high on the national charts with 23 double-doubles and set a new USF single-season rebounding record with 397 boards (11.3 per game). While the Bulls marched to the postseason, USF Athletics played a big role in the Tampa Bay Sports Commission’s preparations for hosting the Final Four and was extensively involved in conducting the event, providing both guidance and resources. “USF Athletics looked forward to helping make the 2015 Women’s Final Four a huge success and continuing to make the Bay area a coveted destination for the nation’s premier sporting events,” USF Director of Athletics Mark Harlan said. “We are committed to being involved in the community and helping the Bay area thrive and continue to be one of the best places to live in America.” Several members of USF Athletics jumped at the opportunity to lend a hand in the planning while Fernandez’ squad earned its 11th postseason berth in the past 12 years. Thanks to another “I think about it solid campaign by every day,’’ junior USF, the Tampa Bay forward Alisia Sports Commission and Jenkins, No. 24, the rest of the local said earlier this committee, future Bulls spring. “I see will again get a chance it and just say, to chase a national title ‘We’ve got to be at home in 2019 when there.’ That’s our the Women’s Final Four dream.’’ returns to Amalie Arena. According to an NCAA study, the 2008 Women’s Final Four generated more than $19 million in direct economic impact in the Tampa Bay area.
Calendar your membership in action APRIL
21-22 Women in Poetry, Poetry Reading with Meg Day and Sandra Beasley, 6-8 p.m. April 21, Women in Poetry Panel Discussion, 6-8 p.m. April 22 with Meg Day, Sandra Beasley and Erica Dawson, at the TECO Room in the College of Education. Free; visit www.humanities-institute.usf.edu/events. 24 Fast 56 Awards recognizing the fastest-growing Bulls-led businesses for 2015; 5:45 p.m. cocktails and reception, 7 p.m. awards presentation at the USF Marshall Student Center, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa. $56 per person; purchase tickets at www.usfalumni.org/2015Fast56. 25 Softball, USF vs. Memphis, 1 and 3:45 p.m. at USF Softball Stadium, listen on BullsCast, 1010 AM. Baseball USF vs. Houston, 4:30 p.m., at USF Baseball Stadium, BullsCast, 1010 AM.
MAY
1-3 Spring 2015 Commencements: 1-2 USF Tampa: 9 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the USF Sun Dome. Visit http://usfweb2.usf.edu/commencement/ceremony-information.asp. 3 USF St. Petersburg: 6 p.m. at the Mahaffey Theater. Visit www.usfweb2. usf.edu/commencement/st-petersburg.asp. 3 USF Sarasota-Manatee: 2 p.m. at the Bradenton Area Convention Center. Visit www.usfsm.edu/students/commencement. 3 Steinway Piano Series featuring outstanding School of Music alumni, 4-5:30 p.m. in Barness Recital Hall at the School of Music, USF, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa. Joshua Sawicki performs early Chopin and Brahms; tickets, $19. Visit www.music.arts.usf.edu. 15 Life Member Appreciation Baseball Game, USF vs UCF, 5:30 p.m. reception, 6:30 p.m. game, USF Baseball Stadium. Life Members must RSVP by May 6 at www.usfalumni.org/baseball. 15 4th Annual Tampa Bay Entrepreneurship Luau to benefit the Michael W. Fountain Scholarship Fund, 7 p.m. cocktails, 8 p.m. award presentations, CL Space, 1911 N. 13th St., Tampa. $75 per ticket; tropical attire. Details at info@entrepreneurshipgala.com; purchase tickets at www.usfalumni.org/gala2015.
JUNE
14-20 USF Da’ “Bull” Reed Camp for oboe, English horn and bassoon players ages 13 and older. Ensembles and performance and reed-making classes; $550 for resident campers, $400 for non-residents. Register by May 22. Visit www.music.arts.usf.edu/ content/go/double-reed-camp or email acollins@oboe.net. 27-28 Summer Plant Festival at USF Botanical Gardens, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday at 12210 USF Pine Drive, Tampa. Vendors sell tropical, natives and exotic plants, herbs and fruit trees and share growing tips. Pepper Beauty Contest on June 28 – free admission for those who bring a decorated pepper; $5 general admission, free for garden members and children age 12 and younger; 813-974-2329 or www.gardens.usf.edu.
PERIODICALS
USF Alumni Association Gibbons Alumni Center University of South Florida 4202 E. Fowler Ave. ALC100 Tampa, FL. 33620-5455 Membership Renewal Date: