Connection Fall 2014

CHEMISTRY GRANT OPENING DOORS FOR UWF STUDENTS

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UWF MILITARY AND VETERANS RESOURCE CENTER PROVIDES SUPPORT, CHANGES LIVES

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JOHN C. PACE LEGACY IMPACTS UWF STUDENTS

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Connection UWF President DR. JUDITH BENSE

Staff List University Advancement Staff

DR. BRENDAN KELLY, Vice President, University Advancement MARTHA LEE BLODGETT, Assistant Vice President, University Advancement GRETCHEN VANVALKENBURG, Executive Director of Development & Alumni Engagement, University Advancement MISSY GRACE ’10, Alumni Relations Director, University Advancement

Editorial

Managing Editor MEGAN GONZALEZ ’09, Director of Communications, University Marketing & Communications Copy Editors and Copy Writers DR. BRUCE SWAIN, Communication Arts Professor BRITTANY SWINFORD ’11, Communications Manager, University Marketing & Communications MARGARET ROBERTS ’12, Communications Manager, University Marketing & Communications

Graphics & Photography

POLA YOUNG ’02, Creative Director, University Marketing & Communications JENNIFER PECK ’08, Senior Graphic Designer, University Marketing & Communications LAUREN SMITH ’08, Assistant Director of Digital Media, University Marketing & Communications

Inside 2 PRESIDENT’S Q&A LETTER FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT

3 ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT 4 NEWS & NOTES 5 MILITARY/VETERAN 7 CALENDAR 9 HIGH-IMPACT PRACTICES 15 ATHLETICS 17 CHEMISTRY GRANT 19 CLASS NOTES 23 PRESIDENT’S SCHOLARSHIP 25 SNAPSHOTS 28 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT 29 PACE SCHOLARS 31 STUDY ABROAD 33 COMPLETE FLORIDA 34 STUDENT AMBASSADOR

JOHN BLACKIE, Photographer, University Marketing & Communications

Contributing Writers

CYNTHIA AUSTAD, MISSY GRACE ’10, CALI LAVINE ’14, MARGARET ROBERTS ’12, MATT ROWLEY, BRITTANY SWINFORD ’11, LUKE VAN BLARICOM ’00 & ’03, OLIVIA WISE ’15

Contact Us

Web uwf.edu/alumni Email alumni@uwf.edu Phone 800.226.1893 Mail UWF Alumni Association, 11000 University Pkwy., Building 12, Pensacola, FL 32514

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At the University of West Florida, faculty are going beyond the lessons hidden in textbooks to engage students in transformational educational experiences that better prepare them to enter the workforce as qualified professionals.

To Give

Online uwf.edu/give Direct Kenda Hembrough at 850.857.6112 or khembrough@uwf.edu UWF Connection is published semi-annually by the Alumni Relations Department with the assistance of University Marketing & Communications. The purpose of Connection is to communicate and engage with UWF alumni, donors, friends and others interested in the activities of UWF.

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DUNCAN CALVERT, computer

science major, works with robotic technology in the UWF Robo Explore Lab. (Pictured on cover)

President’s Q&A HOW DO EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IMPACT STUDENT SUCCESS? In today’s global society, it is imperative that students

gain key professional skills during their time in college, including critical thinking, communication, creativity, collaboration, self-directed learning and more. By engaging our students in transformational educational experiences at the University of West Florida, whether it is an internship, a study-abroad trip, undergraduate research opportunities or a competition team, we are providing them with skills needed to succeed in college and distinguish themselves professionally.

Research shows that high-impact practices not only deepen student learning in and out of the classroom, but also increase retention and levels of performance and success. Additionally, the knowledge students gain at UWF through experiential learning opportunities will set them apart when seeking that first job after graduation and provide them with the tools to succeed throughout their career.

HOW DO COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PLAY A ROLE IN ENHANCING STUDENT LEARNING EXPERIENCES? Many of these

experiences would not be possible without the support of our dedicated partners throughout Northwest Florida. As you’ll learn in this issue of Connection, the College of Business Executive Mentor Program is a wonderful example of collaboration between the University and area business leaders who dedicate their time to establish connections with students and provide networking opportunities, as well as valuable insight into career choice and professional development.

By collaborating with area leaders in a variety of industries, we are providing hands-on, real-world experiences that enhance students’ education and better prepare them to enter the 21st century, global workforce.

HOW ARE FACULTY GOING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM TO TRANSFORM EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES FOR UWF STUDENTS?

At UWF, we have incredible faculty members who are passionate about providing the best educational experiences for their students. Throughout campus, faculty are organizing study-abroad and study-away trips to immerse students in different cultures and real-world industries. Additionally, our professors are developing and implementing innovative techniques, both in and outside of the classroom, to engage students and further enhance the education they receive here at UWF. One example is the Department of Government’s Exit Poll, designed to provide firsthand experience of the American electoral process for UWF political science students. I encourage you to read more in this issue of Connection about the Exit Poll and other ways faculty are thinking outside the box to offer students hands-on learning experiences that are transforming the way we provide higher education into the future.

Letter from the Vice President DEAR ALUMNI & FRIENDS,

As the University of West Florida matures and evolves, the institution continues to emerge as a center point for innovation and opportunity in Northwest Florida.

We are starting the 2014-2015 academic year with a renewed focus on enhancing our academic programs and expanding our reach and impact as an economic driver throughout the region and the state.

This issue of Connection focuses on our efforts to engage students in immersive learning experiences in University classrooms, our community and beyond. High-impact learning experiences, as they are often called, transform the experience of education for students and uniquely prepare them to meet the world and the workforce after graduation. At the University of West Florida, we strive to provide students an education of the head and the hands. Our collective focus on students applying their knowledge to affect change in the world is at the heart of that philosophy.

In many instances, we have called on our alumni to join in our efforts to provide our students with valuable learning opportunities through mentor programs, internships and more. Your help, along with that of our valuable industry partners and key business leaders throughout the region, is making a significant impact on the education and lives of our current students.

With your support, we are positioning ourselves to grow as a distinguished institution serving Northwest Florida. In 2017, we will celebrate our 50th anniversary.

As we approach this milestone, we will remain dynamic, current and innovative, but above all, we will continue to identify opportunities for our students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends to be part of our success and continue to propel this University forward. I look forward to celebrating with you as we move forward.

Warmest regards,

Dr. Brendan Kelly Vice President, University Advancement President, UWF Foundation, Inc. U NI V E R S I TY o f W E ST F LO RIDA Fall 2014

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ALUMN I BOAR D

Alumni Board President’s Message Dear Fellow Alumni, It is my honor to serve as your President of the University of West Florida Alumni Association and represent more than 73,000 alumni. On behalf of the association, I invite you to actively participate in this year’s engagement opportunities and programs, which are designed to facilitate connections with fellow alumni, offer professional growth and networking, celebrate our common past and establish a stronger connection with the University. I also encourage you to stand up and be counted in the Argo Roll Call by making a gift to the annual fund.

The first participation opportunity is UWF Homecoming, which is scheduled for October 13-18, 2014. This year’s schedule is jam-packed with exciting festivities, from academic lectures and athletics to new activities in downtown Pensacola. This is a great time to reconnect with professors and classmates, take a tour of campus, wear your blue and green and show your UWF spirit! For details, please visit uwf.edu/homecoming.

Another way you can get involved is by volunteering your time. The UWF Alumni Association is currently undergoing a restructuring process to encourage wider participation among all alumni. Our goal is to create a new board structure, as well as new venues and programs that will utilize your interests and talent. If you are interested in serving as part of the UWF Alumni Association, please visit alumni.uwf.edu/volunteer to learn more.

Finally, please connect with us and each other through the new Alumni Online Directory.

Membership is free and exclusive to UWF alumni. You can search for friends, make new connections, submit class notes and share only the information that you designate. Please use the number on your address tab of this publication to get started. Visit connect.uwf.edu today!

The UWF Alumni Association welcomes your involvement and participation. If you have any comments, suggestions or questions, please email me or the UWF Alumni Relations Office at alumni@uwf.edu.

Thanks and Go Argos!

Luke van Blaricom, ’00 & ’03

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News & Notes

N E WS & N OT ES

BY MARGARET ROBERTS

Stay informed with the most recent news headlines from the University of West Florida.

UWF hosts German MBA students for three-week program: The UWF MBA program recently hosted 12 students from Germany. The students completed the capstone course of the MBA program, which is the final requirement for graduation. UWF delivers its German MBA program in Ludwigshafen, Germany, through a partnership with the Transatlantik Institute.

UWF partners with state colleges as part of the 2UWF Program: UWF recently established partnerships with Pensacola State College and Tallahassee Community College to provide a seamless transition to UWF. This program offers collaborative advising by UWF Transfer Advisors and an on-site 2UWF Program Coordinator located on the various campuses. Other partners included in the 2UWF Program include Gulf Coast State College and Northwest Florida State College.

UWF Innovation Institute joins CoderDojo movement and hosts programming classes for kids: Twice a month, UWF Innovation Institute hosts a CoderDojo programming class for those who are ages 7-17 to allow them to engage in a fun learning experience where they learn how to code and develop apps, websites, games and more. Pensacola’s dojo is the first in northern Florida, while other clubs exist in Tampa and Miami.

UWF recognizes large gift and new name for Honors Program: The Honors Program at UWF recently recognized the Kugelman Family Foundation for its $250,000 gift. In recognition of the Foundation’s generosity, the program is now named the Kugelman Honors Program.

UWF engineering students earn second place in NASA Hybrid Rocket Competition: UWF students Thenmozhi Elayaperumal, senior computer and electrical engineering major, and Abdul Huuda, senior electrical engineering major, placed second out of 20 competing teams in the NASA Hybrid Rocket Competition.

This was the first time a team from UWF has participated in the competition. Other participating schools included the University of Florida, University of Central Florida, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, University of South Florida, Florida Institute of Technology, University of Miami, Daytona State College and Florida International University.

USF/UWF Doctor of Physical Therapy Program welcomes inaugural class: UWF recently welcomed the first class of students admitted into the University of South Florida/UWF Doctor of Physical Therapy Partnership Program. The program expands access to UWF students interested in pursuing a DPT in Northwest Florida.

UWF students receive scholarship to participate in Florida House Internship in Washington D.C.: UWF students Raymond Matheny and Elizabeth McDonald, both senior international studies majors, recently participated in the Florida House Internship Program in Washington, D.C. to gain valuable experience assisting the program director, shadowing the Florida congressional delegation and exploring offices related to their future career aspirations.

UWF HOSA Team earns national awards: Five students on the UWF Health Occupation Students of America team recently placed in the Top 3 in their respective categories at the 2014 HOSA National Leadership Conference. Collectively, the group received recognition as the Post-Secondary Outstanding HOSA Chapter.

Visit the UWF Newsroom to read more of the latest University news at news.uwf.edu.

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MI LITARY

Paving the Way

from Military Base to College Campus

BY BRITTANY SWINFORD

TIMOTHY JONES is one of

many military and veteran students who have been impacted by the resources offered at UWF and the UWF Military and Veterans Resource Center.

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Fall 2014 UNIVERSIT Y of WE ST FLOR IDA

M I LI TARY

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wo years ago, Timothy Jones was homeless, eager to accept any resources available. Now a senior communication arts major at the University of West Florida, Jones credits his success in part to the opportunities made available through UWF. “The resources given to me at UWF have changed my life,” he said. “I have been blown away by how much everyone here cares. They have provided me with the tools needed to grow academically, professionally and personally.”

Jones, a former U.S. Navy yeoman petty officer 3rd class, is part of approximately 25 percent of UWF students who are affiliated with the military. His story, like many others, is what drives the UWF Military Veterans Resource Center in its mission to assist military and veteran students as they transition from the military environment to campus life.

“The resources given to me at UWF have changed my life. I have been blown away by how much everyone here cares. They have provided me with the tools needed to grow academically, professionally and personally.”

— Timothy Jones, Senior COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS

The MVRC serves as a liaison between University departments and military branches.

One such collaboration, between the MVRC and the UWF Department of Nursing, is helping students pursue nursing degrees through military commissioning programs.

Marc Churchwell, MVRC director, said military students often have trouble applying for nursing programs at higher education institutions because of the difference in university application deadlines and those of military commissioning programs. To ensure students’ access at UWF, Churchwell worked with Dr. Ermalynn Kiehl, chair of the nursing program, to create special deadlines for military students throughout the year that better align with each military branch’s nursing commissioning application process.

“These types of programs make a difference for military students,” Churchwell said. “Not only do we know the military programs, but

we also cater to the unique needs of this student population. This is part of what makes us such a military-friendly University. ” Catherine Cooper, a petty officer 2nd class and UWF senior, said the MVRC and Churchwell were instrumental in paving the way from the Navy to the UWF nursing program.

“I applied to schools across the country, and when I reached out to UWF, Marc responded within a day,” she said. “That same week, I was accepted. Because he works closely with the nursing program chair, she knew who I was before I even walked on campus. It was a very welcoming feeling.”

SCHOLARSHIPS

This spring, Elizabeth Jones became the first UWF student to receive a scholarship through Student Veterans of America. Jones was selected for the Rockwell Collins-Student Veterans of America Wounded Veteran Scholarship totaling $5,000.

Jones, a senior electrical engineering major, served 23 months in the Marine Corps before being medically discharged under honorable conditions as a corporal. She credits the UWF MVRC, as well as the Student Disability Resource Center, for assisting her throughout her college years.

“The MVRC has been instrumental in helping me transition to a four-year University, from registration to applying for Veteran Affairs benefits,” she said. “They were willing to stay open late to help me determine my senior status as I applied for this scholarship. The Student Disability Resource Center also encouraged me to apply for scholarships. Without their support and motivation, I wouldn’t have pursued this opportunity. They are excellent at letting disabled students know they can succeed.”

Each year, the MVRC awards scholarships to students who are either veterans or dependents of active or retired members of the armed forces.

Brig. Gen. Michael Ferguson and his wife, Jane, created an endowment in 2001 to provide scholarships for veteran dependents to pursue their education at UWF. The Brig.

Gen. and Mrs. Michael Ferguson Scholarship assists qualified children of military veterans who demonstrate leadership capability and commitment to service.

“I have been where most students are today,” M. Ferguson said. “I looked for a way to pursue higher education, with no funds to do it.

These scholarships allow me to help some of those people whose parents served, and some who served themselves, to obtain a degree.”

Evelyn Vanderbeck, a junior political sci-

ence major and one of the 2014 recipients of a Brig. Gen and Mrs. Michael Ferguson scholarship, said the award will be a tremendous help as she pursues her dreams of joining the military and becoming a humanitarian. As the daughter of a deceased veteran, she said, scholarships are an invaluable resource for those with military affiliations.

“Military members sacrifice so much,” she said. “My father died because of a combatrelated illness, and there are so many others who are disabled for the rest of their lives. It really puts stress on the families. This scholarship takes the stress off my shoulders and is even more of an inspiration for me to achieve my goals.”

Additional MVRC scholarships include the Buzz and Larue Ambersley Scholarship, established to provide assistance to a dependent child or spouse of a non-commissioned officer (veteran, deceased or active duty) who is a resident of Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa or Walton counties; and the Navy Federal Credit Union Scholarship, established to provide assistance to military veterans and dependents attending UWF. VALUABLE RESOURCES

The MVRC offers academic advising, tutoring, counseling and assistance with GI Bill education benefits and disability accommodations, in addition to other services.

Additionally, UWF is one of 94 schools across the country with a VetSuccess on Campus office. Through the program, a VA Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor is at each designated campus to ensure veterans receive the support and assistance needed to pursue their educational and employment goals. The program is intended to ease veterans’ transitions to student life and assist them in achieving their educational and career goals through the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs’ Post-9/11 GI Bill and other educational programs.

Since 2008, UWF has been named a top military-friendly school by G.I. Jobs magazine.

It has also been recognized as a 2014 “Best for Vets” college by Military Times, included in a list of the “2014 Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans” by the U.S. News and World Report, and named among the 2014 “Best of the Best” Top Veteran-Friendly Schools by U.S. Veteran’s Magazine.

For additional information about UWF’s support for military and veteran students, visit uwf.edu/mvrc.

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CALENDAR

Calendar of Events UWF ALUMNI enjoy the annual golf tournament.

JOIN US OCT 13-18 FOR THE 2014 UWF HOMECOMING! All week long, we’ll be hosting events to celebrate our campus life, students, faculty, staff and alumni.

Visit uwf.edu/homecoming for the most recent news regarding Homecoming events!

(Pictured on right)

Sept. 26 Alumni Golf Classic

September Sept. 26 Alumni Golf Classic Join us for a fun day

of golfing at Scenic Hills Country Club at the University of West Florida. Registration begins at 11 a.m., with a shotgun start at noon. The 18-hole tournament will be followed by an awards ceremony with great company and prizes. The cost is $325 for a team or $85 per individual and includes green fee, cart fee, range balls, lunch, the awards ceremony and goodie bag. For more information please visit alumni.uwf.edu/programs.

October Oct. 7 2014 Fall Career Showcase Career

Services is hosting the 2014 Fall Career Showcase from 1 to 4 p.m. Employers will be seeking UWF students and alumni in the College of Business, Building 76A, and the College of Science, Engineering and Health, Building 4. If you are interested in full-time, internship or co-op opportunities, make sure to stop by. Attendees are encouraged to dress professionally and bring a resume.

To learn more, visit uwf.edu/career.

Oct. 15 Pep Rally/Concert This event starts with

a pumped-up pep rally to get students, alumni and community members ready for the upcoming sporting events. It wraps up with a concert where we bring a musical artist to celebrate with us.

Oct. 17 Homecoming & Family Weekend Tailgate Party Join alumni, students,

families and friends of UWF as we come

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Fall 2014 UNIVERSIT Y of WE ST FLOR IDA

together amid food, tents and lawn games to get ready for the night’s soccer matches.

The celebration will last from 4:30 to 7 p.m. and will be held at the UWF Soccer Field.

Men’s and Women’s Soccer Game The

campus community is invited to come and cheer on the Argonauts at the UWF Soccer Complex during the Homecoming games against the University of AlabamaHuntsville Chargers and be present for the announcement of the 2014 Mr. and Mrs. UWF. The women play at 5 p.m., and the men at 7:30 p.m. Visit goargos.com for additional information.

UWF Homecoming Gallery Night UWF

partners with the Downtown Improvement Board and the City of Pensacola to bring its students, alumni and the community to the monthly Gallery Night. Join us on Government Street from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and explore all that downtown Pensacola has to offer.

Oct. 18 Wine and Spirits Alumni Event Take

part in the annual haunted tours through downtown Pensacola and then celebrate with the Alumni Association. Contact the UWF Alumni Relations Office at 850.474.2766 for more information.

Oct. 17-19 Startup Weekend Pensacola Startup

Weekend Pensacola is your chance to be a part of the next great idea. Startup Weekends are 54-hour events where developers, designers, marketers, product managers and startup enthusiasts come together to share ideas, for teams, build products and launch startups. For more information and to register visit swpns.org.

Oct. 19 Dr. William Mikulas Lecture: Taming the Drunken Monkey Dr. Mikulas, UWF

psychology professor and expert on blending Western psychology with Eastern wisdom and health traditions, will teach on developing three basic behaviors of your mind: concentration, awareness, and flexibility. Mikulas will present content from his recently published book, Taming the Drunken Monkey: The Path to Mindfulness, Meditation, and Increased Concentration.

The class will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. at Unity Church, located at 716 North 9th Avenue in Pensacola.

Oct. 25 UWF Emerald Coast Finish Here 5k Run/Walk This event takes place on the

Fort Walton Beach campus. It is a large loop, all paved, passing by academic buildings as well as a lake and pond. The event includes a post-race celebration complete with live music and refreshments.

The proceeds of the race will be used to fund the UWF Emerald Coast Finish Here Scholarship to support a student pursuing his or her academic and life dreams.

Participants can register at active.com.

December Dec. 13 Fall Commencement Join us at the

Pensacola Bay Center as we welcome the newest members of the UWF Alumni Association. Graduate and undergraduate students will be honored with their respective colleges at both morning and afternoon ceremonies. The morning ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. and will feature students from the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities and the College of Education and Professional Studies. The afternoon ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. and will feature students from the College of Business and the College of Science, Engineering and Health.

CALEN DAR

Oct. 15

Homecoming Pep Rally

Oct. 17 Homecoming Tailgate Party

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Fall 2014 UNIVERSIT Y of WE ST FLOR IDA

BY BRITTANY SWINFORD

At the University of West Florida, faculty are going beyond the lessons hidden in textbooks to engage students in transformational educational experiences.

Whether it’s a student teacher instilling a love of reading in elementary school students through applied research methods or a group of students acting as a fullfledged public relations agency to develop a comprehensive PR campaign for an area non-profit organization, UWF students are gaining real-world knowledge and skills that will better prepare them to enter the workforce as qualified professionals.

ABC UWF EDUCATION STUDENT Amanda

Sellers works through reading exercises with third grade students at Ferry Pass Elementary School.

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MEMBERS OF THE SPRING 2014 PR CAMPAIGNS CLASS visit

the Imogene Theatre in Milton after earning top honors for their rebranding campaign at the Florida Public Relations Association’s Golden Image Awards Gala in August.

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n a third-grade classroom at Ferry Pass Elementary School in Pensacola, University of West Florida student Amanda Sellers watches a little girl lean in close and point to words on a page, not understanding how to read them.

Sellers, a senior elementary education and exceptional students education major, was leading the student and her classmates in repeated reading exercises as part of Classwide Peer Tutoring, an evidence-based practice designed to improve reading fluency. Over the course of the school year, she said, she saw a significant change in the student.

“She stopped pointing at every word on the page,” Sellers said. “She sat taller and smiled after she read something. Her end-of-the-year test scores showed miraculous improvements in reading comprehension. It was wonderful seeing her, and so many other students, making such gains by something as simple as repeated reading.”

Although she is still in college, Sellers’ time 11

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at Ferry Pass offered her the unique ability to be both teacher and student. Her purpose in the classroom was not only to teach Classwide Peer Tutoring, but also to conduct research under the supervision of Dr. Keith Whinnery, assistant director of the UWF Department of Teacher Education and Educational Leadership, on its effectiveness in helping students improve their reading skills.

“Because of this experience, I have gained so much that I would not have in any University classroom,” she said. “I was able to run ideas by Dr. Whinnery and ask for his advice and opinions, and I developed professional relationships with teachers and staff at Ferry Pass. I never felt like an outsider or a college student. I felt important, like I was doing something worthwhile.”

Enhancing Professional Readiness According to the Association of American Colleges and Universities, high-impact practices like the Classwide Peer Tutoring system research deepen student learning and engagement and raise levels of performance, retention and success. At UWF, faculty members are designing and implementing immersive experiences to transform students’ education in the classroom and beyond.

“Our driving inspiration is giving our students experiences that will set them apart after they graduate,” said Dr. Martha Saunders, UWF provost. “We can help distinguish them from other college graduates through transformational educational experiences, and those are what we call high-impact practices.”

The key to high-impact practices, Saunders said, is the way they enhance students’ overall education and enable them to apply the knowledge they have already gained so that they are better prepared to succeed in the workforce.

“The students invest themselves in these transformational educational experiences,” she said. “They are using what they learn and honing their skills before they ever leave us. A good education and quality classroom experience is fundamental, but this is professional readiness.”

Making an Impact Whinnery first introduced Classwide Peer Tutoring to Escambia County in 2012 through a partnership with Ferry Pass and 5th grade teacher Philip Ebert, in an effort

to improve reading fluency and integrate special needs students into regular classroom environments.

Classwide Peer Tutoring is centered on the idea of students working together to practice reading while identifying and correcting errors.

Ebert, a 2012 UWF alumnus and current graduate student in the Department of Teacher Education and Educational Leadership, said his experience with the system has made a significant impact on his teaching methods and exemplified the value of utilizing resources available through the University.

“It was great to be able to use all of the resources UWF has to offer,” he said. “Dr. Whinnery was essential in helping me implement it in my classroom and adapt the system to meet individual students’ needs. The most eye-opening aspect is seeing how motivated these students are to read as a result of Classwide Peer Tutoring.”

Following the success of the program in Ebert’s class, Whinnery worked with Ferry Pass to introduce it in a third-grade classroom. He brought in Sellers and another UWF education student to conduct a research study on its effectiveness as part of the College of Education and Professional Studies Emerge Program, which helps faculty design and utilize high-impact practices for University students in and outside of the classroom.

As part of their research, Whinnery and the students conducted pre- and post-testing, trained teachers and students to use the Classwide Peer Tutoring system, implemented tutoring sessions twice a week and analyzed the results.

“By studying the success of Classwide Peer Tutoring, our undergraduate students learned about conducting applied research directly related to their future careers,” Whinnery said.

“Because finding effective methods to include students with a wide ability of ranges was a stated goal of Ferry Pass, these pre-service teachers were able to serve a specific need within the school while furthering their own skills.”

Serving Northwest Florida In the Department of Communication Arts, public relations students are going beyond a textbook to assume the role of official PR practitioners through the Public Relations Campaigns class, taught by instructor Eileen Perrigo. Also known as Wellspring PR, this capstone course provides graduating seniors a thorough experience in conducting a public relations campaign and preparing communications materials for a local nonprofit 501©(3) organization of their choice.

April Phillips, ’03, served as the executive

KEVIN VAN LANDINGHAM,

electrical engineering major, works with robotic technology in the UWF Robo Explore Lab.

director for the first Wellspring PR course in 2003. Now serving as the communications program director for the American Red Cross’ Biomedical Field Marketing and Communications in Atlanta, Philips said the experience was a challenge that pulled together everything she had learned throughout her college career.

“We were working with real clients who were completely honest about what they liked and disliked. This was my first class where I wasn’t thinking about my grade. Every step of the way I put 110 percent into it, because I wanted to put forth my best work.”

“Wellspring PR provides a real-world learning experience that students will use throughout their career,” she said. “ I still use examples of what I learned in that class today.”

Phillips and her classmates worked with the UWF international center to develop a campaign that would raise awareness and promote its services for students. Since then, Wellspring PR has assisted 12 nonprofit organizations in Northwest Florida, including Manna Food Bank, Appetite4Life, Ballet Pensacola, the Pensacola Museum of Art and more.

Zachary Farrington, a senior communication arts major, served as the creative director in the Spring 2014 Wellspring PR class. Tasked with developing a comprehensive public relations campaign for the Imogene Theatre in Milton, he said it was an experience unlike anything else he has done at UWF. “It was really good to get an idea of what it would be like to work for a real PR agency,” he said. “We were working with real clients who were completely honest about what they liked and disliked. This was my first class where I wasn’t thinking about my grade. Every step of the way I put 110 percent into it, because I wanted to put forth my best work.”

Discovering Science through Innovation Online students in the UWF Department of Applied Science, Technology and Administration are engaging in hands-on learning through the Robo Explore Lab, an Emerge Program initiative launched in Summer 2013.

Dr. Lakshmi Prayaga, assistant professor of informational/instructional technology, collaborated with the UWF physics department to develop the interactive laboratory that enables online students to conduct experiments related to networking and telecommunications remotely with robots. The lab is among U NI V E R S I TY o f W E ST F LO R I DA Fall 2014

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he gives much credit to the education he received at the University for pointing him in the right direction while he pursued a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master’s in business administration, he said another key to his success was the solid advice and opportunities given to him by distinguished alumni outside of the classroom.

“The Executive Mentor Program has provided connections I could not have made myself, and opened the door to a good internship opportunity.”

GULF POWER COMPANY EXECUTIVE BENTINA TERRY provides career

advice to Kristin Doby, ’13, as part of the College of Business Executive Mentor Program.

the nation’s first to utilize tele-robotics in an online classroom setting.

The robots are equipped with sensors and web cams and connected to a server that authenticates each user who enters the lab.

Online students can access the lab through the Internet, and through video streaming, observe and control the robots’ movements in real time.

“The Robo Explore Lab allows students to explore and apply theoretical concepts to realworld applications,” Prayaga said. “Providing such a hands-on experience for online students is a major breakthrough in their learning environment.”

For Gary Lyon, senior information engineering technology major, the Robo Explore Lab helped him create a visual understanding of his textbook knowledge.

“You could see what you were interacting with in the text-based environment,” he said.

“The lab provides a physical learning experience that really puts everything in perspective.”

The lab was developed as part of Robotic Interactive Learning Environment, or RILE. RILE, an educational technologies company that is based at UWF, collaborated with iSpace, an innovative education software development company, to create cutting edge 13

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technologies for schools and universities through an e-learning platform that utilizes simulations and robotics in a laboratory environment.

Nancy Griffin, ’14, said her experience with the Robo Explore Lab will have an impact on her career as a computer programmer and analyst for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service in Tallahassee.

“Through the Robo Explore Lab, we had to use what we learned and apply it hands-on,” she said. “The experience opened my eyes to the opportunities made possible through virtual technology, and encouraged me to continue learning even now, after I have earned my degree.”

Establishing Community Connections As vice president of Florida First Capital Finance Corporation and co-founder/partner of accountingfly, James Hosman, ’99, ’01, is the picture of professional success. Although

“After I graduated, I knew I wanted to give students the same experiences I had in college,” he said. “The University does a great job giving to students. When you graduate, you have a solid educational foundation. But it is also important for alumni to give back by providing students with opportunities and experiences they won’t get in class.”

Hosman is giving back through the College of Business Executive Mentor Program, where he helps students establish connections in the business world and gain valuable insights into issues such as career choice and development and networking skills.

Taylor Fuller, a senior accounting major who aspires to be an entrepreneur, is one of Hosman’s current mentees. He said the Executive Mentor Program has had an invaluable impact on his experience at UWF thus far.

In addition to meeting with Hosman on a regular basis and receiving career advice, Fuller said the mentorship has allowed him to meet several local business leaders and entrepreneurs and has led to an internship at accountingfly.

“This experience is a bridge between college and the career field,” Fuller said. “The Executive Mentor Program has provided connections I could not have made myself, and opened the door to a good internship opportunity. I have also been able to build a solid relationship with James, and I know that I can call him anytime and he’ll steer me in the right direction.”

Kristin Doby, ’13, a production planner for Corning Inc. in Glendale, Ariz., was another student impacted by the Executive Mentor Program. She said her time with mentor Bentina Terry, vice president of customer service and sales for Gulf Power Co., helped her grow both professionally and personally.

“It was an awesome opportunity to learn from Bentina’s experiences and struggles,” she said. “She helped me with making decisions for my future, and made me more confident

in what I wanted to do. It’s a wonderful idea to connect students with leaders in the community. These programs are crucial for student success after graduation.”

Engaging Local Voters Developed by Dr. Jennifer Emery, associate professor in the UWF Department of Government, in collaboration with Alison Howard at Dominican University and Mary Jane Lindrum of Soomo Publishing, the Exit Poll Project allows political science students the opportunity to experience the American electoral process firsthand as exit pollsters.

“This project allows a level of engagement with the election that students have never experienced before,” Emery said.

The idea came from Dr. Jocelyn Evans, associate professor and chair of the Department of Government, when she first arrived at UWF in 2003. She worked with her students to develop an exit poll for the presidential election in 2004 “as an experiment,” she said, in partnership with Soomo Publishing, who utilized the opportunity to film a short

documentary on the students’ experience.

“Over the years, it became a student favorite,” Evans said. “We are working with students between 18 and 22 years old, meaning this is often the first election in which they can vote. This is when it means the most to them. The process is as scary as it’s ever going to be, and the project means more than it ever will.”

“The project gave me a better understanding of how voting works. I fell in love with my field by getting out of the classroom and experiencing it for myself.”

As part of the project, students complete multimedia assignments leading up to the election. They also develop a survey featuring election-centered questions about perceptions of candidates, partisanship and policy issues.

The project also includes demographic indicators that allow students to compare local voter attributes to national exit-poll results.

The UWF Department of Government partners with the Escambia County Supervisor of Elections to allow students access to randomly selected precincts, where they survey one out of every three voters. The students then enter the survey responses into a database, used to predict the winner of the election before an official announcement is made.

Cody Childress, ’14, said his participation in the 2012 Exit Poll Project spurred his lifelong interest in political science and inspired him to pursue a career in local government.

After the project was completed, Childress interned with the Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office and was later hired as an assistant. He credits the exit poll with opening doors for his success.

“Projects like the exit poll are more handson,” he said. “There is only so much you can learn from theories. To actually learn firsthand and apply those theories is incredibly valuable.”

Anhar Ibrahim, ’14, was another participant in the 2012 Exit Poll Project who credited it with having a major impact on her education as a political science major.

“The project gave me a better understanding of how voting works,” she said. “I fell in love with my field by getting out of the classroom and experiencing it for myself.”

ANHAR IBRAHIM, ’14, AND NICHOLAS DELMAR wait for

voters to leave the precinct while conducting an exit poll for the 2012 Presidential Election.

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ATHLE TICS Photo Credit: Ben Twingley/PNJ

RICHARD BERG, former UWF athletic director, is selected to the inaugural Gulf South Conference Hall of Fame Class. (Left) DAVE SCOTT, Current UWF athletic director, is one of four winners of the Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year. (Right)

UWF Athletics Continues ‘Building Champions for Life’

BY MARGARET ROBERTS

E

choes from fans wearing blue and green proudly cheering on the University of West Florida fill the crowded stadium. Student-athletes drip sweat from their brows as they lead the Argonauts to another win. These are the moments University student-athletes and coaches lived for in 1967.

From the beginning of the University’s athletic history, the department has been “Building Champions for Life.” Directors and coaches recruit and develop well-rounded student-athletes who compete at the championship level, while keeping high academic standards and community engagement a top priority. Richard Berg, former UWF athletic director, said the emphasis on academics first is the resilient backbone of the program.

“The coaches recruit stellar student-athletes,” Berg said. “There is a spirit of dedication in these students at UWF. Athletics gives them something to be proud of, together. They work together, support each other and act like a family.”

Berg has contributed to and witnessed some of the most influential and impactful moments in UWF athletics history. Beginning his term as UWF athletic director in 1988, he grew the department from nine teams and an annual budget of $500,000 to 13 teams and a budget of more than $3 million. During his 19 years at UWF, the University claimed its first National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national championship in 1993 and the first three National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II national championships in 2001, 2004 and 2005.

UWF also hired some of the most successful coaches in the Gulf South Conference and NCAA Division II history under Berg’s watch.

His coaches, many of whom are still on staff, 15

Fall 2014 UNIVERS IT Y of WE ST FLOR IDA

earned 43 GSC Coach of the Year awards under his leadership.

“Richard laid the foundation for success,” said Dave Scott, current UWF athletic director.

“He showed us what success looks like while he was here by winning 41 championships and transitioning us from NAIA to a NCAA Division II GSC powerhouse in 1994. The coaches Richard hired have provided us stability. They have joined, grown and stayed here at UWF.” In June, Berg had the distinct honor of being selected to the inaugural Gulf South Conference Hall of Fame class. The 10-person inaugural class includes five former student-athletes, three administrators and two head coaches.

“It is very humbling to be in the first class as one of the three administrators that were inducted,” Berg said. “It is quite an honor.”

Now boasting eight national championships and 79 Gulf South Conference championships, the University is on track to further its success.

“We state that we’re announcing football, and I can tell you, there aren’t many people who don’t know where UWF is now,” Scott said. “Athletics helps grow the market and perception of the institution. Our academic programs are already exceptional, but our athletic recognitions help to further promote our institution.”

Since beginning his tenure in 2008, Scott has led the Argonauts to success at the conference level, winning at least four GSC titles in each of his first six years. In 2011, UWF reached 59 GSC championships, passing Troy for the most all-time in the league’s history.

The Argonauts extended their all-time lead and now stand at 79 after the 2013-14 recordsetting year.

UWF athletics has also seen success at the national level under Scott’s watch, includ-

ing national championships in 2011, 2012 and 2014. At least one team has competed in a national tournament in each of the last six seasons. In the 2013-2014 Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup standings, UWF finished ninth among all schools in Division II, the highest rank in school history.

“You need great coaches,” Scott said. “They recruit students who strive to join the team, study hard and be a part of something that is bigger than they are. Support from the staff and President Judy Bense are what make it possible to provide the resources needed to be competitive.”

This May, Scott was named one of four NCAA Division II winners of the Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year award, announced by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. He credits the staff, coaches and student-athletes, as well as the foundation and legacy that Berg laid for the UWF athletic department, for this achievement.

“It was as much an honor for our department and staff as it was for me,” Scott said. “I work with good people who do what is necessary to move the needle forward. We’re always trying to take it to the next level.”

With the inaugural season of football coming in 2016, the bar continues to be raised for UWF athletics. Scott said the implementation of football, especially in downtown Pensacola, is going to invite the community to stand on the sidelines of history.

“University traditions are built around athletics,” he said. “Helping create those traditions and encouraging alumni to return to campus bridge a gap to the community and get people involved with UWF.”

AT H LET I C S

1

2

3

Photo Credit: Matt Marriott/NCAA Photos

Spring Season Recap

BY MATT ROWLEY

T

he 2013-14 athletic season ended in memorable fashion for UWF, as the Argonauts reached a new level of dominance in the Gulf South Conference and claimed their eighth national championship.

The UWF golf and tennis teams swept through the conference, claiming four more GSC titles; totaling eight in one year and marking a new league record. All four teams advanced to NCAA postseason play, with the men’s tennis team making the most news by winning its third NCAA Division II national championship in University history.

The fall season included GSC titles for the women’s soccer, men’s soccer and women’s volleyball teams, and the spring semester started with more highlights as the UWF women’s basketball

1. UWF Men’s Golf JR Schultz chips from off the green during a practice round at Scenic Hills Country Club.

2. UWF Women’s Basketball Seniors Tayler Byrd and Toynetta Johnson congratulate each other at the 2014 GSC Women’s Basketball Tournament.

3. UWF Men’s Tennis Bruno Savi, senior, returns the ball during a home match at the Ralph “Skeeter” Carson Tennis Complex.

team claimed its first conference title. The UWF women’s swimming and diving team, in its first season, made its mark at the NCAA Division II Championships by placing 23rd in the nation.

The historic year ended with multiple major awards: • UWF finished ninth in the Division II Learfield Sports Directors Cup, its highest finish ever.

• UWF won the GSC women’s all-sports trophy and the GSC overall all-sports trophy.

• Dave Scott was named the Division II Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year.

• Student-athletes Gary Buffington III (men’s golf) and Renea Porsch (women’s cross country) were named to the GSC Top Ten.

Coaches Corner Although she has only been at UWF for two years, it didn’t take long for Stephanie Lawrence Yelton to make a name for herself in the University’s history books.

With her first season under her belt, Yelton started out the 2013-2014 season strong, ultimately leading her new-look Argos to a memorable finish. After one of the most successful regular seasons in University history, the Argos faced Gulf South Conference favorite Delta State in the GSC title game. The underdog Argonauts cruised to a 67-59 win and their first conference championship in the program’s 34-year history.

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CHEMISTRY

Success in Chemistry UWF Awarded $930k Grant by National Institute of Health

BY BRITTANY SWINFORD

T

he Department of Chemistry at the University of West Florida has a chemistry all its own.

“We’re a learning community,” said Dr. Michael Huggins, chemistry professor and dean of the College of Science, Engineering and Health. “We’re all part of the same team. We’re working on different projects, but we’re all moving in the same direction.”

The department culture is one of the keys to the department’s success, said Huggins and Dr. Karen Molek, an assistant professor of chemistry.

This summer, Huggins and Molek added to the list of department accomplishments when they were awarded a National Institute of Health grant totaling approximately $930,000, to be distributed over the next five years.

“With the help of the The Maximizing Access to ReMARC U-STAR grant, I search Career Programs through Uncan delve further into my dergraduate Student Training in Academic Research, or MARC U-STAR, desired career of being a grant will provide support for underneurosurgeon by earning represented undergraduate students a M.D./Ph.D., and become hoping to pursue Ph.D. or M.D./ Ph.D. degrees in the biomedical and a role model for other behavioral sciences.

The grant provides financial support students like myself.” to students to allow them to spend — Hailey Egido-Betancourt, Junior more time on laboratory research, improving their preparation for high-caliber graduate programs. At UWF, the grant money will be used to fund tuition and a portion of housing expenses for students participating in the MARC Scholars Program, as well as summer stipends for students to conduct research on and off campus during the summer semester. Additional funds will go toward research supply stipends for UWF faculty mentors from various STEM departments and other expenses.

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Fall 2014 UNIVERS IT Y of WE ST FLOR IDA

“Dr. Huggins and I have the privilege of using this award to mentor students and help them achieve greater success than they ever dreamed,” Molek said. “Research scientists capable of solving health concerns of the 21st century will require collaborative research from a diverse workforce. The diversity of professional research scientists can only result when all students are given the opportunity to ascertain their potential. My goal is to help remove financial barriers so that all students have the opportunity to receive a high quality education.”

Hailey Egido-Betancourt and Pristine Kirkconnell, both junior chemistry majors, were among the first three students to be selected by Huggins and Molek as MARC Scholars at UWF. Like many chemistry students at the University, that isn’t their only claim to fame.

In September 2013, Egido-Betancourt was the first UWF student to participate in the DOW-MIT ACCESS Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The weekend program introduces talented sophomores, juniors and seniors to the benefits of a graduate education in chemistry, chemical engineering and materials science.

Kirkconnell is one of nine UWF students who have been invited to join the prestigious National American Chemical Society Scholars program and awarded a scholarship. Additionally, both Egido-Betancourt and Kirkconnell are active participants in the UWF Chemistry Scholars Program.

Egido-Betancourt, a first-generation student, said the MARC U-STAR grant is paving the way for her to accomplish her lifelong dreams of earning multiple degrees and becoming a neurosurgeon.

“This scholarship will open up paths toward new opportunities I didn’t have as an incoming freshmen at UWF,” she said. “It is allowing me to spend more time in the lab and have the chance to do research off campus at a M.D./Ph.D.-granting institution. With the help of the

CH EM I ST RY

MARC U-STAR grant, I can delve further into my desired career of being a neurosurgeon by earning an M.D./ Ph.D., and become a role model for other students like myself.”

Kirkconnell said it wasn’t until she came to UWF that she realized her passion for chemistry.

“General chemistry was one of the hardest things I had ever done, and it was absolutely amazing,” she said. “I found myself wandering the halls of the library straining to learn as much as I could. I absolutely fell in love with it.”

This summer, Kirkconnell was able to participate in hands-on research with Dr. Tanay Kesharwani, an assistant professor. The experience she’s gained has not only impacted her overall education at UWF, she said, but also encouraged her to continue on to a Ph.D. program.

“My experience at UWF has allowed me to make future career goals,” she said. “Having the opportunity to conduct research before you attend graduate school is something that other universities don’t offer. It gives us a huge advantage over other students who are applying.”

The UWF Department of Chemistry reports that 94 percent of alumni who apply to graduate school are accepted. It is also home to the UWF Chemistry Scholars

Program, which has helped improve the percentage of underrepresented chemistry graduates from 5 percent in 2008-2012 to 32 percent in 2012-2014. The number of underrepresented chemistry graduates pursuing graduate degrees has also risen from 2 percent in 2008-2012 to 17 percent in 2012-2014, in part as a result of the creation of the UWF Chemistry Scholars program.

Molek said the MARC U-STAR grant will also aid the University’s efforts to expand the UWF Chemistry Scholars program into other STEM departments across campus and secure additional federal grants.

“This grant will allow UWF to increase the opportunities for students majoring in biology, chemistry and physics by providing them with experiences and training that will help them be outstanding scientists, researchers and physicians,” Huggins said. “The mentoring and research training provided to students will play a critical role in their professional development, helping to ensure they have the best chances of being successful.”

HAILEY EGIDOBETANCOURT, junior,

conducts research in the UWF Department of Chemistry for the MARC Scholars Program.

For additional information about the UWF Department of Chemistry, visit uwf.edu/chemistry.

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C LASS NOTE S

Class Notes

retired from the U.S. military after 21 years of service. Baldwin writes poetry, articles and essays, which are generally published online on his blogs, websites or those of others.

1960s ’69 David Walby, BA History, authored a book about William Henry Chase, the senior engineer who supervised the construction of the Pensacola forts. Walby was part of a celebration at Fort Pickens, where a donated portrait of Chase, a presentation and a book signing were included in the William Henry Chase Celebration.

Walby

’69 & ’73 Barbara Resler Weeks, BA Studio Art & MA History, is a USO volunteer at the Pensacola Naval Air Station. Weeks uses her talent as a sketch artist to draw portraits of sailors and Marines who visit the USO.

1970s ’70 Richard Kirkland, MS Aeronautical Systems, has been appointed vice president of Lockheed Martin’s International Strategic initiatives, where he will lead efforts that support the corporation’s international growth priorities. ’71 James O. Ellis Jr., MS Aeronautical Systems, has been appointed chairman of the Board of Directors for Level 3 Communications, Inc. Level 3 Communications, Inc. is a Fortune-500 company that provides local, national and global communications services to enterprise, government and carrier customers. ’72 Leland Lewis, BA Political Science, is the new general manager for the Roosevelt Hotel in Midtown Manhattan.

Lewis has excelled in the hospitality industry for more than 30 years and will oversee all operations for the 1,015room, historic hotel property. ’73 Donovan Baldwin, BA Accounting, 19

Fall 2014 UNIVERSIT Y of WE ST FLOR IDA

’74 Dr. Kenneth Benoit, BA Music Education, had his musical composition “Indecision” for brass quintet performed by the College Music Society at the Great Lakes Regional Conference at North Dakota State University in Fargo, ND on March 28, 2014. ’74 Capt. Dan Cain, USN, (ret.), BS Marine Biology, was honored as part of the Heroes Among Us series at the Veterans Memorial Park in downtown Pensacola. Cain retired from the Navy in 2004 after 36 years of military service. ’74 Robert M. Foster, BA History, is a veteran Circuit Court judge in Nassau County, Fla. Foster’s service was honored by the Nassau County Judicial Annex, which is being renamed the “Robert M. Foster Justice Center.” ’74 Ellen P. Anson, BA Special Education, was named one of the final four candidates vying to serve as the 2014-2015 Alabama Teacher of the Year. Anson is a special education teacher at Rocky Ridge Elementary School in the Hoover City School System. ’75 James Sams Sr., BA Accounting, is a retired Monsanto accountant and Emeritus Life Member of the Institute of Management Accounts. ’78 Julie Cooper, BA Communication Arts, joined Texas State University in September 2013 as managing editor of Hillviews, the university magazine produced by its Division of University Advancement. ’78 Jackson Tuttle, MS Public Administration, was selected by the International City/County Management Association in Williamsburg, Tuttle Va. to receive the 2014 Award for Career Excellence and the William and Mary Prentis Award. Tuttle is a past assistant city manager of Pensacola and city manager at Gulf Breeze, Fla. ’79 Keith Massengill, BS Leisure Studies, is the hospitality coordinator for the UWF Emerald Coast Campus.

1980s ’80 Thomas Watson, BA Accounting, is now retired and owner of A Sweet Home Alabama Campground and RV Park in Andalusia, Ala. ’81 & ’83 Joanne Karimi, BA Management and MBA, has been named vice president of human resources for Curtiss-Wright. Prior to joining Curtiss-Wright, Karimi was employed by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, leading the company’s human resources function. ’81 Veronique Niles Spruill, MA Communication Arts, was inducted into the Loyola University New Orleans Den of Distinction, which honors outstanding Loyola communication alumni. Spruill is the president and CEO of the Council on Foundations, a national non-profit association of philanthropic organizations and corporations. ’83 Craig McCrary, BA Accounting, is the owner of PlanComplete.Net, a business resumption plan review service. McCrary is also the owner of BirdFeet.Net, an avian and pet bird supply company. ’83 Leif H. Hendrickson, MBA, a career Marine Corps Officer from 1973-2004, is currently a self-employed consultant and executive coach for LHH Enterprises in the Alexandria, Va. area. ’84 Kathleen Clough Brooks, BS Nursing, retired from the United States Navy Nurse Corps in January 2011 with 21 years of service. Brooks retired from VHA as a registered nurse at the Jacksonville, Fla., outpatient clinic. ’84 Todd Hady, BS Marketing, joined Nuevo, a contemporary furnishings and lighting company, as vice president of sales. Hady, an industry professional with more than 35 years of sales experience, was most recently the vice president of sales for Kincaid Furniture. ’84 ’93 & ’04 Theresa Harden, BA Political Science, Specialist in Education-Educational Leadership & M.Ed. Education-Curriculum & Instruction, began her teaching career as a special education teacher in 1984.

She worked as a special education resource consultant and helped start the alternative school program in Baldwin County before her duties as assistant principal at Robertsdale High School. Harden retired from Rosinton Elementary School in May after a nineyear tenure as principal. ’85 Kim Vance, BA Accounting, has been appointed as the newest

C LASS N OT ES

Hillsborough County Court judge.

Vance began her legal career in 1997 with Tampa’s Rahdert, Anderson, McGowen and Steele firm. Vance is a Tampa native and a partner with the GrayRobinson law firm. ’85 Doug Marshall, BA Accounting, is the chief financial officer for United Cerebral Palsy of the Greater Birmingham area. As CFO, Marshall is responsible for all financial and accounting functions of UCPGB. ’85 Paul Ramos, BS Sports Science, has joined imortgage as the new regional manager. imortgage is a top-five mortgage lender. Ramos is tasked with building a multi-state Southwest region. ’88 Wendy E. Kobler, BS Marketing, has been appointed vice chancellor for advancement at Indiana UniversityPurdue University in Fort Wayne, Ind. Kobler serves as the chief fundraising officer while overseeing primary development, marketing and alumni relations for the campus. ’88 & ’00 Jeffery Newberry, BA & MA English, associate professor of English, was named the first Poet in Residence at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Ga. ’88 & ’94 John Overstreet, BS Health, Leisure and Exercise Science & MS Management, has been named director of parks, open space and recreation at the City of Steamboat Springs, Colo.

Overstreet manages more than 42 miles of trails, Howelsen Ski Hill, Rodeo Arena, Steamboat Tennis Center, Haymaker Golf Club and Yampa River Botanic Park. ’89 Dennis Kimble, BA Accounting, owns Helping Hands Home Care Inc., a Medicare-certified home-health agency in the Ocala, Fla. that he started with his business partner in the fall of 2005.

Kimble lives in the Tampa area with his wife, Debbie, and their four children: Joshua (freshman at UF), Kaitlyn (HS Junior), Andrew (4th Grade) and David (1st Grade). ’89 Senator Michael Jacobs, MA Political Science, received the 2014 YMCA Legislative Hero Award as a symbol of gratitude for his years of dedication to the YMCA, local youth and teens and his community in Springfield, Ill. ’89 Judith Lysaght, BS Marketing, has a new role as mortgage lending project manager for DocuTech, a leading provider of compliance and documentation technology.

1990s

of museum experience to his new position.

’90 David Lockwood Wernet, MS Public Administration, is the new general manager of Destin Water Users in Destin, Fla. Wernet has worked with Destin Water Users since 2000, when he joined the Board of Directors. He was previously employed with Newton Oldacre McDonald. ’90 & ’96, Charissa Cotten, BA Accounting & M.Acc., has opened a public accounting firm, Charissa H. Cotten, CPA, PA on Woodbine Road in Pace, Fla. The firm’s focus is individual, business and nonprofit tax as well as business consulting and controller services. ’90 & ’05 Marilyn Shugart, BA Music and MA Humanities, has been hired as the gifted education program facilitator for Santa Rosa County, Fla., School District. ’90 Julie Weal, BA Legal Administration, earned a law degree from the University of Florida in 1996.

Most recently Weal practiced family law with Brevard County Legal Aid. In 2006, while employed with BCLA, she received the Attorney of the Year Award from the 18th Judicial Circuit’s Office of the State Attorney. Weal is currently a staff attorney with the State of Florida. ’90 & ’91 Jeff Uchin, BA Communication Arts and BA Interdisciplinary Social Science, is a social sciences educator and varsity coach at Flanagan High School in Pembroke Pines, Fla. Uchin’s varsity soccer team won the Class 5A district championship for the first time in the 17-year history of the school.

’93 Ken Shugart, MA Psychology, has been promoted to Senior Academic Advisor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. ’94 Chiquita Henderson, BA Interdisciplinary Social Science, was promoted to Assistant Dean of Student Development of Pasco-Hernando State College in Land O’ Lakes, Fla. ’94 Jay Sherwin, BA International Studies, joined Lockton’s Denver operation as Senior Vice President and Department Manager of Financial and Professional Services. Lockton is the world’s largest privately held insurance broker. ’94 Clinton Shane Walker, BA Communication Arts, manages the medical devices and health care IT research portfolio at HIS. Walker has authored numerous syndicated reports, provided strategic market analysis for end equipment manufacturers and speaks regularly at industry events. ’95, ’08 & ’10 Katherine “Kassy” Tyler, BA Psychology, Specialist in Education & Doctor of Education Curriculum & Instruction, was recently selected to participate in the 2014 Institute for Engaged Leadership in Online Learning - a blended learning program sponsored by Penn State University and the Sloan Consortium. ’95 Sherri Carter, BA Elementary Education, was named Teacher of the Year at Bratt Elementary School in Bratt, Fla.

Stabler

Bowers

’92 & ’11 Tracy Bowers, BA Elementary Education & MEd Educational Leadership, was recognized by Florida Gov. Rick Scott with a 2014 Teacher of the Year Shine Award. Bowers is a 4th grade teacher at Wewahitchka Elementary School. ’93 Brandon Ruud, BA History, is the new curator for the Milwaukee Art Museum. Ruud brings over 20 year

’97 Tanya Stabler, BA History, authored a book published by the University of Pennsylvania Press, titled “The Beguines of Medieval Paris: Gender, Patronage and Spiritual Authority.” Stabler is an assistant professor of history at Purdue University-Calumet in Indiana. ’98 Kumiko Curtis, BS Business Administration, has been named by the Consulate-General of Japan in Miami as Chiho renraku (Liaison) for the Pensacola/Northwest Florida vicinity.

Curtis has served as a Translator and Cultural Diversity Development U NI V E R S I TY o f W E ST F LO R I DA Fall 2014

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CLASS NOTE S

Consultant in the community for more than 20 years. She has worked for the Japan Center at UWF, Sister City Gero/Hagiwara-Pensacola intercultural exchange Interpreter, Japanese American Society of Northwest Florida, and served as the Florida Delegate for SEUS-JAPAN Association, Inc. ’99 Heather Hopkins Stout, BS Business Administration, has been selected to serve as a physician relations management liaison for Baptist Health Care in Pensacola. ’99 Amanda Cook, BA Music Education, is the education director for the Pensacola Opera. Cook works as a teaching artist in one of the Pensacola Opera’s education outreach programs, From Words to Music.

2000s ’00 Michael Viron, BS Computer Science, has been appointed to the Geographic Unit Operations Committee of the IEEE Computer Society as the Southeast (R3) representative.

Viron serves on the Student Awards Committee and as Chapter Chair for the local Computer Society. ’00 Kristi Hartman Davison, BA Psychology, celebrated 10 years of marriage to fellow UWF Alumnus, ’02 Christopher Davison, BA English, on July 31, 2014. ’00 Jennifer Marie Hazelrigs, BS Health, Leisure & Exercise Science, is a new assistant director for Auburn Outdoors at Auburn University. ’01 Randy Hammer, BA Journalism, is the Studer Institute for Measuring and Improving Communities president and CEO in Pensacola. The nonprofit was created this year to help cities identify and overcome chronic economic, governmental and social problems. ’01 & ’07 April McQueen, BA Criminal Justice & Masters in Educational Leadership, has received the national designation of certified jail manager.

Lt. McQueen is one of 503 jail professionals to have achieved this designation. ’02 Bryan Clarke, BS Exercise Science and UWF’s Women’s Golf Coach, with his wife Gretchen and big sister Chloe, welcomed a new addition Emorie. ’02 Ryun Jayer Williamson, BA Communication Arts, was appointed as county commissioner of Santa Rosa County in Florida. Williamson is the vice president and chief operating officer of Williamson Electrical Company, founder and member of the 21

Fall 2014 UNIVERSIT Y of WE ST FLOR IDA

Santa Rosa Young Professionals Club, a member of the Santa Rosa Kid’s House and the president of the Navy League of Santa Rosa County. ’02 Aaron Hall, MA Political Science, has been promoted to Chief Financial Officer of URETEK Holdings, Inc. URETEK Holdings is a foundation stabilization, infrastructure restoration and concrete realignment company.

’04, ’09 & ’13 Melody Gill, BA Interdisciplinary Humanities, Master of Education Curriculum & Instruction and Specialist in Education, was named Destin Middle School Teacher of the Year 2012-2013. Gill married Dr. Julian Pittman in November 2013 with whom she performs professionally with in his comedy, magic, juggling and illusion company “Pittman Magic.”

’03 Danielle Clark, BA Elementary Education, is the Santa Rosa County, Florida Teacher of the Year. Clark has taught fourth grade at Holley Navarre Intermediate School for 10 years. ’03 & ’07 Joe Salter, BA Psychology & MA Psychology-Licensed Mental Health, a licensed mental health counselor, is the author of a new children’s book entitled Juggling through the Jungle. Salter is a married father of two who uses juggling as a motivational tool. ’03 & ’13 Elizabeth Riegle, BFA & BSN, has been promoted to Nurse Manager of 6-North at West Florida Hospital in Pensacola. ’03 Andrew Telatovich, MA Communication Arts, is the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee director of admissions. ’04 Becca Tieder, BA Theatre, and ’98 Kelly Addington, BA Interdisciplinary Social Science, were featured in Marie Claire for their efforts to offer campuses opportunities for social change and for continuing to innovate and collaborate in the field of violence prevention through their organization One Student. Tieder and Addington were recently invited to the White House for one of the listening sessions for a task force established to fight sexual assault on college campuses. ’04 Tavares Horne, BA Criminal Justice, has entered into a business partnership with fellow alumnus Travis Ephriam, and is operating a new Brightway Insurance store in Marianna, Fla. Clarke

Gill

’05 Dr. John Holdnak, EdD Teacher Education, is the new president of Gulf Coast State College in Panama City, Fla. ’05 Annette Livas, MA Health Education, has been promoted to assistant director of the Department of Wellness and Recreational Sports at University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg, Tex. ’05 & ’13 Juliet Valenzuela, BA Interdisciplinary Social Science & MA Administration-Acquisitions & Contracts, is employed as a contract specialist at Eglin Air Force Base.

Valenquela ran the Air Force Marathon in September 2012 and had her first child, Norah, on July 30, 2013. ’05 & ’07 Ismael Mario Perez, BA Philosophy and MA Interdisciplinary Humanities, was given the Perez honor of being a commencement speaker at the United States Naval Academy on March 28, 2014. ’06 Kendra Parson, BA Public Relations, is the communications director at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. ’06 Hector Montford, MA History, is the new director of the Baldwin County Alabama Department of Archives and History. ’08 Brice Lockart, BS Health, Leisure and Exercise Science, has a position as strength and conditioning coach with the Florida State University football team. Lockart was able to be a part of the team at the BCS Championship

C L ASS N OT ES

game in 2013 where FSU was named National Champions. ’08 Theresa Kathleen Mago, BA Education & Exceptional Student Education, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, has started her own business, Action Confidential Counseling in Pensacola. ’08 Travis Ephriam, MEd Educational Leadership, has entered into a business partnership will fellow UWF alumnus, Tavares Horne, and is operating a new Brightway Insurance store in Marianna, Fla. ’09 Logan McEwen, BA Legal Studies, of McEwen DeBovis P.A., and his wife Darci are the proud parents of a daughter Paisley, born on April 6, 2014. ’09 Bethany Anderson, BA Journalism, works for NEWS 2, WKRN-TV in Nashville, Tenn. Previously Anderson reported and anchored at WTVY in Dothan, Ala. ’09 Mary Pittman, BS Health, Leisure & Exercise Science-Physical Education, was the recipient of the Horace Moody Award at the 2014 NIRSA Annual Conference in Nashville, Tenn. The Horace Moody Awards are given to one NIRSA professional member from each of the six NIRSA regions to recognize their contributions to student development.

2010s ’10 Tiffany Whitney Merrell, BA Psychology, is a new business owner.

Merrell owns Eventful Catering Company in Destin. Tiffany and her husband, Joseph, have two children: Jude, 4, and Declan, 2. ’11 Savannah Hayes, BA Public Relations, is a public relations account assistant at Fyn Public Relations in Loveland, Colo. Hayes manages client newsletters and publications, reporting, writing, social media, research and media management. ’11 Shaun Carpentier, BSBA Marketing, is the president and owner of Complete DKI, a full service restoration and reconstruction company in Pensacola, Fla. ’13 Stephen Kennedy, BS Electrical Engineering, has been admitted to Florida State University’s master’s program in engineering. ’13 Steven Frost, BA International Studies, is serving as a field team member and AmeriCorps national service member for a six-month, 900hour term of service. ’14 Kristina Inman, BS General Biology,

obtained a graduate position at UWF with Dr. Peter Cavnar starting in the fall of 2014. Inman will be working on a master’s degree with a cell biology specialization. ’14 Lindsey McCambry, BS Electrical Engineering, landed a new job with Rockwell Automation before graduation. ’14 Brian Dickens, BS Computer Engineering, was accepted into the Palace Acquire Program through the Air Force Civilian Service.

Education; passed February 20, 2014. ’75 James Johnson, MBA; passed May 7, 2014. ’75 Hope “Bunny” Kibe, BA Elementary Education; passed May 25, 2014. ’75 & ’77 Edna W. Robertson, BA Psychology & MA Psychology; passed June 21, 2014. ’75 & ’80 Clyde Johnson, BSBA Accounting & BSBA Business; passed May 26, 2014.

’14 Daniel Irizarry, BS Electrical Engineering, accepted a full time position with Engility Corporation and will continue work at the Air Force Research Lab at Eglin Air Force Base.

’77 Judith G. Miller, MA Communication Arts; passed February 9, 2014.

’14 Kaley Miller, BS & RN Nursing, is a surgical PCU nurse at Florida Hospital in St. Cloud.

’77 Swarna Krothapalli, BS Medical Technology; passed March 2, 2014.

In Memoriam ’68 Ann Windes, BA English; passed April 14, 2014. ’69, ’73 & ’76, James P. Gordon, BSBA Management, BA Psychology & MA Psychology; passed March 16, 2014.

’77 Josephine Cassity, BS Social Work; passed May 17, 2014.

’78 Ronald Hooper, BSBA Accounting; passed March 11, 2014. ’78 Hines Drew McNair, BA History; passed June 10, 2014. ’79 Barry Wilson, BSBA Accounting; passed February 3, 2014. ’79 Ronnie Moore, MBA; passed May 10, 2014.

’69 Larry E. Watts, BA Communication Arts; April 12, 2014.

’79 Douglas Guentz, BSBA Accounting; passed March 8, 2014.

’70 Guy Sevens, Jr., MS Aeronautical Systems; passed March 16, 2014.

’80 William Spyker, BSBA Management; passed May 7, 2014.

’71 & ’76 Harvey “Woody” Kirby, BSBA Management & MBA; passed February 21, 2014.

’81 Lennox Rodney, BSBA Management; passed March 2014.

’71 Nona Grace Eade, MA Elementary Education; passed November 12, 2013. ’71 & ’84 Martha Adams Bush, BA Elementary Education & MA Elementary Education; passed May 24, 2014. ’72 Martha Morgan, MA Elementary Education; passed March 2, 2014. ’73 Albert Butler, BSBA Accounting; passed March 6, 2014. ’73 Carolyn Vinson Rapier, BA English Education; passed May 10, 2014. ’73 & ’76 John Abner, Jr., BSBA Business & MBA; passed June 1, 2014. ’73 Gordon Cox, BSBA Business; passed April 30, 2014. ’74 & ’76 Dr. William “Bill” Howell, CDR USN, Ret., BS Biology & MA Psychology; passed March 11, 2014. ’74 James Vinson, MA English; passed April 29, 2014. ’74 Douglas A. Dillon, BSBA Accounting; passed May 25, 2014. ’75 Ingeborg Nichols, BA Elementary

’82 Marion Ford, BS Nursing; passed

May 1, 2014. ’82 Joseph Harris, MBA; passed May 25, 2014. ’84 Michael Canty, BS System Science; passed May 26, 2014. ’85 Faye Hope Eddins Glover, M.Ed. Educational Leadership; passed June 8, 2014. ’86 Joseph G. Norton, BA International Studies; passed March 18, 2014. ’89 Randall Infinger, Jr., BS Physical Education; passed February 23, 2014. ’94 Pamela Argeris, MBA; passed April 8, 2014. ’03 Matthew Phillip Ragan, BSBA Management; passed April 23, 2014. ’06 Lisa Sharpe, BA Anthropology/ Archaeology; passed May 2014. ’09 Kelly Tuggle, BA Public Relations; passed March 12, 2014.

James A. Servies, Former UWF Director of Libraries; passed May 30, 2014.

U NI V E R S I TY o f W E ST F LO R I DA Fall 2014

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SC HOL ARS H IP

President’s Scholarship Competition Opens Doors for Prospective Students

BY MARGARET ROBERTS

O

ne hundred and forty one of the best and brightest high school seniors traveled to the University of West Florida to vie for the University’s most prestigious scholarships during the 2014 President’s Scholarship Competition. Through essays, interviews with faculty and campus tours, prospective students were fully immersed into the UWF culture.

“I loved getting to write the essay,” said Rachel Jamison, Tequesta, Fla. native and John C. Pace Jr. Honors Scholarship recipient. “I was able to express how I saw myself attending UWF and what I would try to do for the University if I got the scholarship. I was so excited to share that with the faculty at the competition.”

A select group of prospective students received personal invitations to come to the University of West Florida campus and compete for prestigious scholarships. Evaluated on high school academic records, SAT/ACT test scores, interviews with University faculty and a timed essay, students demonstrated their best during the one-day competition.

“Taking part in the competition amplified my confidence,” said Brianna Valdale, Daytona, Fla. native and John C. Pace Jr. Honors Scholarship recipient. “I was completely shocked when I found out that I won.”

Students enjoy meeting Argie and fellow competitors during the President’s Scholarship Competition.

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For some, receiving a scholarship had been a lifelong goal. For others, it was the deciding factor in whether or not they would pursue a college education. The awards include seven Pace Presidential Scholarships and six John C. Pace Jr. Honors Scholarships, as well as 133 other scholarships ranging from $12,000 to $20,000.

“It was very personal to me that actual University faculty were taking the time to ask me why I wanted to come to UWF.” — Robert Prosser, New Smyrna Beach, Fla. “Receiving this award from UWF completely determined where I would go to college,” Jamison said. “Lately, I have been making choices and decisions that continue to come back to the scholarship and how it’s already impacted me.”

Plaid ties, three-piece suits and black pumps were on display on the cold January afternoon when students took a break from the competition rivalry to share an equal sense of enthusi-

asm as they toured campus facilities, attended a presidential luncheon and were introduced to the UWF Honors Program. Pace Presidential Scholarship recipient, Hana Wadsworth, of Baker, Fla., was particularly partial to learning more about student organizations and clubs on campus, as she was initially interested in UWF because of its athletics program.

“I loved getting to visit the student organization, club and group tables on the tour,” Wadsworth said. “I learned so much and already know that I want to play volleyball, check out intramural sports, join BCM and see what other clubs will be of interest once I’m on campus.”

After the tour and envisioning their morning workouts at the HLS Facility’s indoor rockclimbing wall and afternoon coffee breaks at the John C. Pace Library, students were personally interviewed by University faculty who strived to learn more about their desire to attend UWF and their own personal, educational and career goals. Pace Presidential Scholarship recipient Robert Prosser, of New Smyrna Beach, Fla., said this part of the competition is what impacted him the most.

“It was very personal to me that actual University faculty were taking the time to ask me why I wanted to come to UWF,” Prosser said.

“Turns out, the faculty member who inter-

S C H OLAR SH I P

Dr. Bense addresses students at the President’s Scholarship Competition.

viewed me at the competition is now my department advisor and already knows why I am here and what I want to achieve.”

As the day of competition closed, the prospective students returned to their homes across Florida to wait on word as to whether they received a scholarship. Recently announced, winners were more than enthusiastic to learn that they will be attending UWF this fall.

“I just want to express how grateful I am to be a scholarship recipient,” Valdale said. “I finally have the opportunity to pursue and maintain my education with focus and encouragement. I am so excited.”

Prosser said he already plans to earn a master’s degree after he completes his undergraduate education, and he credits UWF for his newfound ambition.

Pace Presidential Scholarship This scholarship, totaling more than $50,000, covers the student’s full tuition and fees, in addition to room and board for four years. All incoming students with University qualifications were automatically considered for this invitation. To be eligible, students must have graduated from a Florida high school in 2014 and be admitted to the University by Jan. 1, 2014 for the Fall 2014 term.

SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS: Ryan Colburn, Cantonment, Fla. Devon Nichols, Pensacola, Fla. Hana Wadsworth, Baker, Fla. Sarah Birdsong, Cantonment, Fla. Cady Bizzell, Pensacola, Fla. Robert Prosser, New Smyrna Beach, Fla. Chloe Brummer, Gulf Breeze, Fla.

“I was worried how I was going to pay for college, since my goal is to graduate debt free,” Prosser said. “This scholarship gives me the opportunity to not only graduate with a bachelor’s degree debt free, but pursue and save for a master’s degree.”

For more information, visit uwf.edu/scholarshipcomp.

John C. Pace Honors Scholar Scholarship This scholarship covers the student’s tuition and fees in conjunction with Florida Bright Futures, room and board in Pace Hall, and funding for an off-campus educational experience created by the student. To be eligible, students must have been admitted to the University and the UWF Honors Program by Jan. 3, 2014.

SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS Rachel Jamison, Tequesta, Fla. Melissa Coombs, Panama City Beach, Fla. Abbie Kellett, Auburndale, Fla. Anthony Noll, Naples, Fla. Brianna Vandale, Deltona, Fla. Melissa Pisarski, Orange Park, Fla.

U NI V E R S I TY o f W E ST F LO R I DA Fall 2014

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SNA PS H OTS

Ann Belleau and Roy Oberto cut the ribbon at the unveiling of the recently renovated Arcadia Mill.

Roy Oberto, Ann Belleau and Adrianne Sams take a moment to pose at the unveiling of the recently renovated Arcadia Mill.

Alumna Kristina Inman and Erik Winfree hear University updates at the Emerald Coast Chapter event.

Betty Huybreghts poses with James Matthews and Patricia Izbicki, recipients of the Pierre P. Huybreghts Piano Scholarship.

Smile!

Whether we gather at a board retreat, recognition dinner, chapter event or baseball game, our events provide the perfect opportunity to show our appreciation of your continued support. They are also a wonderful chance for you to socialize with fellow alumni, current students, staff, faculty and friends of the University.

Cuban American Association of Pensacola: Dr. Jose Zayas, Mrs. Zeida Ward (President), Dr. Alfred Cuzan, Mrs. Mayra Fillmore (Treasurer), Mrs. Marta Suarez O’Connor (Secretary).

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Fall 2014 UNIVERSIT Y of WE ST FLOR IDA

Don’t miss out! We continue to add new events to the mix. For a look at upcoming events, visit alumni.uwf.edu.

S N APSH OTS

Moderator Evon Emerson interacts with panelists Kathy Anthony, Debbie Calder, Carol Carlan and Susan O’Connor during the 2014 Women in Leadership Conference.

Tracy and Chris Gonsoulin pose with Head Coach Pete Shinnick during a Football Founders event.

Tanya Jackson, Lusharon Wiley and Bob Kimball take a break during the Heritage Club Donor Lunch.

John Bray talks with the UWF Unmanned Systems Completion team during the 2014 Unmanned Systems Event.

Brig. Gen. Ferguson, Dr. Tim O’Keefe, Dr. Ed Ranelli, Betty Petree, Stewart Ramsey and Dr. Brendan Kelly celebrate the announcement of a $100,000 gift commitment from Pen Air Federal Credit Union.

Quint Studer mingles with 2014 Pensacola Pledge Scholarship recipients during the annual reception.

U NI V E R S I TY o f W E ST F LO R I DA Fall 2014

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SNAPS H OTS

UWF Night at the Wahoos.

UWF alumni return to campus for the 2014 Network-a-Thon.

Frank Silver, Jane Seligman and Nan Ross greet each other during the Student Scholars Symposium.

Eighth Annual

ALUMNI GOLF CLASSIC The UWF Alumni Association Golf Classic will be held September 26, 2014 at Scenic Hills Country Club at the University of West Florida. All UWF alumni and friends are invited to join us for a day filled with golf, food and fun! All net tournament proceeds will support the UWF Alumni Association.

Date: Friday, September 26, 2014 Time: 11:00 a.m. Registration/Lunch 12:00 p.m. Shotgun Start Location: Scenic Hills Country Club 8891 Burning Tree Road Pensacola, FL

Sponsorship opportunities are available. Please contact Missy Grace mgrace@uwf.edu, 850.474.3423 or 800.226.1893 for additional information.

Thanks to our Signature Tournament Sponsor:

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Fall 2014 UNIVERS IT Y of WE ST FLOR IDA

Thanks to our Chambered Nautilus Sponsor:

Fees: $325–Foursome $85–Individual Register online at alumni.uwf.edu/programs.

Registration deadline is Monday, September 19, 2014.

ALU M N I S POT LI GH T

Alumni Spotlight:

Michael W. Smith UWF Prepares Alumni for Global Career

BY OLIVIA WISE & MEGAN GONZALEZ

O

ver the course of one seems to be the little niches month, University of of success that Smith finds West Florida graduate the most rewarding. and the current chief operat“I value watching the ing officer of AIG Commercial teams and individuals I’ve Insurance, Michael Smith finds worked with for a long time himself conducting business in grow and succeed,” he said. places like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, “It’s all about the team doing London and South Africa. well and seeing people thrive.”

Michael W. Smith After Smith graduated from During his time at UWF, UWF in 1977, he attended the Smith was a full-time stuUniversity of Florida, where he earned a law dent who paid his way through college by degree. His education led him to pursue a working at Sears. His parents inspired his career in New York City as a lawyer for AIG work ethic and drive to succeed, and he said Commercial Insurance. From there, Smith he quickly learned to take advantage of the stumbled upon the world of commercial inopportunity to learn. surance, where he was able to thrive as a leader For Smith, one computer class at UWF in global business. stands out from the rest.

“My favorite aspect of my job is the ability I “It didn’t impact the career path I wanted have to work with, and meet, different people to pursue, but it was about logic and workin all walks of life,” Smith said. ing through problems in a rational way,” he AIG Commercial Insurance operates in 96 said. “The logical processes I learned in that countries around the world, and it is Smith’s class are transferrable to a lot of the things I job to engage people from all over by executdo today.” ing AIG’s strategy cohesively. Although he Smith said his most valuable take-away oversees operations and systems initiatives from UWF was the ability to learn, think for Commercial Insurance worldwide, it and solve problems.

“I value watching the teams and individuals I’ve worked with for a long time grow and succeed. It’s all about the team doing well and seeing people thrive.”

— Michael W. Smith, ’77 U NI V E R S I TY o f W E ST F LO R I DA Fall 2014

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PACE SCHOLAR S

UWF Students Awarded Opportunity of a Lifetime

BY MARGARET ROBERTS & MEGAN GONZALEZ

L

ifelong University supporter John C. Pace Jr. made a bequest that would forever impact students at the University of West Florida: a fund that would attract and support the best and brightest young scholars in the region.

Since 1994, UWF has honored his legacy through the John C. Pace Jr. Honors Scholarship, the most prestigious merit-based academic award for incoming students. Covering tuition, fees, room in Pace Hall and a meal plan, the Pace Scholarship empowers students to succeed during their time at UWF and prepares them to excel in their career fields.

Alumnus and Pace Scholar Rockford Sansom, ’03, thrived in college, enjoying all aspects of the scholarship while working on a bachelor’s degree in English and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music Theatre. He credits his success as an actor, voice coach/ director and professor to the opportunities the John C. Pace Jr. Honors Scholarship provided during his tenure as a University student.

“UWF laid the foundation for what I do every day,” he said. “Thanks to the scholarship, my undergraduate education paved the way to continue my education and earn a Ph.D.” In addition to delivering students a pathway to educational opportunities, the scholarship provides full funding for an off-campus educational experience. Students tailor this experience, whether studyabroad or -away, specific to their degree focus and personal interests.

Sansom utilized his travel stipend to attend the Yale University School of Drama, where he worked with professors at Yale University, was introduced to various styles of theater, traveled to New York City to see various shows, networked with actors and performed dinner theater performances at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Festival in Waterford, Conn.

“That was a wonderful transition into my senior year,” he said. “It solidified a lot of what I had already learned at UWF.” After graduation, Sansom gained admission and won a fellowship to attend the highly selective Master of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre program at the University of Central Florida. He worked as a resident associate artist at Seaside Music The-

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ater, one of the South’s largest and most respected regional theaters. His success led him back to the Big Apple, where he is currently based as an actor and theater artist.

For Cassandra Delgado, ’14, the scholarship allowed her to focus on her education without worrying about the financial burdens that come along with college.

“Being a Pace Scholar gave me opportunities that I would never have had otherwise,” Delgado said.

“I was able to meet a lot of other great Pace Scholars that I have made lifelong connections with. We were a group of students who were all very focused and determined. Having peers like that really help when you need motivation to continue studying.”

As an exercise science major, Delgado recently utilized her travel funding to visit Germany, where she presented her research on neurology and concussions.

“This trip helped me to understand different cultures,” she said. “For example, if I have an amputee from Germany, part of my clinical work will include making sure that his or her prosthetic leg is suitable not just for walking on, but also for riding a bike, as that is their main source of transportation. This trip opened my eyes to how different cultures operate and that will, in turn, make me a better clinician.”

Delgado plans to continue her education by pursing a master’s degree in prosthetics and orthotics before becoming a licensed prosthetist/orthotist.

She credits her time as a Pace Scholar for motivating her to think beyond her undergraduate degree.

“Pursuing a master’s degree will absolutely impact the rest of my entire life,” she said. “UWF and the John C. Pace Jr. Honors Scholarship have been the greatest stepping stones for my future.”

Because the Pace family left their legacy at UWF more than 20 years ago, the John C. Pace Honors scholarship is shared with deserving students, like Sansom and Delgado, who are going on to create their own University traditions and legacies.

“Attending UWF is a family tradition in my house,” Sansom said. “My father, uncle and sister have all attended UWF. The scholarship helped me continue our family’s unending tradition.”

1. Delgado poses on the UWF entrance sign during her senior photoshoot.

2. Delgado dons Commencement regalia next to a UWF campus mural.

3. Posing in front of the National Theatre of South Korea, Sansom shows off the promotional poster for the Asian Broadway Tour of “42nd Street,” where he played Pat Denning and understudied Julian Marsh.

4. Sansom (center) performs on stage as Wreck of “Wonderful Town” on the First National Broadway Tour.

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PACE SC H OLAR S

2

“This trip opened my eyes to how different cultures operate and that will, in turn, make me a better clinician.”

— Cassandra Delgado, ’14 1

4

“UWF laid the foundation for what I do every day. Thanks to the scholarship, my undergraduate education paved the way to continue my education and earn a Ph.D.” — Rockford Sansom, ’03

U NI V E R S I TY o f W E ST F LO R I DA Fall 2014

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STUDY ABROAD

Data covers locations UWF students have studied abroad with UWF programs or for UWF credit.

UWF students have visited 33 countries on six continents for study abroad and study away experiences.

Learning Without Borders Students Engage in Global Learning through Study Abroad and Study Away Experiences

BY OLIVIA WISE

T

his past May, standing on the George Bernard Theater stage in Carlow, Ireland, Dominic Johnson, a junior theater major, was one of 15 University of West Florida students preparing to perform a pair of one-act plays.

“Sharing the stage with my talented peers was an honor made all the more magical by the fact that we were performing thousands of miles away from home,” Johnson said.

The UWF Department of Theater is among many that engage students in study-abroad and study-away programs to provide a deeper level of personal growth and hands-on learning.

In the past year, UWF students have followed the path of the Underground Railroad from Tennessee to Cincinnati, conducted a community service project in Japan, and held 31

Fall 2014 UNIVERS IT Y of WE ST FLOR IDA

a bar of gold valued at $500,000 in New York City, just to name a few experiences.

Study Abroad in Japan A group of 15 students from the UWF College of Education and Professional Studies had the opportunity to explore a rehabilitation facility, juvenile delinquency facility and the Supreme Court building in Tokyo this summer, thanks to the Emerge Program. Emerge aids faculty in designing and utilizing high impact practices to deepen student learning and engagement.

Dr. Kimberly Tatum, associate professor of legal studies and associate dean of the College of Education and Professional Studies, said that UWF’s ongoing relationship with the Jikei College Group in Japan is what makes this trip so remarkable.

“During the trip, students said they hope to

take some of the principles they learned in these Japanese facilities and apply a more holistic approach to helping people in the U.S.,” Tatum said.

Erin Haslag, a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in social work, said she returned from Japan inspired to seek out and expand facilities that implement Japanese practices of work in her field.

“I really like the idea of working to adapt the institutionalized facilities here in America,” Haslag said.

Students like Haslag enjoyed the educational experiences of the trip, but were also able to have fun with Japanese students in the Jikei College Group.

“On the last day, the Jikei College social work students taught us a dance.,” Haslag said. “The professors and UWF and Japanese students

ST UDY ABR OAD

1

2 1. UWF College of Education and Professional Studies students learn a dance from Japanese students in Tokyo.

2. Erin Haslag in K amakura, Japan.

3. Erica Anderson and Hannah Simerly in Japan.

4. UWF business students tour

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5

4

the floor of the New York Stock Exchange while visiting Wall Street in New York City.

5. UWF business students pose in front of the New York Stock Exchange Building in New York City.

6. Professor Charles Houghton, Chair of the Theatre Department, enjoys the scenery in Glendalough, Ireland.

6

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were all doing this dance together, and it was such a fun time.”

that can be utilized for bettering the students and the University.”

The Wall Street Experience In April, 11 students from the College of Business explored the world of finance firsthand, traveling to Wall Street in New York City to tour the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the New York Stock Exchange.

Senior Albert Davis said this trip was a lifelong dream come true.

“This was an experience I’ll never forget,” Davis said. “The experience, friendships and knowledge I have gained at UWF have completely changed my life. I couldn’t think of a better way for my education at UWF to culminate than in a trip to Wall Street.”

One student, in particular, played a crucial role in organizing the trip. Gerry Goldstein, a former Wall Street trader and current graduate student at UWF, had the contacts to allow students access to the highly guarded gold vault in the Federal Reserve Bank. For Goldstein, helping organize this trip was a way to bring theory and reality together in a hands-on, realworld way.

“I was able to give back something to students who might not have had this opportunity,” Goldstein said. “It’s not just the trip that is important here, but giving students resources outside of faculty and administration

The Underground Railroad Experience Graduate and undergraduate social work students traveled the Underground Railroad this spring to learn about the historic struggle for freedom in the United States and the courageous people involved.

Dr. Laura Edler, social work professor and faculty advisor for the experience, explained how studying away from campus engages students in learning.

“Textbooks don’t always paint a clear picture,” Edler said. “This trip was a way to help the students get a real idea of what people have had to go through to meet their potential, despite struggle.”

Trips like these result in more than academic advancement. They also encourage students to find an internal spark of passion that ignites their drive to succeed. For Latonia Jennings, a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in social work, the trip was not only an opportunity to learn more about the Underground Railroad, but also a time to reflect on her personal and professional growth.

“As a professional, my thinking was challenged and corrected,” Jennings said. “I learned the importance of looking beyond what you are told and that which others would have you

7. Kayleigh Campo stands on top of Croagh Patrick mountain.

believe. As a social worker, I need to challenge my thinking, question the obvious and take advantage of opportunities such as this to learn and grow.”

The Irish Experience Study abroad opportunities challenge University students to utilize what they have learned outside of the classroom before they even graduate, and the Irish Experience did just that.

Not only allowing students the opportunity to see the world from a different perspective, it also gave them the chance to gain real-world experience in their field. The theater students performed a production of two John McClure one-act plays, “Laundry & Bourbon” and “Lone Star,” in the George Bernard Shaw Theater.

UWF senior theater major Keegan Stull said the experience taught him about both theater and life.

“This is more than just a trip for theater students to act and learn a little more about their craft,” Stull said. “This trip has been shaped into an overwhelming fountain of knowledge and experience from which we will drink every last drop. There is no way a student could not leave this project without feeling enlightened, not just about theater, but about themselves, history and the world we fit into.”

U NI V E R S I TY o f W E ST F LO R I DA Fall 2014

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COMPLE TE FLOR IDA

ADULT LEARNER BECKY LUNTSFORD

(right) meets with her Complete Florida coach, Heather Dietzold (left).

Transforming Education through Complete Florida

BY MARGARET ROBERTS

F

or some, the pursuit of education is a family tradition, a transition after high school or a bridge to a desired career.

For adult learner Becky Luntsford, education is a lifelong dream come true.

“I’ve waited my whole life for this,” said Luntsford, who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in workforce and program development at the University of West Florida. “My resume has always been full of skill sets, abilities and talents, but it has always been missing the education to fully support it.”

By 2018, approximately 59 percent of jobs in Florida will require a postsecondary education. For adult learners who have earned some college credit but stopped before earning a degree, UWF has stepped up to address the critical gap in the postsecondary landscape.

The UWF Innovation Institute is spearheading Complete Florida, a legislatively funded online program for adult learners to continue their undergraduate education. The State University System of Florida, the Florida College System and the Florida Legislature have made it a priority to increase the percentage of Floridians with a postsecondary credential.

Currently, 11 state and private institutions in Florida have partnered with Complete Florida.

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“Our mission at UWF is to serve our students,” said Dr. Pam Northrup, executive director of UWF Innovation Institute and associate provost for academic innovation.

“This includes both traditional students and nontraditional students, along with veterans and active military. We have the skills in this area to take the lead on this strategic system and program.”

With 2.2 million Floridians who stopped out of college with credits in hand, Complete Florida offers more than 50 fully online, flexible and accelerated degree programs and certificates, ranging from information technology to health care to business.

“In addition to the degree completion of our students, the program provides a stronger career force to better prepare graduates for jobs in the state of Florida,” said Marc Churchwell, director of operations for Complete Florida. “There is an underproduction of graduates in the state of Florida, and we are going to meet those highdemand workforces with our graduates.”

Complete Florida ensures that students fit courses into busy schedules and align skills and interests to programs and jobs, putting them on a personalized path to a college degree through a concierge-based coaching model.

“We feel the coaching model is one of the most important things we are doing through Complete Florida,” Northrup said. “Our coaches help students figure out what they want to do, build out that pathway and then help them along the journey to achieving their goals.”

Luntsford said the involvement of her coach has truly impacted her continued education, whether it is sending a follow-up email after a meeting, answering a question about a scholarship or providing support and encouragement along they way.

“The implementation of a coach is simply phenomenal,” Luntsford said. “It is really important to me that my degree comes from UWF, as my family has a 30-year history with this institution. My coach, Heather Dietzold, helps make it possible for me to see that happen.”

What comes next for Complete Florida graduates? Luntsford said the prospect of graduation next year has opened her eyes to think beyond her education for the first time in her life.

“My degree can take me anywhere,” Luntsford said. “I can do anything now.”

For additional information about Complete Florida, visit completeflorida.org.

M EET A ST U DEN T A MBASSADOR

UWF Ambassador Q&A

BY CALI LAVINE

How did you initially become interested in the Student Ambassador Program?

I visited UWF’s campus throughout high school for volleyball tournaments and was always intrigued by the students in green jackets. Once I came here as a student, I met a few sorority sisters who were in the Student Ambassador Program, and they encouraged me to join. Once I met with the program advisor, Alesia Ross, and learned how the program teaches students that they have a role in creating a better campus, seeking the best leaders for the best outcomes and establishing strong relationships with alumni, I knew I wanted to be involved.

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Amanda Bolden

manda Bolden knows what it means to be involved on a college campus. In addition to serving as a University of West Florida student ambassador, Argo Camp counselor and membership chair of Alpha Chi Omega, the senior social work major also recently completed an internship with Covenant Hospice.

Although her school commitments keep her busy, the Jacksonville, Fla. native said she is driven by the pride that comes from contributing to the growth of the University.

What has been your favorite memory during your time as a student ambassador?

My favorite experience was attending the Council for Advancement and Support of Education affiliated Student Advancement Programs conference at the Citadel in Charleston, S.C. The conference gave me the opportunity to bond more closely with the other UWF ambassadors, while learning how to recruit quality ambassadors and promote campus involvement from other universities’ programs.

This fall, we are hosting I Love UWF Week, which is an idea we learned from the University of Tennessee during the conference. The week will involve various activities, including

UWF STUD E NT A MB AS SA D O R S

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a cookout, freebies, a social media campaign and a birthday bash for Argie to increase support for and dedication to UWF. Our hope is to connect freshmen to campus and encourage alumni to come back for engagement opportunities.

What opportunities have you had while representing UWF as a student ambassador?

I’ve enjoyed having the opportunity to attend University events on and off campus, where I have been able to meet distinguished alumni, many of whom serve on the boards of local non-profit organizations and have provided valuable insight on how I can serve others now and in my future career. Additionally, I have met several members of the UWF administration, including President Judy Bense and Dr. Brendan Kelly, vice president for university advancement, who have inspired me to be a better leader.

What is a lasting legacy you hope to leave at UWF when you graduate?

As a student ambassador, I hope to show other ambassadors how to become devoted, loyal and hardworking. I would like to leave the Student Ambassador Program better for having become involved.

As a student, I want for my campus involvement to have helped the University grow, and to have left a positive mark on everything I was a part of.

75,000 303 SA students have earned more than

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U NI V E R S I TY o f W E ST F LO R I DA Fall 2014

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University of West Florida 11000 University Parkway Pensacola, FL 32514 uwf.edu/alumni