Connection Spring 2016

Connection ALUM NI & FRIENDS MAGA ZI NE

SPR ING 2016

HAL MARCUS’ HISTORICAL $5 MILLION GIFT

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SHINNICK PREVIEWS THE INAUGURAL SEASON OF UWF FOOTBALL

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UWF GRAD SPICES THINGS UP IN ARGONAUT VILLAGE

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Connection Inside

2 PRESIDENT’S Q&A

UWF President DR. JUDITH BENSE

3 LETTER FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT

STAFF LIST

University Advancement Staff DR. BRENDAN KELLY Vice President, University Advancement President, UWF Foundation, Inc.

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MARTHA LEE BLODGETT Associate Vice President, University Advancement

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MISSY GRACE ’10 Alumni Relations Director

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Editorial Executive Editor Megan Gonzalez ’09, ’15 Executive Director, University Marketing & Communications Editorial Assistant Olivia Wise ’16 Public Relations Assistant

Graphics & Photography POLA YOUNG ’02 Creative Director JENNIFER PECK ’08 Senior Graphic Designer LAUREN SMITH ’08 Assistant Director of Digital Media JOHN BLACKIE Photographer

Writers and Editors Chuck Corder, Missy Grace ’10, Amy Minchin, Christian Pacheco, Matt Rowley, Ashley Kahn Salley, Julia Thorpe, Alyssa Townsend, Olivia Wise CONTACT US Web uwf.edu/alumni

$5 MILLION GIFT FROM HAL MARCUS LEGAL STUDIES FOOTBALL: Q&A WITH COACH SHINNICK

13 WOMAN GOLFER MEETS HER MATCH

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22 SNAPSHOTS 25 26 27

LETTER FROM THE ALUMNI PRESIDENT ALUMNI EVENTS ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: KENDRICK HOBBS

29 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: ERIC MEDLEY

30 CLASS NOTES 34 STUDENT AMBASSADOR HIGHLIGHT

Phone 800.226.1893

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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Spring 2016 UNIVERS IT Y of WE ST FLOR IDA

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LUNA SETTLEMENT

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

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NEWS & NOTES

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In October 2015, the UWF archaeology program identified the archaeological site of the Luna settlement—the first multiyear European settlement in the United States—in a developed neighborhood in Pensacola. Learn about how this discovery has brought international attention to UWF and Northwest Florida.

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President’s Q&A

DR. BENSE with artifacts during the

early years of downtown Pensacola archaeology research in 1986.

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ow in the year of her retirement, we dig deeper with President Judith Bense to discuss the path that got her here—and why she was poking around at the Luna site long before the settlement’s discovery.

What was it like creating the archaeology program?

We have such a rich archaeological presence in Pensacola, and for a long time nobody knew it was here except for me and about three other people. At first, I taught every course. I wrote every proposal and report, and I gave every talk.

So it was lonely. There were only two of us in the academic department for 20 years.

Then I learned, with permission to start an institute, you can grow as fast as you want…and it got really exciting.

You worked on the site of the Luna discovery in the 1980s.

Could you have imagined what would come?

It’s very surprising. I went to that site in 1986 because I was doing a survey for the City of Pensacola. This was during a period of major urban renewal—tearing up streets, putting in new utilities.

Those projects, for the best of reasons, were really damaging to colonial archaeological deposits. I was there to

help preserve them, but I never dreamed it was the Luna site.

How does this discovery impact the university and our nation’s history?

The Luna settlement site was found only because of UWF’s presence in Pensacola, which has fostered the development of a nationally respected archaeology program. The find received and continues to receive national press coverage, and UWF is always mentioned.

This publicity has given UWF significant recognition. As for as the impact on our nation's history, the Luna colony was the largest and most expensive attempt to establish settlements in what is now the U.S. The information that will be learned from this site because of its excellent preservation will shed a bright light on this hidden chapter of our nation's history and change the history books. Combined with the information we have produced from two of the Luna shipwrecks from the colonization

attempt UWF researchers and students are and will continue to be at the cutting edge of early Spanish colonial discoveries for the foreseeable future.

How did your background prepare you to be president of UWF? You have to know how to lead. You have to know how to listen. I learned these things from archaeology, along with the importance of community engagement and political connections. Archaeology is here, and it’s good for Pensacola. The University is here, and it’s good for Florida.

What are your plans for retirement?

The Luna discovery has awakened the archaeological part of my life and reminded me of our responsibility to make a lasting contribution. In the scholarly world, the contribution is a book. I was working on it when I was asked to be interim president, and now I’ve got to do it. When you get tired, you rest—and then you start back. I’m really looking forward to doing just that.

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V P LE TTE R

News & Notes

BY ALYSSA TOWNSEND

Letter from the Vice President

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

DEAR ALUMNI & FRIENDS,

Change is in the atmosphere at UWF. Change comes about gradually, as a result of the hard work of generations of dedicated people – like those of you holding this magazine. In this issue, you’ll read a lot about the past, but also about the future of this University and the City we call home.

You’ll learn about the settlers who landed on our shores hundreds of years ago and how UWF is shedding light on the way they lived, bringing national media attention and public fascination both to our region and our programs.

You’ll read about the man who recently donated $5 million to UWF—our largest gift ever by a living donor—and how he was inspired not only by our archaeology program, but by the woman who built it President Judy Bense.

Finally, UWF’s football turf has been constructed and laid by a local company owned by alumnus Erik Medley (’05). He shares what life was like when he studied here, and how it feels to be part of this moment in UWF history.

Thank you for helping UWF make its mark.

DR. JILL VAN DER LIKE

and nursing students in the Nursing Skills and Simulation Learning Center.

Sincerely,

New College of Health Dr. Brendan Kelly Vice President, University Advancement President, UWF Foundation, Inc.

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As a final step in the academic college reorganization, the University of West Florida recently announced the formation of the College of Health.

The College is led by inaugural dean Dr. Ermalynn Kiehl, who previously served as associate dean of health for the College of Science, Engineering and Health, as well as chair and associate professor in the Department of Nursing. Dr. Michael Huggins will continue in his role as dean of the College of Science and Engineering.

N E WS & N OT ES

Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award presented to UWF

UWF received the 2015 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from “INSIGHT Into Diversity” magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. The HEED Award is a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. This is the first time UWF has received this honor.

Steve Cunningham announced as vice president for administrative services and chief financial officer

Dr. Kim LeDuff is the new dean and associate vice provost of University College.

University College is focused on establishing relationships with incoming students to help them build a firm academic foundation and offer academic and social support as they make the journey to graduation. LeDuff will also maintain her role as chief diversity officer while overseeing advising, retention and tutoring; the Kugelman Honors Program; equity and diversity; international programs; general education; and high-impact learning.

Dr. Steven Cunningham recently joined UWF as vice president for administrative services and chief financial officer. Cunningham reports to executive vice president and provost, Dr. Martha Saunders, for the effective leadership, oversight and administration of all activities within the area of Administrative Services and serves as chief financial officer of the University and chief executive officer of Business Enterprises, Inc.

UWF Historic Trust unveiled interpretive master plan for downtown Historic Pensacola

The UWF Historic Trust presented its interpretive master plan to the public in October 2015, revealing the transformational vision for Historic Pensacola.

The plan, developed with the assistance of Haley Sharpe Design, will build upon the rich historical and archaeological assets of the 8.5-acre, 28-property complex and guide its next chapter. The enhancements aim to benefit the community as a local resource for entertainment and education as well as an economic engine for cultural heritage tourism.

UWF HISTORIC TRUST Interpretive

Master Plan Rendering

UWF chief diversity officer takes on additional role as dean and associate vice provost of University College

Military Order of the Purple Heart recognized UWF as Purple Heart University for service to veterans

The Military Order of the Purple Heart honored UWF as a “Purple Heart University” this past August. This designation is awarded to universities for outstanding service to military service members, veterans, their dependents and their survivors. UWF is now the second university in Florida to earn the honor after Florida A&M earned the designation in 2014.

Dr. Judith A. Bense is planning to retire Dec. 31, 2016. The UWF Board of Trustees is charged with identifying a dynamic and competent individual to assume the leadership of the University of West Florida. In December 2015, the Board appointed the committee, comprised of 21 University and community representatives, for the 2016 Presidential Search.

For more information about the Presidential Search visit uwf.edu/presidentialsearch.

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HISTORIC $5 MILL IO N G IF T

THE GIFT OF A

An afternoon with Hal Marcus following his historic $5 million gift to UWF

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BY ASHLEY KAHN SALLEY

efore Harold E. ‘Hal’ Marcus, Jr. made the largest gift by a living donor in the history of the University of West Florida, he established his own story with the school, built upon an admiration for President Judy Bense, whom he met before she held the title.

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D E VELOPM EN T

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HISTORIC $5 MILL IO N G IF T

Bense

was a driver and a go-getter.

I thought, ‘This is a person who’s going to go somewhere.’”

UWF PRESIDENT MORRIS MARX,

Judy Bense, Doug Friedrich and Hal Marcus celebrating Hal’s first gift to the University’s archaeology program in 1993.

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In 2016, Marcus donated $5 million to UWF to create new opportunities for students in the STEM disciplines, who will now earn their degrees from the Hal Marcus College of Science & Engineering – the university’s first named college. Field research abroad, expanded competition teams and exposure to nationally and internationally recognized visiting lecturers will elevate the student experience, while raising the profile of UWF programs.

This story begins on a cruise ship more than 20 years ago, when Marcus flipped through a UWF brochure with his wife, Pat. They were certain they wanted to make a gift, but unsure where to endow it.

“The thing that struck me was this Dr. Judy Bense, who seemed to be really involved with her own school, so we decided the first thing we better do was meet her,” Marcus recalls.

At the time, Bense was leading the archaeology program she built, quite literally, from the ground up. As Marcus recollects, she and her team were digging down at the delta where the sand had come in – the richest place in archaeological sites to find treasures, left by the people who lived there long ago.

“I asked her, ‘How did you come to hone in on that place?’ and she said, ‘Because it’s the

prettiest place, and they would have recognized that, too,’” Marcus remembers.

“And that was very helpful. She was just full of quick things that seemed so obvious to her.”

Could it have been obvious to Bense in that moment that this man would become an ardent and generous supporter of the University over which she would someday preside?

From One Gift Came Many The day at the delta was only the beginning. During those times, the State of Florida was matching donor funds one-for-two, at a maximum of $50,000. Marcus had $100,000 to give, so the archaeology program received $150,000, factoring in the matched funds.

But it wasn’t archaeology that inspired Marcus, it was Dr. Bense.

“She was a driver and a go-getter,” Marcus says. “I thought, ‘This is a person who’s going to go somewhere.’”

The man with a heart of gold and a sense of humor that shines even brighter still prides himself on his keen judgment of her character. When he told Bense he didn’t know she aspired to become president of the University, she said she didn’t. To his estimation, she got the job because everyone else began to see the same spark he recognized that day on the beach.

Yet Marcus was unsure she would stay long enough to realize her full potential. So many others at the top of their fields had been invited to bigger universities, with better pay and more responsibility. When Bense

HI STOR I C $5 M I LLI ON GI FT

HAL MARCUS visiting with engineering students in the unmanned systems lab.

The most wonderful thing you can do is to see it in

your lifetime…because you can’t see it after your lifetime.” was asked to be President, he didn’t believe she would accept. He was amazed when she chose UWF. “This gift alone is a tremendous contribution to the betterment of our institution, but the fact that it was a product of my friendship with Hal Marcus is truly touching,” said Bense. “I’m eager to see how this investment will work to shape the lives of generations of students to come.”

In many ways, Marcus says this is why he decided to make his greatest gift during the year of Bense’s retirement. He wanted her to know how her impact on the University made an impact in his life – and in turn, through his gifts, in the lives of the next generation of UWF students.

A Legacy of Working Hard and Giving Back Marcus says the secret to his success is quite simple: living frugally and saving money as you earn it. He worked hard at his career in industrial uniform and linen supply and convention management, buying land along the way – a knack he learned from family.

Because of his smart investing, Marcus was able to make many contributions to UWF, including the most recent – a $5 million gift to

the UWF College of Science & Engineering, which will bear his name.

“I learned a lot from a lot of people,” Marcus has said of his career.

Now, a lot of people will learn from his gift – both students of the university and potential donors who may be inspired by his generosity.

The Importance of Education Some may wonder why Marcus has often selected programs related to science when making his gifts. A natural affinity toward engineering dates back to his own collegiate pursuits at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

He recalls a professor saying 60 years ago, that 75 percent of the things around at that time had not been thought of 25 years prior.

One of his favorite quips begins like this: “Can you telephone from a streetcar?”

“Now, you can telephone from a pine tree,” Marcus says. “I told that to my granddaughter, Lucy, who now has a bachelor’s degree in archaeology from UWF and is pursuing a master’s degree in anthropology from the University of Colorado at Denver, and she said … ‘Granddaddy, what’s a streetcar?’”

The joke behind us, Marcus becomes intent.

“Students are in school to learn something, to make themselves better,” he says. “Parents are putting their kids in school so they have a better future … a better life.”

This is why Marcus supports education.

But why the University of West Florida?

“I hope we beat Georgia Tech,” he says, with a twinkle in his eye.

Hope for the Future Football rivalries aside, Marcus hopes his gift will help the University grow.

“I’ve invested in stocks, bonds and real estate,” Marcus says, “but investing in students is the best investment I’ve ever made.”

Part of his dream is that his gift will encourage others to give to UWF – perhaps a parallel to the people of long ago, who recognized the beauty of the sandy beach, just as Bense and Marcus recognize the beauty of this university.

“I chose to make my gift now because I want to see the difference it can make,” he says. “The most wonderful thing you can do is to see it in your lifetime … because you can’t see it after your lifetime.”

See it. Enjoy it. Celebrate it. Words to live by, from a man who has lived them.

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MOC K TR IAL

UWF LEGAL STUDIES

Making Case THE

BY AMY MINCHIN

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ensacola law firms and various private and public entities that employ legal professionals depend on the people they hire to be prepared for the courtroom and the successful handling of cases in their charge.

This skilled workforce in the legal field is no exception. For over 30 years, the UWF Legal Studies program has aimed to fill that need by building a coalition of students who are prepared to enter law school or begin a career as a paralegal.

“Graduates have gone on to successful careers locally and nationally as judges, lawyers, 9

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paralegals, judicial assistants and in other justice system careers,” said Professor Kimberly McCorkle, associate dean and chair of the Department of Legal Studies, Public Administration and Sport Management.

The UWF Legal Studies program is one of only three legal studies bachelor’s degree programs in the state, and the only one in North Florida. This allows the program to maintain a strong connection to the area’s legal community and create an atmosphere that is conducive to creating and keeping successful professionals close to home.

“All of our faculty are licensed attorneys

with years of legal experience,” McCorkle said. “Two former faculty members, Nancy Gilliam and Ross Goodman, have become circuit court judges. Judge Goodman is still one of our adjunct professors and is very popular with our students.”

It is this type of network that has endeared the program to alumni, many of whom give back to the program in some way after entering professional practice.

Judge Michelle Inere, magistrate in Santa Rosa County, serves on the UWF Legal Studies Advisory Board, a group of alumni and other legal professionals who provide input

M OC K T R I AL

KIMBERLY MCCORKLE, a former state prosecutor and current associate dean of the College of Education and Professional Studies, conducts a mock trial exercise with Haleigh Pascoe and Cat Huang, two UWF students majoring in legal studies.

“It’s taught me a lot about myself as well as the legal system. Although it is constantly pushing me outside of my comfort zone, I’ve noticed that with every tournament we attend, I improve. I’m a better public speaker, a better leader and I have better time management skills.”

—Haleigh Pascoe to the program on curriculum, placing interns and fundraising. Inere practiced law for 15 years before her appointment in the First Judicial Circuit in 2010.

“The quality of faculty over the last 20 to 25 years has created an exemplary program of which UWF should be very proud,” Inere said. “Margaret Stopp and Susan Harrell were faculty instructors when I was enrolled in the 1990s. Their real world experience and professionalism provided an invaluable resource, and their instruction and guidance prepared me well for my entry into law school.”

“Since my time in the program it has only grown and become better,” Inere said.

April King, paralegal at Emmanuel, Sheppard & Condon, speaks to students in the program and has also served on the UWF Legal Studies Advisory Board.

“The UWF Legal Studies department is a tight-knit group that works hard to ensure that you succeed,” King said. “Mock trial especially assisted me with public speaking

skills. It gives students an example of courtroom decorum. It’s great preparation if you choose to work in a trial environment.”

The UWF Mock Trial team began in 2001, giving students the opportunity to simulate a real trial in court, often in front of a real judge and in competition with other mock trial teams. UWF has won numerous individual and team awards over the years, and a Mock Trial Courtroom opened on campus in 2009.

For the last five years, UWF has hosted the Argo Invitational Mock Trial Tournament, sponsored by the Stetson College of Law. UWF senior Haleigh Pascoe, who plans to enter law school, said her mock trial experience has allowed her to grow in a lot of ways.

“It’s taught me a lot about myself as well as the legal system. Although it is constantly pushing me outside of my comfort zone, I’ve noticed that with every tournament we attend, I improve. I’m a better public speaker, a better leader and I have better time management skills.”

Aspiring attorneys like Pascoe have the opportunity to accelerate their education through two 3+3 Programs at UWF. Allowing students to complete both bachelor’s and law degrees in six years instead of seven, 3+3 programs are offered in conjunction with Stetson College of Law and FSU College of Law. “It is wonderful to be able to offer students the ability to reach their goals by attending these high quality law schools,” McCorkle said.

With seasoned faculty, industry connections, critical skills training and career path guidance, UWF Legal Studies makes a good case for educating the next generation of legal professionals.

LARRY ANTOINE, a UWF student majoring in legal studies, participates in a mock trial exercise.

3+3 PROGRAMS UWF offers 3+3 programs in partnership with Stetson University College of Law and Florida State University College of Law. These programs allow highperforming UWF students to earn a bachelor’s degree and a juris doctor degree in six years, instead of the traditional seven. Their first year of full-time course work in the J.D. Program at one of the two Colleges of Law also serves as their final year of study at UWF. For more information, visit the UWF Legal Studies Program at uwf.edu/legalstudies.

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ATHLE TICS

Q&A with Coach Shinnick

BY OLIVIA WISE

A

s the University of West Florida football team prepares for kickoff in fall 2016, we sat down with Head Coach Pete Shinnick to preview the upcoming season.

You’ve had two years to get to know UWF and the Pensacola community. What has the reaction been like when you’ve talked to people about UWF football?

The reaction from the community has been consistently positive. I saw the excitement on my first day in Pensacola two years ago, and it withstands today, less than seven months until our inaugural season.

The fall of 2015 was the team’s first opportunity to go through a full season of practices and scrimmages. The scrimmage at Blue Wahoos Stadium was one of the big dates of the fall. Describe that experience.

This past season’s scrimmages, including the one held at the Blue Wahoos Stadium, all drew huge crowds. With over 700 people at each of our first two on-campus scrimmages, and more than 3,000 at the scrimmage downtown, it was a great show of support.

The team signed its first class of new players in 2015, and more were added early in 2016. What will the 11

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roster look like for the team in its first season?

We had 96 student-athletes on the roster before signing day in February – 70 freshmen and 26 upperclassmen. We added 16 high school commitments on signing day, which brings our total to 112. The majority of players we add from this point moving forward will be transfers. It’s looking like a young team with experience sprinkled in at most of the positions.

Describe what you look for when recruiting for UWF football.

There are three main things we consider when recruiting – academics, competitiveness and character. It’s important to consider if a potential player will fit into the culture at UWF and be successful on campus. We do this by talking to as many people who know them as we can. Of course we also make sure they fit admission and graduation standards before they’re considered.

What have been some of the challenges and rewards you have experienced as UWF’s head football coach?

The biggest challenge is waiting; I like coaching football and for two years I haven’t coached a game. The rewards are starting to emerge after a lot of work to get this program up to speed with others across the country. One of the greatest rewards is seeing UWF considered by many potential students and players who never would have considered this University.

What can fans expect from the level of competition in the Gulf South Conference for the Argos in their first year?

Fans will be surprised at the level of play they are getting ready to see. To be competitive in the Gulf South Conference you have to be a strong team. Seeing the level of competition will show fans why we are recruiting who we are.

What will define the fall 2016 season as a success for the Argos?

My challenge for our team is that we get better every week. If we stay healthy, I want us to improve and emerge as a better team at the end of the year than we are at the beginning of the year.

AT H LET I C S

Game Schedule

2016 UWF Football Season Tickets The deadline for building priority points for the inaugural season is April 16, 2016. The priority points system rewards Argonaut Athletic Club members for their loyalty and generosity by providing priority access for purchasing season tickets. All athletic donors can build priority points in nine different categories; after the deadline passes, all Argonaut Athletic Club members will be ranked by total points to determine placement on a list for seat selection.

For more information, visit GoArgos.com/FootballTix or call 850.474.ARGO.

9/3 at Ave Maria

Ave Maria, Fla.

9/10 vs. Missouri S&T

PENSACOLA

9/17 at Chowan

Murfreesboro, N.C.

9/24 at Valdosta State*

Valdosta, Ga.

10/1 vs. Florida Tech*

PENSACOLA

10/8 at Mississippi College*

Clinton, Miss.

10/15 at Delta State*

Cleveland, Miss.

10/22 vs. Shorter*

PENSACOLA

Homecoming

10/29 vs. West Alabama*

PENSACOLA

11/5 at North Alabama*

Florence, Ala.

11/12 vs. West Georgia*

PENSACOLA

Schedule subject to change * Gulf South Conference Game times TBD

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Golfer meets her match off the course Daisy-May Kenny discovers a passion in biomechanics

BY CHUCK CORDER

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B

iomechanical Basis of Movement isn’t a course title that rolls easily off the tongue. Ask any University of West Florida student who has taken the class, and they will explain that the curriculum is very dense – a fair warning for students who are up to the challenge.

Prepared for this, Argos senior women’s golfer Daisy-May Kenny enrolled in the course.

Despite her initial trepidation leading up to the course, Kenny met her match and ultimately discovered her dream sequence

throughout the semester. The applied kinesiology class allowed the exercise science major to combine two of her favorite pastimes: fitness and golf.

“I really didn’t know I would immerse myself in this field,” Kenny said. “I was initially nervous to take the class because I heard from everyone else that it was really hard.

Once I got into the class, though, I was very inquisitive; it seemed like I was the only person asking questions.”

A native of South London, England, Kenny’s interests know no limits these days. She

AT H LET I C S

“They were more than up for it. It’s a great advantage for any athlete to be able to sit in a lab and show them a breakdown of their swing that can help them improve their game.”

—Daisy-May Kenny

is pursuing her passion for sports medicine, anatomy, physiology and biomechanics, among the other related courses.

Dr. Eric Greska, an assistant professor and the instructor for that biomechanics course, encouraged Kenny to explore all possibilities for a research project, giving her free reign over a state-of-the-art laboratory in the exercise science department.

The state-of-the-art UWF Biomechanics and Motion Laboratory utilizes a threedimensional capture system with 16 cameras that help students view and decipher discrete human movement. These cameras are a result of $50,000 gift from donor Hal Marcus.

“This system is top of the line,” Greska said. “At UWF the huge advantage is that we have our undergraduate students involved in research, as well as graduate students.”

It provided Kenny with the perfect platform for her research project that focused on strength and conditioning to help improve her teammates’ golf swings.

DAISY-MAY KENNY

and Dr. Eric Greska exploring how biomechanics could improve her teammates’ swing trajectories.

With aid from strength and conditioning director Kent Morgan and graduate assistant Jacob Smith, Kenny designed workout routines for all nine of her fellow Argos.

Once in the lab, she collected data that measured club head velocity, hip velocity and ball velocity. Kenny used a dense marker set of 50 reflective markers on each of her subjects. The 16 cameras around the room gave off infrared light, which reflected off of those markers to create an image on the screen. Kenny’s teammates hit five shots each as Kenny collected the data.

Although her teammates were a big part of the research process, they also benefited from her lab work.

“They were more than up for it,” she said.

“It’s a great advantage for any athlete to be able to sit in a lab and show them a breakdown of their swing that can help them improve their game.”

The work didn’t stop with her teammates.

Kenny also learned how to create computergenerated code to map out a virtual skeleton to correspond to where the markers were placed over the body.

“It may sound complicated, but it’s so clever how it all works and comes together,” Kenny said. “The system can calculate the velocity of the pelvis. You write equations and with a click of a button, all the answers are calculated.”

After the initial testing in the fall, Kenny brought her subjects back in five weeks later for post-intervention testing.

Then came weeks of analysis and combing through the piles of data she collected.

“It took, God knows how many hours to break it all down,” Kenny said. “I finished evaluating everything just a few weeks ago; every single member of the team increased their hip velocity rotation.

“There were many variables that I

couldn’t control. For example, how much they were practicing or exercising, and injuries. But, overall I am very happy with the results; they all showed improvement.”

Currently, Kenny is in the process of finishing the writing portion of her research project while also applying to graduate schools. Along with a few other colleges, UWF is on the short list that put an emphasis on sports biomechanics.

“It’s a specialization that would set me apart in this profession,” Kenny said.

She also has ambitions to attain her TPI certification with the golf titan Titelist, in hopes of one day continuing her biomechanics pursuit with professional golfers.

“It’s so exciting finding a new passion,” Kenny said. “I’m already thinking of new ideas, wanting to do more and wanting to spend all my free time on this.”

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BY AMY MINCHIN

T

ake a drive through a residential neighborhood in Pensacola, and you might expect to see a school bus, neighbors walking their dogs or, at the right time of year, the occasional stray Mardi Gras beads.

On Oct. 2, 2015, Tom Garner, a former UWF archaeology student, took such a drive, but what he saw was far from ordinary.

What Garner saw in the dirt piqued his interest because of the neighborhood’s location near two Spanish colonial shipwrecks in Pensacola Bay. The ships were part of a colonization effort led by Don Tristån de Luna y Arellano in 1559, and many have suspected this area could hold additional clues about the expedition.

When he saw what appeared to be fragments of pottery, Garner contacted the UWF archaeology lab to explain his findings.

KATHERINE SIMS, a UWF graduate

assistant for the Florida Public Archaeology Network, examines the wall of a shovel test in order to document the stratigraphy.

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“It’s hard to believe that this opportunity is finally here. Not only do we know where the site is, but now we get to explore it.”

—Dr. John Worth, Associate Professor of Historical Archaeology

UNCOVERING THE EVIDENCE

With permission from the property owner, UWF initiated surface collections at the neighborhood site, and Dr. John Worth, associate professor of historical archaeology, began to examine the artifacts at the lab. Since then, he, in conjunction with Dr. Elizabeth Benchley, director of the UWF archaeology program and senior administrator of the project, along with the Archaeology Institute staff and the laboratory team, led by Jan Lloyd have been working tirelessly to find out more.

Worth, an expert on the Spanish colonial era in the Southeastern United States, Worth confirmed the identification of several items, including a large fragment of Columbia Plain majolica pottery, which dates to the mid-16th century.

“What we saw in front of us in the lab was an amazing assemblage of mid-16th century Spanish colonial period artifacts,” said Worth. “These items were very specific to this time period.”

A collection of archived Spanish documents first published in 1928, “The Luna Papers,” had led many – including Worth – to believe this general vicinity was where Luna and his crew of 1,500 had settled. Named Santa Maria de Ochuse, the colony lasted two years after a hurricane destroyed much of Luna’s fleet and food supply just five

weeks after the sailors arrived from Mexico.

“People have looked for this site for a long time,” said Worth, noting UWF archaeologists and others had done fieldwork at this site in the past, but their findings were less conclusive.

The surface collections provided a dense concentration of artifacts unlike others from the region. In addition to early Spanish ceramics, Worth identified six glass trade beads dating to the early and mid-16th century and caret-headed iron nails similar to ones found from a 1540-1542 Coronado expedition in New Mexico but not seen in post-1565 Florida colonies.

“The clincher for the Luna expedition in particular is the discovery of a number of sherds of Aztec tradition pottery at the site, which have also been found on one of the nearby Luna shipwrecks, matching the presence of some 200 Mexican Indians brought as warriors and craftsmen on the Luna expedition, but who were not part of any other mid-16th century Spanish exploratory expedition to the region,” Worth explained.

These monumental findings represent the earliest multi-year European settlement ever archaeologically identified in the United States. The Luna settlement predated the Spanish settlement in St. Augustine, Florida, by six years, and the English settlement in Jamestown, Virginia, by 48 years. Thanks to continued cooperation from neighborhood

1. Sherd of incised Native American pottery

5. Neck sherd of early style Spanish olive jar

2. Sherd of Columbia Plain majolica

6. Punctated rim sherd of Native American pottery

3. Sherd of graphite black on red Aztec tradition pottery 4. Wrought iron nail

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Spring 2016 UNIVERS IT Y of WE ST FLOR IDA

7. Sherd of Spanish lead glazed coarse

residents, further investigation of the Luna settlement site is under way, with Worth serving as principal investigator.

“It’s hard to believe that this opportunity is finally here,” said Worth. “Not only do we know where the site is, but now we get to explore it.

“This project is a wonderful culmination of all the documentary and archaeological work I’ve been doing relative to colonial Spanish Florida for the past 30 years.”

Worth began documentary work specific to Luna in the 1990s. “Even though I’ve had my eye on various possible candidates for the terrestrial Luna settlement for a number of years, including the actual site of the recent discovery, I honestly never dared to hope that the site would be identified during my career, and even less that I might get the opportunity to spearhead the project to explore Luna’s settlement,” he said. “This is definitely one of those ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ types of discoveries, and one that is both exciting and daunting at the same time.”

The settlement is believed to have stretched across approximately 10 neighborhood blocks, according to Dr. Benchley.

She estimates fieldwork could last at least two years.

In order to protect the neighborhood and the integrity of the site, UWF does not plan to disclose the exact location of the Luna settlement.

8. Glass trade beads including seven-layer faceted chevron beads, and one tubular Nueva Cadiz Twisted bead 9. Caret-head nail

1

2

4

3

5 6

7

8

9

Background: Map of Atlantic Ocean from Portolan atlas of 9 charts and a world map, etc. Dedicated to Hieronymus Ruffault, Abbot of St. Vaast. Contributors: Agnese, Battista, active 16th century, ca. 1544.

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HANDS-ON HISTORY

Under Worth’s direction, UWF students will have the opportunity to take part in archaeological fieldwork at the Luna settlement site. Over the course of this summer, 10-week field schools will allow both graduate and undergraduate students to work alongside the University’s professional archaeologists in uncovering additional evidence. These experiential learning courses allow the students to gain valuable skills necessary for employment or further study.

Ultimately, through field schools and lab work, Worth says the researchers hope to answer questions such as “Who exactly were the Luna soldiers and settlers, from Spaniards to Mexican Indians to African slaves?” and “What did they bring with them on the colonial expedition?” as well as “How did the settlers survive after the loss of their food supplies in the 1559 hurricane?”

In nearby Pensacola Bay, maritime fieldwork is ongoing at the site of the two wrecked ships from the Luna expedition thanks to a grant from the Florida Division of Historical Resources. The UWF archaeology program has studied the two shipwrecks, named Emanuel Point I and Emanuel Point II, since their respective discoveries in 1992 and 2006.

“The shipwrecks have provided tremendous insight into the nature of the machinery that brought Spain to the New World and how they operated this entire vast empire,” Worth said. “In terms of understanding who they were after coming to the New World, archaeology at the terrestrial site will provide us that window.”

This summer students in one field school section will be able to split time between the Luna settlement site and the shipwrecks. “I can’t think of a more exciting field school opportunity for students,” said Dr. John R. Bratten, who serves as co-principal investigator, excavation and artifact conservation of Emanuel Point II. “Also, the identification of the Luna settlement site confirms to us we should continue to search for additional ships.”

Four more shipwrecks from Luna’s expedition are believed to be in the Bay, he said.

Artifacts from the first Luna ship discov19

Spring 2016 UNIVERS IT Y of WE ST FLOR IDA

ered, Emanuel Point I, can be viewed by the public at the UWF Archaeology Institute, located near the main entrance to the Pensacola campus. The T.T. Wentworth Jr. Florida State Museum in Downtown Pensacola houses the ship’s anchor.

More recently discovered Luna artifacts will be displayed in the future, although it’s unclear when, as laboratory analysis and the preservation process can last many years.

PENSACOLA IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Ultimately, the historical significance of the artifacts and the confirmed location of Santa Maria de Ochuse could hold tremendous value for Pensacola.

“St. Augustine has certainly received a lot of attention as the oldest, continuously occupied colonial town in the U.S., and deservedly so,” Benchley said. “However, the Pensacola Luna colony was established earlier. We are pleased to have finally found its location and will work toward getting the recognition that Pensacola deserves.

“The Spanish returned to Pensacola in 1698, and people of European descent have continuously occupied the area since that time,” she added. “Even this later date makes Pensacola the longest, continuously occupied European settlement on the U.S. Gulf Coast.”

The discovery of the Luna settlement site has already received worldwide attention. To name a few, outlets such as the New York Times and the San Francisco Chronicle published an Associated Press article about UWF’s archaeology work. El País, the highest-circulation daily newspaper in Spain, sent reporters to Pensacola to cover the story, as well.

“I consider myself very fortunate to be part of such an amazing team of scholars and students here at UWF,” Worth said. “I have every confidence that we’ll be making many amazing discoveries about Luna’s settlement over the coming years.”

With knowledge of Pensacola’s past evolving as archaeological research continues, it seems that the Luna voyage still holds promise for the area centuries later.

Under Worth’s direction, UWF students will have the opportunity to take part in archaeological fieldwork at the Luna settlement site. Over the course of this summer, 10-week field schools will allow both graduate and undergraduate students to work alongside the University’s professional archaeologists in uncovering additional evidence. These experiential learning courses allow the students to gain valuable skills necessary for employment or further study.

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SNA PS H OTS

Meet Marsha Barnes, a student in the curriculum and instruction doctorate program at UWF. Thanks to the partnership with Pen Air Federal Credit Union, Marsha received a travel grant to attend her first educational conference, where she networked with professionals in her field, gained exposure to new ideas and presented her research.

Pen Air offers the UWF Visa Platinum Credit Card, which features the same low rates and competitive benefits as existing Pen Air cards with an additional perk — a percentage of everyday transactions double as donations to the UWF Alumni Association and alumni grant programs.

At no additional cost, cardholders make it possible for students like Marsha to receive grants, engage in learning experiences outside of the classroom and advance their education and careers.

Apply today and help students take their academic journey one step further. For more information, visit uwf.edu/alumni/benefits.

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Spring 2016 UNIVERS IT Y of WE ST FLOR IDA

S N APSH OTS

Smile!

Whether we gather at a grand opening, recognition dinner, chapter event or Homecoming, 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.

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

College of Science and Engineering Undergraduate Research Symposium

The Partnership for Public Health, Inc. established a $100,000 endowment to support the UWF Master of Public Health program

Mayor Ashton Hayward and Nancy Fetterman at the UWF Historic Trust Interpretive Master Plan launch

Jane Kugelman alongside two UWF Kugelman honors students

Consulate General of Ireland visits with UWF as part of the UWF study abroad program, The Irish Experience U NI V E R S I TY of W E ST F LO R I DA Spring 2016

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SNAPS H OTS

UWF alumni, friends and family congregate at Blue Wahoos Stadium to support the UWF football team during a scrimmage in Oct. 2015

Newly laid AstroTurf on the University Park Football Field

Thank you to our sponsors of the

UWF Alumni Golf Classic

The Florida First Capital Finance Corporation team at the UWF Alumni Golf Classic, following their second place finish

GEICO Pen Air Federal Credit Union Firehouse Subs Morette Company UWF Bookstore Florida First Capital Finance Corporation Evergreen Printing & Mailing Buffalo Wild Wings

Tim and Marguerite Burr recognized at the UWF Donor Dinner

The Morette Company team playing during the UWF Alumni Golf Classic 23

Spring 2016 UNIVERSIT Y of WE ST FLOR IDA

S N APSH OTS

UWF alumni and students ready to kick-off homecoming 2015 UWF alumni with their friends and family enjoying the Pensacola Ice Flyers game

Celebrating the Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival Hall of Fame show at UWF

Refer a student to UWF today Deciding on a college can be difficult. Who better to share their love of UWF than our alumni?

Future Argonaut Referral Program

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions encourages you to share with students why you decided to make UWF your home. If you refer a student through our Future Argonaut Referral Program, we will waive that student's undergraduate application fee (a $30 value) when we receive the student's application.

To refer a student, visit uwf.edu/FutureArgo.

U NI V E R S I TY of W E ST F LO R I DA Spring 2016

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A LUMNI

Message from the

Alumni Board President Dear Fellow Alumni,

O

n behalf of the University, it is my privilege to be named your new President of the UWF National Alumni Association. It is truly an honor to begin my term at such an exciting time for our University. In this role, I’m glad to be able to share our new name, and how it better reflects the strong and growing coalition of 78,000 UWF alumni.

Along with the new board, I invite you to get involved during this revolutionary time for our University! As a reminder, below are several ways to get involved: 1. Verify that we have your best contact information by visiting connect.uwf.edu

We are entering into a historic time for our University, and we have many exciting events on the horizon to celebrate.

The current board plans to leverage these historic events to increase alumni engagement and strengthen our new brand.

I want to share with you some highlights of events that occurred over the last six months:

3,000

4. Attend our alumni events.

Help us make our university a destination of excellence, quality and success so that whether you are a part of the first graduating class of 1967 or the most recent class of 2015, with pride, you can forever wear the brand of an Argo!

• This fall, your UWF National Alumni Association hosted more than 15 events to engage our alumni. The events included a Blue Wahoos baseball game; the annual golf classic tournament; a whiskey tasting and tours with UWF Historic Trust downtown.

Fans attended the first football scrimmage

3. Join a committee of the alumni board.

5. Make a gift to the university.

• In October, more than 3,000 fans attended the inaugural football scrimmage at the Blue Wahoos Stadium in downtown Pensacola. The venue was spectacular, the atmosphere was electric and the Argo pride was contagious. I can’t wait for September!

• The Fall Commencement ceremonies gave us the opportunity to welcome more than 1,000 Argonauts into the Alumni Association.

2. Join the conversation with fellow alumni through social media. (Twitter: @UWFAlumni, Facebook: UWF Alumni).

Sincerely,

Brett Barrows, President, UWF National Alumni Association

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Fall alumni events

Stay Connected with UWF Alumni | Connect.uwf.edu | 25

Spring 2016 UNIVERSIT Y of WE ST FLOR IDA

1,000 New alumni this Fall

/UWFAlumni

Alumni Events ALU M N I

Alumni Events From gatherings in their own hometown to events on campus, UWF alumni have plenty of opportunities to engage with UWF and meet, work and play together. If you have ideas and suggestions for a great alumni event, email us at alumni@uwf.edu. For event updates visit alumni.uwf.edu.

April 16 UWF Football Spring Game University Park Football Field Pensacola Campus, 11 a.m.

April 24

Spring Commencement

April 24, 2016 at 2 p.m. and at 5 p.m.

April-June: Alumni Chapter Events Meet and reconnect with fellow alumni catch up on the latest University news and learn about our many alumni programs and services! Watch your email and mailbox to find out who our special guest will be at each event. RSVP to alumni@uwf.edu or 1.800.226.1893. For more information on upcoming events in your area, visit alumni.uwf.edu.

April 15

UWF Alumni Board of Directors Retreat

April 28

Washington, DC Alumni Network Event District ChopHouse 6 to 7:30 p.m.

May 17

Jacksonville, Florida Alumni Network Event Maggiano’s Little Italy 6 to 7:30 p.m.

June 16

Tampa, Florida Alumni Network Event Maggiano’s Little Italy 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Join us at the Pensacola Bay Center as we welcome the newest members of the UWF National Alumni Association.

Graduate and undergraduate students will be honored with their respective colleges at two separate ceremonies. The first ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. and will feature graduates of the College of Business, the College of Health and the College of Science and Engineering. The second ceremony will begin at 5 p.m. and include graduates of the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities and College of Education and Professional Studies.

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A LUMNI

Alumni Spotlight: Kendrick Hobbs UWF grad spices things up in Argonaut Village

OLIVIA WISE AND CHRISTIAN PACHECO

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ALU M N I

KENDRICK HOBBS

creating cuisine seasoned with the piri piri pepper at the new Boneheads located at Argonaut Village.

O

nly a few years ago you could have found Kendrick Hobbs (’12) in the College of Business building at UWF, eagerly learning about entrepreneurship and the tangible ways to turn the dream of owning a business into a reality.

Today, if you venture into Argonaut Village, located at the UWF East Campus Entrance, you could see how the UWF alumni and lifetime Pensacolian made his dream come to fruition as the owner and operator of Boneheads, a casual dining chain based in Atlanta.

“I always knew I wanted to open my own business in the future, but one day one of my classmates at UWF said to me ‘why wait to start?’” said Hobbs. “Ever since, that question has really stood out to me because it jumpstarted my decision to follow my dream, and looking back at how things came together, it seems like it was destiny.”

Boneheads, which opened in December 2015, joined Starbucks at the Argonaut Village retail development site. With an extensive background in the restaurant industry, it was important for Hobbs to find an establishment that he knew would be a good fit for the UWF and Pensacola community.

His experience allowed him to do just that; when he visited Boneheads for the first time, he was drawn to the brand’s opportunity for personalization, among other things.

“I was impressed by the varied designs that each store had to set it apart from the other restaurants; going beyond aesthetics, these designs made each Boneheads establishment truly unique,” Hobbs said. “I was

also excited to bring Boneheads to Pensacola because there’s really nothing else like it in the area.”

Boneheads is in the top 45 on Fast Casual’s list of “Top 100 Movers and Shakers.”

According to Hobbs, the response from the community has been positive. The area offers a premier location for UWF students, faculty and staff to enjoy flavorful fare close to campus.

“I always knew I wanted to open my own business in the future, but one day one of my classmates at UWF said to me ‘why wait to start?’”

While Hobbs can trace his passion for business back to a virtual reality concession stand he operated in eighth grade, his education at UWF fostered his passion for entrepreneurship. Hobbs earned a bachelor’s degree in management information systems from the UWF College of Business in 2012. When he reflects on his time as a student, he credits Dr. William Carper, whom he referenced as his greatest influencer in this venture.

“While the coursework gave me funda-

mental knowledge, some of the best lessons I’ve learned have been outside of the classroom,” Hobbs said. “Not being afraid to ask questions helped me learn about the industry, especially when it came to construction, supplies and finances. If you’re interested in getting into this industry, take whatever projections you make and plan to double or triple them.”

Since opening, Boneheads has hired a number of UWF students, and offers a 10 percent discount to UWF students, faculty, staff and alumni. He hopes that he can continue to integrate Boneheads into the UWF and Pensacola communities through events and outreach that support UWF student organizations.

“Boneheads is truly a family, and we want to continue to be a part of the UWF family,” said Hobbs. “Over the next few years UWF is going to experience a lot of growth, and we hope to continue to be a part of that,” said Hobbs.

Connect with Boneheads /BoneheadsPensacola @BoneheadsPcola @BoneheadsPensacola

UWF Business Enterprises, Inc., in partnership with Compass/Chartwells, broke ground in the spring of 2014 for Argonaut Village, a collection of retail shops located at the east entrance of campus. Currently included in Argonaut Village is Starbucks, Subway and Boneheads. For more information, visit uwf.edu/bei/projects.

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A LUMNI

Alumni Spotlight: Erik Medley

BY ASHLEY KAHN SALLEY

E

rik Medley (’05) is the owner of Medley Construction, or E-TURF, a certified general contractor specializing in sports and recreation facilities utilizing synthetic turf.

His firm was selected by UWF to design and build the field for the highly anticipated Argonaut football team.

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Q. How did your experience at UWF lead to success in your career?

My university experience was very fulfilling. I graduated with a B.S. in mathematics. Now as a sports construction contractor, I use math every day – from creating estimates and accounting to job site elevations and measurements. My UWF degree has helped me excel tremendously at what I do today.

Q. The University has grown so much since you graduated. What was life on campus like for you?

In between classes and Greek life, I took full advantage of the beautiful UWF grounds. I really enjoy the outdoors and would go hiking and biking around campus. The fishing in Pensacola is not too bad, either! Indeed, the university has grown since my graduation in 2005.

We are very proud to be a part of this important milestone in UWF history.

Q. Your firm won the contract to build the UWF football field. What does this job mean to you?

First of all, my firm and I are very grateful to have this once-in-a-lifetime experience at UWF. Medley Sports Construction, or E-TURF, was selected as the most responsible bidder by the University, along with planner and construction manager Childers Construction. I want to thank them for putting trust in E-TURF. It was a great honor to work closely with them throughout the entire process.

Q. What can fans expect from the field? What sets this facility apart?

Being a fellow Argo, this project was constructed with not only the best quality – but with a passion for UWF and the new UWF football program.

C L ASS N OT ES

Class Notes 1960s

’82 Mamie Hixon, MA English; received the “Business Professional Award” from the Gulf Coast African American Chamber of Commerce. ’84 Diana Preston, MBA, joined Community Food Share as human resources manager.

Wallace

’69 & ’82 Deanna Dyess, BA Elementary Education & MA Elementary Education, illustrated a children’s book, “Nana Claus” by Farica West, and is currently working on a second.

’75 Eric Wallace, MA English, published a second anthology of his literary short stories, titled, “HOAR FROST.” The anthology contains seven stories set in locations as diverse as Alaska and the Galapagos Islands.

1970s

’79 Richard Tucker, MS Public Administration, is the new executive director of Conservation and Strategic Partnerships for Jefferson Land Trust.

’72 Deltra Long, BA History Education, inducted into the St. Augustine/ Ketterlinus High School Alumni Association Hall of Fame for her contributions to the local community and representation of the high school’s traditions. Long was a founding member of Habitat for Humanity-St. Augustine and was also on the board for the Betty Griffin House.

’79 Elizabeth Crandall, BS Cell & Molecular Biology, received her Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Arkansas State University.

1980s ’80 Pamela Rentz, BA English Education, named dean of the Chipola College School of Education.

’84 & ’98 Laura Shaud, BA Accounting Information Systems & Master of Accountancy, joined the staff of WSRE, PBS for the Gulf Coast, at Pensacola State College. ’86 Tammi Terell, BS Marketing, named the vice president and general manager of AT&T to oversee business in Missouri, Kansas, and Southern Illinois. Terrell will manage more than 1,200 employees, 60 AT&T-owned retail locations and 330 national retail partners and authorized resellers. ’89 Katheryn Kahn, BA English Education, running for a District 2 seat in the Idaho House.

1990s ’90 Sharon Nobles, BA Accounting, selected to serve as vice president and chief financial officer of Acute Care Services for Baptist Health Care.

’80 Tony Gomillion, BS Management, named Santa Rosa County’s next county administrator. ’80 Gus Silivos, BS Management, the chef and owner of Skopelos is reopening the fine-dining restaurant with a partnership with New World Landing in downtown Pensacola.

Higdon

’73 James Higdon, MBA, installed as national president of National Sojourners Inc., a military Masonic organization. Higdon was also selected as a 2015 “Super Lawyer in Family Law”

by Texas Monthly magazine and a 2015 “Top Lawyer” by S.A. Scene magazine.

’80 Fred Wilharm, BA Legal Administration, produced his fifth independent film, “Providence,” which will be released in select AMC theaters nationwide. “Providence” is a silent cinema-style film with a soundtrack by Nashville and other indie music artists.

’90 Michael Lawson, BA International Studies, received a commission as a foreign service officer with the U.S. Department of State. He has been posted to the United States Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria, where he is serving as a vice-console. ’91 & ’06 Michael Thorpe, BA Middle School – Junior High School & M.Ed. Educational Leadership, honored as Florida’s 2015 “Innovative Principal of the Year” by the Florida Council of Instructional Technology Leaders.

’73 & ’93 George Gardner, BA Accounting & M.Ed. Educational Leadership, named principal for Destin Elementary School. ’75 Tom Wilkes, MS Public Administration, named to the 2016 “Best Lawyers in America” list in the Government Contracts and Government Relations practice in Orlando, Florida.

Wilharm

Wilkes

’92 David Leeson, MBA; joined the Day Hagan Asset Management Investment Committee as a consultant. He will provide market insights and research focused on exchange-traded funds.

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CLASS NOTE S

’92 Traci Clemons, BA Mathematics; received the annual “Public Health Impact Award” from the Emmes Corporation. She was recognized for her leadership of the clinical trial, associated with a five-year study and involving 4,000 patients, to determine whether there is an association between omega-3 and other nutritional supplements and cognitive function. ’92 Darlene Dickey, BA Criminal Justice, promoted to be a judge on the First Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Escambia County.

’96 Edwin Howard, BA Political Science Pre-Law, re-elected to serve a second year as the vice president of programs for the Panhandle Tiger Bay Club in Pensacola, Florida. ’96 Julie Deavers, BA Art History, new faculty member at Girls Preparatory School. ’98 Vonda Lee, BS Engineering Tech - Man, 2015 recipient of the “Auto Care Woman of Excellence” award presented by the Car Care Council Women’s Board.

’92 & ’94 Charles Bare, MS Public Administration-Coastal Zone & BA Legal Administration, newly elected city council president of Pensacola.

Bare represents the City Council on the Florida/Alabama Transportation Planning Organization, the Northwest Florida Regional Transportation Planning Organization, Eastside Redevelopment Board and the Pensacola-Escambia Development Commission. ’92 & ’02 Joel Paul, BS Technological Vocational Studies – Vocational Program Development & M.Ed. Educational Leadership – Curriculum and Instruction, appointed to the Chipola College District Board of Trustees. ’92 Jefferson Edgens, MS Public Administration, selected to be the director the University of Wyoming at Casper and will serve as associate dean of the UW Outreach School.

’94 & 2015 Wayne Baker, MS Public Administration & Ed.D. Administrative Studies; graduated with a Doctorate of Education from the University of West Florida.

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’00 Matthew Christian, BSBA Marketing, promoted to vice president and business banking relationship manager with Gateway Bank of Southwest Florida in Sarasota, Florida. ’00 & ’09 Katherine Gartman, BA Communication Arts & MS Administration; named executive director of Baptist Health Care Foundation. ’01 Sandra Donaldson, BA Legal Administration, named community care director for Escambia Community Clinics Inc. ’02 Russell Branch, BA Social Work; hired as new executive director of Branch Branches Out, the Escambia County Destination Marketing Organization. ’02 Ryan Davenport, BS Mathematics – Secondary Teaching, coached the 2016 District Championship girls soccer team at Gulf Breeze High School

Newberry

’98 & ’00 Jeffery Newberry, BA English Writing & MA English Creative Writing, author of a new crime drama fiction novel, titled “A Stairway to the Sea,” set to be published by Pulpwood Press in 2016.

’04 & ’10 Jason Crawford, MBA & BSBA Management, after a short stint in the Army, a National Guard reactivation tour of duty in Baghdad and a successful career at Intelligent Retinal Imagining Systems in downtown Pensacola, Crawford recently was appointed a board member of the UWF Foundation. ’04 Leah Harrison, BA PR & Advertising, named charitable giving director of Children’s Home Society of Florida’s Western division. ’04 Matthew Harrison, BS Health Leisure & Exercise Science; recognized

by Inweekly as a 2016 Rising Star.

’93 Joy Tsubooka, BA Communication Arts, named Escambia County’s community and media relations division manager. ’93 & ’06 Steven Rabbysmith, MA History Preserve & BA History, joined the staff of SEARCH in their Pensacola office. SEARCH is a leading nationwide and global provider of cultural resources services to government and commercial customers in the energy, defense, transportation and development markets. SEARCH is a full-service company offering a multidisciplinary integration of its five divisions: archaeology, maritime archaeology, architectural history, history and archives, and heritage design.

2000s

’05 & ’07 Brittany Miller, BA Philosophy & AA; recognized by Inweekly as a 2016 Rising Star. ’05 Grant Williams, BA Journalism, joined Birch Communications, Inc. as its vice president of customer care and member of its executive leadership team.

Belote

’98 Patricia Belote, BA Political Science, authored a poetry chapbook, “Traveling Light,” published by Finishing Line Press. ’99 Kerry Bruni, BA Public Relations, selected as the 2014-15 “Teacher of the Year” at Winthrop Charter School and promoted to the curriculum resource teacher position.

’05 Tasha Cooper, BA PR & Advertising, announced as the Capital Area March of Dimes Division Director responsible for managing all initiatives within the nine-parish area. ’06 Megan Morrison, BS Biology – PreProfessional, joined the dermatology practice of Dr. Michael Bell, and the Murfreesboro Dermatology Clinic, PLC, and MDC Aesthetics Center. ’07 Krista Billingsley, BA International Studies, received both a Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation

C L ASS N OT ES

Research Abroad Fellowship for “Transitional Justice in Nepal: Structural Violence and Perceptions of Justice and Reconciliation” and a Wenner-Gren Foundation Dissertation Fieldwork Grant for “Transitional Justice in Nepal: Endemic Violence and Marginalized Perspectives.”

her hard work and dedication to the community to collect donations of new and used bikes for children and adults.

’10 Daniel Fugate, MA Strategic Communication and Leadership, appointed as administrative director for the Blues Angel Music Foundation, a nonprofit organization promoting music education and therapy.

Austin

’09 Nicolas Barrientos, BSBA Finance, former University of West Florida tennis player, advanced to the men’s singles finals at the Pan-Am Games in Toronto while playing for Colombia.

Billingsley

’07 & ’09 Joseph Carff, BS Computer Science & MS Computer Science; recognized by Inweekly as a 2016 Rising Star. ’07 Amber Bernard, BA Criminal Justice; recognized by Inweekly as a 2016 Rising Star. ’07 Travis Topolski, BA Criminal Justice; named 2015 “Deputy of the Year” by the Okaloosa County Sheriff's office. ’08 Jennifer Mostert, BSBA Professional Accountancy, was promoted to manager in the audit and assurance services department for Saltmarsh, Cleaveland & Gund.

’09 Mark Mcguigan, BS HLES Physical Education, joined the men’s tennis program at Florida State University as the marketing and development coach with Seminole High Performance. ’09 Thanh Nguyen, BS Chemistry; recognized by Inweekly as a 2016 Rising Star. ’10 Ashlee Carpentier, BS Business Administration; recognized by Inweekly as a 2016 Rising Star. ’11 Megan Crawford, BA Psychology; recognized by Inweekly as a 2016 Rising Star. ’12 Justin Holman, BA Legal Studies; recognized by Inweekly as a 2016 Rising Star. ’12 Nikki Kelley, BS Nursing; recognized

by Inweekly as a 2016 Rising Star. ’12 & ’14 James Hamric, BS Business Administration & Master of Accountancy; recognized by Inweekly as a 2016 Rising Star. ’13 Caitlin Newby, BS Business Administration; recognized by Inweekly as a 2016 Rising Star. ’13 Jillian Glenn, BA Communication Arts; recognized by Inweekly as a 2016 Rising Star. ’13 Victoria D’Angelo, BA Maritime Studies; recognized by Inweekly as a 2016 Rising Star.

Cooper

’09 & ’10 Brittany Austin, BA Criminal Justice & MS Criminal Justice; recognized as the City of Pensacola January “Employee of the Month” for

2010s

’14 Jeff Nall, MA Strategic Communication and Leadership; was installed as the 2015-16 president for Pensacola Five Flags Rotary Club. ’14 Mary Hartshorn, BA Communication Arts; recognized by Inweekly as a 2016 Rising Star.

’11 Sydney Depalma, BA Anthropology - Biological, hired as the program director of Gulf Breeze Parks and Recreation after school program, which is currently in the making for the middle school population. ’12 Sean Reynolds, BS HLES Exercise Science, secured a starting role and earned a spot on his league’s “Team of the Week” as defender for a top-level soccer club in Iceland. ’12 Kendrick Hobbs, BS Business Administration, opened Boneheads Grill in the Argonaut Village at UWF. Boneheads Grill is a national chain with 12 locations in eight states. ’14 James Landon, BS Oceanography, appointed head of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Law Enforcement. ’15 Claire Errington, MS Exercise Science, hired as the principal for Capstone Academy Milton, a public charter school, owned and operated

by Capstone Adaptive Learning and Therapy Centers, providing educational opportunities based on each child’s individual needs. ’15 Amber Hardy, BA Exceptional Student Education, joined the staff at Nautilus Elementary in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, as a third grade teacher. ’15 Laurie Murphy, BS Oceanography, hired as executive director and coastkeeper for Emerald Coastkeepers. ’15 Kati Andrews, BA Criminal Justice and BA Social Work, named the recipient of the 2015 “Outstanding Undergraduate Student” award from the Southern Criminal Justice Association for her accomplishments at UWF. ’15 Mary Leslie, MA Strategic Communication and Leadership, named the executive director of the American College of Cardiology, New York, and is at the College’s New York City headquarters. ’15 Shawn Dominguez, MS Administration Acquisition and Contract Administration, Pensacola Naval Air Station welcomes Cmdr. Shawn Dominguez as executive officer.

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CLASS NOTE S

In Memoriam ’69 Phillips Fulcher, BS Marketing, died Oct. 18, 2015 ’69 Lee Chesnut, BS Physical Education, died Jan. 1, 2016 ’70 Charles Coe, BS Systems Science/Scientific, died Nov. 29, 2015 ’70 Marjore Shepherd, BA Communication Arts, died July 8, 2015 ’70 & ’85 Marie Postell, BA Elementary Education & MA Elementary Education, died Jan. 20, 2016 ’71 Leonard Liles, BS Health Leisure & SP - HL/PH, died Nov. 22, 2015 ’72 Clarence Marler, BS Management, died July 9, 2015 ’72 Ralph Gordon, BS Marketing, died July 25, 2015 ’72 John Sheffield, MBA, died Aug. 11, 2015 ’72 Jimmy West, BS Health Leisure & SP - HL/PH, died Dec. 4, 2015 ’72 Mary Edwards, MA Elementary Education, died Dec. 19, 2015 ’72 Frederick Gural, BS Management, died Jan. 9, 2016 ’73 Kenneth Andrews, MA English, died Sept. 5, 2015 ’73 Lina Clary, M.Ed. Educational Leadership, died Sept. 13, 2015 ’73 & ‘75 Dianne Barlar, BS Marketing & MBA, died Jan. 11, 2016 ’74 Dewey McQuagge, M.Ed. Educational Leadership, died Dec. 13, 2015 ’74 Frieda Lloyd, MA Elementary Education, died Dec. 29, 2015 ’75 David Smith, BS Marketing, died June 12, 2015

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Spring 2016 UNIVERS IT Y of WE ST FLOR IDA

’75 Barbara Page, BA History Education, died Dec. 16, 2015

’84 Alvin Turner, MBA, died Sept. 9, 2015

’75 Herbert Patterson, M.Ed. Educational Leadership, died Dec. 24, 2015

’84 Richard Prusa, MBA, died Sept. 26, 2015

’75 John Stanton, BS Industrial Technology; died Jan. 26, 2016 ’76 Judy Allen, BA Elementary Education, died Oct. 11, 2015

’84 Louis Owens, BS Management, died Sept. 20, 2015 ’84 Evelyn Cook, MA Elementary Education, died Oct. 3, 2015

’77 William Johnson, BA Intro Social Science; died Jan. 31, 2016

’86 & ‘95 Sherman Bonomelli, BS Biology & MS Biology, died Dec. 14, 2015

’77 Mary Thorpe, BA Elementary Education – Early Child, died Jan. 16, 2016

’88 Mary Moore, BA English Education, died Dec. 18, 2015

’78 Harold Milstead, BA History; died Feb. 1, 2016 ’78 Claude Welch, BS Systems Science/Business, died Oct. 9, 2015 ’79 Camelia Clapp, MA Mathematics; died Feb. 6, 2016 ’79 Lance Hoffman, BS Physical Electronics, died Oct. 31, 2015 ’79 Tommy Thompson, BA Accounting, died Nov. 12, 2015 ’80 Sara Harman, BA Social Work, died July 27, 2015 ’81 Bradley Kendrick, BA Accounting, died Sept. 2, 2015 ’81 Vard Kirby, BA Political Science, died Dec. 23, 2015

’90 Robert Parish, M.Ed. Educational Leadership, died Aug. 14, 2015 ’92 Stuart Wyeth, BA International Studies, died July 23, 2015 ’93 Parrish Strickland, BS Environmental Resource Management and Planning, died Oct. 28, 2015 ’01 John Windham, BSBA Finance, died on Oct. 2, 2015 ’04 Stephen Cooley, BA International Studies, died Nov. 23, 2015 ’05 Jennifer Meador, BA Legal Studies Pre-Law, died Sept. 4, 2015 ’06 Amy Olivastro, BA Philosophy, died Jan. 18, 2016

’82 Patricia Morris, BA Social Work; died Aug. 3, 2015

’10 Brian Eddins, BS Engineering Technology/Building Construction, died Jan. 5, 2016

’82 Patrick Morris, BA Social Work, died Aug. 14, 2015

’11 Paul Gorman, BA Anthropology, died Aug. 13, 2015

’82 Jane Burgess, M.Ed. Educational Leadership, died Aug. 28, 2015

’12 Jeremiah Walker, MS Administration/Acquisition and Contract Administration, died Nov. 30, 2015

’82, ’98 & ’02, Dr. Charles Clark, M.Ed. Educational Leadership, Specialist in Education & Doctor of Education, died Nov. 17, 2015

Lucy Pearson, UWF employee, died Jan. 10, 2016

M EET A ST U DEN T A M BASSADOR

Meet Adrian Lawrence Embracing Community and Chasing Dreams

BY ALYSSA TOWNSEND

A

drian Lawrence is passionate about helping others, which he channels through his commitment to education and healthcare. While Grey’s Anatomy, the television medical drama, first piqued his interest in the field, it was Adrian’s volunteer work at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola during high school and college that cemented his desire to become a nurse.

“Seeing what I’ll potentially be doing has been worthwhile,” the senior public health major said. “The hands-on experience solidifies it. I know this is for me.”

Adrian says his time at UWF has been transformative. The UWF Student Ambassadors program helped him develop personally while allowing him to simultaneously be a part of enriching the community he calls home.

“We work with alumni – the people we are trying to be in the future. I don’t feel like you can get that experience with any other student organization.”

A Pensacola native, Adrian credits UWF with changing his outlook on life.

“Through the opportunities at this institution, I’ve gained exposure to how diverse our world is. I’ve grown outside of my comfort zone in Pensacola and experienced life from Miami, Florida, all the way to Portland, Oregon."

Adrian fuels his pursuit of excellence by remembering his roots. His mother and grandmother both overcame considerable obstacles to obtain master’s degrees, and his grandfather continually emphasized the value of education. Following graduation this upcoming April, Adrian hopes to attend nursing school and pursue a dual-doctorate-degree. Ultimately, he strives to return to the university setting as a professor, and work his way up to becoming a nursing school dean.

“When I decided to attend UWF, I knew it would be more community based than the typical university, and that’s what I ended up falling in love with,” he said. “The faculty helped me set the path to achieve my career goals while the staff helped me to realize my potential to do great things.”

9 5 23

Languages

Countries

Majors

Representing

All 5 UWF Colleges

U NI V E R S I TY of W E ST F LO R I DA Spring 2016

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Connection

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

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#ARGOPRIDE You can be among the first to showcase the new UWF license plate! With each license plate purchased, an investment is made in academic scholarships for first generation UWF students.

Tweet a photo of your new UWF license plate to @UWFAlumni and we’ll send you one of our UWF car magnets!

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Just add $25 to the cost of your Florida Vehicle registration.

Be sure to renew your tag every year at your local tag agency, by mail, or online. For more information about the UWF license plate please visit, uwf.edu/licenseplate.