alumnivoice_winter2013_web.pdf

Greetings from a Bulls Family in Spain

Tell Us Why! Pg. 2

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

From the Fields to the White House Pg. 16

Engineering the Future Pg. 18

Meet Coach T. Pg. 36

Do You Love ?

WINTER 2013 | ALUMNIVOICE 1

C O N T E N T S

FEATURES

14 The Kantor Family Adventure in Spain Rob and Gabriela Kantor say hasta luego to their friends, family and business in Tampa to spend a year in a small village in northern Spain raising their sons and reconnecting as a family. Their philosophy is that the only risks you regret are the ones you don’t take.

16 From the Fields to the White House Lourdes Villanueva grew up as a migrant farmworker. With hard work, determination and a little support from the Redlands Christian Migrant Association, she earned a degree in social work and was named as a White House Head Start Champion of Change for her work on behalf of migrant families.

18 Engineering the Future Gordon and Paula Gillette consider the scholarships they endow for USF engineering students as part of their broader efforts to support the university that means so much to them.

36 Meet Coach T. New Bulls Football Head Coach Willie Taggart is proud to be back in Bulls Country and is ready to rumble.

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242 22

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2 Why Do You Love USF? 3 President’s Message 4 USFAA Board of Directors 7 News Roundup 10 Where’s Rocky? 19 Bulls Eye: USFSP 19 Bulls Eye: Dodé Ackey 20 Bulls Eye: Shawna Machado 22 Blast from the Past

23 That was Then, This is Now 24 Chapters & Societies 27 Employ-A-Bull 28 Alumni Travel 29 Class Notes 34 2012 Annual Report Summary 36 Athletics 37 Calendar

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2 ALUMNIVOICE | WINTER 2013


president’s message

Hello Fellow Alumni,

As I think about the year ahead, two things become crystal clear for me. First of all, now more than ever, I am incredibly proud to be a USF graduate. Second, I’ve come to recognize the power that each of us individually as alumni and collectively as part of the Alumni Association have on the future of our university.

Over the 20 years since I graduated there have been many shining moments for USF that have given me great pride to be a Bull. However in the past year, we have outdone ourselves, with nationally recognized professors and the most academically gifted incoming freshman class we have ever had. And now we have an exciting new head football coach! Across all of USF’s campuses,

incredibly hard working faculty, staff, administrators, and most of all students, are striving every day to continue this trajectory of global success. It extends from our campuses to the more than 265,000 alumni around the world who are excelling in their endeavors and proving that USF is unstoppable.

In this issue you will read about just a few of these alumni, like Tampa Electric President Gordon Gillette and his wife Paula, who were so moved by hearing from students what it meant to receive a scholarship they endowed Engineering scholarships themselves. And you’ll also read about Lourdes Rodriquez, who, through hard work and perseverance, went from a life as a migrant farmworker to become the Director of Advocacy for the Redlands Christian Migrant Association and a White House Champion of Change. Also featured is Robert Kantor who, along with his wife, Gabriela, and business partner, Jason Sluka, built a company that is not only profitable, but also helps to “make people better.”

The next few months will be a busy time for your USF Alumni Association. I hope you will join your fellow Bulls at the inaugural Fast 56 Awards dinner on April 12. This program recognizes the 56 fastest-growing USF alumni owned or managed businesses. These hardworking Bulls are a great example of the impact USF has locally and nationally. We’re also planning to have a little Caribbean-style fun at our 3rd annual Bulls Around the World gala, scheduled for March 9. You can visit www.USFalumni.org for ticket information for both of those events. It’s a great way to network and enjoy yourself at the same time.

For me, the USF Alumni Association is the best way I’ve found to share my Bull pride and reconnect with alumni from around the world. Its only purpose is to help make USF successful. If you are not already a Life Member of the USF Alumni Association, we’ve made it easier than ever with a new installment plan that makes it very affordable. Won’t you help us help USF succeed?

I wish you the best for 2013 and look forward to seeing you at the Fast 56 Awards dinner on April 12 and at the Bulls Around the World gala in March.

Go Bulls!

Alumni Voice®

USF Alumni AssociationGibbons Alumni CenterUniversity of South Florida4202 East Fowler Avenue, ALC100Tampa, Florida [email protected]

Alumni Voice Editorial:Karla Jackson, [email protected] or Rita Kroeber, [email protected]: Rita Kroeber, [email protected] or 813-974-6312Design: State of Mind Design, LLCContributors in this Issue:Drema Howard, Ph.DKarla Jackson, `88Hilary LehmanMeghan PalmerTom Scherberger

Alumni Association Contact InformationExecutive Director: Bill McCausland, MBA `96Membership: 813-974-2100 or 800-299-BULLAlumni & Student Programs: 813-974-2100General Alumni e-mail: [email protected]/Scholarships: Ron Sherman, `74 [email protected] Bulls License Plate: www.BullsPlate.org Alumni Association website: USFalumni.org

Letters to the editor are encouraged. Please write to Karla Jackson at [email protected] mail to the address at the top of the page. Views expressed in Alumni Voice do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the USF Alumni Association, the University of South Florida or the editorial staff.

ALUMNI VOICE (USPS# 025203)Number 23Alumni Voice is published quarterly in the Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall as a benefit of membership in the University of South Florida Alumni Association, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., ALC100, Tampa, FL 33620-5455. Periodical Postage Paid at Tampa, FL. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: University of South Florida Alumni Association, Communications Department, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., ALC100, Tampa, FL 33620-5455.

New Address? Moving?Update your official USF alumni record at myUSFbio.org or email your information to [email protected]. You also may remove the magazine label and send it with your correct address to Alumni Voice, USF Alumni Association, 4202 E. Fowler Ave. ALC100, Tampa, FL 33620. © 2012 All rights reserved.


STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION1. Publication Title: Alumni Voice 2. Publication Number: USPS# 025-203 3. Filing Date: 10/8/12 4. Issue frequency: Quarterly 5. Number of Issues Published Annually: 4 6. Annual subscription price: Free to USF Alumni Association members 7. Mailing Address of Office of Publication: 4202 E. Fowler Ave., ALC100, Tampa, FL 33620-5455. 8. Mailing Address of Publisher’s Business Office: 4202 E. Fowler Ave., ALC100, Tampa, FL 33620-5455. 9. Full Names and Mailing addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor: Publisher: Bill McCausland, USF Alumni Association, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., ALC100, Tampa, FL 33620-5455. Editor: Karla Jackson, USF Alumni Association, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., ALC100, Tampa, FL 33620-5455. Managing Editor: Rita B. Kroeber, USF Alumni Association, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., ALC100, Tampa, FL 33620-5455. 10. Owner: University of South Florida Alumni Association, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., ALC100, Tampa, FL 33620-5455. 11. There are no known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders. 12. Tax status has not changed in the previous 12 months 13. Publication Title: Alumni Voice 14. Issue Date for Circulation Below: Fall 2012

16. The Statement of Ownership will be printed in the January (Winter) 2013 Issue.17. Rita Kroeber, Managing Editor

15. Extent & Nature of Circulation A) Total number of copies printed (Net Press Run): B) Requested distribution: (1) Outside County Requested Subscriptions, including written, internet, telemarketing requests, advertiser’s proof copies and exchange copies: (2) In-County Requested Subscriptions, including written, internet, telemarketing requests, advertiser’s proof copies and exchange copies: (3) Sales through dealers, carriers, street vendors and others paid or requested distribution outside USPS: (4) Requested copies sent through other USPS mail classes: C) Total requested circulation:D) Non-requested Distribution: (1) Outside County Nonrequested Copies, including sample copies, requests over 3 years old, requests induced by a premium, bulk sales and names obtained from other sources: (2) In-County Nonrequested Copies, including sample copies, requests over 3 years old, requests induced by a premium, bulk sales and names obtained from other sources: (3) Non-requested copies sent through other USPS mail classes: (4) Non-requested copies distributed outside of the Mail:E) Total Non-requested distribution: F) Total distribution: G) Copies not distributed, including spoiled after printing:H) Total:I) Percent requested circulation:

13,000

12,131

0

0

0

12,131

0

0

0

613

61312,744

25613,00095.1%

Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months

No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date

13,500

12,231

0

0

0

12,231

0

0

0

1,093

1,09313,324

17613,50091.7%

Did You Know?There are more than 260,000 USF alumni nationwide and dozens of chapters and societies you can join to stay connected. See page 26 for contact information.


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Your 2012-13 USF Alumni Association Board of DirectorsThese fellow alumni volunteer their time to work with your USF Alumni Association leadership and staff to fulfill our promise to you: to connect alumni and create meaningful ways for you to help USF succeed.

Front row, from left: 1 Betty Otter Nickerson, `76; 2 Christi Womack-Villalobos, `92; 3 Kimberly Choto, `92 & M.A. `02; 4 Lisa Provenzano Heugel, `93, `96, & M.S. `07; and 5 Merritt Martin, `04 & MPA `06.

Middle row, from left: 6 Lee Winter, `85; 7 Mary Harper, `97, M.Ed `01 & Ph.D `07; 8 Audrey Hirst, `89 & M.S. `94; 9 Ed Hoeppner, `81; 10 Donna Brickman, `81; 11 Jon Smith, MBA `07; 12 Richard Hedley, `93 & M.Acc `95; 13 Michael Peppers, `85 & M.Acc `90; 14 Manley Jaquiss, `86; 15 Michael Griffin, `03; and 16 Brad Kelly, `79.

Back row, from left: 17 Jeff Reynolds, `91; 18 Ken Griffin, `96 & MBA `98; 19 Randy Norris, `79; 20 Monty Weigel, `76; 21 Bill McCausland, MBA `96; 22 Rich Heruska, `99; 23 Brian Campbell, `93; 24 Sean Grosso, `05 & M.A. `08; 25 George Pappadeas; 26 Andrew Mayts, `93; 27 Carl Abeleda; 28 Tony Umholtz, `99 & MBA `02; and 29 Andrew Coe, `95 & MBA `00.

Ex-Officio members not pictured: USF System President Dr. Judy Genshaft; USF Foundation Board Chairman Gordon Gillette, `81 & M.S. `85; and USF Senior Vice President of Advancement and Alumni Affairs Joel Momberg.


Fall 2012 outstanding Graduates

Daniel Boyd, `12, a graduate of USF St. Petersburg, and Marina Cosgrove, `12, a graduate of USF Sarasota-Manatee, were named Fall 2012 Outstanding Graduates by your USF Alumni Association.

Boyd graduated with a Bachelor’s de-gree in Accounting. A married father with an infant daughter, Boyd earned a 3.85 overall grade point average while working full time as CFO of his family’s business, operating

a graphic design and illustration company part time, and serving in leadership roles with USF St. Petersburg’s chapter of the finance and accounting honor society, Beta Alpha Psi. Boyd participated in community service efforts benefitting Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Habitat for Humanity, and Proj-ect Homeless Connect, among others. He has an internship in the Tampa office of the Big Four accounting firm, Deloitte, focusing on international taxation and plans to take his CPA exams, in addition to pursuing an MBA at USF St. Petersburg.

Cosgrove, a native of Yugoslavia, earned a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, with an overall grade point average of 3.83. Overcoming a language barrier, Cosgrove has been a student leader, serving as an officer for USF Sarasota-Mana-tee’s chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda, and as a member of the university’s Accounting Society, and the Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Theta Kappa honor societies. Cosgrove plans to begin a career in accounting and earn a Master’s degree in Accounting.

Both Outstanding Graduates were recognized during commencement ceremonies Dec. 16. Congratulations, Daniel and Marina!

USF Named “best Value” University

The University of South Florida ranks among the na-tion’s top 100 best values in public higher education for 2012-13, according to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, the country’s oldest personal finance magazine.

USF claimed the 57th spot on the latest Kiplinger’s list, which ranks four-year colleges and universities that combine outstanding education with economic value. Admission rate, incoming freshman test scores, freshman-to-sophomore retention, student-faculty ratio, and four- and six-year gradu-ation rates are among the factors that Kiplinger’s uses to as-sess each school’s quality. Cost criteria, meanwhile, include tuition, fees, room and board, financial aid, and average debt at graduation.

The overall rankings are based on various consider-ations as they affect in-state students, though each college

or university also receives a secondary “out-of-state” score (with USF ranking 56th in that category in 2012-13).

University Presidents Unite

Launching a new initiative in partnership with student government leaders, Florida’s state university presidents have joined forces to ask for a $118 million state investment

in their institutions that would allow universities to freeze tuition at current rates. With that investment, the university presidents said they would not raise tuition by “even one penny.”

University of South Florida System President Dr. Judy Genshaft was among those highlighting their institutions’ powerful annual economic impact – nearly $80 billion systemwide – and their vital roles in training Florida’s future workforce. The presidents also supported tying the additional state investment to performance goals, such as increased graduation rates.

Although tuition at Florida’s public universities remains among the lowest in the country, students and their families have faced double-digit tuition increases in recent years as universities have coped with severe state budget cuts. The State University System of Florida’s state funding has been cut almost 40 percent during the past five years.

A state investment of $118 million would be the equivalent of the revenue generated by a 15 percent tuition increase at each of the state universities next year. State funding, which once covered about three-fourths of the cost of a student’s higher education, now pays for less than half of the cost at most state universities.

America’s best Doctors Work at USF Health

Thirty-six percent of the local physicians who made the

2012 Best Doctors in America® list work at USF Health. The annual list for Best Doctors in America is compiled from surveys of physicians asking them who they would go to for treatment in their specialty. The result is a national listing of 45,000 physicians in more than 40 specialties. Locally, the USF totals went up in all three areas: on-staff faculty, volunteer faculty, and alumni (MD degree program, as well as graduates from USF resident physician and fellowship programs).

This year, the list included 594 physicians from the Tam-pa Bay area. Of that, 212 are full-time, courtesy or adjunct physicians for USF. The list also included 102 physicians who are volunteer and affiliate faculty members for USF, and 132

news roundup

Continued on page 9


alumni of the USF Morsani College of Medicine (many alumni are also faculty – those numbers are not double counted in the overall total), bringing the total to 407 physicians (69 percent) who have a connection with USF Health.

“Clearly, USF is a force in local health care,” said Stephen K. Klasko, MD, MBA, dean of the USF College of Medicine and CEO of USF Health.

Engineering Professor is Named 2012 U.S. Professor of the Year

Autar Kaw, a University of South Florida mechanical engineering professor who was an early adopter of new technologies and

social media to teach complex mathematical calculations, has been named a 2012 U.S. Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

Kaw, a USF professor for 25 years, is one of four profes-sors – selected from more than 300 nominees – to receive the award that is considered the nation’s highest honor for undergraduate teaching. Kaw was selected in the category

of Outstanding Doctoral and Research Universities Professor of the Year.

He was lauded for his innovative work in using technology and social media to reach tens of thousands of students around the world studying to be engineers. Known to engineering students as the “Numerical Methods Guy” through his Holistic Numerical Methods Institute website, his blog and YouTube video lectures, Kaw has dedicated his career to eliminating one of the most significant obstacles to engineering students being successful by providing students everywhere free access to supplemental lessons.

“The U.S. Professor of the Year award is the highest honor in the nation for undergraduate teaching and Dr. Kaw’s selection reaffirms what the University of South Florida and his students have long known about this exceptional profes-sor and outstanding individual: His commitment to education and his dedication to his students knows no bounds,” said USF President Judy Genshaft.

Sources: USF University Communications and Marketing, USF Health

news roundupCONTINUED


Take Rocky on your next trip

and send your photos to: Karla

Jackson at [email protected] or to

her attention at the USF Alumni

Association, 4202 E. Fowler Ave.

ALC100, Tampa, FL 33620-5455.

Rocky?where’s

USF Geology alumni Angela Dippold Beeson, M.S. `09, and Jeff Beeson, `08, were married in October in Pennsylvania, with Rocky and their fellow geology alumni in attendance. From left are: Adam Springer, M.S. `10; Andrea Hughes, `07; the bride and groom; Dorien McGee, Ph.D `10 and Sean Callihan, M.S. `10.

Larry and Mary Boswell, both Class of `84, took Rocky with them to the top of Mount Mitchell in North Carolina.

The Wells family, two generations of proud USF Bulls, took a trip to Antigua in August. Pictured here, exploring Devil’s Bridge with Rocky, are from left: Jake Wells, USF sophomore; Kimberly Wells, `93; John W. Wells III, `90; and Shelby Wells, USF freshman.



Joyce McFaul, `84, met one of Rocky’s cousins during her 25th wedding anniversary trip to Belfast last summer.

Kevin Jackson, `85, shows Rocky what autumn is like in the Smoky Mountains while visiting

Waynesville, NC.

Michelle Barkoviak Pizarro, `07 and MHA `11, and Jose Pizarro, `08, took Rocky on their Alaskan honeymoon cruise last summer and showed him the sights in Skagway.

Jackie McCain, `04, and Brandon Whiteman, `04, far left and far right respectively, were married in May in Lima, Peru. The newlyweds traveled to Machu Picchu with eight other USF alumni, including Brandon’s parents, USF Alumni Association Life Members Cheryl and Tom Whiteman, `71, center.



Where’s Rocky?

Matt McCollough, `87, took his family on an Alaskan cruise in July and Rocky stowed away with them so he could check out Ketchikan.

Tara Klimek Price, `01 and her mother-in-law, Mary Beth Fry Cooper, `70, rafted the Colorado River in July with their family and Rocky. They’re pictured here at a waterfall in Rock

Creek, AZ.

Louis Struikman, `07, chair of the USF Alumni chapter in Atlanta, took Rocky along on a business trip to Lusaka, Zambia last summer.

Scott Wheeler, `83, USF sophomore Kelsey Wheeler, and Rocky enjoyed the views and did a little snorkeling during their trip to Cancun last summer.



USF Alumni Association Life Member Tina Johnson, `80, and Rocky explored Machu Picchu in Peru last August.

Rocky met a medicine man when he accompanied Janice Hill, MPH `91, to a pow-wow in the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory in Quebec last summer.

Jim Parkhill, M.Ed `86, and his wife Laura were a house divided at the USF vs University of Nevada-Reno game last fall, but they both enjoyed meeting Rocky.

Diane Upton Williams and her husband Michael, both Class of `06, visited Etosha National Park in Namibia with Rocky.



FeatureRob Kantor

Last fall, Rob Kantor and his wife Gabriela, bought five one-way airline tickets – one each for them and their three young boys – to Burgos, a city in northern Spain that they

had never visited, located some 4,400 miles and a world away from their New Tampa home. Their goal: To live there for a year, become fluent in proper Castilian Spanish, immerse themselves in the European culture and strengthen their bond as a family.

So how’s that working out for them?“It’s been an amazing transition for our

family,” says Kantor, `94, CEO of Suncoast Coffee Service and Vending. “Seven days a week, I have three meals a day with my family. We have siesta every day and come home for lunch. We take walks, hold hands. Coming from working 50-60 hours a week, as a father having this time with my boys is priceless.”

Holding down the fort at work is fellow Bull Jason Sluka, `98, co-owner of Suncoast and a friend of Kantor’s since their days in the second grade in Ellenville, NY. Of course, it’s not like Kantor and Gabriela, a USF Class of `99 Chemical Engineering grad, just up and left everything for Sluka to handle while they traipsed off to Europe. The “Kantor Family Adventure,” as it’s called on the family’s blog, required four years of careful planning, both personally and professionally.

It was November 2008 when Kantor approached his wife and his business partner with his dream of moving his family abroad for a year.

Fortunately, they were both receptive to the idea. Gabriela, who speaks fluent Spanish, loved the thought of bonding as a family and giving their sons – Frank, Benjamin, and

Harry, now 9, 7 and 4, respectively – a chance to “take off their American glasses” and get a broader perspective of the world. However, more time

Bulls in Spain

“We’re so proud to be USF alumni and grateful for the education we received.”

The Kantor family with the U.S. Ambassador to Spain and Andorra, Alan Solomont, and his wife Susan, at left.

The Kantor Family says hasta luego and heads across the Atlantic for an adventure.

By Karla Jackson, `88


committed to growing and becoming better versions of themselves, it naturally flows into their job and the way they do their job,” says Kantor. “That’s why companies like Publix, Southwest Airlines, Chick-fil-A, Zappos – the list goes on and on – consider their culture to be such an important part of their business strategy.”

The strategy seems to be working for Suncoast. Year-to-date sales in the coffee division are up 60 percent and the company is “not participating in the recession,” as Kantor puts it. But focusing on profits misses the point, he says.

“We measure our success by how many people are embracing the books, attending company functions with their families, bringing in new ideas, and also being accountable to their manager for their core duties.”

In addition to making people better, Kantor and Gabriela are helping to make USF better.

They are generous donors, Life Members of the USF Alumni Association, USF Athletics Bulls Club members, and a regular presence at football and basketball games when they’re not living across the Atlantic. Kantor and Sluka employ two fellow Bulls at Suncoast, as well as an intern from the Honors College.

“We bleed green and gold,” Kantor says. “We’re so proud to be USF alumni and grateful for the education we received. We’re proof that dreams can come true if you plan, work hard and are willing to take a risk.”

5Questions with Rob Kantor, `94

Q. What is the last book you read?A. Do You! by Russell Simmons

Q. What is your favorite movie?A. “Gandhi”

Q. Where is your favorite place in the world?A. San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina, a spectacular town in the foothills of the Andes mountains.

Q. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?A. A couple of things: Never stop learning and lead a life of giving.

Q. What super power do you wish you had?A. The ability to make everyone happy. The purpose of our lives is to be happy – Dalai Lama.

®

with the family means less time at work, so Kantor and Sluka had to figure out how to make that happen while keeping Suncoast growing strong.

“It forced us to build an even better infrastructure, quicker,” Kantor says of the business. “When you’re an entrepreneur you wear a lot of different hats. You can’t just walk away from your company. It took four years of planning to bring in other players to help build a better infrastructure for the organization.”

Kantor is still involved in Suncoast at a strategic level while he’s in Spain, but he leaves the day-to-day operations to Sluka and the staff.

It may seem like an unorthodox move for the CEO of a growing company, especially in these tough economic times, but it’s a good example of the corporate philosophy he and Sluka created at Suncoast, one that encourages personal growth and self-improvement, not just for the bosses, but for all 23 employees.

“We are really focused on our corporate culture. It’s our No. 1 strategy,” Kantor says. “As a business owner, I think the best thing I can do is to help make people better. Make better parents, better spouses, better community members, better humans.”

Hence, Suncoast’s Making People Better (MPB) program, a book club designed to give employees the information they need to improve their minds, their bodies, their relationships and their futures.

Suncoast provides employees with a book – past selections have included everything from Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom to The Five Love Languages by Dr. Gary Chapman – which they have one month to read. Then they meet in small groups to talk about it, just like a regular book club, but in this case, employees who read the book and participate in the discussion get a $50 bonus.

“Readers are leaders,” says Kantor, an avid reader himself. “Reading is such an important part of success, in my mind. But this is not about making better employees or making more money. It’s about making people happier.”

In addition to the books, Suncoast provides employees with free, healthy lunches and snacks, and holds regular company outings for employees and their families. They also hold quarterly goal groups in which employees can track their personal and professional goals.

“When you have great people who are Jason Sluka, `98, and Rob Kantor, `94, in a warehouse at Suncoast Coffee Service and Vending. Photo from Tampa Bay Business Journal


FeatureLourdes Villanueva


hen someone from the White House emailed Lourdes Villanueva to say that she had been named as a Head Start Champion of Change, she deleted the email without even opening it.

“I was like, ‘Yeah right, like I’m going to get an email from President Obama,” says Villanueva, director of advocacy for the Redlands Christian Migrant Association, an Immokalee-based nonprofit that offers child care and other educational and support services to rural, low-income families. The RCMA is a grantee of the federal Head Start program.

Several weeks later, on her way to one of the RCMA’s 75 centers throughout Florida, Villanueva received a call on her cell. It was from the White House. The email was legitimate. She was being honored for her work with migrant farmworkers and their families. Could she be in Washington, D.C. next week? And could she please have some ideas ready to share with the national Director of the Office of Head Start, who was interested in insights from front-line professionals such as herself?

Being named as a 2012 White House Head Start Champion of Change marked a high point in Villanueva’s life, which started out in the fields near the border town of Tamaulipas, Mexico, just like many of the people she now helps. Even so, she was skeptical right up until the moment that she was ushered through the White House doors.

“When they took me to this tiny room in the White House, that’s when I realized there were only 11 of us, and one of us was Dr. Brazelton! Just meeting him was worth the trip,” says Villanueva, who earned a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from USF in 2000.

For the uninitiated, T. Barry Brazelton is a famed pediatrician, author, professor, and founder of the Brazelton Institute, a Harvard-affiliated research institute that promotes the healthy development of young children and families. Villanueva could hardly believe she was in such company. She toured the White House, received her award, spoke to Head

Start Director Yvette Sanchez-Fuentes, and then it was back on the plane to Florida. June is a busy time for migrant farmworkers and their families. She had to get back to work.

Villanueva first came to Hillsborough County with her mother, father and six sisters to pick strawberries during the spring. She dropped out of school in the ninth grade because her family had to follow the harvest, so she was never able to finish a semester. She returned to the area to work year after year, first as a daughter,

Lourdes Villanueva: From Fieldworker to Advocate

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then as a wife, then as a young mother. But Villanueva and her husband Rogelio had better things in mind for their children, Roger, Anna and Oscar.

“Both my husband and I made a conscious decision very early on that once the children started school, we would stop traveling,” she says. “It was very difficult. There was no work in the summer. It took us at least two years to get a handle on how to manage. We just knew that we were going to stay put.”

It was around that time that Villanueva’s family became clients of the RCMA. The children thrived in the Head Start day care and after school programs. Staff at the center encouraged Villanueva to get her general equivalency diploma.

“I’m not going to tell you it was easy,” she says. “I picked strawberries all day and went to school at night. But it’s doable.”

Once she earned the GED, Villanueva thought she was done with her education, but Barbara Mainster, now RCMA’s executive director, thought otherwise.

“She drove three hours to come to my graduation,” says Villanueva. “And she said, ‘Now you have to sign up for college.’ It took me a while to wrap my head around that.”

Villanueva took one class at a time at Hillsborough Community College. By then, she had become part of the RCMA staff and her children were older and graduating from high school themselves. She transferred to USF and began work on her Bachelor’s degree, as her job and life and pocketbook permitted.

“I was not a model student,” she says. “I would have to withdraw because of work or other things.”

But she finished and walked proudly in commencement in 2000. Her son Roger also graduated from USF, earning dual degrees in

Management and Marketing in 2007.Villanueva shares her story with the migrant

parents she meets as she travels across Florida visiting RCMA centers.

“I tell them it’s no piece of cake. It’s not easy but they can do it. And they should do it.”

Left: Lourdes Villanueva at the White House for the Head Start Champions of Change Awards.

Above: Lourdes Villanueva, right, greets Gabriela Rodriguez and her daughter Jessica as they sign in for an RCMA seminar at a church in Plant City.

5Questions with Lourdes Villanueva, `00

Q. What is the last book you read?A. The Best Democracy Money Can Buy by Greg Palast

Q. What is your favorite movie?A. I love all children’s movies.

Q. Where is your favorite place in the world?A. Home

Q. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?A. Always be true to your values.

Q. What super power would you like to have?A. I’m not sure it qualifies as a super power: Wisdom.



Giving BackThe Gillettes

A few years ago, Gordon Gillette, `81 & M.S. `85, president of Tampa Electric and Peoples Gas, of the TECO Energy family of companies, sat transfixed at a luncheon honoring

current and former recipients of the Dominick & Emelene Aripoli scholarships. For more than half an hour, recipient after recipient stood at the front of the room at the USF Lifsey House and told moving stories of how the Aripoli scholarships they received changed their lives forever.

Another life was changed forever that day. Gordon Gillette would never be the same.

Since that luncheon, Gordon and his wife, Paula, have established an endowed scholarship fund in the USF College of Engineering. After that day, Gordon’s commitment to his alma mater and to philanthropy was redoubled, and Paula agreed that scholarship giving made the most sense on a number of levels.

“We chose scholarship funding because we knew that this was the best, most immediate way to help students directly,” Paula said.

The Gillettes are focused on providing scholarship aid to both undergraduate and graduate students in the USF College of Engineering. Both of Gordon’s USF degrees come from the college.

“We hope that we can help a number of students at different levels of the educational process,” said Gordon. “We are attempting to accomplish this by providing a mix of undergraduate and graduate scholarships to students studying mechanical, chemical and industrial engineering – the areas I studied while a student at USF.”

The USF College of Engineering holds a special place in Gordon’s life; he is quick to point out that the time he spent at the college as both an undergraduate and a graduate student made a real impact in his career.

“The College of Engineering gave me the basic tools to pursue my profession at TECO Energy,” said Gordon. “In the energy business, I have to use engineering, problem-solving, business and financial skills that have their original basis in what I learned at USF.”

Gordon, now the chairman of the USF Foundation Board of Directors, believes that all Foundation Board members must do all they can

Gordon and Paula Gillette:

Helping USF’s Future

Engineers

Paying it Forward

to give back to the USF System, including financial giving. His giving to the College of Engineering is just one way he leads by example.

“At the USF Foundation, we are talking a great deal these days about philanthropy in the broadest of terms – time, talent, and treasure. And we talk about staying focused on the end product of the entire process – our students and research,” said Gordon. “Paula and I looked at our scholarships as being one part of our overall philanthropy on behalf of USF. We look at other areas where we’re spending our time and helping where we can as equally important parts of our overall relationship with the USF System.”

For Paula, it is these relationships that ultimately are the most important part of their philanthropic work with the USF System. Relationships with undergraduate and graduate students in the USF College of Engineering began at home.

“Gordon graduated from USF, and my son, Matthew, will be graduating from USF this spring. I look at our gift as a way of giving back for the gifts that USF has given our family.”

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Bulls EyeDodé Ackey


When Dodé Ackey came to the United States in 1996 as

a refugee from the nation of Togo, he quickly began to study and learn English, tak-ing advantage of education that had been limited in his native country.

Ackey began at USF as a Gates Millennium Scholar in 2000, earning his Bachelor’s in Finance and his MBA by 2004. The education en-abled by the scholarships he received inspired Ackey to think he might one day do

the same for other African young people.“I told myself that if I did anything to help people back

home, because I know how they struggle over there, it has to be in the area of education,” he said.

Then, for a project in a class taught by entrepreneurship professor Michael Fountain, Ackey came up with the idea to start a university in his homeland to provide students with qual-ity education. Despite it being the only idea in the class that was nonprofit, five classmates signed on to help him make the idea a reality. When he graduated, he started saving his money to put toward the nonprofit.

Now, Ackey, an assistant vice president with Citigroup in Tampa, has finally realized a portion of his dream. In 2011, he opened the International Academy of Niamey in his wife’s home country of Niger, providing education as well as school sup-plies to nine seventh- and eighth-grade students over the past year. All of them graduated to the next grade, far outpacing the national average.

While Ackey still hopes to start a university someday, he said he’s concentrating on doing what he can in the present with the funds he has.

“I knew that the need is everywhere in Africa, whether it’s an elementary school, middle school, high school, or univer-sity,” Ackey said.

Bulls EyeUSFSP

Dodé Ackey, ̀ 02 & MBA ̀04, Pays it ForwardBy Hilary Lehman

Bulls EyeDodé Ackey

A Group For Alumni Who Call USF St. Petersburg HomeBy Tom Scherberger

Thousands of people consider USF St. Petersburg their home campus, and now there is an alumni society just for them. The USFSP Alumni Society formed last year,

and its four officers are busy getting organized.The society is different from a USF alumni chapter. Anyone

who considers USF St. Petersburg home can belong, whether they took a few classes in the ‘60s when it was the small Bayboro branch of USF or more recently with a USFSP diploma. That means more than 15,000 people are potentially eligible to join the USFSP Alumni Society.

“The purpose of the USFSP Alumni Society is to promote and maintain relationships among the alumni, current University of South Florida St. Petersburg students, community and friends of the University of South Florida St. Petersburg,” said Bryan Bejar, `10, the group’s chairman, pictured second from left. “The Society will work to preserve the interests of both the University of South Florida St. Petersburg and the USF System.”

The group hopes to achieve that goal by bringing together USFSP

alumni and connecting with current students through events and networking opportunities, communicating news and information and engaging with the community through service projects, said Bejar, marketing director for online retailer Moda Collection.

This isn’t Bejar’s only effort at supporting USF. He also is founder of Building Tradition at USF (BTUSF), which seeks to build a tradition-rich atmosphere at USF.

The society held its organizational meeting in May and elected officers. Besides Bejar, the officers are: Jackie Wertel, `01, secretary, pictured at left, Tyler Drennan, `07, second vice chair, second from right, and Sue Porter, `89, vice chair, at right.

Future plans include networking events to connect USFSP graduating seniors with Tampa Bay business owners and

campus events to bring alumni back to the campus, including a wine tasting event before a sunset

sailboat cruise. Alumni who have not been on the waterfront campus in a few years may be surprised at the

changes, including Harborwalk, the University Student Center and the Student Life Center.

For more information about the USFSP Alumni Society, contact Bryan at [email protected].

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Bulls EyeShawna Machado

Shawna Machado faced some serious hurdles in her pursuit of a Bachelor’s degree from

USF Sarasota-Manatee, but her perseverance has paid off in ways she never could have imagined.

After earning an Associate’s degree from a for-profit, online university, Machado enrolled at USF-SM in 2010 to finish her undergraduate degree in Psychology. But she was laid off from her job as a medical assistant, then lost her apartment – and unbeknownst to her professors and most of her friends – she lived mainly out of her car for two years, occasionally couch surfing at friends’ homes. Even so, Machado maintained an overall 3.5 grade point average despite having nowhere to study or sleep, often showering in the ladies locker room on campus. She got by with sporadic odd jobs and threw herself into community service projects, volunteering at a domestic abuse shelter and mentoring at-risk youth, causes near and dear to her heart after enduring similar experiences in her past. In May 2012, Machado

earned her Psychology degree and was named USF-SM’s Outstanding Graduate for the strength of her academics and advocacy in the face of hardship.

Her story made Machado somewhat of a media darling, but that wasn’t all. She now has a job as a case manager at the Safe Children Coalition of Sarasota County and was awarded the Florida Commission on the Status of Women’s Florida Achievement

Award for her work with Social Justice Initiative and the Sarasota School of Social Justice, where she focused on solutions for abused, neglected and homeless children. Then, at a Nov. 1 taping of the Steve Harvey show, where Machado was a guest in a show on homelessness, Dr. Jane Rose, dean of USF-SM’s College of Arts and Sciences, surprised Machado with a full-tuition scholarship to attend graduate school.

“We’re given things in life and we’re given a different walk of life and I think we have to take that and challenge ourselves to inspire others,” Machado said of her journey.

Dr. Jane Rose and Shawna Machado, right, at Brunch 2012, after the announcement of her scholarship.

Shawna Machado, ̀ 12: From Homeless Student to a Shining Example of Success

Congressman Sam GibbonsJanuary 20, 1920 – October 10, 2012

Your USF Alumni Association is blessed to have a home in the Gibbons Alumni Center, named in honor of the congressman and his late wife Martha. To learn more about Congressman Gibbons life and contributions to our alma mater, please visit. www.magazine.usf.edu/2012-winter/features/founding-father.aspx

Photo credit: Bob Croslin/Tampa Bay Times

Father of USF

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My first day on the job last year as executive director of your uSF alumni association was one that I’ll always remember. Near the end

of a long day of meetings, paperwork, matching names to faces, and assessing the resources and priorities of my new post, it was announced that the Florida Senate intended to strip $128 million in funding from our alma mater and sever one of our regional institutions from the uSF system to create the state’s 12th university.

To say I was surprised would be an understatement – I thought (hoped) I had left higher education funding issues behind in Texas!

as both a businessman with more than 20 years of experience and an alumni relations professional with eight years in higher education, I understand the give-and-take of legislative budget issues. but this was beyond the pale. It would have meant a 60 percent cut in our appropriation for academic affairs, far more than any other university was being asked to absorb. The fate of our new Pharmacy program was in jeopardy, as was our ability to complete the education of uSF students in Polk County. The prospects looked grim.

It was then that I saw what bull Pride looks like in action. Our university leaders and trustees joined forces to protect uSF and negotiate a compromise. uSF’s “alumni army” – graduates like you and I, as well as numerous friends of uSF who recognize the university’s regional economic impact and expanding national prominence – rallied on behalf of our alma mater, sending more than 40,000 emails and placing countless calls to your elected representatives demanding equal treatment for uSF. That outpouring of public support was

bulls Protect USF

instrumental in strengthening uSF’s negotiating position. Like all Florida universities, we still ended up with deep budget cuts – some $45 million systemwide, to be specific – but the Pharmacy program was spared, and our Polk County students are afforded the opportunity to finish their degrees as bulls. your actions helped us to ensure that uSF was treated equitably. I shudder to think what would have happened otherwise.

Now another legislative session looms, scheduled to begin March 5. The State university System presidents, including our own Dr. Judy Genshaft, have asked the Florida Legislature for a $118 million investment in higher education that would allow universities to freeze tuition at current rates. The $118 million is the equivalent of the revenue generated by a 15 percent tuition increase at each of the state universities next year. State funding, which once covered about three-fourths of the cost of a student’s higher education, now pays for less than half of the cost at most state universities.

Over the past five years, Florida’s public universities have eliminated and consolidated programs and saved millions of dollars through energy efficiency and other cost-cutting measures. I believe that it’s now time for the state’s elected officials to show the same support for the economic and social impact of higher education that they have shown for the state’s other leading industries.

you can help make that happen by staying informed and involved.

your uSF alumni association has made it easy for you to track legislation that affects our alma mater and contact your elected representatives to express your opinion. Once the session starts and bills begin to be filed, we will post key bills and legislative alerts on our website at uSFalumni.org/advocate. Please bookmark this page and visit it often. your university needs your vigilance to continue its quest to be a top tier academic powerhouse.

Let’s continue to work together to protect uSF.

Advocacybill McCausland, MbA `96Executive Director, USF Alumni Association


Blast from the Past

Peanut Farmer to President to Peace PrizeJimmy Carter, President of the United States from 1977-1981, spoke at USF in 1986. His speech was titled “American Foreign Policy: From Carter to Reagan.” Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his work with the Carter Center and is a key figure in Habitat for Humanity. He’s pictured here with USF Ambassadors and students.

USF Photograph Collection, USF Special Collections, USF Tampa Library


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SHAREA Memory

50 Years Ago…President John F. Kennedy visited Tampa four days before his assassination in 1963. USF alumni recall hearing the news.

I was studying in the library on Nov. 22 when I saw a crowd around the lobby desk. That’s where I learned President Kennedy had been shot … I was privileged to introduce Sergeant Shriver when he came to speak at South Florida when he was head of the Peace Corps. He told me he had come to see why so many volunteers came from our school.Peter Hughes, `65

A few days before the president’s fateful Dallas trip, three of us represented USF in Washington, D.C., at a national conference on religion and race, the purpose of which was to urge our representatives to support the Civil Rights Act. Shortly after our return to Tampa, President Kennedy was killed. The campus was stunned and in tears. Some classes were cancelled that terrible afternoon, but many of my classmates

and I showed up for our political science class with Professor Harrigan, a large, imposing man and a wonderful professor, who stood in front of us and wept like a baby, then dismissed class for the day.Raleigh Mann, `65

I was a freshman in 1963, studying for an accounting test when Aiden from down the hall rushed in and

shouted “Our leader’s been shot!” I blurted out a name of someone on campus and he responded, “No, I mean Kennedy.” They say you’ll always remember where you were when you learned about JFK’s assassination.Jim Bockover, M.A. `95

Enjoy these excerpts of memories from members of the USF

Alumni Association. Email your favorite USF memory to [email protected] or

post it on our Facebook page.

Reflection on the ElectionBy Meghan Palmer, `13

Whether you’re a Republican, Democrat, Indepen-dent or Uninterested, by now you are no doubt aware of the results from our latest election. After countless debates and endless press coverage, President Barack

Obama was re-elected for another four-year term.The beautiful thing about living in America is our right to vote and have

an opinion on the issues facing our country. No one seems to have been quite as fired up about the recent election as my college peers. One could argue that having students so heavily interested in politics shows a lot of promise for the future, but the flip side is that the nature of the arguments created extreme hostility between the parties and their supporters.

“This presidential election split our country stronger than any other elec-tion has. The question is no longer what you believe, it is what team are you on,” said Nicholas Smart, an advertising major graduating in 2014.

There is one hot button issue however, that bonds students regardless of their party affiliation: financial aid and student loan debt. Being financially in-dependent in college is a daunting task. Increased tuition, education funding cuts and a high unemployment rate is a recipe for serious student loan debt, and students are feeling the pain on their OASIS billing statements. (OASIS, for those of you who graduated a while ago, is the software program through which students are billed and pay for classes.) It’s really tough for students to work their way through college and pay for their tuition and books without incurring some sort of debt.

Two-thirds of college seniors who graduated in 2011 had student loan debt, with an average of $26,600 per borrower, according to the Institute for College Access & Success. And I don’t have to tell you what the job market is like for new grads.

“I’m really worried about paying back my loans. I’m not able to work enough hours while in school full time and I don’t know how I’ll afford grad-uate school,” said Courtney Keedy, a freshman elementary education major.

The Occupy movement has even taken up the cause, moving from Wall Street to start the “Occupy Student Debt Campaign,” which pledges to “end the debt financing of higher education.” Of course, that won’t help students who are already in debt.

Despite all of this, the students I talked to are trying to stay positive about job prospects upon graduation, counting on their passion and skills in their field of study to pave the way for their futures. I have to say, I am the same way. Studying public relations is no guarantee for a job, but I’m hoping that my internship experience and student involvement will stand out on my resume when I am out there on the job hunt next summer.

When it comes to managing debt, both personally and politically, Andy Rodriguez, a chemical engineering student graduating in 2014, said it best: “At the end of the day, the most important thing is how much money we have and how much money we are spending.”

But it’s not all about us, of course. As students, we care about the world around us. We voted for the person whom we thought would take our country to where it needs to be economically, environmentally and ethically. We don’t have much political power, but we do have a voice. All we can do now is work hard in school and have faith in our elected leaders to get our country back on its feet.

That was Then; This is NowA Student Perspective


chapters&societies

USF San Diego Alumni Chapter member John Torres, `07, left, and chair Carlos Sayan, `04, joined others for the California Coastal Cleanup Day in San Diego County in September.

Members of the USF Philadelphia Alumni Chapter geared up for the game against Temple at a happy hour held the night before the game at Tavern on Broad. Pictured in the front is chapter chair Adam Feinberg.

Arupa Gopal, `07, chair of the USF New York Alumni Chapter, took this photo at their watch party for the game against University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. Pictured from left are: Ashley Brady, `09; Jennifer Thomas, Ben Thomas, and Tyler Brady, `06.

USF Alumni Association Board Member Manley Jaquiss, `86, center, and fellow members of the USF Ft. Myers-Naples Alumni Chapter presented Aviva Feldman, assistant manager of Shoeless Joe’s, with a plaque thanking the restaurant for serving as the official watch party location for the alumni “herd” in the area.


Members of the USF Denver Alumni Chapter met at Jackson’s for watch parties during the football season. Here are the Denver Bulls who met to watch the Louisville game.

Members of the Student Alumni Association met with USF Alumni Association President Kimerbly Choto, in pink, and former USFAA President Michele Norris, in purple, to get advice on careers and interviewing at a 7 at 7 Dinner held in October.

Former Ambassador Jessica Barber, `12, on the right, traveled from Utah to New York City to help out with a volunteer program sponsored by her employer Goldman Sachs when she happened to meet fellow alumna Kristin Dunn, `07 & M.S. `11, left, who is a development coordinator for the YMCA in Manhattan. Barber and Dunn did mock interviews with women hoping to re-enter the workforce.

Longtime USF Atlanta Alumni Chapter member Denise Dimbath, `94, shows her Bull Pride at the FSU game.

USF Washington, D.C. Alumni Chapter President Kathy Dorf, `08, on the left, works for the USO and took part in a Care Package Service Project on Capitol Hill on Sept. 11 in which congressional members stuffed care packages for troops in Afghanistan. Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-FL, took a picture of the alumna from Florida universities showing their school pride.


Societies

Ambassador AlumniJackie [email protected]

Anthropology Alumni Brian McEwen [email protected]

Architecture AlumniAdam [email protected]

Association of Filipino Students Alumni SocietyAileen [email protected] Black AlumniShomari [email protected] College of Business AlumniMaegan [email protected]

Education AlumniFreda [email protected] Engineering AlumniRobert Andrew [email protected] Entrepreneurship AlumniJennifer Sineway [email protected] Geology AlumniBruce [email protected]

Honors AlumniLisa Provenzano [email protected]

Kosove Alumni Justin Geisler [email protected]

Library and Information Science Society William (Bill) Harris [email protected]

Marine Science AlumniBruce [email protected]

Beau [email protected]

Medicine Alumni Christina Brown-Wujick [email protected]

MIS AlumniBrian [email protected]

Music SocietyKeith [email protected]

Nursing AlumniEdwin Hernandez [email protected]

Pharmacy AlumniPatti Shirley [email protected] Public Administration AlumniMike [email protected]

Public Health AlumniPatti Shirley [email protected]

Social Work Alumni April Steen [email protected]

Theater AlumniKimberli [email protected]

USF St. Petersburg Bryan Bejar [email protected]

Women’s and Gender Studies Zoe Fine [email protected]

Florida Chapters

BrevardTodd [email protected]

John [email protected]

Barbara [email protected]

BrowardRuth [email protected]

Alan [email protected]

Fort MyersSanjay [email protected]

Manley Jaquiss [email protected]

HernandoRobert Neuhausen [email protected]

Highlands (FL)Charles [email protected]

Jacksonville/St. AugustineGary Hoog [email protected]

Ellen [email protected]

Manatee/SarasotaJay [email protected]

Miami-DadeCarlos Rodriguez [email protected]

Greater OcalaRuss [email protected]

OrlandoKatie [email protected]

Palm Beach Scott Teich [email protected]

Panama CityJanet [email protected]

Pasco County/New TampaKimberly [email protected]

Pensacola/Spanish Fort/Mobile Nick Kessler [email protected]

John [email protected]

PinellasBrenda [email protected]

PolkRandy [email protected]

St. LucieFrank [email protected]

Tallahassee Phil [email protected]

Greater Tampa Eric Penvose [email protected]

National Chapters

AtlantaLouis [email protected]

AustinBrad [email protected]

Boston [email protected]

Charlotte Ryan [email protected]

Chattanooga/Cleveland, TN Erin Bell and Bryan Bull [email protected]

ChicagoGreg Morgan [email protected]

Columbus, OHJason Griffin [email protected]

D.C. RegionalKathy [email protected]

Dallas Jamie [email protected]

Denver Chris and Ashley [email protected]

Greenville, SC Brittany Link [email protected]

HoustonAlan [email protected]

Michael [email protected]

IndianapolisAli [email protected]

Kansas City, MO Nathan [email protected]

Los Angeles Janet Foster [email protected]

NashvilleMelinda Dale [email protected]

New YorkArupa [email protected]

PhiladelphiaAdam [email protected]

PhoenixJillian [email protected]

Portland, ORMatt [email protected]

Raleigh, NCBob [email protected]

San Antonio, TXRuben [email protected]

San Diego Carlos [email protected]

Corporate Affinity Group Lockheed Martin Brent Lewis [email protected]

No matter where you live, you’ll always be a Bull!

The USF Alumni Association has alumni chapters all over the country. We also have college and special-interest societies for like-minded alumni. It’s easy to get involved. Just email the contact person of the group you’d like to visit.

The 2012-13 USF Ambassadors pose for their formal portrait in the courtyard of the Gibbons Alumni Center. Ambassadors are student leaders who serve as a link between USF’s student body and the university’s alumni and the community at large. The Ambassador program is one of several student programs funded by your membership in the USF Alumni Association.

chapters&societies


In today’s work world, as it has always been, what keeps you employed are your own abilities and the recognition by your employer that you are making contributions. If your

abilities, skills and talents are not being fully utilized, or your contributions are not recognized by your employer, you have two choices. you can either leave or you can re-evaluate what you need to do (or stop doing) to build a successful career and professional reputation. Whatever the career field or industry, those who seem to do best in terms of promotions, job satisfaction, career progression and garnering professional respect exhibit a combination of skills, attitudes, characteristics and behaviors that work together to ensure success. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or in your first professional position, the following strategies can significantly build and enhance your professional reputation:

Formulate a plan and timeline for achieving your career goals. It’s your career and who better than you should be planning and managing your career destiny. What goal(s) will you achieve this year? In the next three years? be specific. State the goal, describe the action(s) you will take to reach it and the date you will achieve it. be public about what you hope to achieve to show you know where you’re headed.

Accept and welcome change as an opportunity for growth. The reality is that jobs have never been static, so rather than complaining about how everything is always changing, welcome it as an opportunity. Even the most successful employee won’t remain successful if he or she won’t change and adapt as their job and workplace evolves.

Strategies for building & Enhancing Your Professional Reputation

Employ -A-Bull

Drema Howard, Ph.D., is the director of The Career Center at USF. For more details about career services available to alumni, please visit www.career.usf.edu.

Build a reputation for delivering results. Establish a successful track record of being able to handle projects and tasks and deliver results for whatever you take on. Document your progress and provide updates to key decision-makers as a way of reinforcing your ability to deliver what you promise.

Maintain a positive attitude. No one likes being around a complainer, gossip or negative person. Carry out your work and interaction with others in a positive manner. Maintain a high level of enthusiasm when talking about your work and the organization. In fact, if you can’t speak well about where you work or those you work with, when it’s time to “trim the fat” you may be one of the first to get cut.

Keep your skills up to date. your workplace is constantly changing. Keeping up with the latest skills, news and trends in your field is critical to your success. Take classes, read trade journals, attend conferences and learn from colleagues. Ensuring your skills and knowledge are up to date also lays the groundwork for thinking about the implications for your own job and your organization.

Help others be successful. To be truly successful you must help others succeed. Look for ways to support others, offer encouragement for their ideas, let them know you believe in them and find ways to help them propel their careers. Share your talent, expertise and time. Do this without expecting anything in return, knowing that at some point someone else will do the same for you.

Cultivate and maintain strategic networks. Focus on strategic relationships with individuals, both in and outside of your organization. be intentional in selecting and developing your network. are those in your network willing to share and/or trade information with you? Do they have some level of inside knowledge that makes them an invaluable resource? Find ways to be visible. Place yourself in situations or on projects where your abilities can be observed by critical career enhancers. For example, offer to coordinate the office community service initiative, serve as the company newsletter editor, conduct a training session for co-workers or lead a challenging project.

Always strive to do it better. Keep an idea log at your desk and at home. you never know when a great idea will pop into your head. you may think you’ll remember it later, but what if you don’t? Get in the habit of jotting down good ideas. Go back later and flesh them out. Let it be known that you have an idea log and are always looking for ways to improve and enhance your work performance.

Look beyond today’s disappointment. unfortunately, things don’t always go the way you’d like. you have a choice. you can choose to be angry, bitter or shut down and decide you’ll only do the bare minimum from now on, or you can choose to recognize that this is just a temporary set-back. Look beyond today’s disappointment and reflect on what you learned from the experience and what you’ll do differently next time.

Have an updated resume and professional online image. If an opportunity comes your way you need to be ready to forward your resume in a short period of time. Keeping an updated resume also forces you to keep up with all your latest achievements. Maintaining an updated online image is also important to your professional success. you never know who might be looking at your profile. It just might be your current employer!


Alumni Travel

Dr. Aurora Sanchez-Anguiano, `99, had promised her daughter Tania a trip to New York City, so when she received the

email from the USF Alumni Travel program about spending Thanksgiving in the Big Apple, the good doctor knew the time had come.

“They offered a great location, a place to see the parade directly without being in the crowd, the Rockettes, a Broadway show, etc.,” said Dr. Sanchez-Anguiano, who is a professor in the College of Public Health. “We always felt welcomed and well taken care of.”

The alumni group stayed at the Residence Inn in Times Square during their four-night excursion, one of the few hotels located on the new route of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The weekend kicked off with a welcome cocktail reception, followed the next morning by a breakfast gathering that offered a close-up, yet uncrowded, view of the parade and its famous balloons from the hotel restaurant windows.

In addition to seeing the legendary Rockettes and a Broadway show, Dr. Sanchez-Anguiano also had time to visit New York’s amazing museums, pay her respects at Ground Zero, and take a bus tour of Manhattan and a boat tour of the Hudson River during her stay. The Thanksgiving meal

was held at a restaurant called Autumn, which changes its décor and menu with each of the four seasons.

“Dinner was very good, with good conversation,” she said. “The place was very small and attractive.”

Upcoming trips offered through the USF Alumni Travel program include a tour of Italy’s Amalfi coast in March, the 139th Kentucky Derby in early May, and

a European Tour for new graduates in mid-May. A European Tapestry cruise is scheduled for mid-June and a riverboat tour of Autumn in America’s Heartland is planned for October.

Check out the details for all of these upcoming trips at www.USFalumni.org/travel.

Bulls in the Big Apple for Thanksgiving

Dr. Aurora Sanchez-Anguiano, far right in white, and her daughter, Tania, center in the red sweater, joined fellow alumni for a Thanksgiving trip to NYC.


classnotes

60sWilliam A. Eickhoff, Business `69 & MBA `83, was elected as an emeritus member of the USF Foundation Board, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to USF. He has been an integral part of the Foundation Board for 15 years, serving as both its treasurer and secretary. In addition to his service to the Foundation Board, Eickhoff has served the University of South Florida as both the president of the Alumni Association Board of Directors and as a member of both the USF College of Business Dean’s Executive Advisory Board and the USF Bulls Club Board of Directors.

70sJohn Evenhouse, Marketing `76 & Geology `87, debuted an exhibit of his historically accurate model ships at the HiBrow Gallery in Dade City in October. Evenhouse spends hundreds of hours replicating vessels such as the 1776 USS Boston and the 1811 French war ship L’Astrolabe, using reference guides and blueprints ordered from the Smithsonian. He retired in 1997 from a career as a geologist. He is also a U.S. Navy veteran of the Vietnam War.

Joe Guidry, Mass Communications `73 & M.A. English `80, received the T. Terrell Sessums Award for community leadership and environmental service from the Physicians for Social Responsibility/Florida Chapter and the University of South Florida College of Public Health. Guidry, an opinion editor for The Tampa Tribune and a Tampa native, has been a longtime advocate for the community and its envi-ronment. The T. Terrell Sessums Award was estab-lished in 2009 to recognize a person who has made significant contributions to improve and protect the environment of the Tampa Bay area. Guidry also was recognized Sept. 7 at the Tribune with a celebration for 40 years of service to the company.

Edward J. Page, Criminology `78, was recognized in the 2012 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and in the 2012 edition of Florida Super Lawyers. Page is a partner with the law firm of Carlton Fields, P.A. in its Tampa office and practices white collar criminal defense, civil litigation, and family law.

80sJennifer Farber, `81, joined American Momentum Bank as vice president/treasury management. A career banker with 25 years of experience, she came to American Momentum from Andersen

Bank, now 1st United Bank, where she was senior vice president for deposit operations and various compliance functions. Farber works in Tampa and lives in Trinity, FL.

Mike Grego, M.Ed `89 & Ed.D `97, was selected as superintendent of Pi-nellas County Schools in August. Grego, 55, built his reputation by moving from a 28-year career in Hillsborough County

schools to be superintendent in Osceola County, where he was credited with dramatic academic gains in the 55,000-student school district. He also earned recognition as Florida’s interim chancellor for public education. Most recently, he has taught doctoral and graduate-level courses in educational leadership at the University of Central Florida.

Linda D. Hartley, Marketing `89, was selected to join the Community Founda-tion of Tampa Bay Board of Trustees. The Community Foundation of Tampa Bay is an administrator of permanent

endowment funds created by a broad spectrum of individuals, families, corporations and private foundations. Hartley serves as practice group leader for trusts and estates at Hill Ward Henderson, At-torneys at Law, in Tampa. Her practice is primarily devoted to estate planning, probate, trust admin-istration and post mortem tax planning. She is the immediate past chairman of the board of the Tampa Bay Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Elizabeth G. Lindsay, `83, was elected as an emeritus member of the USF Foundation Board. She has spent more than two decades as a member of the USF Foundation Board of Directors, and served on the State University System Board of Regents for 10 years, ending her tenure as its chair. Lindsay cur-rently serves on the USF Sarasota-Manatee Campus Board of Trustees. She is a past recipient of the USF Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumnus Award as well as a Distinguished Citizen Award from Good-will Industries of Manasota.

Michael Manning, MBA `89, was appointed as chief financial officer of the AGC Composites & Aerostructures Group.

David Mearns, M.S. Marine Science `86, received the Order of Australia Medal (Honorary) during a ceremony in London for discovering two sunken Australian naval vessels. Mearns, a

USF 2011 Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient, and his team discovered the HMAS Sydney II in 2008 and the AHS Centaur in 2009. The medal was presented by Australia’s Governor-General, Quentin Bryce, in a ceremony held during the Queen’s Dia-mond Jubilee.

J. Michael Peppers, Accounting `85 and M.Acc `90, was named as chief audit executive for the University of Texas System in December. Peppers is a nationally-recognized internal

audit executive who had previously served as vice president and chief audit officer for the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center since 2005. Pep-pers began his career in public accounting 25 years ago and has worked in higher education since 1993.

Don’t be shy Alumni! We’d like to include your news and photos in Class Notes. Send in your information to: [email protected] or you can mail your information & photo to:

Karla Jackson USF Alumni Association Gibbons Alumni CenterUniversity of South Florida4202 E. Fowler Ave., ALC100 Tampa, FL 33620-5455

Past, present and future USF Alumni Association Board presidents pose with USF System President Judy Genshaft at the annual brunch held at USF Sarasota-Manatee in November. From left are: Brad Kelly, `79; Dr. Anila Jain, `81; Rich Heruska, `99; Dr. Judy Genshaft, Monty Weigel, `76, Kimberly Choto, `92 & M.A. `02; Roger Frazee, `71 and John Harper, `76.


He joined the UT System in 1999 as the director for audit services at the UT Medical Branch - Galveston, where he served for five years. Peppers serves as the 2012-13 chairman of the Institute of Internal Au-ditors North American Board and frequently writes and speaks on internal audit related topics. Peppers also received the 2009 Outstanding Professional Contributions Award from the Association of College and University Auditors.

O. Kumar Prasad, Finance `89, was promoted to manager of business analysis at Publix Super Mar-kets in Lakeland, FL.

Eileen Rodriguez, M.S. Geology `87 & MBA `02, received the Society of Latinos 2012 USF SOL Award, which was presented during the Hispanic Heritage Kickoff on Oct. 4 at the Marshall Student Center. Rodriguez is the regional director of the Small Business Development Center at USF.

90sTerrance Anderson, Business `99, was recognized as one of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s 2012 40 Under 40 Outstanding Lawyers of Miami-Dade County. Anderson and the other attor-

neys were honored Nov. 3 at an event held by the foundation. He is an attorney in the Miami office of GrayRobinson, P.A. He has been with the firm since 2008 and his practice focuses on commercial litiga-tion. Anderson holds memberships to The Florida Bar, the Miami-Dade County Bar Association and the U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida. He has also been recognized on Florida Super Lawyers’ Rising Star list, Florida Trend’s Legal Elite and is a graduate of the Greater Miami Chamber of Com-merce’s Leadership Miami program.

Maria Cabrera, Biology `97 & MPH `03, is the director of health initiatives for the American Cancer Society, Inc. She is assigned to the Florida Division and based in Tampa.

Thea Cernohous, English Education `92, owns Pet-als and Presidents, a flower and gift shop, in Estero, FL. Previously, she was a teacher at Estero High.

John P. Cleveland, M.A., Philosophy `98, ac-cepted a position as director of the Tutoring Center at the Polytechnic Institute of New York University in Brooklyn, NY. He lives in Jersey City, NJ.

John Connery, Jr., M.Acc `96, was selected to serve as the 2014 Capital Connection co-chair for the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Florida. Each year ACG hosts the Capital Connection

event, which brings more than 500 representatives of private equity firms, commercial and investment bankers, growth-oriented companies and accoun-tants, attorneys and other professionals together to focus on the art of the deal. Connery is a share-holder in the Tampa law firm of Hill Ward Henderson and co-chair of its taxation group. He is a member of the tax sections of The Florida Bar and American Bar Association, serves on the board of directors for the ACG, Tampa Bay Chapter, and is president for the ACG, Tampa Bay Chapter.

John A. Fallon, MBA `98, was appointed to Insu-let Corporation’s board of directors. A leading health management expert, Fallon’s career includes 25 years of experience in health management, overlap-ping with two decades of clinical practice in internal medicine.

Adam Feinberg, Economics & Inter-national Studies, `90, is the area sales manager of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey markets for Serviceexperts.com, the largest HVAC company in North

America. Previously, he was general manager for Brinks Home Security in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. Feinberg is also the head of your USF Alumni Association’s Philadelphia chap-ter and a Chi Phi alumnus.

Kamel Ghandour, Biology `96, was promoted to assistant chief of anesthesia at St. Barnabas Hospi-tal in New York City.

Katherine Gibson, M.A. School Psychology `96, has established Arthouse3, an art consulting firm for both residential and corporate clients that empha-sizes the work of regional and local artists. Gibson is also the gallery director at Gallery 221, located on the second floor of the library at Hillsborough Community College’s Dale Mabry campus. The gal-lery specializes in displaying the work of nationally recognized talent and also includes emerging and established local artists.

Jennifer L. Griffin, Professional-Technical Writing `97, has joined the law firm of Quarles & Brady as a partner in the firm’s trust and estates practice group, practicing out of their Tampa

offices. Griffin has been an active practitioner in Tampa’s trusts and estates legal community for the past decade. In addition to her client representa-tions, she is a published author through the Real Property, Probate, Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar, and on a local level, serves as a member of the American Red Cross Planned Giving Committee and of the David A. Straz, Jr., Center Planned Giving Committee.

Lakecia Gunter, Computer Engineering `95, is a validation manager at Intel. Gunter and her team recently won an Intel Software Quality Award for their work on the Café tool, a tool that helps identify bugs in CPUs and enables Intel to deliver the highest quality processors across multiple market segments. A total of 77 nominations were submitted for the award from teams all across Intel.

Sandra Kischuk, M.S. Information Systems `97, has written and published Fighting the Dragon: How I Beat Multiple Sclerosis. The book details her 30-year battle with the disease, how she beat it and resources that may be available to others with M.S. She also has authored the children’s book Whose-its and Whats-its. Kischuk is a professional writer, edi-tor and success coach who lives in Tampa.

Eileen A. Sarris, Accounting `91 and M.Acc `92 recently joined The Field Club as its chief financial

classnotes

Class VIII gubernatorial fellow and current MPA graduate student Samantha Stratton, `11, left, with Col. William “Bill” Beiswenger, `79, director of military support at the Florida National Guard’s Joint Operations Center, show their Bull Pride at the Robert Ensslin Armory in St. Augustine.


officer. She is a certified public accountant and was previously a partner at Natherson & Company, P.A., CPA. She serves as the finance chair of the Leader-ship Sarasota program and on the finance committee of The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce.

David Theung, Civil Engineering `90, has joined Sam Schwartz Engineering as a project manager/senior civil engineer. He will manage roadway design projects for the Florida Department of Transportation and local municipalities. He is a registered profes-sional engineer with more than 30 years of experi-ence in transportation engineering.

Todd A. Webster, Political Science `94 & Account-ing `97, recently completed a two-year fellowship with the Governmental Accounting Standards Board. He is now serving a two-year rotation with KPMG’s National Professional Practice Group in New York City.

Denise L. Wheeler, Accounting `91, addressed the James M. Johnson Physi-cian Leadership Course in Traverse City, Michigan on Sept. 14. Wheeler is a partner with Roetzel & Andress in Fort

Myers. Her presentation was entitled “Employment Claims Can Kill You - Prescription for Best Practices Going Forward.” Board certified in labor and employ-ment law by the Florida Bar Board of Legal Special-ization, Wheeler focuses her practice on representing employers in all types of employment law issues. She holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubble Law Directory and has been selected as one of the Nation’s Most Powerful Employment Attorneys - Up-And-Comers by Human Resource Executive Magazine and as a Florida Super Lawyer by Law & Politics magazine.

00sTyler Freriks, Marketing `08, has joined Marketing in Color as an account coordinator.

Mike Griffin, Marketing `03, a longtime USF Alumni Association board member and past Outstanding Young Alumnus Award winner, is the recipient of the inaugural Deanne Dewey Roberts Emerg-

ing Leader Award. The award was created in honor of Roberts, a fellow USF alum and prominent Bay area business woman, to recognize service and dedication to the local business community. Roberts, Mass Com-munications `74, passed away in January 2012.

Alrecia L. Gulley, Psychol-ogy `05, graduated from Flori-da A&M University College of Law in 2012 and passed the Florida Bar exam in 2012. The Honorable Judge Raymond

Gross, Political Science`69, performed Gulley’s oath


ceremony in his chambers in September. Gulley was a student in Judge Gross’ Law & Legal Careers class at USF. Judge Gross is also a past president of the USF Alumni Association, Distinguished Alumnus Award winner and a Life Member of the USF Alumni Association.

Nancy Harper, Accounting `01, accepted a grant accountant position with Florida Home Partnership, Inc. She is responsible for accounts payable, bank account reconciliations, cash receipts and deposits, payroll processing, accounts receivable and project reports.

Jason Heffelmire, Mechanical Engineering `00, was promoted to division director at TLC Engineer-ing. He develops marketing goals and revenue projections for the Tampa division and serves as senior project engineer for complex projects. He was previously a senior mechanical engineer.

Stephanie L. Jeffries, Economics `08, is a gradu-ate assistant at Southern Illinois University, where she is pursuing a Master’s of Science degree in Economics and Finance. Previously, she was a com-mercial banking analyst for JP Morgan Chase.

Sage Kamiya, MBA `06, Manatee County deputy director of Traffic Management, received the Edward A. Mueller Award from the Florida Chapter of the Institute of Transportation Engi-

neers, an international educational and scientific as-sociation of transportation professionals. The award is the profession’s top honor among a 1,000 member section that includes Florida and Puerto Rico. He also was elected as chapter secretary for 2013. Both distinctions were announced at the group’s annual awards banquet in Bonita Springs in November.

Juan Luque, MPH `04 and Ph.D Anthropology `06, and researchers from the Georgia Southern University Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health and Georgia Health Sciences University Gynecologi-cal Cancer Prevention Center have been awarded a $143,912 grant from the National Institutes of Health to evaluate a large cervical cancer screen-ing initiative in Cusco, Peru. The researchers will use their findings to design and pilot a brief social marketing intervention to increase cervical cancer screening. Previously Dr. Luque collaborated on a study that examined human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine acceptability among Latina farmworkers, which found that Latina farmworkers have many misconceptions about the HPV vaccine and the potential links between HPV infection and cervical cancer. Dr. Luque is an assistant professor at GSU’s Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health.

Max Jacobo Moreno-Madriñán, Ph.D Public Health `08, accepted a tenure-track assistant profes-sor position in the School of Public Health at Indiana

classnotes

University (IUPUI). His appointment began Jan 1. Dr. Moreno-Madriñán is a fellow with NASA’s Post-doctoral Program in Huntsville, AL.

Alok Ranjan, M.S. Information Management Systems `03, developed iFood.tv back in 2007 with a partner. The web channel streams online video cooking classes in different styles

and ethnicities, including Italian, Mexican, kosher, Chinese, Indian, healthy and vegetarian food. The site recently achieved more than 7.7 million unique hits and has offices in California, New York and India. iFood.tv also has a mobile app. Ranjan mar-ried Tulika Ranjan, M.D., in 2001,and together they started NutritionRank.com, a site that compares food according to its nutritional value.

Melanie J. Sellers, MPH `05, is the assistant chief executive officer for the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) in Washington, D.C. In this role, she works closely with the CEO

to lead strategic health promotion initiatives that support SOPHE’s mission and assure the long-term growth and sustainability of the organization. For the past 12 years, Sellers assisted medically vulner-able populations in diverse health care settings located in urban and rural communities. She served as the health program manager for the University of Maryland School of Medicine and as executive director of the Capital City Area Health Education Center. Most recently, she worked for Booz Allen Hamilton as a health care analyst.

Marsha Stevens, MPH `05 joined Florida Interna-tional University College of Medicine as associate director for administration of research programs.

Matthew Tucker, MSPH `01 and Ph.D Public Health `10, is a principal scientist at the Biomedical Research Institute in Rockville, MD. He manages the NIH repository for schistosomiasis and conducts research of this disease and malaria.

John Watts, MBA `01, joined Cadence Bank as a business services executive. He leads commercial and business banking efforts in Florida. He has more than 35 years of experience in commercial banking and was most recently the regional vice president and manager of commercial operations for Wells Fargo Bank for the west coast of Florida. He previ-ously worked for Bank of America and Wachovia Investment Banking.

Candace Webb, MPH `06, is a public health analyst with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Depart-ment of Health and Human Services.

She serves as a federal project officer with the Ryan White CARE Act Program in the HIV/AIDS Bureau and resides in Washington, D.C. Earlier this summer, Webb was invited to a lunch with Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Hu-man Services.

10sKimball R. “Kim” Adams, CPA, Accounting `80 and M.Acc `12, has joined USF St. Petersburg as an adjunct professor teaching accounting.

Richard Baskas, M.A. Science Education `10, is currently pursuing a docotorate in Higher Education and Adult Learning via Walden University. He has had numerous assignments published in the Educa-tion Resources Information Center (ERIC) database and is working as a 911 dispatcher, night shift super-visor, for MacDill Air Force Base.

Atalie A. Ashley-Gordon, Psychol-ogy `10 and MPH `12, recently joined the staff of Florida Hospital in Orlando. She is the public health project man-ager for Community Health Impact. In

November, she presented her special project titled “An Examination of the Association between Kin-dergarten Attendance and Academic Performance in Primary School” at the Florida Educational Research Association annual meeting in Gainesville.

Lauren Kelly, Biomedical Sciences `10, has joined Power Design Inc. as a financial analyst.

Jordan B. Markel, Biology `10 & MPH `12, co-founded Advocates for World Health, with Ryan Kania. The non-profit organization provides struggling nations with surplus medical supplies

from the U.S. Markel is currently pursuing a medical degree at USF’s Morsani College of Medicine.

USF alumni Megan (McNerney) Hartman and Beau Hartman, both Class of 2008, were married August 25 at Holy Family Catholic Church in Orlando. They made sure their guests got a taste of their Bull Pride with their USF wedding cake at the reception.


Carla Millar, MPH `11, has joined the University Area Community Develop-ment Corporation (UACDC) as a grant writer. The UACDC is a 501(c)(3) public/private partnership whose primary

focus is the redevelopment and sustainability of the at-risk areas surrounding the Tampa campus of the University of South Florida. Millar will work to secure and expand funding sources for UACDC programs and services through federal, state and local grants, as well as build partnerships to sup-port economic development.

Lisa Noury, Mass Communications `12, has joined Vista Communications in Tampa as a public relations special-ist. She previously worked as a reporter for ABC TV-20 in Gainesville, FL. Noury

was a USF Ambassador, Miss USF 2010, and in the Miss Florida pageants in 2008 and 2010.

Christopher Pauling, English `10 & M.A. English Education `12, was recognized as Florida’s Begin-ning Teacher of the Year by the Florida Council of English Teachers. He teaches at Booker Middle School in Sarasota.

Mathieu Poirie, MPH `12, is a re-searcher with the University of Notre Dame Haiti Program based in Leogane, Haiti. He was lead author of a research paper “Re-emergence of Cholera in the

Americas: Risks, Susceptibility, and Ecology” in the Journal of Global Infectious Diseases, with USF researcher Sharad Malavade, MPH, and Ricardo Izurieta, MD, Dr.PH, MPH, an associate professor in USF’s Department of Global Health. The paper is an original article on the environmental, climatic, and human factors responsible for the reemergence of cholera in Haiti. The research team predicted the risk of the spreading of cholera in Cuba many months in advance.

Maria Rivera, MPH `11, was one of 11 recipients of the Association of Schools of Public Health/CDC Public Health Fellowship. As a 2012 fellow, Rivera will spend one-year with the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

Justin Smith, Public Health `12, is a graduate student at Valdosta State University in Georgia. He is pursuing a Masters of Education degree in Higher Education Leadership, with a concentration in student affairs. Smith also earned a graduate assis-tantship in the dean’s office at Valdosta State.

Jacri Stubbs, Marketing 2012, recently accepted a position in New York City with GHG Pharmaceuti-cal, a division of Grey Advertising.

In Memoriam

Craig L. Bexley, `78, 11/14/2012Heather Hall, `07 & M.Ed `11, 11/13/2012Della Marie Spurlock-Hallenda, `78, 10/20/2012Michael J. Hillman, MPH `07, 11/24/2012Jack Edman Norris, `78, 12/13/2012Dawn Hewitt Seligson, `86, 9/24/2012

Aniska Tonge, Psychology `12, won the title of Miss Virgin Islands 2012 in August, three months after her gradua-tion from the University of South Florida. Tonge competed in the Miss America

2013 pageant in January.

Enrique Gonzalez-Velez, Ph.D Civil Engineering `11, joined Sam Schwartz Engineering as a trans-portation engineer, working on safety and research projects nationwide.



New Bulls Head

Football Coach Willie

Taggart has high aspirations

and no use for excuses.

“We’re going to be a Top 25 team year in and year out, starting with 2013,” says Taggart. “That’s our intention. We’re not going to settle. It’s not going to be easy, but that’s our goal.”

Coach T. isn’t wasting any time. Recruiting is going well, he says. He’s looking for quarterbacks and linemen, as well as skill players.

“We’re getting calls from kids who have already committed elsewhere, which shows you how attractive South Florida is,” Taggart says. “They see an opportunity to come here and play for a new coach. It’s an even playing field now.”

As a former first-team all-state and all-conference standout at Bradenton Manatee High, Taggart says his familiarity with Florida and its talent will help him convince recruits and their families that USF is the place to be. Sure, he might lose a few players to other universities, but he feels like there is plenty of talent to go around.

“There are so many talented athletes, we really have no excuse not to be

successful,” Taggart says. “A lot of these kids have won championships before so they know how to win. It’s just holding everyone accountable for doing their job and doing it in a first class manner on and off the field. If you keep doing those things, it’ll translate to the football field.”

Taggart says that returning players are going to see some changes in the way Coach T. does things.

“What we want to do offensively and defensively, it’ll be totally different than what Coach Holtz did here,” he says. “It’s going to be more of a pro-style offense like you see in the NFL. Defensively, it’ll be a little different schematically.”

Taggart’s football philosophy comes from his experience in the Harbaugh system, an organizational tree of up-and-coming coaches mentored by the San Francisco 49ers head coach, Jim Harbaugh, and his father Jack Harbaugh, who Taggart played for in college. Jim’s brother John is the head coach for the Baltimore Ravens. The Harbaugh philosophy is pretty simple, Coach T. says.

“It goes back to being detailed and physical; no nonsense. It’s discipline and playing with a lot of enthusiasm. Winning is not complicated. People complicate it. We’ve got to make sure we’re not complicating things and do them the right way and we won’t make any excuses for losing because we won’t lose.”

He claims that he’s not worried about the BIG EAST, the realignment of conferences, and how that might affect his hopes for the playoffs and a national championship.

“We can’t control that,” Taggart says. “We can control this football team and win every ball game that we play. I figure if we win all the ball games, then it won’t matter what conference we’re in, especially with the new playoff system that’s coming,” in 2014.

And to all of those USF alumni and fans who lost heart after the disappointing 2012 season, Coach T. has a message:

“Get on board with the Bulls now, while you can,” Taggart says. “This train is on the move and we want you on board with us. The only way were going to be a top notch team is for everyone to get on board together: alumni, fans, everybody. Our guys know how to play football. We’ve just got to get to work.”

®

Meet the Man in Charge of Bulls Football

athletics

PHoTo CREDIT: J. MERIC/GETTy

THe TAggArT FiLeBorn: August 27, 1976Hometown: Palmetto, FloridaCollege: Western Kentucky University, `98Wife: TaneshiaChildren: Willie, Jr.; JacksonPlaying Experience1994-98: WKU (Quarterback)Coaching Career1999: WKU (Wide Receivers)2000: WKU (Quarterbacks)2001-02: WKU (Co-offensive Coordinator /Quarterbacks)2003-06: WKU (Assistant Head Coach / Quarterbacks)2007-09: Stanford (Running Backs)2010-12: WKU (Head Coach)

Source: USF Athletics

calendar your membership in action

Event details are subject to change. Please visit USFalumni.org for updated information.

Feb. 11

USF Young Innovator Competition

Developed by Anton Hopen, `91, the mission of the USF Young Innovator Competition is to promote innovation and creativity in young people by motivating them to solve problems and improve upon the things around them. In doing so, children discover why education gives them increasingly more powerful tools and resources to solve bigger problems and challenges.

February 11 USF Young Innovator Competition, 6 p.m., Patel Center for Global Solutions, USF Tampa campus. Visit USFyounginnovator.com for details.

23 USF Alumni Association Board of Directors and Annual Membership Meeting, 9 a.m., USF Tampa campus. Contact Jenny Cater at [email protected] or 813-974-9127 for details.

March 4 Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry’s, University Lecture Series, 8 p.m., Marshall Student Center ballroom, USF Tampa campus. Free. Visit uls.usf.edu for details.

9 Bulls Around the World gala, 6 p.m., Gibbons Alumni Center, USF Tampa campus. Visit USFalumni.org/bullpride for tickets.

12-16 Spring Break. All USF campuses closed for classes.

April 9 John Legend, Grammy Award winner, University Lecture Series, 8 p.m., Marshall Student Center ballroom, USF Tampa campus. Free. Visit uls.usf.edu for details.

12 Fast 56 Awards Banquet, 6 p.m. reception, 7 p.m. banquet, Marshall Student Center, USF Tampa campus. Visit USFalumni.org/fastgrowing for tickets.

Event details are subject to change. Please visit USFalumni.org for updated information.

USF Alumni AssociationGibbons Alumni CenterUniversity of South Florida4202 E. Fowler Ave. ALC100Tampa, FL. 33620-5455 Membership Renewal Date:

PERIODICALS

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