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| SARASOTA, Fla. (Dec. 17, 2018) – The University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee marked another successful and productive year in 2018, from welcoming new leaders and embracing the challenges and opportunities associated with USF System consolidation to announcing a series of new and upgraded programs, and celebrating the successes of our faculty and students.
Here are the top 10 USF Sarasota-Manatee stories of the year: Dr. Karen Holbrook, an accomplished researcher and educator with a strong track record of leadership at the University of South Florida, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, The Ohio State University, the University of Georgia, the University of Florida and the University of Washington School of Medicine, officially became USF Sarasota-Manatee’s regional chancellor on Jan. 2. “This is a special moment, not just for USF Sarasota-Manatee but for the entire USF System,” USF System President Dr. Judy Genshaft said. “I appreciate so much Karen Holbrook’s leadership skills, her energy and her vision. Her priority is what we all share, and that is student success, and she has such an impressive record of accomplishment in higher education.” After Governor Rick Scott signed the Florida Excellence in Higher Education Act of 2018 requiring the USF System to consolidate accreditations under one umbrella, USF undertook a planning process to implement the new law. The USF Consolidation Planning Study and Implementation Task Force held a series of town halls – including one at Selby Auditorium in early October that underscored the community’s keen interest in USF Sarasota-Manatee — and began formulating recommendations while ensuring its highest priority remains the success of our students by providing a world-class education. USF Sarasota-Manatee’s biggest fundraiser of the year – and one of the region’s most-anticipated social events – enjoyed fabulous support from the community again in 2018. More than 850 guests gathered in the university’s courtyard on Nov. 4 to help raise more than $315,000, funds that will create scholarships to enable students who might not otherwise be able to afford college realize the dream of earning a degree. “This is such a wonderful event, and it means so much, not just to this campus and our students, but to this community as well,” USFSM Regional Chancellor Karen Holbrook told attendees. In a move supported by the region’s healthcare community, USF Sarasota-Manatee and the USF Health College of Nursing in April signed an agreement offering a new nursing program through USFSM’s College of Science and Mathematics. The program’s creation helps address what Regional Chancellor Dr. Karen Holbrook described as “a priority in our community to meet a critical need for well-trained, highly-skilled nurses,” adding, “Our regional healthcare providers have been asking us to help address this need.” University of South Florida can officially stand side by side with the University of Florida and Florida State University as the best universities in the state. The Florida Board of Governors voted unanimously in June to formally designate USF as a “Preeminent State Research University,” recognizing the institution’s high performance and strong trajectory toward national excellence. The designation carries with it an increase of approximately $6 million in new, recurring funds. “This validates our efforts over more than a decade to transform USF into a premiere institution of higher education, rivaling peers twice our age,” USF System President Judy Genshaft said. USF Sarasota-Manatee’s Career Services team joined USFSM students in creating a unique event that flipped the job fair concept on its head and put employers on the opposite side of the interview table. More than two dozen students, pre-screened and representing a cross-section of academic programs, designed personalized table displays and posed questions to dozens of employers in attendance while showcasing their education and abilities. Early feedback based on exit surveys of students and employers indicates the event was highly successful, with plans to hold additional “Reverse Career Fairs” in the future. USF Sarasota-Manatee Regional Chancellor Dr. Karen Holbrook in June named Dr. Brett Kemker, a 1992 USF Tampa alum, as the university’s new regional vice chancellor for academic and student affairs. Kemker, a Gainesville native, previously served in a variety of capacities at the University of New Orleans, the University of Southern Mississippi, Florida State University and Louisiana Tech University. At the University of New Orleans, Kemker was dean of students within the Office of the Provost as well as a member of the President’s Executive Cabinet, serving in a leading role in the development of the university’s master plan. USF Sarasota-Manatee Regional Chancellor Dr. Karen Holbrook in July appointed Dr. Gert-Jan de Vreede interim dean of the College of Business, replacing Dr. James Curran, who elected to return to the classroom. Dr. de Vreede most recently served as an information systems and decision services professor in USF’s Muma College of Business in Tampa. His experience includes 13 years in various roles at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, in addition to two years as chair of the Department of Systems Engineering, Faculty and Technology at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. In response to the growing threat of cybercrime, USF Sarasota-Manatee announced in August it was upgrading its Information Technology degree to Cybersecurity and Information Technology, creating a combined program aimed at teaching students how to stay one step ahead of hackers. “Cybersecurity is becoming a specialty by itself,” said Dr. Ehsan Sheybani, associate professor of information systems and decision sciences at USFSM’s College of Business. Also this fall, USFSM announced an expansion of its risk management and insurance (RMI) program to meet the workforce needs of local employers in a rapidly-growing field that provides well-paying jobs. USFSM’s RMI program is one of only two such programs offered by public universities in the state of Florida.
As part of its commitment to providing quality, affordable post-graduate academic programs, USF Sarasota-Manatee earlier this year announced the creation of accelerated master’s degree programs in hospitality and criminology. Starting this past fall, students had the option of enrolling in either program while pursuing their undergraduate degrees, enabling them to earn their master’s within five years instead of the usual six. Both programs are directed toward high-achieving students who meet specific academic criteria.
USFSM to host climate change, financial literacy talks in 2019 USF Sarasota-Manatee will host two special events in early 2019 in partnership with the Global Interdependence Center and Cumberland Advisors. First, on Friday, Jan. 25, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., learn how a changing climate – from hurricanes to red tide to sea-level rise – affects Sarasota-Manatee and Florida in a special talk entitled “Adapting to a Changing Climate: Challenges & Opportunities.” USF Sarasota-Manatee will host a panel of experts to discuss the impacts of climate change on coastal areas, public infrastructure and local and state economies, and possible solutions ahead. Tickets are $50, which includes lunch. (That cost is waived for students and faculty.) For more information or to register, visit usfsm.edu/climate. Then Thursday, April 11, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the campus will host a panel of experts for “Financial Literacy Day III: Financial Markets and the Economy.” Gretchen Morgenson, a senior writer at The Wall Street Journal, will deliver the keynote address. Panel discussions include: Municipal financial market developments; the use of quantitative measurement and technical analysis in the stock market, the outlook for the U.S. stock market and the global economic outlook. The $50 admission includes lunch. Visit sar.usfsm.edu/event/financial-markets-and-the-economy/. Scholarship deadlines approaching USFSM’s Office of Admissions reminds students to submit their scholarship applications as the deadline to apply is quickly approaching. Here are the cutoff dates for scholarships:
For more about Admissions scholarships, visit: usfsm.edu/admissions/scholarships-and-financial-aid/admissions-scholarships.aspx. For more about Foundation scholarships, go to: usfsm.edu/admissions/scholarships-and-financial-aid/foundation-scholarships.aspx. Business of Robotics seminar set for mid-January at USFSM Learn about the business of robotics with a free seminar Thursday, Jan. 17, at USF Sarasota-Manatee. Technical jobs fostering green transformation are rapidly growing in the United States and globally. This seminar will focus on the use of robotics for careers in autonomous technology, smart manufacturing and ecologically sound industries. The event will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. at USFSM’s Selby Auditorium, 8350 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Speakers include Dr. Ehsan Sheybani, an assistant professor of information systems and decision sciences, and Kuniko Yamamoto, of the Origami Air Art Studio in Sarasota. This seminar is sponsored by the Andrew Mellon Foundation and New College of Florida. To register for the seminar or to learn more, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/the-business-of-robotics-tickets-53691921984.
Mid-Florida Chapter of the Fulbright Association wins award Congratulations to USF Sarasota-Manatee Director of Global Engagement Amela Malkic after the Mid-Florida Chapter of the Fulbright Association was recognized at the Fulbright Association 41st Annual Conference “Un Mundo, Muchas Voces” (One world, many voices). The association’s Mid-Florida chapter won the Committee’s Choice Award 2018 for Innovation and Excellence. Malkic is president-elect of the chapter and traveled to the conference representing USFSM. Dr. Darlene DeMarie, president of the Mid-Florida Chapter of the Fulbright Association, represented USF. The two colleagues also presented at the conference on the topic, “A True Partnership between the Mid-Florida Chapter of the Fulbright Association and the University Of South Florida.” “It is a pleasure and a privilege to serve on the Board of the Directors for the Mid-Florida Fulbright Association, and certainly an honor to serve as the incoming president effective 2019,” Malkic said. “Needless to say, we were happy to receive this recognition by the National Fulbright Office on behalf of our Mid-Florida Fulbright chapter and we look forward to continuing our work and to promote the Fulbright program in 2019.” The November conference was held in Puebla, Mexico, and featured networking sessions, workshops and an awards gala. For more about the award, visit, www.usf.edu/world/about/news/mid-florida-fulbright-chapter-recognized-at-the-2018-fulbright-association-annual-conference.aspx.
Justice named to editorial board of association journal Kudos to Sandy Justice for being named to the editorial board of the Journal of Research Administration, a publication of the Society of Research Administrators International. Justice, who leads USFSM’s Office of Research, received an email last week from Editor-in-Chief Nathan L. Vanderford welcoming her to the editorial board, where she will be charged with reviewing article submissions. The Journal of Research Administration (The Journal) is full of scholarly resource for research administration and management. Justice’s appointment will become effective Jan. 1. “This is not only an important milestone for me in my professional development, but it recognizes my tenure in research administration by my peers from around the world,” she said. Justice also serves as a symposium judge at the organization’s annual conferences.
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| About USF Sarasota-Manatee (USFSM) USF Sarasota-Manatee is a regional campus of the University of South Florida system, offering the prestige of a nationally ranked research university with the convenience of a hometown location, including classes in Manatee and Sarasota counties, Venice and online. USFSM is ideal for those interested in pursuing a baccalaureate or master’s degree, professional certification, or continuing education credit in a small, personal setting with distinguished faculty and a dynamic curriculum of more than 40 academic programs. Website: www.usfsm.edu. |