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Poised to receive record state funding :: Awards
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:: Investment Club - Impressive returns :: Students relate Belize stories ::
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Five receive International Council awards
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Dr. Mauricio Gonzalez, vice president for Student and International Affairs, left, congratulates two of the recipients of International Council Awards. Dr. Rosa DeJorio, assistant professor of anthropology, received the International Service Award, while Dr. Jeff Steagall, professor of economics, received the International Leadership Award. |
“Several of these educators are long-overdue for recognition of their efforts to advance our campus, our curriculum and our students into a world view now integral to 21st century higher education,” explained Vice President for Student and International Affairs Mauricio Gonzalez. “These ‘internationalists,’ and others on campus who are equally deserving, as well as International Center Director Tim Robinson, are valued partners in our initiative to internationalize UNF.”
• International Service Award: Dr. Rosa DeJorio, an assistant professor of anthropology, active with the Foreign Culture Committee and Task Force, as well as serving on the International Task Force and currently on the UNF International Council. She is an anthropologist and scholar of West Africa, and she seeks to develop more interdisciplinary, international programs on campus.
• International Leadership Award: Dr. Jeff Steagall, professor of economics and director of the International Business Program, instrumental in developing the study abroad courses and academic exchange opportunities for students in the Coggin College of Business,
as well as developing the
undergraduate International Business Program. He is a
member of the International Council and was the chair of the International Task Force.
• International Educator Award: Dr. G. Pritchy Smith, professor of Curriculum and Instruction, for his work on off-campus education programs in Belize and his long-term work on multiculturalism in education.
• International Vision Award: Dr. Earle Traynham, professor of economics and former dean of the Coggin College of Business, for infusing internationalism into UNF’s business college.
Dr. Betty Flinchum, recently retired professor of education and director of the Office of International Programs, for her many years of advocacy for internationalization at UNF. Flinchum is credited with providing the impetus for many of the programs the University benefits from today.
Watterson elected to second term
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Tom Foran, left, and Jerry Watterson |
“Being able to serve and impact change on campus is an incredible opportunity,” said Watterson, who recently was re-elected after receiving 52 percent of the 2,200 votes cast.
Watterson’s vice president for his second term is freshman Tom Foran, a political science major from Daytona Beach. Watterson is a junior, majoring in business management.
In addition to the skate park and the ice machines, Watterson aims to establish a discount card for students to use at Jacksonville businesses, to increase funding for diversity programming and to increase the variety of foods available on campus. He said the skate park, primarily for skateboarders, would make UNF unique by offering something other schools don’t.
“It is important to me to make each student feel an
attachment to UNF and that they don’t get lost in the crowd,” Watterson said.
Foran replaced Luis Montiel, who is graduating, as Watterson’s vice president.
“I feel really great about it (winning the election),” Foran said. “I’m pumped up about the things Jerry and I can do for the students.”
During his years at Orange Park High School, Watterson never considered running
for political office, let alone serving two consecutive terms.
“I had always thought of it more as a popularity contest,” he said. “But I realized that here, students vote for what you are going to be able to accomplish for them. When I got here, never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be student body president.”
Watterson and Foran received 1,144 votes. Chas Jordan and Rose Shapiro were next with 498 votes, followed by Andres Escobar and Bryan Eichler with 411 votes, and Austin Cassidy and Ann Schwelgin with 147 votes.
Makka
sweeps two of UNF’s top awards
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Alison Oberne, left, and Mercy Makka stand with Hugh Jones after the two students were recognized at the Caring Awards in early April. |
The awards are given to students who strive to make a difference in the community or at UNF.
A nursing graduate, Makka has an interest in pediatric AIDS and a desire to help her home country of Nigeria. Last summer, Makka worked with the Jacksonville community to gather donations of items such as diapers, clothes and medical supplies to deliver to medical facilities in Abuja, Nigeria, her hometown.
The initiative was something extra Makka did before her trip to Nigeria for a six-week independent study of pediatric AIDS that was done in collaboration with the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.
In an essay for the Senior Service Award, Makka wrote:
“My strength of spirit was both tested and challenged as I met resistance from Nigerian government officials who did not welcome change and did not want to hear the truth about the AIDS epidemic in Nigeria. … Whenever I am in doubt whether I’m fulfilling my vision to serve, I evoke the face of the poorest child I met and contemplate if the next step I am taking will benefit that life in any way.”
Makka has worked with many Jacksonville community projects, including Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House, the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life and Nielson Organ Transplant Foundation. She also is active on the UNF campus, participating in the University Scholars Honor Society, the International Student Association, Golden Key Honor Society and the Resident Student Association.
As part of the Caring Award, Makka received a bronze sculpture created by sculptor Frank Eliscu, designer of the Heisman Trophy, and a cash award, which was given in her honor to AngelAID. The Senior Service Award includes a cash award and an engraved glass award.
Makka intends to further her education in the United States before returning to Nigeria.
Also as part of the Caring Awards, psychology student Alison Oberne received the Caring Scholarship to intern at the Heart of America Foundation in Washington, D.C.
Oberne will spend about two months in Washington working with the national not-for-profit humanitarian network.
Oberne has been involved in many service projects, including the Boggy Creek Gang Camp in Orlando and Johns Hopkins Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, D.C. She also has participated in two alternative spring breaks, one in Ecuador, focusing on reforestation and ecopsychology, and one in Arizona, focusing on children’s literacy.
She also worked on the crisis hot line at Jacksonville’s Hubbard House, which aids victims of domestic violence. The experience led her to participate in domestic violence awareness events and to take Honors students to Hubbard House so they could view the effects of the problem firsthand.
Oberne would like to pursue a career as a university professor in psychology.
Enrollment
Services honors individuals at Spirit Awards
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Elisabeth Mark |
With the goal of creating a model in quality customer service training and leadership, Enrollment Services, under the direction of Assistant Vice President Deborah Kaye, embarked upon the concept of Building Enrollment Services Teams, or BEST.
Team members of BEST coordinate the annual Spirit Awards ceremony, which recognizes exemplary service not only within Enrollment Services, but the University community as well.
This year’s recipients and team members were treated to a festive atmosphere, which included a costume contest, a “Jeopardy”-style game show and group karaoke. The award is open to all full-time USPS, A&P and OPS employees. Honorees received a plaque in recognition of the service they provide to the students, staff and faculty of UNF.
Elisabeth Mark of Admissions was given the Lifetime Achievement Award for her ongoing exemplary customer service.
Other awards went to Caron Bayuk and Simone Wilson of the Registrar’s Office; Earl Hewey, Jason Ottie and Hans Priepke of Information Technology Services; Paul Riel and Lynn Hendricks of Housing; Jennifer Stover and Pat Watson of ACE; Melissa La Sage, Elizabeth Rebholz and Kristine Dalton of Admissions; Nancy Ryan of Chartwells; Stephanie Clark, Debbie Duke and Renee Goldstein of Financial Aid; and Barb Soliaha of Enrollment Services.
Student
builds mentoring club to be model for other universities
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John Allen |
Staff Writer
John Allen saw a
need in his
community, and the UNF senior
decided to do something about it.
Allen worked to found the 51st Way, a club at UNF that works to build
self-esteem in young people and mentor youth at a YMCA. For his efforts
to help young people and to change perceptions of them in the community,
Allen was recognized through the 2004 Florida Student of the Year Award,
sponsored by Florida Leader magazine.
Allen received an honorable mention in the competition and was honored
in Tallahassee in April.
Allen started 51st Way in 2000 with a group of friends. The name, Allen
said, comes from the idea that there are 50 ways to do something and
the youth way is the 51st. Today, the 51st Way has 501(c)(3) status
and is focusing on reducing educational disparities in Jacksonville.
The group holds workshops at UNF geared toward boosting self-esteem
and confidence among college students, although the workshops are not
limited to UNF students. The group also worked with Kesler Mentoring
Connection to receive training in mentoring youth.
The club has about 30 members. During the academic year, members meet
with children from about age 6 to 15 at Riverside YMCA three times a
week. This past term, 16 children were each matched with two mentors,
which helped ensure a mentor was available despite college schedules.
“All they needed was somebody to talk to,” Allen said of
the youth.
In creating the 51st way, Allen said he wanted to create something that
could be a model for other college campuses. He and other members have
visited Florida A&M University and the University of Florida to
work on establishing chapters.
Allen graduated this spring with two degrees, international business
and marketing. He plans to pursue a master’s in public administration
at American University in Washington, D.C., where he also plans to establish
a chapter of the 51st Way. Allen also wants to attend seminary in Atlanta
after receiving his master’s degree. He already is working on
that latter goal at Good News Ministries in Jacksonville.
“I want to do everything,” he said. “I hope for a
long life span.”
Heather Burk is the group’s faculty adviser and works with the
Honors Program. She has known Allen since he was a student at Paxon
School for Advanced Studies, where he took part in the Jaguars Foundation/Nike
Community Scholars program.
“I think John is a magnificent young man…. He is very thoughtful
about the role he wants to play in this world,” she said.
Burk said the club has taken hold on campus and that students are getting
involved and taking ownership of it. She said Allen has a way of seeing
how to empower others.
“He just always puts other people first," she said.
Aquatic
Center honored for exercise programs
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Aquatic Staff |
“The Aquatic Center offers the finest water exercise program in Northeast Florida,” said Audrey Gill, director of the Aquatic Center. “It is an honor to be recognized on a national level for our efforts. I am very proud of my instructor staff for the quality of service that they provide to our participants.”
The Aquatic Center offers 18 water exercise classes weekly. These include classes in shallow water, deep water and arthritis aquatics. They are free to UNF faculty, staff and students. Schedules are available through the Aquatic Center.
The award is based on 11 areas, including instructor certification; instructor training and supervision; number and types of water exercise classes offered; target populations served; community involvement; and facility safety. The Aquatic Center has nine instructors on staff.
The Aquatic Center also received a $100 gift certificate from Fitness Wholesale, the company that sponsors the award. Gill said the money will be used to buy equipment for the water exercise programs.
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