Message from the President
The University of North Florida is proud of all of its graduates. However, we have selected a few for special recognition as our Fabulous Graduates. These "Fab Grads" have distinguished themselves in their careers or communities and are outstanding ambassadors for UNF.
I hope these profiles will serve as an inspiration to others illustrating how their dynamic leadership has made a difference in the lives of others.
Sincerely,
John A. Delaney
Our Fabulous Graduates
DeWitt helps others succeed in construction
Fred DeWitt is the president and CEO of a small construction company with big aspirations. When he says big, DeWitt is not referring to multi-million dollar commercial construction projects, but rather to leaving a big legacy of helping young tradesmen build successful careers. more…
UNF sparks Sher to eclectic career
If you used occupations to describe Pat Sher you would have many choices. She's been a mother, a nurse, a naval officer, a lawyer, an environmentalist and a political activist. Many of these occupations are related to a UNF education she describes as "awakening my consciousness." more…
Husk uses degree to reinvent herself
Melanie Husk used her creative talents and a UNF education to reinvent herself throughout a career as a successful entrepreneur and an effective communicator. more…
UNF is Cabanillas' ticket to space career
Jose Cabanillas grew up watching Gemini space flights blast off from Cape Canaveral. He never thought one day he would contribute to some of this nation's most ambitious adventures in space. more…
Joiner uses UNF degree to build business
Miller Joiner knew early on he loved to build things. “I was always putting things together. It was a natural thing for me.” With the help of a UNF education, Joiner turned that talent into a business designing and building custom homes in the Jacksonville area. more…
UNF education propels Hall to varied career
A varied career ranging from auto logistics to college administration has illustrated the benefits of a UNF education for Gary W. Hall. more…
Smaller classes key to Germany’s legal career
It’s not difficult to understand why John Germany found UNF such a drastic change from another university he attended. more…
David Smith leads rejuvenated company
Some may be surprised that David Smith is the Chairman and CEO of a national company, considering he had no idea what he wanted to do when he entered UNF. more…
Privett pursues high-speed career and hobby
What has 1,000 horsepower and goes from zero to 80 in 1.1 seconds? A dragster with Dean Privett Jr. at the wheel. more…
Dreams come true for Kendrick
Wanyonyi Kendrick loves animals and admits she dreamed of becoming a zoologist when she was growing up. Today she serves on the board of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens as well as the UNF Board of Trustees and is a past board member for INROADS. She does this while also serving as chief information officer for JEA and balancing an active family life. more…
Pitts delivers on promise
Just because William Pitts is the president and CEO of one the fastest growing privately held companies in Florida doesn’t mean he’s afraid to get his hands dirty. more…
Coley’s journey helps many along the way
Kathy Coley compares nursing to life’s journey, during which you pick up pieces along the way that produce a caring, accomplished professional. Coley is just such a professional who has helped countless patients in her distinguished 35-year nursing career. more…
Ann Hicks plays key role in enhancing UNF
Few graduates can claim to have had more influence in shaping the education of UNF students than Ann Hicks. more…
Thompson thrives on UNF's individualized attention
A statistics course was the last class Carol Thompson took at UNF before graduating in 1979 with a master's degree in allied health science. Although a 4.0 student, she and a few other students struggled with the traditionally challenging course. “My learning style was different and the professor understood that,” she recalls. Each week, the professor spent an hour after class with Thompson and the other students helping them with the course work. more…
Kenyon builds on family heritage
Matthew Kenyon understands the value of his heritage both professionally and personally. As the president and CEO of the Dana B. Kenyon Company of Jacksonville, he is the third generation to work in his family-owned construction company. more…
Mobley committed to helping youth
Phil Mobley's passion is helping young people and the results of his work can be seen around Jacksonville. Mobley, for example, started a summer night basketball league on Jacksonville's north side. More than 175 youths participated in the program not only “keeping them off the streets” but teaching leadership and team building skills, according to Mobley. more…
Marques' training leads to wireless success
Mark Marques learned at an early age how the quality of service can make or break a fledgling business. When he was 11, his family moved from New York to St. Augustine and grew blueberries. “We had the best blueberries in St. Augustine but I had to deal with competition for the business. The difference was the relationship with farmers and the service we offered to customers,” he recalls. more…
Hayes shares skills with student entrepreneurs
In 1991 David Hayes had a great idea for a new software company. He admits, however, had he not possessed the business skills gained by completing the UNF MBA program, it would probably have remained just that – a great idea. more…
Perez stresses customer orientation
If you had known Steve Perez before he entered the accounting program at UNF you might not have considered him a prime candidate for a major national accounting firm. Perez was a professional pianist performed around Jacksonville and in Nashville. His long hair caught the attention of faculty member Dr. Bettie Adams who recalls Steve was an outstanding student who needed a haircut to improve his professional appearance so future employers could see his full potential. more…
UNF helps Paryani to aid cancer patients
Dr. Shyam Paryani was already an accomplished medical doctor when he enrolled at UNF’s Master of Health Administration program. The training Paryani received at UNF made it possible to greatly expand the number of cancer patients helped each year. more…
Flagler College prospers under Abare’s leadership
It’s assumed that anyone who is a former high school basketball, baseball and football coach has a competitive streak in his makeup. Combining that with the challenges of a college presidency is a recipe for success for Dr. William Abare, president of Flagler College in St. Augustine. more…
Slade finds trail to success
Any description of UNF invariably entails mention of one key campus feature – the Robert W. Loftin Nature Trails. The trails are a source of pride for many people including one of the University's first graduates – Linda Slade. more…
Internship propels Beatty to successful career
In 1984 Lisa Beatty attended orientation at UNF with her grandfather since her parents lived in Tennessee at the time. The orientation for UNF’s first freshman class was so “warm and welcoming” that her grandfather, now 94, “still talks about what a great day it was.” The day was the beginning of an educational experience propelling Beatty to a successful career in communications. more…
Critical-thinking skills crucial to Brosche’s success
Few 35-year-old women are a chief operating officer of a public accounting firm with more than 40 employees. Anna L. Brosche can make that claim in part because of the critical thinking skills she learned at UNF. more…
Crouch's Green thumb grows thriving business
As a young mother, Gerry Crouch loved working on landscape designs for friends. She and a garden club friend, Judy Drake, would bounce design ideas off one another. Gradually by word of mouth their skills became known to an ever-widening circle of friends. The two decided to form a partnership which has survived more than 30 years and resulted in a thriving business with a yearlong waiting list of clients. more…
Bono played role in expanding UNF
When UNF first opened its doors in 1972 it was an upper division university, meaning it had only juniors and seniors. Mike Bono was an alum who played a role in gaining four–year status for UNF. more…
Birkelbach builds UNF legacy
When David Birkelbach looks at the new Social Sciences building on the University of North Florida campus, he takes special pride in the 63,000-square-foot building. more…
UNF inspires Jackson to help others
Helen Jackson has her finger on the pulse of Duval County's health. Jackson is the director of the Division of Community Nutrition Services at the Duval County Health Department. She is responsible for overseeing such programs as the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, the Breastfeeding Education and Support Program, the Obesity Prevention Program and Medical Nutrition Therapy. more…