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February 2022

UNF Kicks Off 50th Anniversary with Scholarship Giveaway
The Carnegie R2 Classification Explained
Swooping Into UNF's Past: The '70s
UNF Remembers Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Black History Month Events
Engaging Students with Real-World Projects
Free Things to Do in February
Inside News Roundup
Save the Date for Giving
Meet Lynne Arriale
Meet Haiden Baier
Faculty and Staff
Dateline
Swoop Summary
The Dark Truth About Chocolate
Spread the Word

UNF Kicks Off 50th Anniversary with Scholarship Giveaway

By Byron E. Jones

Six lucky students received scholarships at UNF’s 50th Anniversary kickoff event on Jan. 13 as faculty, staff and students gathered at the Arena Plaza.

Students expected one $2,500 scholarship to be awarded only to be surprised when more scholarships were announced. Attendees celebrated with Ozzie and were treated to a variety of Osprey swag, games and prizes with entertainment provided by DJ E.L.

Interim President Pamela Chally discussed UNF’s humble beginnings before announcing the scholarship winners. What started as a campus with a handful of buildings now comprises dozens with 17,000 students, she told the crowd. “Here’s to our entire Osprey Nation, to our future and to the next 50 years of success,” Chally said.

The six award recipients each received $2,500. The first scholarship was made possible by Community First Credit Union. After the first award was announced, two additional scholarships were presented — each funded by the University of North Florida Foundation Inc.

The surprises continued as Board of Trustee member Stephen Joost announced he would fund two additional scholarships and BOT Chair Kevin Hyde announced that the Board of Trustees would collectively fund one as well.

Learn more about what’s ahead for UNF's 50th Anniversary.

The Carnegie R2 Classification Explained

Last month, UNF gained admittance to an elite group of universities across the country — those classified as Research Universities with an R1 or R2 designation. After reviewing 3,900 universities, the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education included only a prestigious few on its 2022 list, designating 137 as R1 and 133, including UNF, as R2. Since the announcement was made, we’ve had a chance to talk with John Kantner, associate provost of faculty and research and interim dean of the Graduate School, to learn more about our new R2 designation and why it is important to the university and the City of Jacksonville.

What does the Carnegie Classification system consider?
This is not a ranking that considers graduation rates, campus facilities or other student-focused metrics. The Carnegie Classification system is simply a way to sort universities into buckets or categories by the types of degrees awarded with an emphasis on research.

How is the R2 classification determined, and how has UNF’s level changed over the years?
Our current classification is based on the “data year” of 2019-20, so there’s a bit of a lag.
Carnegie issues its classifications every three years.

In 2016, the Carnegie Classification had a master’s level 3, 2 and 1. UNF was an M1, which consists of institutions that have large master’s degree programs. There were also three doctoral levels: R1, R2 and R3. At that time, R3 required a certain number of research doctorates awarded each year (with original research and a dissertation) and a certain threshold of research expenditures.

In 2019, Carnegie reworked its classification system and changed what had been R3 to a Doctoral/Professional Universities or D/PU. This new category required at least 30 professional doctorates awarded in the data year. For example, our doctorates for nurse practitioners and physical therapists (well over 100 awarded each year) are considered professional doctorates that focus on clinical practice as opposed to original research. Because Carnegie changed the rules to acknowledge these professional doctorates, UNF made a significant move into the doctoral category as a D/PU, which automatically made us a national university in U.S. News and World Report; you cannot be listed as a national university in any of the rankings until you are at least an R3, or what is now a D/PU.

How did we move from the third tier of doctoral universities to the second tier?
To get to the R2 level, a university must have at least $5 million of R&D expenditures, which can be a combination of external and internal funding sources. Recently UNF has increased research expenditures to about $14 million, so we’re well above that required level. There also must be at least 20 research doctoral graduates in the data year.

Carnegie moves any university that meets those thresholds into an R category. To further segregate the list into R1 and R2, Carnegie uses a statistical analysis based on additional criteria: the type of research doctorates, the amount of R&D expenditures, and the number of research staff, which would include research faculty, postdoctoral researchers, research associates, research scientists and other titles. For 2022, the analysis placed UNF in the R2 category.

Now that UNF has been designated as an R2, why is this important?
The R2 designation gives us a standing in the research community. In addition, some of the other true ranking systems, such as U.S. News and World Report, in their own systems, reference where the universities fall in the Carnegie Classification.

What’s meaningful about it to me is that Jacksonville was one of the only major metropolitan areas that did not have a research university. There have been studies that have shown that the economic success and diversification and vibrancy of a particular metropolitan area is closely correlated with the kind and size of a research university that is serving the area. The city’s workforce needs are not just at the undergraduate and master’s degree levels, so us graduating students at the doctoral level helps the various business in Jacksonville, and attracts those that are interested in moving to the area. It also helps with applications for research funding to organizations such as the National Science Foundation, which pays attention to these classifications.

What’s next?
We’re now having some conversations about what type of R2 university we want to be. Do we need to bring in more doctoral programs? Do we perhaps focus on professional doctorates that do dissertations? So, that’s where we now, trying to think about what this looks like for UNF moving forward.

Swooping Into UNF's Past: The '70s

By Byron E. Jones

Over the next few months, we plan to highlight four UNF milestones from each decade, as we travel back through 50 years of UNF history. To begin, here are our picks from the 1970s with events also happening in Jacksonville, the United States and the World.

1970s

At UNF
GROUNDBREAKING, Sept. 18, 1971
650 guests attend UNF’s groundbreaking, including Florida Governor Reubin Askew, Board of Regents Chancellor Robert Mautz, Commissioner of Education Floyd Christian and local Regent J.J. Daniel, for whom Building 1 is named. Florida governor Rubin Askew was the keynote speaker.

In Jacksonville
Construction begins on Florida State Road 202 (J. Turner Butler “JTB” Boulevard).

In the United States
The 26th Amendment is ratified, allowing 18-year-olds to vote. (July 1, 1971)

In the World
The Soviet Union launches the first space station, Salyut 1, into low Earth orbit. (April 19, 1971)

At UNF
FIRST DAY OF CLASS, Oct. 2, 1972
UNF opens for its first quarter with 2,027 upper-division and master’s-level students attending classes. The campus consists of only four major buildings and three colleges: Arts and Sciences, Education and Business Administration. The average age of the faculty is two years younger than the average age of students. The Library (now Founders Hall) opens with 100,000 volumes on its shelves. "In just 10 months from the ground-breaking ceremonies, four buildings were completed — an administration building, classrooms, a library and a laboratory," from the Florida Times-Union.

In Jacksonville
Elvis Presley performs before thousands of fans at the Jacksonville Coliseum. (April 16, 1972)

In the United States
The Watergate Scandal begins to unfold after five men are arrested inside the Democratic National Committee headquarters office in the Watergate Hotel complex in Washington D.C. (June 17, 1972)

In the World
President Nixon visits China continuing efforts to establish a relationship with the country. (Feb. 21-28, 1972)

At UNF
AWARDED FULL ACCREDITATION, Dec. 11, 1974
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools grants UNF full academic accreditation.

In Jacksonville
JTA introduces the Park-n-Ride program opening the first lot at JTB and A1A served by an express flyer bus.

In the United States
The Ford Pinto is the best-selling American model vehicle with 360,688 sales.

In the World
Anneline Kriel is crowned as Miss World 1974 — the second South African to hold the title. (Nov. 26, 1974)

At UNF
UNF SELECTS OSPREY MASCOT, Nov. 1, 1979
The Osprey becomes UNF’s official mascot by write-in vote, beating out the armadillo, seagull, manatee and shark in a campus-wide election.

In Jacksonville
Jake Godbold becomes mayor — he initiates efforts to secure an NFL team and starts the Jacksonville Jazz Festival. (Jan. 1979)

In the United States
The Muppets Movie is released — the first release in The Muppets franchise. (June 22, 1979)

In the World
Michael Jackson releases his breakthrough album "Off the Wall" — eventually selling over 20 million records worldwide. (Aug. 10, 1979)

Additional timeline information available online from the Thomas G. Carpenter Library.

Read more about UNF's 50th anniversary.

UNF Remembers Archbishop Desmond Tutu

By Marsha Blasco

Archbishop Desmond Tutu talking with President John A. Delaney in 2005 In late December 2021, the news of Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s death touched people around the globe. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate was revered for his work as a human rights activist and widely regarded as one of the most important voices against apartheid in his native South Africa.

At UNF, those who met Tutu when he taught at the University in spring 2003 remembered the man as well as his work, describing him as warm, personable and kind. Dr. Earle Traynham, professor of economics and dean emeritus, was the dean of the Coggin College of Business when Tutu accepted UNF’s invitation and offered an adjoining conference room in the dean’s suite for the archbishop to use as an office. Sharing that space turned into what Traynham now calls “one of the highlights of his 10 years as dean.”

“The archbishop turned out to be the nicest, warmest guest we could ever have had,” Traynham said. “He was just a delightful person. When he came into the office, he would greet everyone and chat with each person, asking how they were, how was their weekend, before he walked into his office. He just couldn’t have been a warmer person.”

Ironically, Traynham said the people arranging Tutu’s visit reminded them that he was a busy man with important work to do and asked that the archbishop not be disturbed or approached unless he spoke to them. Yet, that was not the reality of the man, Traynham said. “The archbishop loved people and loved talking with people and was a pleasure to be around.”

During his time at UNF, Tutu created and taught a credit course for students and three noncredit mini courses that were open to the public centering around his experiences in South African politics, the struggle against apartheid and his work as chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, created by the post-apartheid government.

Dr. Jeff Michelman, who served as associate dean at the time, also recalled Tutu as an extremely personable man. He said that the archbishop seemed to enjoy talking with him about many different topics. “He was a wonderful human being in every sense of the word, and I’ve always been thankful to Earle that he offered the space in Coggin,” Michelman said. “It’s not often that you get to be in the presence of greatness, and that’s what I feel having been next to a Nobel laureate for an entire semester.”

details to the right Seated: Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Nomalizo Leah Tutu; Back left to right: Jeff Michelman, University of Warsaw Rector Alojzy Nowak, University of Warsaw Dean Kazimierz Ryc, Ann Traynham and Dean Earle Traynham

Both Michelman and Traynham recalled a surprise reunion with the archbishop sometime later when they were invited to lecture at the University of Warsaw in Poland, one of UNF’s partners in the Global MBA program. Invited by Alojzy Nowak, then the dean of the University of Warsaw Faculty of Management, the two were not expecting to see the archbishop, who had also been invited to Warsaw to accept an honorary doctorate. “It was just a wonderful memory and a wonderful surprise to see him again,” said Traynham, adding that the archbishop introduced them to the room and told everyone what a wonderful time he had teaching at UNF.

Desmond Tutu’s Legacy at UNF
Desmond Tutu was first invited to speak at UNF in 1999, a connection made through his friendship with former UNF staff member Oupa Seane. He returned to teach in 2003 and then received an honorary doctorate from UNF in 2005. In 2018, Tutu donated several book manuscripts as well as correspondence and speeches — many written during his time on campus — in honor of retired President John A. Delaney. The documents have been placed in the Thomas G. Carpenter Library’s Special Collections and University Archives as “The Archbishop Desmond Tutu Collection.”

The collection includes the manuscript for Tutu’s book “God Has a Dream,” and a second manuscript for “Number Two to Tutu: A Memoir" by Michael Nuttall with a foreword by Tutu, as well as speeches Tutu was making around the world at the time. It also includes a speech he delivered at the 80th birthday of the late Nelson Mandela, anti-apartheid revolutionary and South Africa president, correspondence with his assistant and friends, and other handwritten notes.

One Final Memory of the Archbishop
Dr. Jay Coleman, vice president of data analytics, who had the chance to speak with the archbishop, described him as “extremely personable,” with the ability to make people feel comfortable around him. He also recalled that the archbishop’s presence in the building could certainly draw attention.

As Coleman was interviewing a candidate for a faculty position, he had a view to the hallway through the office glass, though the person being interviewed did not. In the middle of explaining why UNF was a great place to work, Coleman saw the archbishop walk out of the dean’s office suite dressed casually in a warm-up suit, a much different look than his formal attire in media photos. He immediately quipped, “And how many places can you see Archbishop Desmond Tutu dressed in a warm-up suit headed down the hallway?”

When the candidate finally was able to turn to see Tutu, he was surprised, and Coleman then explained Tutu’s teaching visit to the University. “For what it’s worth, the candidate took the job and is still on our faculty,” Coleman said.

Black History Month Events

Every February, UNF celebrates National Black History Month to recognize the contributions of African Americans throughout history. All month long, events, activities and programs acknowledge the robust and rich history and culture of Black Americans and others of African descent. Here are just a few that are all free to attend:

Embracing Your Afro-Latinidad
Monday, Feb. 7, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
John A. Delaney Student Union Meeting Room 3804
In honor of Black History Month, join us alongside the Black Student Union as we highlight many African influences in Latin America. We’ll explore history, influences, personal experiences and historical people that share this intersecting identity.

Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Celebration
Wednesday, Feb. 9, Noon – 2 p.m. via Zoom
The UNF Intercultural Center will celebrate the 41st annual MLK celebration. Recognize this year’s scholarship recipients and hear from this year's dynamic speaker, Dr. Mary Frances Berry, in honor of UNF’s 50th anniversary.
Free, but registration required.

Jax Melanin Market Meets Market Days
Wednesday, Feb. 23, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Osprey Plaza
In partnership with the Intercultural Center and Africana Studies, the Jax Melanin Market collides with Market Days! Enjoy food trucks, swag and music brought to you by DJ Jimmie Hustle while supporting Black-owned businesses.

Black Excellence Expo
Friday, Feb. 25, 7 – 9 p.m.
John A. Delaney Student Union Ballrooms
Celebrate all things exuding Black excellence with the Black Student Union! Enjoy a night of art in this fun-filled event showcasing culturally enriching education and entertainment featured in the African Diaspora.

Engaging Students with Real-World Projects

By Marsha Blasco

Bringing real-world problems into the classroom can spark excitement and make learning more meaningful for students, according to professors who have been doing just that in the Coggin College of Business. Here are two examples of the many courses on our campus and at Coggin that include community involvement and real-world problem solving with the Jacksonville business community.

Consumer Behavior Marketing Course
For marketing major Morgan Viccione, the nonprofit case study she worked on in Dr. Courtney Azzari’s Consumer Behavior course last fall was “eye-opening.” Pulled from the real world, the project exposed her to important community issues. “I actually thought it was really helpful doing all the research, reviewing the statistics and putting the presentation together,” said Viccione, whose long-term goal may include work at a nonprofit.

For Azzari, assistant professor of marketing, who has used the case study approach for the past four semesters, the results each term have been positive ― some presentations even "brilliant" ― and overall, the students have been engaged. As a result, she sees the project as “the best of all worlds.” “Students do something that’s real-world where they feel they can actually have an impact,” she said. “They’re looking at a real company with real clients, so it makes it more important for them than a textbook case study, and I think they have a greater stake in the work.”

The classroom partnership began when Azzari met Amanda Mahan, director of marketing and communications at Operation New Hope, a local nonprofit that provides training and employment options to reduce the obstacles that people face following incarceration. Not the typical marketing model, the organization has three target markets: clients who need the services but don’t pay for them, donors who fund the programs, and employers who hire the clients.

Throughout the semester, and after meeting with Amanda Mahan from Operation New Hope, students reviewed research to understand each of the groups. Who are they demographically? What’s their lifestyle? What do you know about them?
“Students look at the internal and external influences that shape the buying decisions of the target markets and cause them to make the decisions they do in the marketplace,” Azzari said. “Then they select a target group and create a marketing campaign that they believe will resonate with them.”

From the nonprofit’s perspective, Mahan appreciates the student’s ideas, calling some of the campaigns “exceptional,” with fresh ideas she puts to use in her marketing materials for Operation New Hope. In addition, she has hired three student interns from these collaborations and looks forward to continued interactions with UNF students.

While Azzari believes the course teaches students the marketing skills they need, she also believes they gain from an expanded way of thinking. “One of the goals of college should be to expand your mind, your worldviews and your perspectives,” she said. “We need to broaden students’ way of thinking, and this topic is completely outside what most of them deal with and think about on a day-to-day basis.”

Honors in Marketing Course
To ship a container of goods from China to Los Angeles would ordinarily cost retailers about $2,000 with delivery in several weeks. Today, the price for a shipment can be as high as $20,000, and it may not arrive for months.

Crowley Maritime Corporation, a Jacksonville-based company and member of the Marketing Advisory Council at Coggin, has customers worldwide who are asking for help with the current distribution crisis. Looking for solutions, the industry giant brought the problem to students in Dr. Andrew Thoeni’s Honors in Marketing class.

“This and other projects’ results are astonishingly impressive,” Thoeni said. “Students take these on, work on their own time, are managed by the companies and produce real-world results for the companies and boost their resumes in the process.”

The Honors in Marketing class is part of the Honors in Marketing program and focuses on technical and business skills, as well as communication and interpersonal skills. Thoeni, marketing instructor and head of the Honors program, also co-founded the Marketing Advisory Council and recruited its 25 members. Each fall and spring term, these companies submit projects for students in the class. The Crowley project was one of three fall projects, each completed by two students who together volunteered at least 80 hours to find solutions.

For the Crowley project, the student duo worked with a data set provided by the company, which included all worldwide shipments for the past three years, detailing what was shipped, by whom, its origin and destination. Once they imported the data to a data analysis software, they chose one category of goods and analyzed alternative manufacturing locations closer to the United States by reviewing wages, infrastructure, education level, and many other factors.

According to Thoeni, the completed work provides a “repeatable process” for Crowley: the company can now use the analysis to identify any another category of goods and find alternate manufacturing options for other companies.

The Honors in Marketing program, which started in 2019, accepts about 10 applicants each term. To graduate with an Honors in Marketing designation, students must maintain a 3.5 GPA and complete 200 hours in a professional marketing internship and 100 volunteer service hours. To date, the program participants have contributed 1,631 hours of community service.

Learn more about the Honors in Marketing program and the Marketing Advisory Council.

Free Things to Do in February

Intro to Home Gardening
Feb. 11 and 16; 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Home gardening can improve your health and save you money. Learn the basics to starting your own garden with the Ogier Gardens Coordinator, Kevin Anderson. Other February workshops include Soil Biology Matters, Herbal Tea with Madi, Community Potluck and more. Learn about the events at the Frederick and Ophelia Ogier Gardens.

Lawson Ensemble
Sunday, Feb. 20 at 3 p.m. at the Recital Hall of the Fine Arts Center
The Lawson Ensemble is joined by Siyu Zhang, violin, featuring works by Mendelssohn and more. Free, but registration required.

UNF Welcomes Zainab Salbi to the Distinguished Voices Lecture Series
Tuesday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. at the Adam W. Herbert University Center
Zainab Salbi is a renowned humanitarian, entrepreneur, author and media commentator speaking on the challenges facing women in the Middle East. At age 23, Zainab founded Women for Women International, a grassroots humanitarian and development organization dedicated to serving women survivors of wars. Most recently, she was selected as a jury of The Hilton Humanitarian Prize ― the biggest award for humanitarian work throughout the world. Learn more and reserve a free e-ticket.

The Cummer Family Foundation Chamber Music Series
Tuesday, Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m. at the Recital Hall of the Fine Arts Center
This second Cummer Family Foundation concert of the new year presents Krzysztof Biernacki, baritone, with Denise Wright, piano. Dr. James Hall is the artistic director. Please register to confirm your attendance.

Sing into Spring: Singing Ospreys in Concert
Sunday, Feb. 27 at 3 p.m. at the Recital Hall of the Fine Arts Center
Witness the joy of music and the captivating harmonies of our Choral Ensembles at this year's spring concert, with Dr. Cara Tasher, director of choral activities. Free, but registration is required.

Inside News Roundup

UNF environmental institute awards two local water research project grants
The University of North Florida’s Institute of Environmental Research and Education’s (IERE) awarded grants to two water research projects that will begin this spring. One project will study the effect of PFAS chemicals on humans and wildlife in local waterways and the other project will analyze local oyster shell habitats to prevent coastal embankment erosion. Learn more about the projects.

UNF partners with Mayo Clinic on research related to birth trauma
New research from UNF and Mayo Clinic finds that rates of birth-related injuries are higher in rural areas of Florida and that policy strategies focused on improving healthcare quality in rural areas to mitigate increased birth trauma risks need to be strengthened. The researchers examined inpatient medical discharge data across 103 Florida hospitals from 2013 to 2018 to measure rural community and hospital characteristics associated with birth trauma. Learn more about the findings.

New UNF executive program offers HR development for mid-to-large businesses
The Coggin College of Business’ Executive Programs has launched a new Strategic People Management program to augment human resource development for mid-to-large sized businesses. The four-topic series focuses on empowering business leaders and managers to embrace a more strategic human resources mindset, hone effective workforce management decision-making skills, and help their organizations thrive. Learn more about the program.

Winter exhibitions at MOCA Jacksonville
MOCA Jacksonville announced its exhibitions for winter 2022, which include MOCA Artist-in-Residence Anderson Goncalves: Cultural Polarity, Jan. 8 through May 8; State of the Art: Locate, Jan. 20 through May 1; and Project Atrium: Chiharu Shiota: Letters of Love, Feb. 4 through June 26. Learn more about the exhibitions.

Physics professor publishes findings from investigational spin-glass materials study
Dr. Jason Haraldsen, UNF associate professor of physics, has published a research paper exploring the experimental topic of electronically altering spin-glass materials for future technological applications for the American Physical Society’s Physical Review Journal. The study of spin-glass materials, one area that recently received the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics, has the potential for enhancing technology through energy-efficient magnetic memory. Learn more about the findings.

Biology professor publishes results of hybrid fish study
Dr. Matthew Gilg, UNF biology professor, recently published research on the existence of hybrid fish offspring from the Mummichog and the Gulf Killifish. The study encompasses research collections over the course of three years from Gamble Rogers State Park near Flagler Beach, Florida. Read more about the study.

Sport Data Analytics Lab to assist PGA TOUR golfer
UNF’s Sport Data Analytics Lab, acting as an official data analytics manager, will help PGA TOUR player K.H. Lee optimize his performance to improve skills and strategies as well as predict and prevent inquiries. Mike Vitti, EIR and vice president data science and technology solutions for the PGA TOUR, introduced Lee and recommended that he collaborate with Dr. Wanyong Choi and the UNF sport management program. Learn more about the collaboration.

Save the Date for Giving

During this 50th Anniversary year, UNF is holding a 50-Hour Giving Challenge. Mark your calendars for March 7-9 to join fellow faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents and friends in coming together to #SwoopAndSupport! All gifts make an impact, no matter the size.

Be sure to “attend” the virtual UNF 50-Hour Giving Challenge Facebook event and sign up to become one of Ozzie’s Ambassadors to help us spread the word and earn UNF swag.

Submitted by Kristine Herrington, UNF’s Director of Annual Giving

Meet Lynne Arriale

Lynne Arriale is a professor of jazz studies and director of small ensembles in the School of Music. As a pianist of contemporary jazz and leader of the Lynne Arriale Trio, she has toured extensively around the world and been invited to play at a variety of notable jazz festivals and concert stages. The first-place winner of the 1993 International Great American Jazz Piano Competition, Arriale went on to record and produce 15 albums that have topped the JazzWeek radio charts and have received numerous “Best of” honors. Her 16th album will be released April 8, 2022. She has received accolades for her teaching as well. In 2018, Arriale was awarded the UNF Presidential Leader Award and was runner-up for the 2020 and 2021 UNF Faculty Association Distinguished Professor Award.

What brought you to UNF? In addition to its outstanding reputation, UNF has a great jazz program with a stellar faculty. Professor Emeritus Bunky Green, a jazz icon, is a musical and personal hero. Many years ago, I was thrilled when he invited me to conduct a master class at UNF. I was highly impressed with the quality of the program and the students; so, the opportunity to join the jazz department he directed was very exciting.

What research are you doing? The focus of my research is improvisational performance, publishing, composition, recording, and production. As a performer, I lead the Lynne Arriale Trio, which tours internationally. My 16th album as a leader is scheduled for release by Challenge Records International. “The Lights Are Always On,” which I co-produced, comprises a suite of 10 original compositions. The recording honors healers, caregivers, truth tellers, and defenders of democracy in the wake of COVID-19 and the Insurrection.

What’s one thing in your field of study that people might not know? It might not be generally known that jazz performances are improvised in real time, whether in a recording session or before a live audience. Decades of study are required to master this art form, which is necessary for the music to unfold organically in the moment. The beautiful magic of jazz is in the solos improvised during a performance. Created spontaneously, each solo sounds fresh and original each time the piece is played.

Do you have a favorite spot on campus? What do you like about it? My favorite spot on campus is in the classroom, watching my students learn.

What’s the most rewarding academic experience you’ve had at UNF in or out of the classroom? I feel great during the “ah-ha” moments, when something “clicks” for a student, and the results are immediately apparent.

If you weren’t teaching, what else would you be doing? I can’t imagine life without teaching, but if that were the case, I would continue to compose, arrange, produce, and perform jazz.

What do you like most about UNF? I am continuously inspired by the excellence and accomplishments of my amazing colleagues. I love working with my students; their dedication makes for a truly gratifying teaching experience, and it also fosters my own musical growth.

Describe your teaching style. Do you like to integrate tech, or are you more comfortable with a lecture-style classroom? I work with students one-on-one and in small ensembles. Their assignments include learning repertoire and lessons that address issues in their improvisation. This includes specific assignments, tailored to help them master fundamentals and expand their musical vocabulary.

Who has been the biggest role model in your life? All of my teachers have been role models. Among artists, Keith Jarrett, John Coltrane, and Miles Davis inspire me tremendously.

What advice would you give a student who is about to graduate? First and foremost, I would have them remember they are professionals and should always act accordingly; that they must treat everyone with respect, communicate with employers and colleagues, and network with other musicians. Regarding career development, I encourage the graduate to promptly start work on their first recording project, which is both a prerequisite and their personal calling card to play at venues. Finally, I would advise them to play on a regular basis with musicians they like and respect. These relationships are both personally and professionally rewarding and can last a lifetime.

What is your favorite memory from your undergraduate days? My favorite memory from my undergraduate days was playing concerts.

Where is the best place you’ve visited? I loved the Swiss and Italian Alps; they are gorgeous. I’ve also had unforgettable experiences in European concert halls, where impeccably maintained Hamburg Steinways and Bosendorfers make performing a pleasure.

How do you recharge? I recharge by watching programs that make me laugh, like “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

What do you like most about Jacksonville? Where else have you lived? I have lived in Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin; New York City; Nashville; Indiana; and Tampa, Florida. I’m very happy living in Jacksonville; the people are warm and friendly, and I love the weather.

Learn more about Lynne Arriale online.

Meet Haiden Baier

Meet Haiden Baier, program assistant and Osprey PERCH Fellow at UNF’s LGBTQ Center. Baier helps to manage and implement programs for the LGBTQ Center and offers counseling services through Osprey PERCH. He was recently recognized at the Presidential Awards Ceremony Luncheon as a Presidential SPOT Award winner.

What do you enjoy about working here? I love the open and inclusive environment here at UNF. My job here allows me to do what I am passionate about while surrounded by a community of colleagues and students who challenge me to grow every day.

How long have you lived in Jacksonville? Where else have you lived? I have lived in Jacksonville collectively for about 17 years – for a while when I was in elementary and middle school and then again since my undergraduate time here at UNF. I have also lived in New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Italy, Kansas, Virginia and Washington State.

What one memory do you most treasure? I really treasure the class I took on LGBTQ studies in my undergraduate years because it was the first time I was able to learn a lot of the history that informs my practice today. It was the first look I had into the history of my community and gave me the goals I continue to work towards today for equity and inclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals.

If you could have a dinner party and invite any four people, from the past or present, who would be on your guest list? Silvia Rivera, Dr. James Barry, MJ Rodriguez, and Elliot Page. These individuals are all prominent transgender figures throughout history, and I would love to be able to discuss with them the current movement for transgender liberation and rights as well as their contributions to the movement.

If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be? I would love to be a professor for a day in the social work program. I have always been passionate about teaching and being able to teach a future generation of social workers would be wonderful.

What superpower would you like to have? How would you use it? I would choose super strength, so I would be able to pick up anyone (or any animal) like a baby.

If you ruled the world, what would you change on Day 1? I would end for-profit healthcare systems so that healthcare can be free and equitable, so we can emerge from this pandemic in a better position than where we started.

What’s at the top of your bucket list? Visit Canada because it seems like a pretty cool place (pun intended) and I haven’t been.

What one food do you wish had zero calories? Chocolate.

Where would you like to go on a dream vacation? I would really love to go to a cozy cabin in Canada during the winter because I love snow, but I am not committed to shoveling it.

Tell us a few of your favorite things.
Board game: UNO Hearts
Book: Whatever I am currently reading (Dexter by Design currently)
Color: Red
Physical activity: Kayaking
Season: Fall

Faculty and Staff

Brooks College of Health
Dr. Hanadi Hamadi, associate professor, Dr. Kristen Hicks-Roof, Dr. Jasper Zu, Dr. Sinyoung Park and Dr. Aaron Spaulding with Dr. Monica Alexanderson and Marina Rincon Torroella from Brooks Rehabilitation, received a $27,731 Brooks Rehabilitation Collaborative Grant, “Evaluation of social determinants of health (SDOH) in prepared patient plans on home life success: Interprofessional knowledge translation and continuity of care,” 2022-24.

Dr. Michele Johnson Moore, professor and chair, with C. Hayes and Dr. Elissa Barr, professor, presented “Using youth risk behavior survey data in the classroom,” at the 2021 Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality Annual Conference, San Juan, Puerto Rico, November 2021. At the same conference, Barr, M. Jenkins and Moore presented “The development of a state-wide alliance to support sexuality education.”

Deirdre Shoemake, assistant professor in the School of Nursing, was spotlighted in the Dec. 2 edition of the Alumni Association's Nest Notes newsletter. Read the article online. In addition, Shoemake was nominated by students to be an Osprey Hero. Read her story.

Dr. Tes Tuason, professor and clinical director, with D. Crutchfield, published “Pinoy Ako Scale: Development and Initial Validation of a Scale on the Global Filipino Immigrant Experience,” in the Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies, 2021.

Coggin College of Business
Dr. Timothy B. Bell, distinguished professor of accounting, is the 2022 Don Herrman Distinguished Accounting Ph.D. Alumni Award recipient. He will be the fourth recipient of this award, which will be presented at the Ph.D. Alumni Research Conference/Oklahoma State University April 8.

Dr. Gregory Gundlach, Coggin distinguished professor of marketing, and Riley Krotz, UNF MBA grad and now assistant professor of marketing at Texas Tech University, have won the American Marketing Association’s Retail & Pricing Special Interest Group, Best Retail and Pricing Paper Award for the paper “Resale Price Maintenance: Implications of Marketing Trends for the Colgate Doctrine and the Leegin Factors,” in the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 39(1) 48-61. Read the article online. Gundlach and Krotz will receive the award at the 2022 American Marketing Association Winter Educators Conference.

College of Arts and Sciences
Art, Art History, and Design
Stephen Heywood, professor of ceramics, participated in the Fourteenth Annual Cup Show, Form and Function − National Juried Exhibition, Tapper Center Gallery, Panama City, Florida, November.

Biology

Dr. Nicole Dix, assistant scientist and research director, GTMNERR, with M. W. Gray, D. Pinton, A. Canestrelli, P. Marcum, D. Kimbro and R. Grizzle, published “Beyond Residence Time: Quantifying Factors that Drive the Spatially Explicit Filtration Services of an Abundant Native Oyster Population” in Estuaries and Coasts.Chemistry
Dr. Arthur Omran, visiting assistant professor in chemistry, published “Iron Silicides in Fulgurites” in the journal Minerals, December.

English
Mark Ari, assistant professor of creative writing, published “A Thin Beauty,” “ToM B,” and “Upon Change” in Assisi Literary Journal, December.

Marcus Pactor, associate English instructor, published three works: 1) The book “Begat Who Begat Who Begat,” Astrophil Press, November; 2) "A Veiling and Unveiling and Veiling Again: An Interview with Elisabeth Sheffield” in Heavy Feather Review, November; and 3) “Juggling a Hundred Objects, Some of Them on Fire: An Interview with Lance Olsen” in Heavy Feather Review, December.

Will Pewitt, English instructor, published two works: The poem “Altricial/Precocial” in Sisyphus, November; and two original translations of Arabic poetry by 'Abd al-Rahman in ArabLit Quarterly, December.

History
Dr. Felicia Bevel, assistant professor of history, commentator, “Women, Justice, and Testimony in American Courts, 1700-Present,” American Society for Legal History, New Orleans, November 2021.

Dr. Charles Closmann, associate professor of history, moderated a presentation of the “14th Annual State of the River Report for the Lower St. Johns River Basin” for WJCT, October, 2021.

Dr. David Courtwright, professor emeritus of history, published a review of “Bad Medicine: Catching New York's Deadliest Pill Pusher” in the September issue of “Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Books.”

Dr. Chau Kelly, associate professor of history, presented “Slavery and the British Empire in Florida” at the St. Augustine Historical Society on Nov. 19, 2021, as part of an art exhibit “Exposing History: Color, Taste, and Textiles.”

Mathematic and Statistics
Dr. Mohammad Rahman, associate professor of mathematics, has a paper “Approximation of an Integral Markov Process Arising in the Approximation of Stochastic Differential Equation,” accepted in the Advances in Pure Mathematics, Scientific Research, November.

Dr. Tyler Grimes, assistant professor of statistics, with his colleague S. Datta, published “A novel probabilistic generator for large-scale gene association networks” in PLoS One, November.

Music
Two faculty projects were awarded funding from the 2021-22 grant initiative from Academic & Student Affairs, which supports scholarship and creative work in the humanities and arts. Dr. Gary Smart, adjunct professor, and Dr. Erin Bodnar, assistant professor and director of bands, were awarded $8,600 from, for the project “Engaging the Process: Five New Works by Gary Smart.” Dr. Clarence Hines, associate professor and School of Music director, was awarded $9,732 for "Original Compositions for Jazz Orchestra Recording Project.”

Philosophy and Religion Studies
Dr. Andrew Buchwalter, professor of philosophy and the UNF Presidential Professor, published “Hegel's Political Philosophy as Metaphilosophy,” in Luca Illetterati and Giovanna Miolli (eds.), “The Relevance of Hegel’s Concept of Philosophy: From Classical German Philosophy to Contemporary Metaphilosophy,” London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2022, 149-164.

Physics
Dr. Paula Mariel Coelho Neto, assistant professor of physics, was awarded the Dean’s Leadership Council Fellowship, November.

Dr. Jason Haraldsen, associate professor of physics, in collaboration with the Nordic Institute for Theoretical Physics and the University of Connecticut, hosted the “Quantum Matter and Beyond Conference” at Jacksonville Beach. This conference was a hybrid conference with over 70 participants in December. Also, in November, Haraldsen organized the sixth annual “UNF Physics Photo Contest,” which was open to all students in the greater Jacksonville area.

Political Science and Public Administration
Dr. Joshua C. Gellers, associate professor of political science, published the co-authored article "Earth System Law: Exploring New Frontiers in Legal Science" in the journal Earth System Governance. Gellers also delivered the following four talks: 1) “Robot Rights,” at Northeast Normal University in Changchun, China, virtual; 2) “Animals, Nature, and Robots: Towards a Critical Environmental Ethic for Nonhumans,” at the Workshop on Philosophies of Nature, Technology, and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Georgia; 3) “Rights for Nonhumans in the Anthropocene: Towards a Unified Approach,” at the Economic and Social Rights Group Workshop at the University of Connecticut, virtual; and 4) “Earth System Law and Rights for Nonhumans,” in the Sustainability Module of the Masters in Global Challenges for Sustainability CHARM-EU graduate program, virtual.

Sociology/Anthropology and Social Work
Dr. Mandi N. Barringer, assistant professor of sociology, was elected President of Sociologists for Women in Society − South in November and will serve a two-year term. Also, Barringer, with her colleague, published "The (Minority) Stress of Hiding: The Effects of LGBT Identities and Social Support on Aging Adults’ Concern about Housing" in Sociological Spectrum, November. In addition, Barringer had the article, “Societal Inputs, Religious Outputs, and Young Adults: A Cross-Cohort Analysis of Attitudes toward Same-Sex Relations and Civil Liberties for Gays and Lesbians” accepted for publication in Review of Religious Research, December.

Dr. Jelena Brezjanović-Shogren, instructor of anthropology, won 2021-22 Digital Humanities Institute Faculty Fellowship of $5,000 in December.

Dr. Jacqueline Meier, assistant professor of anthropology, presented a paper at the annual meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America titled “Artisan-Animal Interactions at Petsas House, Mycenae.”

College of Education and Human Services

Dr. Rudy Jamison delivered a keynote speech at the Jacksonville NAACP’s 35th Annual MLK Jr. Community Empowerment Virtual Breakfast. Learn more about the event. Also, Jamison was recently announced as one of three finalists for the Jacksonville Image Awards’ Education Excellence Award. The winner of each category will be determined by popular vote. Winners will be announced on Saturday, Feb. 5 at the award ceremony. Learn more about the award.

Dr. Amanda Blakewood Pascale, associate professor and LSCSM Chair, Dr. Amanda Kulp, Director of Assessment, and Lisa Wolf-Wendel. Their article “Clear as Mud: Promotion Clarity by Gender and BIPOC Status Across the Associate Professor Lifespan” was one of Harvard’s Graduate School of Education’s most popular resources in 2021.

Dr. Christine Weber, professor, Teaching, Learning and Curriculum, published a chapter with co-author, Angela M. Novak, titled “Professional Learning: A New Look” in the Introduction to Gifted Education, forthcoming June 2022.

Dr. Hope E. Wilson, associate professor, Teaching, Learning and Curriculum, published an article “Resolving the Conflict in Gifted Education: The Missing Piece in Discussions of Inequity of Identification, Service, and Achievement for Advanced Learners ” in Volume 66, Issue 2 of Gifted Child Quarterly.

For UNF’s 50th anniversary, COEHS is participating by hosting various activities and events for students, staff, faculty and alumni throughout the year. Visit our events webpage to learn how you and your students can get involved with COEHS’ 50th Celebrations including: 1) 50 days of book collection beginning Feb. 1; 2) Express Your UNF Pride! 50th Anniversary Painting Parties Feb 3; and 3) a special day of service at the UNF Preschool, April 23.

Dateline

Milestones
Congratulations to the following employees with a milestone anniversary in February:

30 Years
Sheryll Brown, Custodial Worker, Custodial Services
Karen Stone, Vice President and General Counsel

25 Years
Michael Trotter, Manager, Shipping Receiving, Procurement Services

15 Years
Clifford Poppell, Teaching Laboratory Specialist, Electrical Engineering
Brenda Rolison, Administrative Assistant, Office of Faculty Excellence

10 Years
Deidre Lane, Associate Director, Youth Programs, One Jax-One Youth
Felicia Rivera, Coordinator, Events Planning, Parking and Transportation Services
Carolyn Smith, Executive Secretary, Brooks College of Health

5 Years
Matthew Grandstaff, Institutional Effectiveness Specialist, Institutional Research
Chadwick Lockley, Assistant Director, Academic Support Services, Academic Affairs
Riley Sackett, Coordinator, Prospect Research, University Development and Alumni Engagement
Jade Yuen, Coordinator, Outreach and Recruitment, COEHS Career Services
Viktoriya Zalozh, Custodial Worker, Custodial Services
Amber Ziegler, Applications Systems Analyst, Enterprise Systems

Welcome
The following employees were either hired by UNF or were promoted from OPS positions recently:
Jason Brennan, Pest Control Technician, Grounds
Emily Britt, Administrative Assistant, President's Office
Deborah Carlson, Faculty Administrator, Florida Institute of Education
Gregory Catron, Coordinator, Equal Opportunity and Inclusion
Georgina David, Director, UNF Preschool
Kathryn DeLost, Assistant Athletic Trainer, Athletics
Cristhal Escobar, Admissions Coordinator, Admissions
Katie Fountain, Executive Secretary, College of Education and Human Services
Ayia Ghazy, Administrative Secretary, Electrical Engineering
Mark Harris, Coordinator, Office of Diversity and Inclusion
Matthew Hoffman, Coordinator, Residence Life, Osprey Fountains
Caroline Howard, Clinical Research Associate, Psychology
Michael Innacelli, Web Services Specialist, Marketing and Communications
Angela Jevince, Coordinator, Research Integrity, ORSP
Jeffrey Jordan, Senior Floor Care Worker, Custodial Services
Michelle Kunz, Admissions Processing Specialist, Enrollment Services
Jordan Leslie, Assistant Director, Competitive Sports and Camps, Recreation and Wellness
Aaron Longe, Assistant Director, Athletics Marketing, Athletics
Martin Luytjes, Instructor, Management
Victoria Magiera, Assistant Child Development Teacher, UNF Preschool
Michael McLaughlin, Director of Development, Coggin College of Business
Emily Montford, Faculty Administrator, Florida Institute of Education
Colleen Morris, Coordinator, Academic Support Services, International Business
Ceteria Mosley, Program Assistant, University Housing
Hannah Ogle, Assistant Athletic Trainer, Athletics
Wesley Prince, Floor Care Worker, Custodial Services
Cally Rakita, Office Manager, Health Administration
Jack Reagor, Enrollment Communications Specialist, Enrollment Services
Erin Richman, Senior Director, Undergraduate Studies
Eugene Sadsarin, Academic Support Systems Specialist, Undergraduate Studies
Lovely Sainsurin-Greer, Assistant Director Development, Brooks College of Health
Justin Seaman, IT Support Specialist, Center for Instruction and Research Technology
Miguel Sosa, Coordinator, Residence Life, The Cove
Rikki Southworth, Administrative Assistant, MOCA
Akila Starr, Coordinator, Residence Life, The Flats
Alina Syed, Office Manager, School of Music
Kay Thiemann, Instructor, Health Administration
Maria Vander Meulen, Clinical Research Associate, Psychology
Michelle Verkamp, Assistant Director, Physical Facilities
Daniel Wall, IT Software Engineer, Enterprise Systems
Tyler White, Staff Writer, University Development of Alumni Engagement
Doug Wright, Head Athletic Coach, Beach Volleyball

Great Job
The following employees were promoted recently:
Sean Alexander, Academic Support Services Coordinator, TL, One-Stop Center
Natasha Chapman, Senior Academic Advisor, First-Year Advising
Jeanette Hinkle, Coordinator Administrative Services, Counseling Center
Randall Jones, Telecommunications Team Leader, Telephone Services
John Kantner, Associate Provost of Faculty & Research and Interim Dean of the Graduate School, Academic and Student Affairs
Sharon Murchison, Assistant Director, Institute of Police and Technology Management
Teresa Nichols, Interim Vice President, University Development and Alumni Engagement
Fantei Norman, Title IX Civil Rights Investigator, Equal Opportunity and Inclusion
David Ochoa, Coordinator IT Support, User Services
Amanda Pascale, Associate Professor/Chair, Leadership School Counseling and Sport Management
Waheeda Rahman, Project Manager, Engineering
Kelly Rupinta, Coordinator, Institute of Police Technology and Management
Kaitlyn Saavedra, Associate Director, Small Business Development Center
Jana Soto, Coordinator Student Affairs, Center for International Education
Chelsea Whiteman, Senior Academic Advisor, First-Year Advising
Sydney Wissinger, Coordinator, UNF MedNexus

Goodbye
The following employees have left UNF recently:
Jack Anorue, Admissions Coordinator, Welcome Center
Lorna Bautista, Office Manager, Women's Center
Frederick Beck, Chief Medical Officer, Student Health Services
Kevin Blue, IT Network Engineer, Networking Services
Alisa Craddock, Library Services Specialist, Library
Deborah Deal, Coordinator, Payroll, Controller
Nicole Dorman, Academic Support Services Coordinator, Distance Learning Academic Coaches
Kerry Eldred, Clinical Research Associate, Psychology
Biljana Goranovic, Custodial Worker, Custodial Services
Andrew Hannon, Assistant Athletic Coach, Baseball
Jane Harrell, Assistant Director, Recreation
Jennifer Harris, Police Communications Operator, University Police Department
Lester Jones, Custodial Worker, University Housing
Alexandra Kuntsevich, Accounting Associate, SG Business and Accounting Office
Bonnie LaGasse, Senior Accounts Payable Receivable Representative, University Housing
June Ann LeFors, Clinical Instructor, Exceptional Deaf and Interpreter Ed
Mary Lundy, Associate Professor, Physical Therapy
Amaray Alfonso Marrero, Custodial Worker, Osprey Fountains
Lauren McAlister, Instructor, Nursing
Ann McCullen, Vice President, University Development and Alumni Engagement
Alexandra Melvin, Office Assistant, UNF Online
Julia Montgomery, Assistant Director, Small Business Development Center
Daniel Moon, Professor, Academic Affairs
Micayla Neal, Admissions Coordinator, Admissions
Brendan Perkinson, Academic Support Services Coordinator, One-Stop Center
Elaine Poppell, Senior Broadcast Engineer Technician, CCEC Video Production Facility
Sayani Roy, Academic Advisor, CCEC Advising
Eugene Sadsarin, Academic Support Systems Specialist, Undergraduate Studies
Thea Scott, University Housing Coordinator, University Housing
Harriet Stranahan, Professor, Economics
Judy Turnbull, Applications Systems Analyst, Enterprise Systems
Helene Vossos, Assistant Professor, School of Nursing
Celeste Watkins, Director, SG Business and Accounting Office
Mirenda Williams, Recycle Refuse Worker, Recycle
Simone Wilson, Data Processing Associate, Registrar's Office
Yongan Wu, Associate Professor, Languages Literatures and Cultures

In Memoriam
The UNF community was saddened to learn of the death of Dr. N. Harry Rothschild, professor of history, who passed away Dec. 10. He was a world-renowned expert on 17th century China who inspired students at UNF for 18 years, winning an undergraduate teaching award in 2018. Read his obituary online.

Swoop Summary

Second Half Offensive Onslaught Cues Men’s Basketball to Win Against UCA
Behind 55 points in the second half, 14 three-pointers for the game, 20 assists and eight blocked shots on the defensive end, North Florida men's basketball (5-16, 1-6 ASUN) ran away with a 93-74 victory against Central Arkansas (6-13, 3-3 ASUN) Thursday, Jan. 27 from the UNF Arena. Learn more about the Osprey's win.

Track & Field Caps Off Successful Weekend at Carolina Challenge
The North Florida track & field teams completed their indoor season debut at the Carolina Challenge with personal-best times across the board. The Ospreys started their season strong competing against a 44-team field that consisted of multiple Power Five programs, including Miami (FL) and Georgia Tech. This was the first time the Ospreys raced in an indoor meet since the 2020 season as they took last year off to focus on the spring 2021 cross country season. Learn more about UNF's track and field season debut.

UNF Baseball Season Tickets and Flex Plan on Sale
Season tickets and a flex plan option are now on sale for the upcoming 2022 UNF baseball season that features 33 home games, eight three-game sets at Harmon Stadium and a home contest against Florida on March 1.

Women's XC/TF Welcomes Seven Runners to 2022 Signing Class
North Florida cross country and track and field announce the signings of seven new Osprey runners to their 2022 signing class. Learn more about the new signees for women's track.

Women's Tennis Receives Nine First Place Votes, Selected as ASUN Favorites
After winning the 2021 ASUN Women's Tennis Championship and advancing to the NCAA Championship Second Round following a win against No. 25 Ole Miss, UNF women's tennis was selected to finish first in the ASUN Conference Women's Tennis Preseason Poll per the league office Friday, Jan. 7. Learn more about the ASUN conference women's tennis preseason poll.

The Dark Truth About Chocolate

Can chocolate actually be good for us?
Calling all chocolate lovers! Can chocolate actually be healthy for you? The answer is: with the right type and amount, yes! It is the cocoa content of the chocolate that is of interest regarding health benefits.

Studies have shown that dark chocolate has the most health benefits, mainly because it contains the highest cocoa concentration of all chocolate varieties. Some evidence suggests certain varieties of high-cocoa dark chocolate have similar (or even higher) antioxidant concentrations as the “superfood” berries: blueberries and acai berries. A diet rich in antioxidants, including small amounts of dark chocolate, has been shown as protective against chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. Antioxidants can also protect aging of the skin and brain health.

How do we choose a beneficial chocolate?
It is important to note that the research found benefits in dark chocolate with a very high cocoa content. Many common brands of dark chocolate may not contain a high enough cocoa content to exert the desired health benefits, although they may taste good and can still fit into an overall healthy diet. If the chocolate tastes sweet, it is candy; if it is bitter, it is cocoa-rich chocolate.

The research shows benefits from dark chocolate that has a cocoa content of at least 70% or more. The higher the cocoa concentration, the more beneficial to our health. However, the higher-cocoa dark chocolate varieties tend to be bitter because they contain less sugar. A small amount of high-cocoa chocolate around one ounce per day is associated with health benefits. However, more is not better; too much can be counterproductive in terms of improving health.

What is the bottom line?
Even consuming dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa doesn’t replace eating a diet rich in colorful vegetables and fruits. If you like dark chocolate, you can obtain some benefits from it. If you don’t like dark chocolate, you should not force it. Instead, try to increase your intake of other antioxidant-rich foods, like dark greens and berries. Most importantly, allow yourself permission to consume a small amount of any indulgent food that brings you some joy as part of an overall healthy diet.

Submitted by Dr. Casey Colin, Assistant Professor, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Brooks College of Health

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UNF ranks high in U.S. News & World Report 2022 ‘Best Online Programs’

The University of North Florida has earned high rankings in U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 Best Online Programs list, ranking in the top 50 in the nation for its online bachelor’s programs as well as earning recognition for the online master’s in education program.

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View the complete U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 Best Online Programs.