Attention faculty and staff!
There is still time to register for the UNF Men's Basketball Faculty & Staff Appreciation Game versus Eastern Kentucky University on Wednesday, Feb. 22, at 7 p.m in the UNF Arena. Each employee who registers will receive two free tickets sent to the mobile phone number entered when they RSVP. If you plan to attend the game and have not registered yet, please RSVP by tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 17.
The spring semester is in full swing, and it is indeed a busy and exciting time to be an Osprey! Our faculty and staff are working so hard to elevate our profile and help students succeed, and I am grateful for all that you do. I want to especially thank you for your ongoing support and input into the University’s Strategic Plan Renewal process. Hundreds of surveys were completed, and there was strong participation at the Town Hall meeting last week hosted by the Strategic Plan Renewal Task Force. If you were unable to attend last week’s session, I strongly encourage you to attend the virtual Strategic Plan Renewal Town Hall today, Thursday, Feb. 16 at noon. The session will be held via Zoom at https://unf.zoom.us/j/6997353809. Your involvement is critical to this process.
I have noticed an increase in participation at activities and events on campus – among students but also our faculty and staff. I want you to know how much I appreciate this. This year, we saw some of our largest crowds ever at Homecoming! Not only did we have the largest attendance since 2016 at our men’s Homecoming basketball game, our Blue & Gray Bash at the Brumos Collection had the biggest in-person crowd in the history, and our Alumni Awards dinner had record attendance as well. The OzFest concert this year had more than 5,000 in attendance! It is great to see so many people back together, celebrating UNF and having fun.
In case you missed it in Osprey Update, we have set aside two days leave for employees at the end of spring break to provide a little extra time off to recharge. Budgeted employees including support, law enforcement, administrative, nine- and 12-month faculty and executive service employees will receive paid holiday leave for spring break on Thursday, March 16 and Friday, March 17, 2023.
There is a lot of discussion and activity relating to higher education in Florida right now, and I just encourage each of you to continue to do the great work you are doing for our students. I always welcome opportunities to talk with you if you have questions or concerns and appreciate so many of you joining me for the Town Hall meeting yesterday. Again, you are doing great work, and it is clear that you care about this institution and your colleagues. Thank you for all that you do.
Held the first week in February, Homecoming 2023 was a great success! View a photo recap of some of the festivities below.
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. 
Meet Denise Monti, Ph.D., biology instructor and assistant director of UNF's Hicks Honors College. Monti leads the College's capstone program and is an accomplished researcher and educator with degrees in biology, epidemiology and microbiology.
Her research interests include phage biology and STEM education, and her research can be found in numerous peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Monti currently teaches two Honor courses, a ‘Popular Writings in Science’ seminar course and ‘Pre-capstone Symposium.’ Beginning fall 2023, she will lead a new initiative to isolate novel viruses from the environment with students enrolled in Honors Biology I in collaboration with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. She also will continue working with the students in an Interdisciplinary Writing Seminar. Prior to joining UNF, Monti taught on-campus and online courses at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
If you're looking for extracurricular activities, why not participate in Faculty and Staff Spring B Intramurals? Register a team or register as a free agent for softball or 5-on-5 basketball. Registration is open through March 14 and the leagues begin March 20. If preferred, UNF employees may also sign up for co-ed leagues. Sign up is available through the myWings portal by selecting "Employee Tools" and choosing "Intramural Sports". Learn more about Intramural Sports and sign up today! 
UNF Giving Day is March 22! All gifts make an impact, no matter the size and you can make a gift on the Giving Day website!
There's no better time than right now to take part in the Faculty and Staff Campaign with a one-time gift or gift via payroll deduction to an area or fund that you're passionate about. Your gift will count toward UNF Giving Day 2023 totals. President Moez Limayem is matching all gifts, dollar for dollar, up to $50,000 to the Student Success Fund. Learn more about the various ways you can give today!
You can also help spread the word and earn UNF swag by signing up to become one of Ozzie's Ambassadors!
Information provided by UNF Annual Giving
UNF graduate student Marisa Pechillo believes that to have a positive impact on the future, one must understand the past.
A graduate student in UNF's history program, Pechillo is currently conducting a thesis on People with Epilepsy (PWE), related social challenges and human rights. Inspired by “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down,” a book by Anne Fadiman about a Hmong child with epilepsy and related struggles, Pechillo hopes her work will prompt others to look beyond stigmas and support innovative treatment solutions for the disease. “The historical context really needs to be considered when discussing medicine and disease,” said Pechillo, who presented a chapter of her thesis last month at the annual Florida Conference of Historians.
Pechillo has had several unique experiences during her time at UNF, and it is certainly no surprise that the history buff would be drawn to archives and special collections. For two years, Pechillo served as the primary archivist for the new Dr. Christine Rasche Collection at the Thomas G. Carpenter Library, where she has organized the research and work of Rasche, a founding faculty member from the College of Arts and Science’s Criminal Justice program. (See article below.)
Set to earn her master’s in May, the Pasadena, Maryland native also received a bachelor’s in history with a minor in international business from UNF and plans to pursue a doctorate. Pechillo is grateful to history department faculty including Dr. Chau Kelly, who helped her achieve success and continue to inspire her appreciation for the past.
“I think history is one of the best ways to understand the human experience,” said Pechillo. “It allows you to shift your perspective,” she said, “and to see outside of your own box.”
Arriving at UNF in 1972, Rasche proved integral in UNF's growth — developing several programs including the Criminal Justice Program and supporting the development of the Women’s Center. Members of UNF's Groundskeeping team recently showcased their work at the South Florida Fair in West Palm Beach by creating curated dinosaur habitats. Rhonda Gracie, UNF horticulturist and Botanical Garden designer, and Joyce Buscaglia, groundskeeper, created two displays — one featuring a Leallynasaura (seen below) and the other featuring a Minmi. This year's fair, an annual 17-day event that attracted 4,000 visitors per day, was themed "DINO-MYTE" and featured educational and interactive dinosaur exhibits.
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Movies on the House (MOTH) is reborn this spring with an exciting lineup of art house, international, documentary and LGBTQ+ cinema. The series kicked off Wednesday, Jan. 18, with a screening of “After Blue (Dirty Paradise),” a long and strange journey across supranatural territories.
Every week, audiences have a chance to see films that don’t often make it or disappear too quickly at multiplex theatres. Some upcoming movies include “Dressed in Blue” and “Call Her Ganda.”
View MOTH’s spring 2023 movie series schedule.
Information provided by UNF Media Relations
The University of North Florida has earned high rankings in U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 Best Online Programs list, landing 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.
UNF’s online programs are praised for strong student support and programming adaption to provide personalized attention that promotes success, such as opportunities for students to gain real-world experience with local organizations.
Learn more about UNF's latest national ranking.
Information provided by UNF Media Relations
Brooks College of Health
Dr. Sericea Stallings-Smith, associate professor of Public Health, presented “Associations Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Cigarette Smoking, Binge Drinking, and Cannabis Use Among Adults in the United States During Pandemic Year 2020”, a collaborative project with Dr. Lena Salpietro, McKinley Chapman (MPH student), and Dr. Beomyoung Cho, at the American Public Health Association conference in Boston, November 2022.
Nathan Quinn, Dr. Robert Zeglin, associate professor; Courtney Boggs, Hannah Glusenkamp, adjunct professor; Melinda Rule, and Dr. Kassie Terrell, associate professor from the Department of Public Health; and Dr. Kristen Hicks-Roof, associate professor of Nutrition and Dietetics, published "Sex at Every Size: A Content Analysis of Weight Inclusivity in Sexual Health Research." Body Image, December 2022, 43:420-428.
Dr. Amanda Pascale, chair and associate professor; and Dr. Suzanne Ehrlich, associate professor from the Department of Leadership, School Counseling and Sport Management; and Dr. Kristen Hicks-Roof, associate professor of nutrition and dietetics, published "Faculty Fathers: Understanding the Experiences of Faculty Men with Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic." New Directions for Higher Education, October 2022, 1-13.
Dr. Kristen Hicks-Roof, associate professor of nutrition and dietetics, with co-author Rayonna Hills, B.S., published "Nutrition Check: Easy Ways to Reduce Sodium Intake Over the Holiday Season." Florida Newsline, November 2022.
Dr. Kristen Hicks-Roof, associate professor of nutrition and dietetics, with co-author Rayonna Hills, B.S., published "Nutrition Check: All Things Potato." Florida Newsline, November 2022.
Dr. Kristen Hicks-Roof, associate professor of nutrition and dietetics, presented “Virtual Interprofessional Consultation Clinic” to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM).
Coggin College of Business
A jointly-authored publication by Dr. Gregory Gundlach (J. Craig Andrews, Scot Burton, Gregory T. Gundlach, Ronald Paul Hill, Jeremy Kees, Richard G. Netemeyer, Kristen L. Walker (2021), “What Exactly Is Marketing and Public Policy? Insights for JPPM Researchers,” Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 41 (1), 10-33) was named to the “Responsible Research in Business & Management Honor Roll” for “credible science useful to society.”
Dr. Gregory Gundlach was awarded American Marketing Association (AMA), Retail & Pricing Special Interest Group's “Best Mentoring Award.” The award honors individuals who are “exceptional mentors to doctoral students or junior scholars.” The award will be formally announced at the Winter AMA Educators Conference.
College of Arts and Sciences
Communications
Dr. Berrin A. Beasley, with her colleague Dr. Pamela A. Zeiser, edited the collection, “Social Media Ethics and COVID-19: Well-Being, Truth, Misinformation, and Authenticity” (Lexington Books/Rowman and Littlefield), to which she contributed the "Introduction" and the chapter, "COVID-19 at the Nexus of Social Media and Propaganda: Public Health Messaging on Twitter Amidst Political Polarization."
English
Mark Ari, assistant professor of creative writing, moderated a panel “Art and Activism: Legacies of the Black Arts Movement” at the Radical Philosophy Associations 15th Biennial Conference, November 2022.
Dr. Nicholas de Villiers, professor of English and film, presented a paper, “Tsai Ming-liang’s The Hole (1998) through an Absurdist Pandemic Lens,” at the Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association conference, November 2022.
Dr. Ash Faulkner, professor of English, gave an invited talk, “The Transatlantic Meynell,” for the Alice Meynell Centenary at the author’s home, Greatham, in Pulborough, Sussex (UK), November 2022.
Dr. Chris Gabbard, professor of English, chaired two panels at the South Atlantic Modern Language Association (SAMLA) conference: “Octavia E. Butler: This and Other Worlds” and “The Intersection of Ethics of Care and Literature/Film”; in the latter panel, he presented the paper “Care Work in Octavia Butler’s Dawn”, November 2022.
History
Dr. Felicia Bevel presented "Performing Ol' Man River Abroad: Paul Robeson's Interracial Coalition Building Along the U.S.-Canadian Border," at the American Studies Association Annual Meeting, November 2022.
Music
Dr. Andrea Venet, assistant professor of percussion, with the UNF Percussion studio attended the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. Students in the UNF Percussion Ensemble placed 6th out of 20 ensembles from across the country in the PASIC Chamber Percussion Ensemble Competition, performing I. Todos Los Rios from Water Sextet by Alejandro Viñao. Texas Christian University gave the world premiere of Dr. Venet’s composition, Revenant for percussion orchestra (2022) at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC). They commissioned the work as one of the winners of the International Percussion Ensemble Competition. Dr. Venet’s composition Bulldog (2021) for percussion quartet, which was originally commissioned by Grammy-Award-winning Third Coast Percussion, was featured on a New Literature Showcase Concert by Jacksonville State University in Alabama.
Physics
Dr. Devki N Talwar, professor of physics, with co-authors, Ping Li, Lingyu Wan, Huilu Yao, Liuyan Li, and Jiang Jiang, published an article titled, “Optical torque exerted on a charged sphere by a polarized Bessel beam” in the MDPI Journal of Symmetry. Dr. Talwar also published, “Transfer matrix method for calculating UV–Vis reflectivity/transmission spectra to assess thickness of nanostructured zb CdSe and ZnSe films grown on GaAs (001)” in Applied Physics A. Lastly, Dr. Talwar, with co-author P. Becla, published “Interfacial strain-dependent localization of phonons in (CdS)m/(CdTe)n superlattices” in Physica B: Condensed Matter.
Political Science & Public Administration
Dr. Joshua C. Gellers delivered a virtual talk, “Earth System Law and the More-than-Human World,” at the workshop on Crafting New Principles of Earth System Law, held at IASS Potsdam in Germany. He also presented an invited paper, entitled “Happiness and Justice for All? Gross National Happiness and the More-than-Human World” at the Third International Conference on GNH and Law, held at JSW School of Law in Bhutan. Finally, Dr. Gellers spoke virtually with students in the Master of Arts in International Affairs program at Cal State Long Beach about careers in international relations, November 2022.
Seema Shekhawat, assistant professor of political science and public administration, presented a paper titled, “When Violence is Normal”: Gender Violence in India and Beyond, Congress on Gender Studies CGS22: Appearances of Violence, Online, November. Shekhawat also acted as Session Chair for Gender and Politics session, Congress on Gender Studies CGS22: Appearances of Violence, in an online conference.
Psychology
Katie Ingram, MS and Sara Davis, Ph.D.; Cognitive Psychology; presented "Evaluating the Effect of Showups on Subsequent Lineup Identification" at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the Psychonomic Society on November 17, 2022.
Dr. Charles Fitzsimmons, assistant professor in the department of psychology at UNF, is part of a team selected as a Phase 1 finalist for the IES Challenge Math Prize to implement their DRUM intervention. The challenge is identifying and testing interventions to improve math achievement and will award up to $725,000 in Phase 2. The Math Prize called for school-based, digital interventions to significantly improve math outcomes, specifically focused on fractions, for upper elementary school students with or at risk for a disability that affects math performance. The intervention: Drs. Thompson, Opfer, Fitzsimmons, Sidney, and Rodrigues–an interdisciplinary team of math cognition and special education researchers–will implement the IES-funded Digital Rational NUMber (DRUM) intervention with third-fifth graders, focusing on students with or at risk for a disability affecting math. DRUM employs number lines to help children draw analogies (e.g., 3 located on a 0-8 number line is like 3/8 on a 0-1 number line). Children will complete brief, distributed practice sessions with immediate feedback.
Dr. Angela Colaiezzi, professor of psychology, along with co-authors, Allison J. Yale, Halil Tekiner and Steven H. Yale, published,” Historical Aspects and Test Characteristics of Eponymously Named Psychometric Tests by Women: The Period up to 1970” in the Euro Biotech Journal.
Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work
Dr. Mandi N. Barringer, assistant professor of sociology, was awarded the UCF Early Career Award in Academic Sociology in November 2022.
Dr. Mandi N. Barringer, assistant professor of sociology, with her colleague, published the chapter, "You Want Me to Feel Ashamed? The Influence of Religion on Sexuality” in the Handbook of Human Sexuality Counseling: A Sex-Positive Approach.
Dr. Jessica Chandras, assistant professor of anthropology, presented her paper titled “Linguistic Infrastructure: Mapping Language and Belonging in a Multilingual Indian City" for a 3-part panel titled "Infrastructural Intimacies" at the 2022 American Anthropological Association's annual meeting in Seattle. She also co-organized a panel titled “Motherless Tongues, Tongueless Mothers, and Other Modern Maladies” and presented a paper synchronously on Zoom for that panel titled “Education and Social Marginalized in Mother Tongues in Rural Indian Denotified Tribal Communities” in the Australian Anthropological Society’s annual meeting held in Geelong, Australia.
Dr. Anne Pfister, associate professor of anthropology, organized a roundtable discussion, “Disrupting Landscapes Using Participatory Models & Visual Methods in Anthropology”, at the Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association, November 2022.
Dr. Jasmine Haynes, assistant professor of social work, presented a poster at the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) 68th Annual Program Meeting entitled: "Influence of a Culturally Responsive Trauma-Informed Professional Development for Educators in Underserved Schools." She also co-authored a peer-reviewed journal article titled "Creating Safe Learning Spaces for Students Living in Urban Poverty." The School Community Journal, Fall/Winter 2022, 32(2):177-204.
Center for Community-Based Learning
Dr. Justin Sipes, director of Center for Community-Based Learning, presented “Pre-College Expectations of First-Generation College Students Attending Schools in NASPA Region III” at the NASPA Region III Summer Symposium hosted in Charleston, SC in June 2022.
Dr. Justin Sipes, along with colleague Dr. Shalini Srinivasan, assistant professor of chemistry at Metropolitan State University of Denver, co-facilitated a Campus Compact National Community of Practice on Assessment and Evaluation in summer 2022. Together they led six sessions on best practices and sharing of resources to address the topics of assessment and evaluation in the context of community and civic engagement.
Dr. Justin Sipes facilitated a special topic “Community of Practice for Campus Compact for campuses that are eligible to submit their third application for the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement.” Fall 2022.
Dr. Justin Sipes is a member of the planning team for the 2023 NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education Annual Conference. The conference will be held April 1-5, 2023, in Boston, Massachusetts. Justin is a part of the Student Affairs Series committee that oversees the selection and production of the SA Speaks and SA Stories components of the conference, where he is the co-chair of the SA Stories subcommittee.
Dr. Alarie Gibbs, curricular community engagement coordinator, co-facilitated a Campus Compact virtual session, national Community of Practice on Community Partnerships in fall 2022 with colleague Jenean Gilmer, community-engaged learning program manager at Augsburg University. Together they led six sessions on best practices for working with and sustaining community partnerships in higher education.
Susan Trudeau, co-curricular community engagement coordinator, will co-facilitate a National Community of Practice for Campus Compact throughout the spring 2023 term on Embedding Care for the Whole Student in Civic and Community Engagement Practices. Susan will partner with colleague Felicia Hartinger, director of student support services at the University of Detroit Mercy, to co-lead the six sessions and discuss ways to support students who lead and engage in civic and community engagement activities.
Digital Learning
Robert C. Rose, instructional designer in the Department of Leadership, School Counseling & Sport Management, presented “Cultivating Deep Learning Using Discussion Boards” at the Online Learning Consortium Accelerate Conference in Orlando, FL, November 2022.
Kevin Hulen, assistant director of quality and assessment in the Department of DL-UNF Online, presented “Quality Assurance Drives Continuous Improvements to Online Programs” at the Online Learning Consortium Accelerate Conference in Orlando, FL, November 2022.
Robert C. Rose, instructional designer in the Department of Leadership, School Counseling & Sport Management, presented the webinar “Cultivating Deep Learning Using Discussion Boards” to the Florida Instructional Designer Network in November 2022. View webinar online.
College of Education and Human Services
Dr. Rakesh K. Maurya, assistant professor in Leadership, School Counseling and Sport Management, and co-authors, published research titled “Interdisciplinary Collaboration Challenges Faced by Counselors in Places Where Professional Counseling is Nascent” in International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling, October 2022. In this article, the authors examine the challenges and barriers counselors experience when participating in interdisciplinary professional environments, specifically in places where the counseling profession is a nascent field. Read the article online.
Dr. Christine Weber, professor in Teaching, Learning & Curriculum, was invited to participate on a writing team by the National Association for Gifted Children to develop the LEAP (Lead with Effective and Actionable Practice) Framework. This is a professional learning framework where educators intentionally choose and lead their own learning and that of their students by using effective and actionable strategies that are applied through a cycle of reflective practice and improvement.
Dr. Stacy K. Boote, associate professor in Teaching, Learning & Curriculum, with co-author Dr. Terrie M. Galanti, assistant professor in Teaching, Learning & Curriculum, wrote a manuscript titled "Teaching Angle as Turn Using a Code.org Lesson” that was accepted for publication in the journal Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK-12. Their article explains and exemplifies how intermediate elementary students can use physical manipulatives (e.g., pattern blocks) to make sense of the geometry and measurement ideas in a Code.org block-based programming lesson.
Dr. Mark Halley, assistant professor of ASL/English Interpreting, and Dr. Linda Connelly, associate professor of ASL/English Interpreting, were awarded an Academic Technology Grant to create a dedicated Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) station to deliver healthcare simulations and train interpreting and nursing students. They will use the funds to create the station and begin conducting regular simulations with deaf standardized patients and UNF students beginning in the Spring 2023 semester. They also published an article on their simulations titled “It Made Me Think Like a Nurse”: Virtual Simulations with Interpreters. Journal of Nursing Education, June 2022. Additionally, they also have an article currently under revision with the International Journal of Interpreter Education.
Dr. Ronghua Ouyang, professor in Leadership, School Counseling & Sport Management, received "2022 Outstanding Community Service Award" bestowed by the Association of Chinese Professors of Social Sciences in the United States (ACPSS) at the 27th International Conference in October 2022.
Dr. Ronghua Ouyang, professor in Leadership, School Counseling & Sport Management, with colleague Dr. Nile Stanley, associate professor in Teaching, Learning & Curriculum, presented two papers titled “Retiring Scholars Plan for “Golden Years”” and “Investigating the Role of Data-Driven Decision-Making Within Chinese and USA Faculty Exchange Program” at the 27th ACPSS International Conference in October 2022.
Dr. Hope E. Wilson, professor in Teaching, Learning & Curriculum, wrote a book titled “Building Transformational Kindness in Schools: A Guide for Teachers and Leaders.” Routledge Press, December 2022. The book focuses on shifting the framework of schools from accountability to kindness and care to increase not only student success but also student well-being.
Dr. Katrina Hall, associate professor in Teaching, Learning & Curriculum, was recently awarded the Office of Faculty Enhancement High Impact Practice Grant for “COEHS Educators + CCEC Engineers in Italy: Synergistic Learning and Inclusivity in a Global Community” Summer Study Abroad.
This synergistic collaboration between Dr. Hall, Dr. ElSafty in the College of Computing, Engineering and Construction Colleges of Engineering, and Dr. Rowe, director of THRIVE (Transition to Healthiness, Resourcefulness, Independence, Vocation, and Education) begins May 29, 2023, in Italy. Interdisciplinary student teams will participate in behind-the-scenes tours in Rome, Assisi, Perugia, Corciano and Florence. Activities include analyzing structural systems of Italian architecture, completing historic restoration projects, working in a digital studio, visiting a medieval castle, the Montessori International Centre and the University of Perugia, and leading STEM activities for children with autism. The group will weave their experiences into a digital guide to making university study abroad accessible to those who are neurodivergent or have exceptionalities. For more information on the trip, please reach out to Drs. Hall, ElSafty or Rowe.
Adrien Malek, assistant professor in Early Childhood Education, with co-authors Elizabeth Ethridge from the University of Oklahoma, Tulsa, and Kyong-Ah Kwon from the University of Oklahoma, Norman, published an article titled “Fostering Play Through Virtual Teaching: Challenges, Barriers, and Strategies.” Early Childhood Education Journal, December 2022. Read the article online.
Effective January 2023, UNF’s College of Education and Human Services will be home to the peer-reviewed research journal for the National Association of Professional Development Schools, School-University Partnerships, for the next four years. Dr. David Hoppey and Dr. Katrina Hall will serve as the journal’s co-editors. Dr. Megan Lynch is the lead associate editor and Drs. Rachelle Curcio, Jennifer Kilpatrick, Raven Robinson-Wilson and Elizabeth Hale Rozas are the associate editors. According to the selection committee, the COEHS team submitted “one of several excellent applications and [their] application was deemed to be the one that would best support the continued growth of the journal.”
Shervone Neckles: ‘Bless this House’
Exhibition on view now through March 5; UNF Gallery at MOCA Jacksonville
Free admission for UNF employees and one guest.
The song, “Bless this House” in the voice of Mahalia Jackson filled the rooms of Shervone Neckles’ family home in Grenville, Grenada, West Indies. Encircled by the repeated refrain in varying tones, this Gospel calls for a blessing to the walls, roof, door and windows. Learn more about the exhibition.
Project Atrium: Milagros
Exhibition on view now through April 9; MOCA Jacksonville
Free admission for UNF employees and one guest.
Florida artists Felici Asteinza (b. San Pedro Sula, Honduras) and Joey Fillastre (b. Lakeland, Florida) founded the MILAGROS Collective in 2008. Their public artwork energizes public spaces with effervescent patterns and colors, music and light, that obliterate the seams between structures and will highlight the unique attributes of the MOCA Atrium. Learn more about this exhibition.
"Don't Blame it on ZEN: The Way of John Cage and Friends"
Exhibition on view now through May 7; MOCA Jacksonville
Free admission for UNF employees and one guest.
This interactive and multidisciplinary exhibition explores the enduring legacy of John Cage through works by Cage himself as well as artists that worked with him. A leading voice of postwar avant-garde, Cage was perhaps both the most provocative and influential American composter of the 20th century. Learn more about the exhibition.
Brennan Wojtyla: Cathedral of Labor
Exhibition on view now through May 21; MOCA Jacksonville
Free admission for UNF employees and one guest.
Transdisciplinary artist and 2022 MOCA Student Artist-in-Residence, Brennan Wojtyla, presents his first solo exhibition featuring works that draw people’s attention to traditional forms and practices of everyday life that go unnoticed by giving them a different appearance. Learn more about the exhibition.
Herbal Tea Tour
Friday, Feb. 17, 10 a.m., Ogier Gardens
Learn how to dry and make your own fresh herbal teas from Student Farmers Mia Moldovanyi and Connor Christy.
Employee Service Recognition Breakfast
Tuesday, Feb. 21, 8:30 a.m., John A. Delaney Student Union
UNF's Annual Employee Service Recognition Breakfast for employees with 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years of service.
Distinguished Voices Lecture Series: ‘Russia, The US, and The World’
Tuesday, Feb. 21, 7 p.m., Adam W. Herbert University Center
Fiona Hill, the former deputy assistant to the president and senior director for European and Russian affairs on the National Security Council, will visit for a special lecture about issues related to Russia, the Caucasus, Central Asia, regional conflicts, energy and strategic issues. Reserve your e-ticket today!
Black Art Matters Lecture: Artist Samuel Levi Jones
Tuesday, Feb. 21, 7 - 8 p.m., Virtual (Courtesy of MOCA Jacksonville)
At this month's Black Art Matters (BAM) lecture, artist Samuel Levi Jones will speak about his work and career. Learn more and register for this free virtual lecture.
Cummer Family Foundation Chamber Music Series Guest Artist Recital
Tuesday, Feb. 28, 7:30 p.m., Recital Hall of the Fine Arts Building
Featuring Mezzo-soprano Renée Tatum and Pianist Denise Wright. Dr. James Hall is the artistic director. Suggested Donation: $10
35th Annual Great American Jazz Series Presents Composers Forum
Thursday, March 9, 7:30 p.m., Andrew A. Robinson Jr. Theater
Featuring internationally renowned composer, Jim McNeely, with a tribute to The Vanguard Orchestra. J.B. Scott is the artistic director. Suggested Donation: $10
MilestonesIn Memoriam
The UNF community was saddened to learn of the death of Barbara Ann Daniels Hetrick, Ph.D., professor emerita of Biology and dean emerita of the College of Arts and Sciences, who passed away Jan. 5. Read more online.
North Florida men's and women's tennis took a big step forward in the technology available to the programs and the visibility of the two teams as PlaySight was installed at the UNF Tennis Complex. The installation features six cameras, one at each competition court, making live streaming, analytics and overall coverage of home matches vastly improved. Those looking to watch can do so free of charge by making a PlaySight account. All home matches can be streamed on a web browser via your computer or through the PlaySight app on a phone. Learn more about the PlaySight launch!
