UF Institute of Higher Education Reunion & Dinner

January 28, 2012 Hilton Walt Disney World Orlando, Florida

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Welcome from the Dean Glenn Good

As the new dean of the College of Education at the University of Florida, I am pleased to welcome you to the “UF Higher Education Reunion Dinner.” I have been looking forward to meeting some of our most accomplished alumni in Higher Education Administration at our gathering this evening.

When I moved from the University of Missouri in late September to become the dean of education at UF, I was struck by the rich history and proud heritage of the college’s Higher Education Administration program, starting in 1955 when the state Board of Control sought out UF education Professor James Wattenbarger to steer the development of a state plan for community colleges. From 1957 to 1967, he guided the state community college system before returning to the College of Education in 1968. Dr. Wattenbarger then assumed the directorship of the newly formed Institute of Higher Education, which became a mainstay of the College, continuing to serve higher education to the

present.

I’d like to meet as many of you as I can this evening, as we gather to recognize the finalists and recipients of the 2012 University of Florida Institute of Higher Education Outstanding Graduate Award. This award is one of the highest honors bestowed by

the University of Florida to its alumni in Higher Education Administration.

I hope some of you are able to stay and participate in the Community College Futures Assembly, an annual event and another great tradition spearheaded by our Institute of

Higher Education faculty.

We at the University of Florida are understandably proud of our alumni in Higher Education Administration, and I thank you again for helping us celebrate the

contributions of you and your fellow EduGators in higher education.

Sincerely,

Glenn E. Good, Ph.D. Dean and Professor

Taking a Look Back…

Kenneth Yowell

Chair, 2012 UF IHE Outstanding Graduate Selection Committee

President Emeritus, Edison Community College, OH

Judith Bilsky

Provost of Baccalaureate Programs, Florida State College at Jacksonville

2007 UF IHE Outstanding Graduate

J. Noah Brown

President & CEO, Association of Community College Trustees, DC

Edward Franklin

Executive Director, Arkansas Association of Two-Year Colleges

Chair, National Council of State Directors of Community Colleges

Eduardo Marti

Vice Chancellor for Community Colleges, The City University of New York

Angel Rodriguez

Professor Motorola Corporation Endowed Teaching Chair,

In Scientia Veritas, In Arte Honestas, Broward College, FL

UF Higher Ed LEAD Doctoral Student

2012 IHE Outstanding Graduate Panel of Judges

A heartfelt “Thank You!” to the panel of judges who volunteered countless hours

to thoroughly review all 30 nominations.

The judges were selected from a nationally recognized, prestigious group of higher education professionals, and selected the ten 2012 IHE Outstanding

Graduate Award Winners based on the following defined criteria:

1. Effectiveness in the performance of assigned responsibilities, participation in college-wide strategic planning and implementation of policies supporting the

college mission.

2. Professional activities in state, regional, and national arenas.

3. Community involvement.

2007 IHE Outstanding Graduates

Carlisle Baxter Rathburn Morgan Phillips

President, Savannah Technical College, GA Vice President of Curriculum Instruction,

Southeastern Community College, NC

Judith Bilsky Ruth Prather

Executive Vice Chancellor, Florida Division of

Community Colleges & Workforce Education

Provost, Valencia Community College, FL

Kathryn Birmingham Barbara Sloan

Dean, Liberal Arts & Sciences, Downtown

Campus, Florida Community College at

Jacksonville

Vice President for Academic Affairs,

Tallahassee Community College, FL

Scott Elliott Nancy Vader-McCormick

President, Meridian Community College, MS Professor of Speech & Communications,

Delta College, MI

Richard Massie Kris Williams

Vice President for Student & Administrative

Services, Shawnee Community College, IL

Associate Vice President,

Santa Fe Community College, FL

*The titles/positions listed for each recipient were accurate when selected

2002 IHE Outstanding Graduates

Charles Atwell James Heck

Former President

Pensacola Junior College, FL

Dean of Educational Services

Brevard Community College, FL

Joseph Beckham Randy Hyman

Professor

Florida State University

Associate Vice President

Ball State University, IN

Carol Copenhaver Barbara Keener

Vice President

St. Petersburg College, FL

Vice President

American Humanics, MO

Fred Gainous Martha McCarthy

Former Chancellor

Alabama College System

Chancellor’s Professor

Indiana University

Dennis Gallon Rand Spiwak

President

Palm Beach Community College, FL

Executive Vice President

Daytona Beach Community College, FL

Burt Harres Dan Terhune

Provost, Pasco-Hernando

Community College, North Campus, FL

President

Spartanburg Technical College, SC

*The titles/positions listed for each recipient were accurate when selected

Left to Right:

Mike Kaliszeski,

Beverly Grissom,

Catherine Cornelius,

Maxwell King,

James Wattenbarger

(Prof. Emeritus),

Rod McDavis

(Dean), Will

Holcombe,

Bert Purga, Dale

Campbell (Director)

1997 IHE Outstanding Graduates

Catherine Cornelius Maxwell King

Former President

South Florida Community College

District President Emeritus

Brevard Community College

Paul Gianini William McCoy

Former President

Valencia Community College

Former President

North Florida Community College

Beverly Grissom Bert Purga

Former President

Broward Community College

Provost, Brevard Community College

Palm Bay Campus

Willis Holcombe Michael Rao

Former President

Broward Community College

Former President

Mission College, Santa Clara, CA

Robert Judson Michael Schafer

Former President, Pasco-Hernando

Community College

Former President, Mohawk Valley

Community College, Utica, NY

Michael Kaliszeski

Provost, Brevard Community College

Melbourne Campus

*The titles/positions listed for each recipient were accurate when selected

2012 IHE Outstanding Graduate Finalists

Matt Basham, Ph.D.

Associate Professor Western Kentucky University Dr. Basham is a prolific researcher, having published or co-authored 15 peer-reviewed research articles on computer security, community college administration and workforce development. His expertise in action research and appreciative inquiry has allowed him to provide research services throughout the campuses he has served. He has applied his strategic planning background to assist community college administrators in retention efforts, and is now working with Western Kentucky’s campus libraries to create a new business plan.

Denise Bogart, Ph.D.

Director, Human Resources & Employee Development Valdosta State University, GA Dr. Bogart emphasizes professional development and training for all staff and was instrumental in implementing Valdosta State’s progressive Employee Success Center. She created an employee-centered department, incorporating improvements such as a biannual salary study; improved employee training, recruiting and retention; adding an Employee Wellness program; and developing an employment center for students with financial burdens. Bogart serves on the planning committee for the Georgia State chapter of the College and University Personnel Association and in 2008 won the Georgia CUPA HR Excellence in Service Award.

Susan Chappell, Ph.D.

Interim Director of the Levy Center (recently retired) College of Central Florida Dr. Chappell recently stepped down after two years as interim director of the College of Central Florida Levy Center in Chiefland. She accepted the temporary assignment in late 2009 after “officially” retiring in 2008 from Florida State College at Jacksonville, where she was executive director of the FSCJ Foundation. Chappell previously served as the interim president and executive dean at the Kent Campus of FSCJ, and as vice president of Student Affairs at South Arkansas Community College. She is a lifelong member of the former Florida Association of Community Colleges.

Luke Cornelius, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Educational Leadership University of North Florida After earning his doctorate in higher education administration at UF, Dr. Cornelius taught for 10 years at the University of West Georgia, while also earning a law degree from the Georgia State University College of Law. He joined the Florida Bar last fall and joined the University of North Florida faculty as an associate professor of educational leadership. He is a national reporter for the School Law Reporter and is due to publish two books next year on law and education.

Devi Drexler, Ph.D.

Educational Policy Consultant Florida Department of Education; Division of Accountability, Research and Measurement At the Florida Department of Education, Dr. Drexler provides statewide analysis and information to support policy decisions of the deputy and commissioner of education, such as FCAT analysis and review. She’s worked in student affairs administration at several institutions including the University of Florida, FSU, Georgia Gwinnett, Santa Fe, Lake Sumter and Tallahassee Community Colleges. Drexler is a member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators and the Pi Lambda Theta International Honor Society.

Hank Dunn, Ed.D.

President A-B Technical Community College, N.C. Dr. Dunn has worked in community colleges for nearly 30 years, with 21 years in the Florida Community College System. At A-B Tech, he aligns budgets to the strategic plan, creates flexible learning formats and helped to pass a countywide sales tax worth $129 million to the college for repair, renovation and building of facilities. Dunn helped increase enrollment by 10,000 students in a four-year period in a past position at Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana.

Brenda Fettrow, Ed.D.

City Manager City of Cocoa, FL Dr. Fettrow, Cocoa’s first female city manager, oversees the city’s daily operations and its $120 million annual budget. Previously, as a vice president at the Brevard Community College Foundation, she raised more than $2.6 million in grant funds during the 2007-2008 fiscal year and over $3.4 million in 2006- 2007. She also has raised more than $10 million for various charity organizations, including the Central Florida YMCA. Her efforts earned her the 2011 YMCA Walker Unsung Hero Award.

2012 IHE Outstanding Graduate Finalists

Karl Dawson, Ph.D.

President H. L. Stoutt Community College, B.V.I. Dr. Dawson was hired in 1992 as hospitality studies coordinator at HLSCC when it opened in the British Virgin Islands, his native homeland. While pursuing his UF doctoral studies, he was selected as the college’s vice president in 2006 and received his Ph.D. in higher education administration the following year. In 2009 he became HLSCC’s fourth president. Under his leadership, the college has revitalized its Financial Services Institute, constructed a culinary arts centre and developed the Centre for Teaching and Learning.

2012 IHE Outstanding Graduate Finalists

Burt Harres, Ph.D.

Vice President of Instruction/ Provost West Campus Pasco-Hernando Community College, FL

Dr. Harres has been the chief academic officer for Pasco-Hernando, a multi-campus community college with over 17,000 students, since 2006. He is also the college’s liaison to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges, where he has delivered several presentations on the assessment of faculty credentials. He chairs of the Florida College System’s Council on Instructional Affairs. Harres is an active member of several community organizations including the Hernando-Pasco Nature Coast Economic Development Consortium and the Early Learning Coalition of Pasco and Hernando Counties.

Carl Hite, Ph.D.

President Cleveland State Community College, TN

During his 15 years as president of Cleveland State Community College, Dr. Hite has made sure his college not only keeps pace with the tremendous changes occurring in higher education, but leads the way in implementing essential changes. CSCC is a past recipient of the prestigious Bellwether Award, received after the college’s redesigned math program was recognized by President Obama as a program that every American community college should replicate. Hite is leading efforts to scale up the redesign “across the curriculum.” Hite is president of the National Alliance of Community and Technical Colleges.

Eugene Jones II, Ph.D. Dean Broward College, FL

Dr. Jones currently serves in three roles at Broward College. He is the Dean of Bachelor of Applied Science programs; Dean of Associate programs in Business and Computer Science and Engineering; and Dean of Campus Technology. He has over 25 years in higher education including a tenured faculty position, department chair and director of several outreach programs. In civic involvement, he has served as the President for the Alachua County School Board Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing scholarships for K12 education. He has presented at numerous conferences including the League for Innovations and NISOD. Dr. Jones is a lifelong learner and is dedicated to improving the lives of others through higher education.

Edmund Kellerman, Ed.D.

Senior Lecturer William and Grace Dial Center for Written and Oral Communication, University of Florida

Dr. Kellerman has taught nine different courses at the University of Florida and earned the highest ranking for MBA lecturers in the Warrington College of Business. He wrote the communication studies minor by creating and reviving several classes, allowing the department to offer four different tracks. A former Peace Corps volunteer, Kellerman has traveled to Nepal, India, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand on course development and internationalization grants. In 2011, he garnered regular funding for two overseas projects of his Center for Intercultural Teaching.

Jeanna Mastrodicasa, Ph.D.

Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs University of Florida In her current post, Dr. Mastrodicasa developed the UF Division of Student Affairs’ 2010-2015 strategic plan and submitted all materials for the SACS five-year accreditation review. She has made assessment an integrated part of the division’s work processes. In her previous position as associate director of the UF Honors program, she reorganized the university’s undergradu-ate research program and managed applications for Fulbright Scholars from UF. Mastrodicasa has co-authored a book about the millennial generation in the workforce and is serving her second three-year term as a Gainesville city commissioner.

2012 IHE Outstanding Graduate Finalists

Anne Kress, Ph.D.

President Monroe Community College, Rochester, NY Previously, as provost at Santa Fe Community College, Dr. Kress negotiated a faculty contract change, grew international programming and sustainability efforts, began the Center for Innovation and Economic Development, and moved SFC to a four-year degree. As the current president of Monroe Community College, fundraising has improved each year during the recession and MCC hosted the first event to raise over $100,000 in one evening. MCC has expanded its honors program and changed policies to improve student success and completion.

Anna Lebesch, Ed.D.

Vice President for Workforce Development St. Johns River State College, FL Dr. Lebesch has worked in higher education for over 15 years as a counselor, instructor and administrator. Last year, she implemented St. Johns River’s first bachelor of science degree in organizational management and helped garner a $1.9 million federal grant for the college’s nursing programs. She is a member of the Reaccreditation Leadership Team and the Institutional Planning Council. Lebesch is an active member of numerous Clay County

associations and chairs the county’s economic development council.

Sheri Litt, Ph.D.

Academic Dean Florida State College at Jacksonville After six years as an associate dean at FSCJ, Dr. Litt was promoted to academic dean soon after receiving her doctorate from UF. She also served a stint as interim president of the college’s Open Campus, which provides all online services. In less than seven years, distance learning has grown from less than 5 percent to over 20 percent of the college’s annual enrollment. Litt recently was elected as campus administrative and collaborative chair, overseeing 250 administrators at the college and assisting in their leadership development.

2012 IHE Outstanding Graduate Finalists

Christopher Mullin, Ph.D.

Program Director for Policy Analysis American Association of Community Colleges, Washington D.C. Dr. Mullin provides analysis and data to guide AACC’s advocacy efforts on causes such as federal student financial assistance and college costs and policies. He has written 30 policy documents, 10 peer-reviewed journal articles, four book chapters, and edited one book. Mullin serves on the advisory boards of the national Pathways to College Network, the National Education Finance Conference and the Gates Research Advisory Board of the Institute for Higher Education Policy.

Ron Natale, Ed.D.

Vice President for Academic Affairs Glendale Community College, AZ Ron Natale hit the ground running in 2010 when he was appointed as vice president in academic affairs of Glendale CC. He immediately tackled development of the college's first academic strategic plan and initiated the creation of a center for teaching, learning and engagement that provides virtually all of the college’s training needs. Natale's role has also helped mold the largest, most efficient honors program in the Maricopa, Ariz., system. Many Glendale students continue their college studies after earning their associate degrees. Natale has developed a joint A.A.S. to B.A.S. degree track with Northern Arizona University.

Tina Barreiro O'Daniels, Ed.D.

Associate Provost St. Petersburg College, Tarpon Springs Campus, FL As the college’s No. 2 administrator, Dr. O'Daniels supports the provost in operating a 120-acre campus with 6,000 students at the Tarpon Springs campus of St. Petersburg College. She serves as associate provost and also is chief student affairs officer and student dean, while participating in collegewide strategic planning and policy implementation. She is an editorial board member for the Council for the Study of Community Colleges and continues to serve as an executive coach and learning plan mentor for UF’s Institute of Higher Education.

Molly McIntire

Director of Teacher Preparation and Recertification Valencia College, FL Working in public education for more than 15 years, Dr. McIntire mastered the juggling of leadership and teaching duties. She began her higher education career in 2003 at Valencia College in Orlando and now heads teacher preparation and recertification there. She’s also an adjunct instructor in education and in student success for health science students. McIntire was on the leadership team during Valencia's participation in John Gardner's self-study program, Foundations of Excellence, which is designed to increase retention of first-year and transfer students.

2012 IHE Outstanding Graduate Finalists

Brian Polding, Ph.D.

Chair, College of Information Systems and Technology, & School of Business University of Phoenix, North Florida Campus Dr. Polding, the North Florida campus 2011 Outstanding Employee, has chaired the School of Business for 11 years and also is acting director of academic affairs. He supervises eight faculty area chairs and 80 part-time faculty members and is a member of the university president’s academic cabinet. He also teaches and serves on doctoral dissertation committees. He has consulted with companies such as IBM and AT&T on the development of management training programs. Polding is a Supreme Court certified mediator for the Florida Family Courts.

Diane Porter-Roberts, Ph.D.

Associate Director of Housing for Student Learning & Engagement Director of Student Personnel in Higher Education graduate program University of Florida Dr. Porter-Roberts heads up student learning and engagement activities in UF’s residence halls, overseeing 11 living-learning communities and up to six faculty-in-residence. She served as a keynote speaker for the Association of College and University Housing Officers-International on the importance of assessment in living-learning communities. Since her dissertation, which involved updating the curriculum of the National Housing Training Institute, was published in 2005, 180 mid-level housing professionals have been trained in new competencies.

Kristy Presswood, Ph.D.

Associate Vice President, College of Education Daytona State College, FL Dr. Presswood has worked in numerous divisions in her 18 years at Daytona State. She was instrumental in the early implementation of a campus computer network and an online student services system, and currently oversees adult education and the School of Education. The education school has a robust system of tracking all pre-service teachers, and Presswood’s future plans call for automating processes that will advance faculty advising, student tracking and field experience tracking for the school and college.

Michael Rao, Ph.D.

President Virginia Commonwealth University and the VCU Health System, VA At VCU, Dr. Rao is piloting strategic efforts to enhance academic quality, student success and innovative research that fosters economic development and improves lives. Under his leadership, VCU has emerged as one of only 28 public universities in the U.S. to attain the Carnegie Foundation’s top research designation and its community-engaged distinction. Rao is steering key infrastructure improvements such as the construction of a medical education center, undergraduate living-learning residential villages, and an Institute of Contemporary Art.

M. Lisa Valentino, Ed.D.

Associate Vice President of Academic Services Seminole State College of Florida Dr. Valentino has spent the past 21 years helping Seminole State grow and change to meet the demands of its community—as a faculty member, lead professor and then dean and provost at the Oviedo campus , and now as an associate vice president. She was one of the first Seminole State faculty members to teach online and in 2000 received a Faculty Excellence Award. In 2001, Valentino worked to implement multi-campus procedures for cost-efficiency and is now facilitating the college’s first institution wide Quality Enhancement Plan.

Theodore Sofianos, Ph.D.

Director, Resource Development for Institutional Effectiveness Daytona State College, FL Dr. Sofianos oversees all aspects of the college’s procurement and administration of grant funds from federal, state and other funding agencies. He has built a broad network of statewide, nationwide and international business and industry contacts as potential partners on grant opportunities. In 2007, he helped forge the college’s three-year partnership with the government of the Bahamas to restructure its Bahamas Technical Vocational Institute to more closely reflect a U.S. style community college. He continues to provide consulting services to the institute.

Ron Thomas, Ed.D.

Associate Professor and Dean of Online Instruction Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, FL Dr. Thomas has worn many hats at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University since joining the school in 2006. As dean of online instruction, he heads the largest campus in the ERAU system with almost 40,000 annual enrollments. He also directs the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence and has designed a series of faculty development and certification courses for the university’s 600 full- and part-time faculty around the globe. He helped plan ERAU’s first Ph.D. programs and developed the school’s new online writing lab.

Holly Smith, Ph.D.

Instructional Chair of Liberal Arts Alpine Campus of Colorado Mountain College, CO As a member of the college’s leadership team, Dr. Smith is involved in making collegewide instructional decisions. She is working with a subcommittee to research grant planning for developmental education support and is helping the college assess learning management systems and new curriculum standards. Smith last year helped launch two new bachelor’s degrees in sustainability studies and business administration. She is contributing to a local chamber of commerce campaign to have the community designated as a Bike Town, U.S.A.

2012 IHE Outstanding Graduate Finalists

Allen Witt, Ph.D.

President, South Shore Campus Hillsborough Community College, FL Under Dr. Witt’s leadership, SouthShore has grown from a small center into a major HCC regional campus in just three years, with enrollment approaching 6,000 students. His campus is a recognized leader in quality online instruction. Always focused on underserved populations, he has partnered with service groups and public schools to support students from migrant worker families. Witt is known for his historical research on the origin of community colleges and his book, "America’s Community Colleges: The First Century" (co-authored with legendary UF education professor James Wattenbarger), is a seminal text on the subject.

Jonathan Woods, Ph.D.

Regional Director, Navy College Program United States Navy, FL Dr. Woods is a regional director in the federal civil service for the Navy’s voluntary education program. He oversees 187 education professionals worldwide that provides educational counseling, testing and tuition assistance for some 60,000 active-duty service members annually who are pursuing college degrees during their off-duty time. His region spans the eastern seaboard and Caribbean. For the past decade, he has conducted in-depth quantitative and qualitative research modeling the voluntary education landscape to improve the cost-efficiency and “mission readiness” of the Navy’s programs.

Deanne Williams, Ed.D.

Associate Professor and Chair, Hospitality Management Department Virginia State University Williams spearheaded the accreditation of VSU’s hospitality management program that led to its transition from program to department status. She also obtained grants to provide low-income students with scholarships, which had a direct effect on graduation rates. She also serves as an American Council on Education Internationalization committee member and launched the university’s first formal study-abroad curriculum. Williams is a member of the Petersburg Area Tourism Board and the National Advisory Board of the Disney College Program.

2012 IHE Outstanding Graduate Finalists

About the University of Florida

College of Education

We Are One of America’s Best Colleges

The UF College of Education, founded in 1906, consistently ranks among the top 25

among public education schools in the elite Association of American Universities, and

52nd nationally overall.

Accreditation

The college’s educator preparation programs have been continuously accredited by the

National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) since 1954.

Institute of Higher Education

The Institute of Higher Education of the UF College of Education has a long and

distinguished tradition. The Institute is presently celebrating its 43rd year of service to the

nation’s field of Higher Education.

We are taking this opportunity to celebrate the contributions of our nationally recognized

alumni in the field of higher education.

Thank you for joining us this evening!