Children's Diversity Author Shares Experiences

Children’s diversity education author Margy Burns Knight will visit USF St. Petersburg for an important community-wide lecture, Talking Walls: Telling Your Own Stories and Discovering a World of Compassion and Understanding, this Thursday, April 7 at 7 pm in the CAC. The lecture is free and open to the public.

During her visit, co-sponsored by the College of Education and the Debbie and Brett Sembler – Florida Holocaust Museum Lecture Series, Knight will meet with students at Rawlings Elementary and Shorecrest Preparatory School to read stories from her book Talking Walls. Education Dean Vivian Fueyo, PhD, and several faculty members will also participate in this reading and teaching experience. 

Knight regularly works with teachers and students across the country to help children explore the connections between different cultures, appreciate the differences and share their stories as a means of developing tolerance and celebrating diversity.

Knight’s book Talking Walls is well respected for introducing young readers to different cultures by exploring the stories of walls around the world and how they can separate or hold communities together. Examples include Great Wall of China and the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial.

Complimentary parking is available in Lot 4 across from the Campus Activities Center. For more information, please contact Ka-Rim Troyli at 553-4870 or ktroyli@stpt.usf.edu.

Faculty and Staff Campaign Kicks Off

USF St. Petersburg kicks off its 2005 Faculty and Staff Campaign led by David Walker, College of Business, and Mary Ann Harrell, College of Education. 

Faculty and staff will receive an e-mail this week highlighting the scope of the USF Faculty and Staff Campaign and include information on how to designate your donation to the program or scholarship of your choice.

“The support of our faculty and staff show that we are truly invested in USF St. Petersburg,” Walker said. “This support makes a real difference to our students, programs and all of USF St. Petersburg.” 

USF St. Petersburg’s goal this year is $20,000, with the system-wide goal set at $1 million. Since its inception 32 years ago, millions of dollars have been raised through the Faculty and Staff Campaign with significant support to faculty and staff scholarships.

SAPL Book Fair Opens for Campus Exclusive

Faculty and staff are invited to an exclusive preview of the SAPL Book Fair that includes more than 1,500 books for sale Friday, April 8 from 1 to 4 pm in DAV130. The SAPL Book Fair is open to the community Saturday, April 9 from 9 am to noon.

In its tenth year, the Society for the Advancement of Poynter Library Book Fair features gently-used books from genres including contemporary fiction, biographies, travel and leisure, cooking, children's and best sellers. The event is free and open to the public and proceeds benefit the Nelson Poynter Memorial Library. 

SAPL strives to increase communication between the Library and the students, faculty, and citizens it serves, and to work for the improvement of the resources and services the Library offers. SAPL also enables those not affiliated with USF to check out library materials.

For more information, please call 727-553-4401.

>> See: Flier (.pdf)

Students Showcase Artwork at Local Studio Exhibit

Twenty-one new student artists will participate in “Nudes to Nonobjective,” an art exhibition at the Galleries at Salt Creek this month. The opening reception at Salt Creek is Friday, April 8 from 6 to 9 pm, with the exhibit opening at 5 pm. The exhibit runs April 8 - 24, Tuesday through Saturday, 11 am to 4 pm.

During the opening reception, guests also can view the 30 Salt Creek Artist Studios and USF St. Petersburg studio. The reception is free and open to the public and food will be served by Feola’s Italian Ristoriante.

The exhibit, coordinated by arts Professor Lucy Karl, MFA, includes work that reveals each student's explorations, investigating techniques, styles, subject matter, and content. Participating students are currently enrolled in Karl’s Beginning and Intermediate Drawing classes and Beginning and Intermediate Painting classes.

Karl said, "This show gives our painting and drawing students the opportunity to exhibit the results of the long hours they've put in at their easels and drawing benches at Salt Creek. I hope that the campus and community will visit to see first-hand the artistic growth of these students."

In 2002, USF St. Petersburg formed an important community partnership with Salt Creek Artworks during the first year of the campus’ graphic design program. After Karl was hired to establish the studio arts portion of the program, she formed a critical collaboration with Salt Creek Artworks Owner Azele Prince to design the back of his factory into a 2,000 square foot student art studio.

Salt Creek Artworks is located at 1600 4th Street South. For more information, please call 727-894-2653. The exhibit is supported by the Arts Forum, the newly-formed student art organization to provide awareness, appreciation, and activities of the visual and performing arts.

New Office of Graduate Studies Opens

The latest sign of campus autonomy and the transition of the university admissions process became a reality this week with the establishment of the campus’ first Office of Graduate Studies. This office will provide students critical services from admission through graduation.

The Office of Graduate Studies will be responsible for processing graduate applications and admissions decisions, along with recruitment and retention of graduate students, a graduate catalog, and new course and program processing with the USF St. Petersburg Graduate Council.

Campus research leader Christopher F. D'Elia, PhD, was recently appointed by Regional Chancellor Karen A. White to head the office and his title is now Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies. Administrative Services Coordinator, Donna Knudsen, will provide the primary administrative support services.

The Office of Graduate Studies is located in Academic Affairs, BAY204.  For more information, call 553-4567, e-mail applygrad@stpt.usf.edu or visit the Web site, still in draft form, at www.stpt.usf.edu/spgrad.

Fourth Annual Art Exhibit: Survivors Speak

The fourth annual exhibition of Survivors Speak: Windows Into Healing, a collection of artwork created by survivors of sexual violence, is April 7 - 29 at the Nelson Poynter Memorial Library. The campus and community is invited to the opening reception, Thursday, April 7 at 5 pm.

April is Sexual Violence Awareness Month and Florida Craftsmen, in partnership with Family Service Centers, Inc., has developed this exhibit to educate the community about the effects of sexual violence. Exhibit hosts are dedicated to breaking the silence and stigma attached to survivors of sexual violence and increasing awareness of healing through art, crisis intervention and social services.

The exhibit will be open during regular library hours and is free and open to the public. For more information about Florida Craftsmen, visit their Web site at http://www.floridacraftsmen.net/.

Indonesian Delegation Learns Tampa Bay Politics

Together with the American Council of Young Political Leaders, USF St. Petersburg welcomed a delegation of six Indonesian women for a political conference showcasing Tampa Bay's dynamic political arena and the local women leadership.

Coordinated by Assistant Professor of Political Science Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan, delegates heard from Jim Davis, Betty Castor, Virginia Littrell and other politicians — with the assistance of three translators accompanying the delegates.

Delegates also met with campus professors to learn about different facets of women in politics — roles in the United States and other countries such as Niger and Turkey, political leadership, women as activists, women in education and more.

USF St. Petersburg is one of only four stops on their nationwide program with ACYPL. The five-day conference caps off today with a roundtable discussion about Women in Corporate America with Home Shopping Network executives.

College Counselors Get Latest Campus Information

For the latest campus outreach efforts, Enrollment Services welcomed local community college counselors for a breakfast meeting to convey the latest information about college programs and campus updates.

Almost 30 advisors, counselors and vice presidents from St. Petersburg College and Hillsborough Community heard from Regional Chancellor Karen A. White and representatives from enrollment services, student affairs and each of the campus’ three colleges. Frank Hohengarten, PhD covered admissions changes while Charles Brown discussed the new residence hall.

“All of the counselors I spoke with are very excited about the opening of Residence Hall One in Fall 2006,” John Vassel, director of Prospective Student Outreach said. “They were very impressed with the overall campus plan, especially moving forward with on-campus housing and additional program offerings, such as nursing and pre-med.”

Discover the History of the Pinellas Peninsula

If you have wanted to know more about the Pinellas peninsula, here is your chance. Jim Schnur, special collections librarian, will present What’s Happening Down There? A Brief History of the Pinellas Peninsula from 1842-1929, on Saturday, April 9 at 1 pm at the West Pasco Historical Society Museum and Library. The event is free and open to the public.

In addition to working at USF St. Petersburg, Schnur is an author and historian who specializes in local, regional and Florida history. He is also President of the Pinellas County Historical Society. Schnur’s lecture will include a viewing of a 1929 film that illustrates St. Petersburg and Tarpon Springs at the end of the 1920s land boom.

The West Pasco Historical Society Museum and Library is located in Sims Park on 6431 Circle Boulevard in New Port Richey. For more information about the lecture, please contact Adam Carozza at 727-845-5656.

Marine Quest Invades Campus

Campus partner, the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, will open their doors for MarineQuest 2005, their eleventh annual open house, to teach guests about marine science and FWRI's latest research this Saturday, April 9 from 10 am to 4 pm. The event is free and open to the public.

The event, co-sponsored by USF St. Petersburg and the St. Petersburg Times, offers hands-on activities including opportunities for children to pick up horseshoe crabs, sea stars, and other animals found in Florida's waters.

During MarineQuest, presentations will discuss manatees, panthers and red tide and feature a wildlife program with a tarantula, a hissing cockroach, a python and an alligator. Local representatives from almost 30 local and national organizations will also participate.

For more information, visit the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute Web site at: www.floridamarine.org.

USF Family Picnic and Softball Tournament

USF faculty and staff and their families are invited to the USF 22nd Annual Softball Tournament and Taste of “Bulls Country” on Saturday, April 23 from 9 am to 5 pm at the USF Tampa Intramural Softball Fields behind the Athletics Center.

But, if you’re interested in getting involved, faculty and staff are wanted for the campus’ team, USFSP Wharf Rats that will play in the Co-Ed fun division.

Whether you participate in the softball tournament or want to enjoy a fun-filled day with co-workers, friends and family, guests will enjoy moon walking, face painting and magicians and a free food sampling between 11 am and 1:30 pm.

To play with the Wharf Rats, contact co-manager Sudsy Tschiderer at 553-4842 or TSchider@spadmin.usf.edu. For more information about the event, visit www.usf.edu/hr or contact James Lewis at 813-974-5705.

Mobility Awareness Challenge

To bring awareness to the challenges wheelchair-bound people face, Volunteer Services is hosting a Mobility Awareness Challenge Thursday, April 7 from 11 am to 2 pm starting at the campus bookstore. Wheelchairs and power scooters will be available to traverse the campus and access various facilities.

For more information, please contact Barry McDowell at 727-553-4990.

Student argues for fee hike

USF St. Petersburg would use the money to build a new student center.

St. Petersburg Times

April 6, 2005

There's typically nothing that angers college students more than higher fees.

But the University of South Florida St. Petersburg's student government president, who went to Tallahassee, had the opposite message for lawmakers Tuesday.

Tom Piccolo wants the Legislature to give a campus committee the power to raise fees.

>> Read: Article

Groundbreaking Shown to All of Tampa Bay

At last week's groundbreaking, USF St. Petersburg was swamped with local media interested in sharing our growth with all of Tampa Bay. Groundbreaking was featured during newscasts on FOX, ABC, CBS, Bay News 9 and WB.

>> See: Story from Bay News 9

Everyone's bullish on USF St. Petersburg dorm

USF St. Petersburg, business owners and city officials are excited about the new home for 354 students ready next year.

St. Petersburg Times

April 3, 2005

Already distinctly younger these days, the downtown crowd will get a 24/7 shot of college-age energy in a little more than a year.

The University of South Florida St. Petersburg expects to open its first new residence hall, beginning with the fall 2006 term.

The 354 students living in the seven-story building will put a further youthful spin on nearby business, say entrepreneurs and officials.

>> Read: Article

Experts: Shield Kids From Shiavo Fallout

Tampa Tribune

April 3, 2005

This article includes expert opinion by USF St. Petersburg Psychology Professor Tiffany Chenneville, who is also a certified school psychologist.

It's natural for children to have questions about Terri Schiavo's life and death, and why her plight received so much attention.

However, given the emotions and divisions her case has spawned, it is better to keep talks to bare facts and limit exposure to the intense media coverage, child psychologists say.

For their safety, about 600 children last week were removed from Cross Bayou Elementary School near the Hospice House Woodside, where hundreds of supporters of Schiavo's parents held vigil.

>> Read: Article