Join USFSP for an Evening at the Florida Orchestra

The campus community is invited to An Evening at the Florida Orchestra on Saturday, April 30 for only $20.25 for adults and $10 for students.

Prior to the performance, guests are invited to a pre-performance reception with Florida Orchestra Conductor Susan Haig at the campus' Williams House. The reception is hosted by Peter and Susie Betzer and Regional Chancellor Karen A. White.

The evening’s program will include Ran: Vessels of Courage and Hope, Beethoven: Symphony No. 8 and Walton: Belshazzar’s Feast.  

To make your reservation, please submit your ticket order with checks payable to the Florida Orchestra by April 22 to DeeLynn Rivinius at BAY208. If you already have a ticket for the performance, please join the campus community during the reception.

Parking will be provided in Lot 16 on the corner of Fifth Avenue South and Third Street. For more information, please contact Rivinius at 553-4264 or Rivinius@spadmin.usf.edu.  

>> See: Florida Orchestra Night Flier (.pdf)

Holocaust Historian Shares Important Stories

As Holocaust Remembrance Day nears, Holocaust historian Lani Silver will visit USF St. Petersburg to present, “Making the Link: The Holocaust, Genocide and Racism,” a lecture will that discuss her work on oral histories of the Holocaust. The lecture, which is free and open to the public, is Tuesday, April 26 at 6 pm in Davis Hall, Room 130.

During the last 20 years, Silver has conducted 1,700 oral histories with Holocaust survivors and witnesses for the Holocaust Oral History Project, one of the first oral history projects in the United States.

Silver also worked with Steven Spielberg as a consultant for his commemorated project, “The Shoah Foundation for Visual History,” the oral history project that has conducted 53,000 oral histories.

“It is critical to educate our community on the Holocaust and all human atrocities,” said Steve Marshall, Multicultural Affairs interim coordinator. “Education is the best way to prevent future suffering and we’re thrilled such a noted historian can share the stories she has uncovered.”

>> Read: Complete Article

Campus Shines During Annual Honors Week

Although Honors Week is far from complete, students, faculty and staff have already shown exemplary academic achievement and campus service.

Earlier this week at the Division for Student Affairs reception, the Friend of Student Affairs Award was presented to Educational Leadership Professor Stephen Ritch, PhD, with honorable mentions to Psychology Professor Jamie McHale, PhD and Abdul Nasser, Regional Vice Chancellor for administration and finance.

The Student Affairs Outstanding Staff Award was presented to Volunteer Services and Disability Affairs Coordinator Barry McDowell, with honorable mentions to Brandy Heinrich, Student Affairs program assistant, and Jinah Rordam, coordinator of Career Development Services.

This Thursday, more than 200 outstanding student scholars will be recognized at the Chancellor's Reception. Recognized guests include Chancellor's and Deans' List recipients, USF St. Petersburg Ambassadors, USF St. Petersburg Pinellas Education Foundation Scholarship recipients and Student Government leaders.

The week-long academic celebration concludes Friday with induction of 15 USF St. Petersburg students into the national honor society, Omicron Delta Kappa.

For more information, please see: Student Honors Week flier (.pdf).

Five Education Faculty Invited to Top Conference

Last week, five College of Education faculty members presented their work – some of the country’s top research – at the prestigious American Educational Research Association 2005 Annual Meeting in Montreal, Canada.

“The AERA conference is such a wonderful opportunity for me to share my work and get feedback from other researchers who are studying vocabulary acquisition,” said Cynthia Leung, PhD, assistant professor of literacy and member of the Vocabulary Special Interest Group.

“AERA covers such a broad range of interests in education and this conference is the one time a year to share the latest findings from education research.”

AERA’s constituency includes educational leaders and researchers with a wide range of interests, from curriculum development and leadership to educational policy. In addition to Leung, the five faculty members who presented on their research were Marilyn Bartlett, PhD, Robert Egley, PhD, Brett Jones, PhD, and Scott Waring, PhD.

>> Read: Article about each faculty's research

Discussion: Research Ethics and Responsibilities

Join Hugh LaFollette, Cole Chair of Ethics, for a discussion on Research Ethics and Professional Responsibilities this Friday, April 22 from 11:30 am -  1 pm in FCT118S. This event is part of Enhancing an Ethical Culture, the campus’ spring lecture series.

The discussion, open to faculty, staff and students, is presented by the campus Ombudsman, Deni Elliott. This spring series is designed to enhance the campus’ ethical climate and facilitate more open communication.

To learn more about the Ombudsman Office, please visit the Web site at www.stpt.usf.edu/ombudsman/ or contact Elliott at elliott@stpt.usf.edu or 553-4857.

Multicultural Music Festival Welcomes All

The campus and community is invited to experience music from all cultures at the Multicultural Music-Fest on Wednesday, April 27 from 11:30 am - 1:30 pm on the Harborside Lawn.

Music includes performances by gospel group Ordained; the Calypso-flavored Academy Prep Steel Drum Band; and Loud Zoo, who blends musical and rhythmic traditions from around the world.

The event is sponsored by Multicultural Affairs and the student-run Amani Council. The event is free and refreshments will be served. For more information, please call Steve Marshall at 553-4840.

>> See: Multicultural Music-Fest Flier (.pdf)

Last Chance to Nominate Distinguished USF Alumni

The deadline to submit nominations for the USF Pinellas County Distinguished Alumni Awards has been extended to Friday, April 22 at 5 pm.

The award is designed to honor USF alumni and friends of USF who have made significant contributions to their professions, the university and the community.

Awards will be presented at the Distinguished Alumni Awards Ceremony May 12 at 6 pm in DAV130. The event is hosted by the USF Alumni Association Pinellas County Chapter.

Nominations are open to individuals, companies or organizations, and you can make a nomination on behalf of yourself. For more information please contact Annette Hamon at 553-4256 or Annette@spadmin.usf.edu. To submit an application, please fax it to 727-553-4463 or send it to USF St. Petersburg mail stop WMS200.

>> See: Nomination Form (.pdf)

Groundbreaking Set for Parking Center One

USF St. Petersburg is giving students what they asked for – more campus parking. The groundbreaking ceremony for Parking Center One is Tuesday, May 3, 2005 at 8:30 am in the Florida Center for Teachers courtyard with the rain location in FCT118.

The groundbreaking ceremony will feature USF President Judy Genshaft, Regional Chancellor Karen A. White and St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker for brief remarks and a ceremonial first dig.

Located on the corner of Fifth Avenue South and Third Street, the first phase of this parking center will house more than 1,100 spaces and will include a two-story Barnes & Noble College Booksellers. The facility will also include USF St. Petersburg’s Parking Services and Police Department.

Construction begins July 2005 and is set for completion Summer 2006. The project is headed by Orlando-based Finfrock Construction, Inc.

Last month, USF St. Petersburg broke ground on the first phase of residential housing, an $18.3 million facility that will open Fall 2006. Residence Hall One is a seven-story, 126,000 sq. ft. residence hall that will offer 354 students apartment-style, on-campus living.

Graphic Design Students Hold First Exhibition

Just three years after the Graphic Design Program at USF St. Petersburg launched, 15 senior students will present highlights of their work at 367C Neue, the first annual design exhibition at Salt Creek Artworks this month.

The campus and community are invited to the exhibit’s opening reception April 29 from 6 to 9 pm. The exhibit, which runs through May 27, is open Tuesdays through Friday from 11 am to 4 pm.

Participating students will showcase their final studio thesis project and additional work produced during their tenure in the program. Their work explores the responsibilities of design practice as well as the students’ relationships to local and global communities. Students in this program will receive their Bachelor’s in Fine Arts in Studio Art with a concentration in Graphic Design upon graduation.

>> Read: Complete Article

Tomorrow's Leaders Showcase Scholarly Research

More than 55 student exhibitors and 25 faculty and research collaborators packed into Davis Hall Lobby to showcase some of the campus' finest undergraduate research at the annual Tomorrow's Leaders Symposium. Students represented all three colleges with topics covering all aspects of the academic spectrum.

"I think participating in this event is important because I don't think students realize that they can do this type of work as an undergraduate and work directly with faculty," senior Christina Gonzalez said. "It's also important for the community to get a sense of the magnitude of what we do at a university."

During a post-Symposium reception, Co-Coordinators Ray Arsenault, PhD, and Jamie McHale, PhD, presented top honors along with a book scholarship to the following students:

First Place – College of Business students Jason Kindt and Gevan Peacock with Professor Alison Watkins

“Artificial Intelligence for Path Planning and Obstacle Avoidance”

Second Place – Psychology students Christian Larco and Max Owens with Professor Sarah Partan

“Squirrel Talk: Analysis of Communicative Signals for Sciurus carolinesis from Responses Elicited by Robotic Squirrel”

Third Place – Geography student Joshua Rumschlag with ISS Professor Chris Meindl

“The Meaning of Place: Apalachicola Bay, Seafood Industry, Rural Landscape Change in Franklin County, and the Masculine Mind”

The Honors Program also presented senior Carl Star Henderson with the 2004 Anita Cutting Honors Thesis Prize for the best undergraduate thesis, "Piney Point Phosphate Plant: An Environmental Analysis." This special award is in memory of Anita Cutting, an Honors Program graduate who died two years ago. Her fellow students, teachers and family set up the prize in memory of her, and her outstanding scholarship.

Chemical Society Hears from Student Researchers

Students, faculty and researchers from Tampa Bay recently convened at USF St. Petersburg for the first annual American Chemical Society’s Tampa Bay region Meeting in Miniature.

During three afternoon sessions, delegates heard 19 scholarly presentations, mostly by undergraduate and graduate students. To cap off the meeting, six student presenters were awarded a total of $900, thanks to donations by co-sponsors ENG Concepts and Q-proto.

Coordinator Eric Steimle, PhD, assistant professor of Environmental Science, Policy and Geography, said he organized this event to give students and faculty an avenue to present their work to other researchers in the region. The meeting had representation from many area universities: St. Leo University, University of Tampa, Eckerd College and USF Tampa.

Marine Fisheries Opens its Doors at Bayboro Station

USF St. Petersburg has a new neighbor. The southeast regional office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service announced its relocation to Bayboro Station, home of the campus' College of Business.

Regional Chancellor Karen A. White joined U.S. Rep. Bill Young, Mayor Rick Baker and NOAA administration for a ceremonial ribbon cutting last week. The office, which is headquartered in Silver Spring, Md, is responsible for protecting the nation's marine life and its habitat.

Marine Fisheries joins a growing list of marine science organizations near USF St. Petersburg including USF's College of Marine Science, the Center of Ocean Technology, the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Florida Institute of Oceanography.

For more information about the National Marine Fisheries Service, visit their Web site at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/.

For the latest information from HR, visit: USFSP HR Web site

Attend the 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.

More than 45 Tampa Bay restaurants will participate in the free Taste of Bulls Country including Skipper’s Smokehouse, Rotelli Pizza Pasta, Gator’s Dockside, Antonio’s, McAlister's and Bennigan’s. This food sampling is available 11 am to 1:30 pm.

Guests will also enjoy moon walking, face painting and magicians as well as watching the day-long softball tournament.

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

USF St. Petersburg garage to include Barnes & Noble

Tampa Bay Business Journal

April 18, 2005

USF St. Petersburg is telling students: park it here.

It will break ground on a $14 million parking center May 3.

Located on the corner of Fifth Avenue South and Third Street, the first phase of the project will house more than 1,100 spaces and will also include a two-story, 15,000-square-foot Barnes & Noble College Booksellers Inc.

>> Read: Article