Virtual Town Hall
Teaching and Learning in the New Normal
W ELCOME FSCJ Virtual Town Hall “College & COVID-19: Teaching and Learning in the New Normal” Friday, October 29, 2021, 10-11:30 a.m.
Northeast Florida’s premier higher educational institutions serve the needs of thousands of students and citizens. Since its advent, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our normal routines like no other event in recent world history. Following the initial COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020, our nation’s educational system experienced unprecedented changes. With rapid transitions from in-person to online learning, COVID-19 has fundamentally altered standard academic operations, thereby continual Virtual Townnecessitating Hall academic innovations. The pandemic has catalyzed a phenomenon commonly referred to as the new normal in higher education. During today’s program, our local college,
Florida State College at Jacksonville
university and SGA presidents will reflect on their institution’s demonstrated Presents
agility while leading through this new normal in teaching and learning as well as in institutional operations.
Teaching and Learning Through Crisis
AG ENDA FSCJ Virtual Town Hall “College & COVID-19: Teaching and Learning in the New Normal” Friday, October 29, 2021, 10-11:30 a.m. l Welcome and Event Information Dr. Jametoria Burton, Associate Director, Center for Civic Engagement, FSCJ l Introduction of the Presidential Panel Guests Dr. Jametoria Burton Ms. Clare Thomas, Phi Theta Kappa President, FSCJ l Panel Discussion Dr. John Avendano, President, FSCJ
Virtual Town Hall Dr. Melanie Brown, Provost/Chief Academic Officer, St. Johns River State College Dr. Pam Chally, Interim President, University of North Florida Mr. Tim Cost, President, Jacksonville University Ms. Selma Besirevic, Student Government President, University of North Florida Mr. Sabrian Edwards, SGA President, St. Johns RiverState StateCollege College Florida at Jacksonville Presents Ms. Serinna Meister, SGA President, Jacksonville University
Ms. Breana White, SGA President, FSCJ l Q&A Dr. Jametoria Burton and Presidential Panel l Closing Remarks
Teaching and Learning Through Crisis
Dr. Jametoria Burton l
ASL interpreters: Tracy Hagemann and Lisa Davis
PR ESIDENTIA L PA NELIS T S John Avendano, Ph.D. joined FSCJ in July 2019, bringing with him more than 30 years of community college experience. He was previously the president and CEO of Kankakee Community College in Illinois. He also served as the president of the Illinois Council of Public Community College Presidents and the past chair of the South Metropolitan Higher Education Consortium President’s Council in Illinois.
Florida State College at Jacksonville
Dr. Avendano was a first-generation college student for whom English is his second language. He received his associate degree from Waubonsee Community College, bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology from Northern Illinois University, master’s degree in adult continuing education from Northern Illinois University, and his doctorate in educational administration and foundations from Illinois State University Dr. Avendano has previously served as a board member and chair for the Economic Alliance of Kankakee County, the Grundy-Livingston-Kankakee Workforce Investment Board, Cornerstone Services and the Riverside Medical Center Board. In 201415, Dr. Avendano served as co-chair for The United Way of Kankakee County and formally served on the Pioneering Healthier Communities Advisory Committee for the area YMCA. He recently finished serving in his sixth year as the presidents’ liaison for the Illinois region of Phi Theta Kappa.
Dr. John Avendano President
of Fame, and the Skyway Conference Hall of Fame. He
Virtual Town Hall was recognized by Phi Theta Kappa with the following
awards: Distinguished Administrator, Shirley B. Gordon Award and the 2019 Michael Bennett Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition, Dr. Avendano was inducted into Illinois State University’s Educational Administration and Foundations Hall of Fame. He also received the 2017-18 Illinois Community College Florida State College at Jacksonville Trustees’ Association Advocacy Award. Additionally, Presents The Daily Journal recognized Dr. Avendano as its 2019 Citizen of the Year.
Dr. Avendano received the following recognition and awards from Waubonsee Community College: Fab 40, Distinguished Alum, induction into their Athletic Hall
He and his wife Janet have three children - Michael, Nicole and Marissa.
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PR ESIDENTIA L PA NELIS T S Melanie Brown earned a B.A. and an M.A. in English from Stetson University and a Ph.D. in Texts and Technology from the University of Central Florida. She is the current Provost/Chief Academic Officer at St. Johns River State College in northeast Florida. Prior to coming to St. Johns River State College, Brown taught middle school and high school English, public speaking and language arts. She joined the ranks of the full-time faculty of SJR State in the fall of 2000 as an English professor, and over her more than twenty-year career there, she has served as the Coordinator of Instructional Technology, Dean of Distance Learning, Provost of Open Campus, Vice President for Program Innovation and, most recently, Vice President for Academic Affairs. She was named the Provost of the College in 2021.
St. Johns River State College Dr. Melanie Brown Provost/ Chief Academic Officer
Throughout her career, Brown has been an active participant at both the state and regional level in several major projects including statewide developmental education reform, general education revision and college Virtual readiness and outreach initiatives. At SJR State, she was a key player in the College’s transition from a two-year to a four-year degree institution and in all phases of the development of the College’s baccalaureate programs, from exploration committee through program implementation. More than ten years ago, Brown developed and launched a rigorous on-campus Professional Development series for full-time faculty that has since expanded to also include all full- and part-time career and professional employees and adjunct faculty as well. She also proposed and launched the College’s Vikings Days of Service
which has since expanded to include year-round food pantries for students and other outreach initiatives. In 2013, Dr. Brown was selected as a Fulbright Scholar in the International Education Administrators (IEA) program, United Kingdom, and in 2017, she was named the “Innovator Town Hall of the Year” by the Rural Community College Alliance. Like so many students, Brown was a first-generation in college student, and she is passionate about her role in providing students with pathways to meet their goals, increasing student success and promoting the mission and opportunity of the at Florida College System. Florida State College Jacksonville In her current role, Dr. Brown oversees the Divisions of Presents Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Workforce Development, Assessment, Research and Technology across SJR State’s three campuses in Clay, Putnam and St. Johns Counties. A lifelong Florida native, Brown lives in St. Augustine.
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PR ESIDENTIA L PA NELIS T S In September, Dr. Pamela S. Chally became the interim president of the University of North Florida. A member of the UNF community for nearly three decades, Dr. Chally is a hands-on, collaborative leader dedicated to student success. She has served as the interim provost and vice president of academic affairs as well as dean and professor of nursing in the Brooks College of Health. During her 28 years at UNF, she has championed and expanded experiential learning opportunities for students to ensure they have the real-world experience needed to succeed in their fields.
University of North Florida Dr. Pam Chally Interim President
As interim provost, Dr. Chally coordinated teams focused on student success rates, leading to a 34% improvement in state performance metrics. She integrated Student Affairs into the University’s Academic Affairs Division, while also successfully leading the University through the reaffirmation of accreditation. While serving as dean of the Brooks College of Health, Virtual Dr. Chally raised more than $30 million for the college and added three new doctoral programs ― nursing, nutrition and physical therapy. Enrollment in the college increased by more than 20% during her tenure as dean. A respected academic and researcher, she has been published in a myriad of prominent journals on vital subjects, including ethics in nursing and eating disorders. Dr. Chally is an active leader in the Jacksonville community having served on multiple boards and advisory councils, including the I.M. Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless, Baptist Health System, Brooks Rehabilitation and Ronald McDonald House. She has been honored as a Women
with Heart by Volunteers in Medicine Jacksonville, a Florida Times-Union Eve Award Winner, a Woman of Influence by the Jacksonville Business Journal and Town has Hall received numerous awards and recognitions from community organizations including the Desmond Tutu Peace and Reconciliation Award, recognition from the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women, the Girls Scouts of Gateway Council Women of Distinction Award, among others. Dr. Chally earned Bachelor Science in Florida StateaCollege at of Jacksonville nursing at the University of Illinois, a Master of Presents Nursing from Emory University, and a doctoral degree in nursing from Georgia State University. She and her husband, Rod, are blessed with two children and five granddaughters.
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PR ESIDENTIA L PA NELIS T S Tim Cost, 60, became President of his undergraduate alma mater, Jacksonville University, on February 1, 2013. Prior to his election, he was Executive Vice President for PepsiCo, the food and beverage world leader with revenues of $60 billion and 300,000 employees. He has 32 years of senior executive experience at many of the world’s top public companies, including Bristol-Myers Squibb, Kodak, ARAMARK, Pharmacia, Wyeth/Pfizer and Centocor/Johnson & Johnson. He was also Chairman of Global Health Care for Washington-based consulting firm, APCO Worldwide. Mr. Cost’s executive leadership experience at multiple FORTUNE 500 companies focused on several worldwide industries: consumer goods, health care and managed services.
Jacksonville Unversity Mr. Tim Cost President
During his tenure at JU, President Cost is committed to substantial improvements in student success, faculty excellence, campus upgrades and community connections. Since 2013, the University has added more than 40 new programs in health education, engineering, information technology, cyber security, kinesiology and data/computer Virtual sciences. The endowment has increased more than 20%, as has the University’s campus footprint. JU is consistently ranked as a premier institution (top 10%) for students’ return on investment, and has been selected one of “America’s Best Colleges” by U. S. News & World Report for the past 15 years. CEO Magazine has ranked the University’s Davis College of Business in the Top 25 in the world for value/ return on investment. He has led the investment of $60 million into the University’s campus, led a successful $120 million ASPIRE comprehensive development campaign, and has launched the Florida EPIC program to support STEM education, regional economic investment and job creation. President Cost, a 1981 Magna Cum Laude Jacksonville University graduate, received his MBA in Finance and Economics from the Simon Business School at the University of Rochester, and is a graduate of Harvard University’s Presidential Leadership Program. As a collegiate athlete and four-year letterman on its baseball team, he is one of the top 10 winningest pitchers in JU Baseball history, and as a freshman in his first NCAA appearance, pitched the only 9-inning no-hitter in Jacksonville University history.
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He received the Jacksonville University Distinguished Alumni Award in 2006 and was selected a “Distinguished Dolphin” in recognition of Jacksonville University’s 75th Anniversary. Town Hall He has been inducted into the Florida Council on Economic Education’s Business Hall of Fame, and has been named “Ultimate CEO” by the Business Journal, one of Florida’s “Most Influential Business Leaders” by Florida Trend and “Guardian of the Arts” Award Recipient by Cathedral Arts. He is past Chair of the Jacksonville Civic Council, past Chair of JAXUSA Florida State College at Jacksonville Partnership (economic development), past Chair of the Education AdvisoryPresents Board of the Northeast Florida STEM Initiative and past Chair of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Strategic Initiative on Community Outreach. President Cost is a member of many civic, cultural, education and business Boards, among them: Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, Jacksonville Civic Council, JAXUSA, Florida Council of 100, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, GuideWell/Florida Blue, Brooks Rehabilitation, Atlantic Sun Presidents Council, and THE PLAYERS Council. He is also former Vice-Chair of Jacksonville Orchestra, and former Teaching and Learning Through Crisis member of the Boards of Directors of Web.com, SteinMart, the NCAA Division 1 Board, WJCT and JaxSports. He and his wife of 37 years, Stephanie, are the parents of two children, Melanie and Drew.
S TUDENT PA NELIS T S Selma Besirevic, a first-generation college student with immigrant parents, grew up in upstate New York and Jacksonville, Florida. She is majoring in Political Science with minors in leadership and history. Selma also plans on attending law school after completing her undergraduate degree and thereafter becoming involved with law and policy. She is the Student Government President at the University of North Florida and aspires to serve the student body with due diligence during her term. She wants to represent her constituents to the best of her abilities and plans on doing so through completing the big-ticket initiatives associated with her campaign. She is driven and takes her platform of: You. Your Home. Your Future. seriously. Aside from being Student Government President, she is a sister of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority on campus. A quote that humbles her and she believes is very important in being a public servant is “Human is human,” author unknown.
Virtual Sabrian Edwards is from Middleburg, Florida. He is currently seeking a degree in Early Childhood Education at St. Johns River State College. Sabrian’s path is leading towards a future in the classroom, but he also believes that there is a season for everything and wants to be ready and equipped for whatever may come his way. This is why Sabrian’s aspirations are centered around education at its various levels. Sabrian wants to be an informed and well-educated teacher who not only inspires students but advocates and uplifts them as well. Sabrian’s interest in education and love for his community are not exclusive and he feels that the best way for him to serve his community is through education. Sabrian is committed to being a lifelong learner who will give back to the community however he can.
University of North Florida Ms. Selma Besirevic Student Government President
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St.Florida Johns River State College at Jacksonville State College Presents Mr. Sabrian Edwards Student Government Association President
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S TUDENT PA NELIS T S Serinna Meister was born in Livingston, New Jersey and raised in Palm Coast, Florida. Serinna’s mother is Portuguese and her father is Brazilian. Growing up in two cultures had an influence on Serinna allowing her to understand different cultures and even languages. Serinna is currently studying accounting at Jacksonville University ( JU) and plans to graduate at the end of this Fall 2021 semester with a bachelor’s degree and continue her education by pursuing an MBA in accounting at JU. Serinna plans to study and take the CPA exams to become CPA certified within the next two years. Serinna states, “Being a leader has always been a passion of mine and I plan to continue this passion even within my workplace or through community involvement.”
Jacksonville University Ms. Serinna Meister Student Government Association President
Breana White was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida.Virtual She is one of seven kids. Breana is a sophomore and pursuing a communications degree at FSCJ. Her aspirations for the future are to graduate with an associate degree from FSCJ then transfer to the University of North Florida to pursue a bachelor’s degree, in communication. After she receives her bachelor’s degree she plans to get an internship in communication with FSCJ and then pursue a career that works well in communication. She enjoys spending time with her friends and family and she likes to write and watch movies. Most of all, she likes to meet new people and tell them how she got into the position she is in and share with them the events and opportunities that are available at FSCJ, both virtually and on campus.
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Florida State College at Florida State College at Jacksonville Jacksonville Presents Ms. Breana White Student Government Association President
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MODER ATOR S Since 2017, Dr. Jametoria Burton has served as Associate Director of Program Development in the Curriculum and Instruction department providing distinctive leadership to the Center for Civic Engagement. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Education from Spelman College, a master’s degree in library and information science from the University of Rhode Island and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of North Florida. Dr. Burton oversees the College’s academic service-learning initiatives in support of all departments, academic courses and programs of study. She fosters faculty partnerships to incorporate service-learning into their classroom. Service-learning also includes career exploration, partnership with FSCJ’s Career and Technical Education programs as well as special programming that fosters short-term training. As a 2019 graduate of Leadership Jacksonville, Dr. Burton secures community partnerships and hosts public programs, webinars and advocacy-oriented events bringing attention to topics that impact the quality of life throughout Jacksonville.
Florida State College at Jacksonville Dr. Jametoria Burton Associate Director, Center for Civic Engagement
Virtual Town Hall Clare Thomas is a fourth-year student at Florida State College at Jacksonville where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biomedical Sciences. In the future, Clare hopes to pursue a career in clinical research. She serves as the Upsilon Eta Chapter President of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society and is an active member. She is also a United States Navy veteran, a mom and a wife.
Florida State Florida State College at Jacksonville CollegePresents at Jacksonville Ms. Clare Thomas Phi Theta Kappa President
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