The Torch 2019

The Magazine of Florida State University Panama City

2019

NATION’S TOP 20 Celebrating FSU’s meteoric rise in the rankings

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FIRST LOOK: This fall, FSU Panama City admitted more than 60 first-time-in-college students for the academic year, including the largest cohort of local first-year students. All newly admitted students attend First-Year Student Convocation which marks their entrance into the life and traditions of Florida State University.

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TORCH The Magazine of Florida State University Panama City Fall 2019 | Vol. 27 FSU PANAMA CITY DEAN Randy Hanna, J.D., Ed.D., ’83 OFFICE OF ADVANCEMENT STAFF Becky Kelly, Director of Advancement Mary Beth Lovingood, Director of Development Erin Chaffin, Marketing & Publications, ’13 Cody Gray, Alumni & Development, ’11

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Helen Johnson, Web Manager ON THE COVER: Florida State University soared eight spots to No. 18 among national public universities in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings, meeting and well exceeding its goal of joining the Top 25.

Erica Martin, Marketing & Communication Michelle Roberson, Program Associate EDITOR & DESIGNER Erin Chaffin, ’13 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Erin Chaffin, ’13, Halie Crawford, ’20 Angela Donahue, ’19, Erica Martin Jennifer McCabe, ’14 CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Andrew Wardlow and Office of Advancement Staff PUBLISHED BY PanaPrint

THE TORCH MAGAZINE is published once a year by the Office of Advancement at Florida State University Panama City. It is sent to alumni, donors, faculty, staff and the community. To be included in the mailing list, or for address changes and cancellations, send your name and mailing address to torch@pc.fsu.edu.

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FEATURES

8 ‘A NEW NORMAL’

FSU PC continues to rebuild and strengthen after Hurricane Michael

18 EVERY GIRL DESERVES TO BE A PRINCESS

RTE student and beauty queen empowers girls with disabilities

IN THIS ISSUE 6 DEAN’S MESSAGE 46 2018 NOTABLE ’NOLES

Kenneth Ayers, III, ’07, ’08 Brittany Cole, ’11 Karen Hurst, ’87

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A FACE OF COURAGE

TEST OF SKILLS

Mentors help communication alum prevail through adversity

FSU PC, GCSC students join forces for autonomous boat challenge

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54 SEMINOLE SIGHTINGS

A visual “who’s who” from our Golf Invitational, AlumNights, spring Let’s Do Brunch and Annual Dinner events 63 ’NOLE NOTES

Updates from our alumni

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TAKE THE PLUNGE

‘JUST ANOTHER STUDENT’

Dive into the advanced science diving program at FSU Panama City

At age 16, Marcus Thomas becomes FSU Panama City’s youngest graduate

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THE DEAN’S MESSAGE

It’s always great to be a Seminole, but this year definitely was one to celebrate. Florida State jumped eight spots to be ranked No. 18 top national public university, according to U.S. News & World Report.

This is big news, not only for the entire university, but also here in Panama City. This proves to our community, that students can receive one of the best educational experiences in the country right here in Bay County.

For all of Florida State, our goal is always student success. Here at FSU Panama City, we’ve taken that priority an extra step, transforming it into a promise to potential students and alumni.

We promise to be your partner as you pursue your academic goals at one of America’s great public research universities. Through small classes, individual attention, and working with mentors, you will have the greatest potential for academic, career and professional development.

We promise you will be prepared as you move into the workforce or onto graduate school. FSU’s high academic standards, along with our commitment to provide you opportunities to participate in experiential learning, undergraduate research and community service will guarantee your success.

We promise you can set your path by engaging in group and individualized projects, providing separate pathways, and participating in hands-on learning experiences directly tied to your academic career.

You can count on us working with you to meet your individual goals.

We promise FSU will always be your home. You see, this partnership is more than a commitment for just a few years. You will leave with strong critical thinking skills, a love for learning and an understanding the importance of community engagement. Together, we will make sure that FSU continues to meet the needs of students and alumni just like you.

Randy Hanna, Dean, FSU Panama City The College of Applied Studies

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‘A NEW NORMAL’ FSU PC CONTINUES TO REBUILD AND STRENGTHEN AFTER HURRICANE MICHAEL by:

Jennifer McCabe, ’14

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hen Tropical Disturbance 47 began swirling Sunday, Oct. 5, 2018, no one could have imagined what was in store for Bay County. Just five days later, Hurricane Michael had intensified to a Category 5 hurricane as it made landfall Wednesday, Oct. 10, between Mexico Beach and Tyndall Air Force Base.

“I woke up on Oct. 10, 2018, thankful for the opportunity to sleep in,” social work student Sierra Vertrees said. “That night, I went to sleep thankful to be alive.”

After the storm, every building on campus was affected.

Compromised roofs, broken windows, downed trees, and the lack of electricity and internet were obvious problems, but administrators were dedicated to reopening FSU Panama City as soon as possible.

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HURRICANE MICHAEL RETROSPECTIVE

“Our entire region was recovering, and our students needed something to bring back a sense of normalcy to the community. We had to rebuild, reorganize and rethink the way we do business to be that bit of hope for our students and ensure their success.”

— Randy Hanna, FSU Panama City dean

“Our entire region was recovering, and our students needed something to bring back a sense of normalcy to the community,” Dean Randy Hanna said. “We had to rebuild, reorganize and rethink the way we do business to be that bit of hope for our students and ensure their success.”

“A lot of what we did was the first time it had ever been done at FSU,” said David Henry, director of enrollment and student success. Yet during the 24-day closure, “there was never a moment when someone said, ‘no, we can’t do that.’ Everything was on the table. Everything was an option.”

On. Oct. 29, FSU Panama City was the first educational facility to reopen in Bay County post-Hurricane Michael.

BEFORE THE STORM Hanna is known for his commitment to students.

Just three days before the storm made landfall, he was particularly concerned about the 50 first-time-in-college (FTIC) students as well as international students who were scattered across the area. Administrators and staff reached out to students and their parents to ensure they had a hurricane plan. Efforts continued Monday when

FSU PANAMA CITY RESPONSE TIMELINE

Fri., Oct. 5

First notification of Disturbance 47

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Mon., Oct. 8

FSU Panama City and Tallahassee campuses close Panama City Beach evacuation plans begin

Wed., Oct. 10

FSU PC and GCSC agree to share classrooms if needed 12:30 p.m.

Michael makes landfall in Florida as a Category 5 hurricane

Thurs., Oct. 11 Damages are accessed by FSU facilities and Panama City campus repairs begin

Sun., Oct. 14

Student volunteers serve more than 12,000 meals at Operation BBQ

Mon., Oct. 15

Tallahassee and online classes resume Panama City campus opening date remains uncertain

Tues., Oct. 16

FSU PC Student Facebook Group provides updates and resources Fire suppression system is drained for roof repairs

HURRICANE MICHAEL RETROSPECTIVE

PREPARING FOR THE STORM: Three days before the storm made landfall, administrators and staff reached out to students and their parents to ensure they had a hurricane plan.

administrators went room to room visiting FTIC-level classes.

“Many of our FTIC students were brand new to Panama City and didn’t have family nearby like other students,” said Amy Polick, associate dean for academic affairs. “The storm, and everyone’s safety plan, was the topic of all of our conversations.”

The campus’s Crisis Response Team met Monday

Wed., Oct. 17

Emergency Relief Fund Established Drop deadline is extended to the end of fall term

Thurs., Oct. 18

Power restored to FSU PC Student Veterans Center announces emergency funds Staff compiles Hurricane Michael FAQ and survey to identify needs

Fri., Oct. 19

Group counseling sessions are established for students at FSU PC and GCSC

Mon., Oct. 22

Plans begin to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner to everyone on campus during the first week back to campus

to discuss campus preparedness and communication plans. When Florida State announced campuses in Tallahassee and Panama City would close at 5 p.m. through the week, staff began working frantically to unplug electronics and move university assets such as boats and vehicles to facilities in northern Bay County.

Before Michael made landfall, FSU Panama City staff had roofing, water remediation and tree removal companies on standby.

Tues., Oct. 23 Tuition deferment payments are extended an additional eight weeks

Thurs., Oct. 25 FSU begins accepting applications to the Seminole Relief Fund

Mon., Oct. 29

FSU PC campus reopens and on-campus classes resume President Thrasher visits campus and speaks with students

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HURRICANE MICHAEL RETROSPECTIVE

HURRICANE MICHAEL BY THE NUMBERS

$25 billion in total hurricane damages

3,000+ meals distributed during first week of classes

12,000+ meals distributed by student volunteers for Operation BBQ

251 GCSC students shared the FSU PC campus

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$1 million+ in FSU Panama City damages

416 downed campus trees

$32,500 in aid awarded during the first week of classes

24 total days FSU PC campus was closed

Overwhelming amount of donations to the food pantry

10 cases of Lysol, 500 rags, 400+ garbage bags and boxes for campus clean up

HURRICANE MICHAEL RETROSPECTIVE

DISASTER RECOVERY: FSU Panama City suffered significant damage, but swift action by administration allowed the campus to reopen Oct. 29.

Bill Lax/FSU Photography Services

Hanna wrote in an email, “Hopefully this will just be an exercise and we will be ready to rock and roll Monday.”

As Michael approached, and internet and phone service faded, Hanna sent a final email to FSU leaders saying, “Our team has done a great job following the standard protocol, however, nothing is standard for a storm like this.”

While hunkered down at the Bay County Emergency Operations Center, Hanna and Gulf Coast State College President John Holdnak made a pact to share classrooms if either campus sustained damage. Three weeks later, that agreement would be put to use.

THE AFTERMATH The day after the storm, FSU officials flew by helicopter from Tallahassee to Panama City. They met Hanna and other key personnel at FSU Panama City and supplied them with temporary cell phones to overcome service disruptions.

“The campus, when we first flew over it, appeared to be in good physical shape,” FSU Police Chief David Perry said. “It looked good compared to the region around it.

But as we physically walked through the buildings, the water and structural damage was significant.”

Disaster recovery crews immediately went to work repairing the damaged buildings, and campus staff and administrators deployed phone trees, sent emails, made calls and conducted well-checks to determine the safety status of every staff and faculty member.

“We were in uncharted territory,” Polick said. “Our first thoughts were, ‘Is everyone OK?’ and ‘Who needs help?’ We had staff and faculty members checking on each other, checking with their students and helping each other at their homes – even going to each other’s houses to cut down trees. The sense of community was incredible.”

Although everyone was affected by the hurricane in

VOLUNTEER EFFORTS: (At right) Students took to the streets just days after the storm, going door-to-door in some of the hardest-hit-areas to offer food and supplies, manpower or assistance with connecting those in need with other volunteer organizations.

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HURRICANE MICHEAL RETROSPECTIVE

Bill Lax/FSU Photography Services

“Our mission was to do whatever necessary to ensure students could successfully complete the semester. It was a daunting task.”

— David Henry, FSU Panama City director of enrollment and student success

some way, staff began moving forward to get campus back up and running.

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“Our mission was to do whatever necessary to ensure students could successfully complete the semester. It was a daunting task,” Henry said.

City’s undergraduate studies and student success programs temporarily relocated to Tallahassee for two weeks, establishing a hot line to call for assistance and coordinating efforts with the university’s registrar and the offices of distance learning, financial aid, housing and student affairs.

By early Friday, plans were in place to address two major concerns for students: their well-being and their ability to finish the semester. Staff from FSU Panama

Facebook groups helped students, faculty and staff to report their status, request aid or explore housing options.

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HURRICANE MICHAEL RETROSPECTIVE

“We all came together as a unified team and kept pushing forward,” Henry said.

“I’ve been employed with FSU for 15 years, spending time in both Tallahassee and Panama City, and I had not seen the level of support develop in such a rapid fashion like we saw happen after this disaster,” Director of Student Success and Registrar Services Jim Allen said. “Staff and faculty from across the university were offering to help.”

RESUMING CLASSES Two days after Michael, FSU announced courses at the Tallahassee campus and online would resume Monday, Oct. 15. The PC campus would remain closed.

Because many Panama City faculty teach online courses, instructors had to use cell phones to record lectures or travel to Tallahassee to teach courses.

“Early on, we realized the solution to this problem was to use technology in classes whenever we could,” Polick said. “This meant that students who had access to internet could start back with class as soon as materials were available. Others, who were more severely impacted, could catch up with materials and videos posted online when they were ready.”

FSU allowed students to drop classes without a financial penalty if storm recovery prevented them from successfully completing coursework. Students also could work with instructors and earn an ‘incomplete’ grade for the semester, which gave them an extension to complete work during the next semester.

“We had to pay attention to VA benefits, financial aid rules, contact hour regulations, academic deadlines,” Henry said. “We had to consider all these moving parts to ensure students got what they needed, while also being in compliance with federal policies and accreditation requirements.”

For the next two weeks, administrators and the recovery team met daily, marking offices, classrooms and labs as red for unsafe, yellow for unsure or green for clear.

“As days passed, we monitored the progress on the campus. Academics at that point were a puzzle to put together,” Polick said.

Once electricity was restored to the majority of Bay County, it was quickly evident that the main internet fiber serving FSU Panama City and Gulf Coast State College was still damaged.

“We knew the internet was not at full capacity, but we took a risk so that students would not continue to lose valuable time,” Hanna said. “A hurricane in the middle of the semester is a tough one to recover from in terms of getting back on track and finishing the semester.

We knew we had to open campus as soon as possible to give our students the best chance of completing the semester successfully, and for many students, this meant the ability to still graduate on time.”

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HURRICANE MICHAEL RETROSPECTIVE

REOPENING CAMPUS FSU Panama City reopened Monday, Oct. 29, 2018, just 19 days after Hurricane Michael made landfall. When students returned, the campus looked different, but the same “family” atmosphere was there.

On the first day back at FSU Panama City, FSU President John Thrasher held a forum for faculty, staff and students.

“This is a resilient place. People here are extraordinarily resilient,” he said.

Students agreed.

“The positivity continues to spread. And keeping that energy going, it’s what’s going to help us rebuild and recover and become stronger than ever,” electrical engineering student Tasneem Salman said.

Although campus wasn’t back to normal, everyone acknowledged a new normal, which made them appreciate how far the campus and the Seminole family have come.

When the campus reopened, help came in many forms.

FSU established the Seminole Emergency Relief Fund and distributed more than $32,500 to Panama City students, faculty and staff within the first week. Students were served more than 3,000 free meals during the first week back on campus. They also had access to a food pantry and free clothing and supplies in the FSU PC Market, staged in the Holley rotunda. Counselors were on hand, as well as FEMA representatives, to answer questions.

FSU’s Early Childhood Autism Program partnered with a local church to house their program while campus was closed so clients would not lose valuable services.

Students, faculty and staff also did their part to give back to the community. Students rallied together, going door to

RESILIENCE, HOPE AND EXCITEMENT: FSU President John Thrasher joined Dean Hanna in welcoming students, faculty and staff back to campus and reassuring students that the administration is there to help them succeed and move forward.

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HURRICANE MICHAEL RETROSPECTIVE

“The positivity continues to spread.

And keeping that energy going, it’s what’s going to help us rebuild and recover and become stronger than ever.”

— Tasneem Salman, electrical engineering, ’19

UNCONQUERED SPIRITS: THE JOURNEY OF DYLAN AND BETHANY DUNAWAY by:

door to offer aid to those in the hardesthit areas of the region. The admissions staff cleared debris from Lynn Haven Elementary School, and administrators partnered with staff to distribute hot meals to first responders and those in need.

Gulf Coast State College opened the following week and used classrooms at FSU Panama City for their Health Sciences programs throughout the fall semester while their campus continued recovery efforts.

Restoration continues at FSU Panama City, and the campus hasn’t fully recovered from Hurricane Michael, but it is about 95% complete.

“I’m proud of how much we accomplished as a team in the wake of a natural disaster,” Hanna said. “We are one year out from the storm, and while we still have work to do, at FSU Panama City we continue to be committed to doing our part to help our community move forward.”

Angela Donahue, ’19

Dylan and Bethany Dunaway have encouraged one another to pursue their goals since they met in high school. After Hurricane Michael battered Bay County Oct. 10, the young couple’s goals turned from ensuring the safety of their families and homes to being able to graduate together on time.

After the storm, the couple, who were both on the dean’s list and taking the final course requirements to earn their bachelor’s degrees in professional communication, wanted to make sure all their hard work wasn’t delayed by the destruction.

Desperate for answers, they reached out in an email to Dean Randy Hanna. “He called us at 9 that night,” Bethany said.

Hanna assured the couple that the faculty and staff were committed to doing whatever it took to make sure they both graduated on time.

It would not be easy making up all of the course work in just a few short weeks, but they knew that together they could overcome anything.

“Through all of this, we held each other accountable,” Bethany said. “Our standard as Dunaways is all A’s and we weren’t going to let that drop.”

On Dec. 15, 2018, they walked across the stage in Tallahassee earning their degrees in professional communication.

“I am officially a ‘Nole alumni like my father before me, and I am so proud,” Bethany said.

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‘EVERYONE

DESERVES TO BE A

’ PRINCESS

RTE STUDENT AND PAGEANT QUEEN EMPOWERS GIRLS, WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES

by:

Erin Chaffin, ’13

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ia Bennett, a student in the recreation, tourism & events program at FSU Panama City, believes everyone deserves to be a princess.

In 2016, she founded Princesses of Paradise, a pageant that encourages young women with disabilities to feel unique and

beautiful.

AN IDEA IS FORMED At age 12, Mia wanted to be just like her big sister and compete in pageants. She decided to enter Junior Teen Miss Freeport in 2012, and to her surprise, won.

A PAGEANT REDEFINED: Recreation, tourism and events student Mia Bennett is the founder of Princesses of Paradise, a pageant that empowers women and girls with disabilities.

Photos courtesy of Duncan Crittenden

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As Junior Teen Miss Freeport, Bennett participated in the 4th of July parade in Seaside, Fla., where a young girl with disabilities made a lasting impression on her.

“She tugged on my dress, looked at my crown and with tears in her eyes told me how badly she wanted to be a princess too,” Bennett said. “From that day forward I realized that not every woman feels like the princess that they truly are.”

It was then that an idea began to form. “I was too young at the time to act on it,” she recalled. “I needed to be older, to have more resources.”

Fast forward four years to 2016. Bennett was preparing to compete for Miss Northwest Florida and community service was one of the requirements of the competition. Other participants volunteered at food pantries or collected trash off roadways, but Bennett knew she wanted to do something different. She was older, had gained more experience and believed it was the right time to create an event empowering females of all backgrounds, ages and abilities.

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“Being in pageants has given me so much confidence and that is something I want my contestants to experience.”

— Mia Bennett, recreation, tourism and events, ’20

A DREAM BECOMES REALITY Princesses of Paradise, a pageant exclusively for girls and women with cognitive and physical disabilities, was born.

The pageant was specially formatted to give each contestant a crown and sash with their own distinct title. Like other pageants, the event includes a beauty walk and an optional interview. The competition aspect has been removed and every contestant receives an award.

“The goal is to build the participants’ self esteem by showing them that all women are princesses in their own way,” Bennett said. “Being in pageants has given me so much confidence and that is something I want my contestants to experience, along with a night to remember for the rest of their lives.”

The inaugural event was held at South Walton High School May 2016 and had seven contestants, many of whom have returned as loyal princesses in the pageants to follow.

One of her favorite parts of the pageant is the “Best Part of Me” segment. Participants are encouraged to showcase something that they love, or feel makes them unique, whether it’s displaying a love of cooking or Disney movies. Another favorite is the crowning ceremony.

“I love the end during the crowning ceremony and seeing it all come together,” she said. “I just want to give them a really incredible night to remember.”

‘BEST PART OF ME’: During the “Best Part of Me” segment, participants are encouraged to showcase something that they love, or feel makes them unique, whether it’s displaying a love of cooking or Disney movies.

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HOW TO GET INVOLVED: Attend: The 4th Annual Princesses of Paradise from 2-6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16, at Florida State University Panama City. The event is free for FSU Panama City and Gulf Cost State College students and $5 at the door for the general public.

Donate: Sponsors are needed for everything from decor, princess awards, gifts and prizes.

Lend a hand: Volunteers are needed to help out during the pageant.

For more information princessesofparadise.com

She put together the first Princesses of Paradise pageant with no budget and only her pageant coaches and supportive parents, Grace and Duncan, assisted.

“I had to learn a lot, and quickly,” she recalled.

“Insurance, awards, music — I didn’t realize everything that was involved. But I continued to learn and improve each year.”

Bennett believes it’s the small touches that really make the event. She has spent hours finding the best quality crowns and sashes for the winners, handwriting cards to each participant and decorating — including making dozens of handcrafted flowers for the first pageant.

A PAGEANT AT RISK After three successful years, multiple factors threatened the pageant. A lack of resources due to Hurricane Michael, an inability to find a venue and a full-time course load at FSU Panama City forced Bennett to face the very real possibility of discontinuing the pageant.

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visit:

But a chance encounter with one of her former contestants encouraged her to persevere.

Born with cogitative impairments that could affect memory, the young girl immediately remembered Bennett and her time in last year’s pageant.

“She was so excited,” Bennett said. “She wanted to know when the next one was so she could participate.

I knew then that I had to figure out a way to keep it going.”

But Bennett also knew she couldn’t do it all on her own. She decided to start by reaching out to FSU Panama City Assistant Dean Irvin Clark, her faculty in the recreation, tourism & events department and campus staff for help and advice.

“Everyone here has been so supportive,” Bennett said.

“The staff, my teachers, and the dean all jumped right in to make sure that event would continue.”

she said. “I’m gaining the knowledge to know why I take the steps I do to plan an event and the tools to make it even better.”

“Everything is so cut and dry when you read things in a textbook,” Bennett said. “But when you have professors that offer so much knowledge from their experiences in the field, you can draw from their experiences. They have been hands-on and approachable.”

Faculty have provided advice and support for the Princesses of Paradise event, helping Bennett gain new prospectives and ideas.

“They have really helped me to broaden my horizons,” she said of her professors. “Not only have I learned so much about risk management, insurance and law — which is huge in the event industry — but more importantly, they helped me learn how to build a team and not just be a one-woman show.”

PURSUING A DREAM: Mia Bennett, a junior in the recreation, tourism & events program at FSU Panama City founded Princesses of Paradise, in 2016 when she was 16 years old.

A CAMPUS COMES TOGETHER The Holley Lecture Hall at FSU Panama City was reserved, the date set, and now the pageant is well on its way with a campus committed to doing everything in their power to support the event.

“Everyone at FSU Panama City is committed to serving our students and the community, and Mia’s event is such a champion for diversity and inclusion that I knew we had to help,” Clark said. “With faculty, staff and students behind her, I know she will be able to take the event to even more deserving princesses.”

“I want this year’s pageant to be the biggest it can possibly be,” Bennett said. She encourages everyone to attend, whether you know a participant or not, and help put a smile on a contestant’s face.

“I have taken all the experiences I’ve gained with Princesses of Paradise and applied it to my studies,”

“Watching Mia progress through the recreation, tourism & events major and certificate in special events program is personally rewarding,” said Rosemary Prince, special events teaching faculty. “Her willingness to seek and accept feedback, and expand her knowledge, combined with her dedication and passion for working with people will serve her well throughout her career.”

With plans to graduate in May 2020, Bennett wants to plan large-scale events.

“I don’t know what the future holds for the pageant,” she said. “But I know that I want it to continue to grow. I’d love to create a franchise where groups in other areas of the state and country could form their own Princesses of Paradise pageants. The ultimate dream would be to create a special needs version of Miss America.”

“I want to continue to be a role model for young girls and to promote the idea that beauty is in our individuality.”

Princesses of Paradise will be held Saturday, Nov. 16, at FSU Panama City. For more information, visit princessesofparadise.com.

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A FACE OF COURAGE

MENTORS HELP COMMUNICATION ALUM PREVAIL THROUGH ADVERSITY

by:

Jennifer McCabe, ’14

O

vercoming homelessness, surviving a category 5 hurricane and losing his brother in a car accident, Devin Burnett has prevailed again and again. Through it all, one constant kept him moving forward: mentors have gone out of their way to help him succeed.

On May 5, 2019, he achieved the dream he never thought he could attain; he earned his bachelor’s degree in professional communication.

“It never crossed my mind 10 years ago that I would be a graduate from Florida State University right now,” he said.

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FORMATIVE YEARS For most of his life, Burnett and his three younger siblings lived with his single mother and his grandmother in Joliet, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.

“Life was pretty good with family close by,” he said.

When financial troubles forced his grandmother to close the restaurant she owned, the family moved to Georgia and stayed with an uncle until he was evicted. Next, they headed to Panama City, where again, promises of a place to stay quickly fell apart.

At just 11 years old, Burnett, his siblings, mother and grandmother arrived in Panama City with just a few belongings.

They found shelter at the Panama City Rescue Mission for four months until Burnett’s mother applied for low-income housing at the Springfield Housing Authority and later got a job at Trane in Lynn Haven.

Burnett transferred from Mowat to Jinks Middle School, where he met Ms. Andrews, the teacher who would change his life. Andrews recommended he apply for the Bay Education Foundation’s Take Stock in Children (TSIC) program, which offers a college scholarship to low-income students who meet regularly with a mentor and maintain good grades and attendance.

Although he expected his application to be rejected, he applied for the program. He was accepted, and paired with Tyndall Air Force Base engineer York Thorpe as his mentor.

“I thought, ‘Wow! I can really go to college!’ even though 13-year-old me didn’t really know what that meant at the time,” Burnett said.

Thorpe met Burnett weekly at Bay High School to help him navigate the demands of school.

SNAPSHOT OF MEMORIES: At top: Devin’s family when they were young. Center: Devin and his mother at his high school graduation. At bottom: Devin’s siblings: Theo and LaDaizhia. At right: Devin and his mentor, York Thorpe.

Photos special to the Torch

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“Devin is extremely strong. He often times didn’t know where his next meal was going to come from but he persevered through all of that to do extremely well in school.

When so many other students may have given up, he stayed focused and never once complained about the life he had lived.”

— York Thorpe, Tyndall Air Force Base engineer and Burnett’s mentor

“Mr. Thorpe was like my high school cheerleader because high school can be very difficult,” Burnett said. “It’s hard to stay motivated. I didn’t always have what I needed, but I made do with what I had.

Half way through high school, things started to hit me a little harder. I started to struggle a little bit, but I caught right back up.”

“Devin is extremely strong,” Thorpe said. “He often times didn’t know where his next meal was going to come from but he persevered through all of that to do extremely well in school. When so many other students may have given up, he stayed focused and never once complained about the life he had lived.”

With Thorpe by his side, Burnett graduated from Bay High School’s Advanced International Certificate Education program. He not only earned the TSIC scholarship, but also the Florida Bright Future Scholarship.

“College has always been something that I heard people talk about, but there was also a time when I didn’t think it was possible for me to go because of

the cost,” he said. “It was just like every other thing I heard about on television, and it didn’t help that I knew no one who attended college or encouraged me to go.”

Burnett earned his Associate of Arts degree at Gulf Coast State College and transferred to FSU Panama City. In 2016, he was hired as an assistant at Burke Blue, a law office in downtown Panama City.

OVERCOMING HURRICANE MICHAEL’S DESTRUCTION In the fall of 2018, life was good. Burnett was preparing to graduate in the spring and had two years of work experience behind him. However, like so many other times in his life, the place he called home was about to change again.

On Oct. 10, Hurricane Michael destroyed Burnett’s family trailer. He returned to town a few days after the storm to find his home in shambles.

With very few places left livable in Bay County, his mother, grandmother and siblings moved to North

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Carolina. Burnett stayed behind to finish college.

For the first time in his life, he found himself living alone, hundreds of miles from his family. The first few nights he slept in a chair at the law firm. Then his art professor, Mandy Yourick, asked how he was doing.

“I could tell that where he was staying was not ideal, so I pressed him a little bit more and offered that he stay at my place,” she said. Burnett lived with Yourick for five months until he found a place of his own nearby.

“I’m very thankful for what Mandy did for me,” Burnett said. “If she didn’t do that, I’m not sure what I would have done.”

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“I think my life has been a summary of many ups and downs, but everything I went through was perhaps a blessing in disguise. I may not be where I am today if life did not carry me here.”

— Devin Burnett, professional communication, ’19

LOSING A LOVED ONE After being on his own for about four weeks, tragedy struck again. As the Burnett family traveled on Interstate 10 from North Carolina to Panama City to see Burnett graduate, the minivan they were in flipped four times ejecting his 15-year-old sister, Denyvia, and 16-year-old brother, Theo. Theo spent a month at Shands Hospital, where he underwent five surgeries but did not survive.

“I feel sad every day, and I miss my brother a whole lot,” Burnett said. “The only thing I know to do is my best because that is what my brother would want me to do.”

Burnett has applied to several law schools and wants to become a public defender.

“Devin is going to do great things,” Yourick said. “I absolutely see him carrying out his dream.”

“I think my life has been a summary of many ups and downs, but everything I went through was perhaps a blessing in disguise,” Burnett said. “I may not be where I am today if life did not carry me here.”

A STORY OF SUCCESS: At top: Devin at work at the offices of Burke, Blue, Hutchison, Walters & Smith, P.A. At bottom: Devin and his sister at Florida State University Panama City’s graduation in May 2019.

Photos by Jennifer McCabe, 14’ (top) and Helen Johnson

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES GROW FOR ‘TAKE STOCK IN CHILDREN’ GRADUATES The Bay Education Foundation’s Take Stock in Children (TSIC) program provides a unique opportunity for deserving low-income students to escape the cycle of poverty through education. More than 100 local students have received college scholarships since the program began in Bay County nearly 25 years ago. In addition, FSU PC has two endowment scholarships for TSIC graduates.

Several years ago, the Panama City Housing Authority established an endowed scholarship at FSU PC to provide book stipends for Bay Education Foundation TSIC graduates.

In 2018, the Foundation established an endowed scholarship with a gift of $100,000 to benefit Foundation TSIC graduates who attend FSU in Panama City or Tallahassee. The Foundation added an additional $32,000 in 2019.

If no Foundation TSIC graduates apply for the scholarship, it is opened to Bay District School employees.

“We want more TSIC graduates like Devin Burnett to come to FSU,” said FSU PC Director of Development Mary Beth Lovingood. “They’re great students and have such drive and perseverance.

We want to encourage our best and brightest to become Seminoles whether that be starting at Gulf Coast State College and coming over to FSU Panama City, starting here as a freshman, or going over to Tallahassee.”

There are seven TSIC graduates currently enrolled at FSU PC. Annually, about 15 local TSIC students graduate the program and enroll in college.

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THE TOP 20 CELEBRATING FSU’S METEORIC RISE IN THE RANKINGS

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by:

Amy Farnum-Patronis and Erica Martin

lorida State University soared eight spots to No. 18 among national public universities in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings, meeting and well exceeding its goal of joining the Top 25.

It’s the greatest single-year improvement in university history.

The rankings appear in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges 2020” guidebook.

“It’s an incredible accomplishment for Florida State University,” FSU President John Thrasher said. “The credit goes to so many people: our faculty, our staff and certainly our great students. I couldn’t be prouder.”

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THE TOP 20

FSU has risen 25 spots among public universities since placing No. 43 in 2016.

FSU moved up to No. 38 on the 2017 list and then to No. 33 on the 2018 list. Last year, FSU ranked No. 26 among public universities.

Florida State’s rise was sparked by its designation as a preeminent university by the state legislature in 2013.

“The Florida Legislature believed in us and they believed in our plan,” Thrasher said.

“They asked us to be a Top 25 university — we’re now a Top 20 university. I think they’ll be pleased with the results, and I hope it will give them impetus to help us continue this success.”

“This is big news, not only for the entire university, but also here in Panama City,” said Randy Hanna, dean of FSU Panama City. “This says to our community that students can come and receive one of the best educational experiences in the country right here in Bay County.”

While reaching the Top 20 is a validation of its national prominence, Florida State’s sole focus isn’t rankings.

Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Sally McRorie points to the university’s emphasis on student success as the primary factor in FSU’s rapid ascent in the rankings over the past few years.

“Student success is at the heart of everything we do here,” McRorie said. “I always say that every decision comes down to what is best for our students. Then, it becomes a fairly easy decision to make.”

NEW PROGRAMS: Since 2015, FSU Panama City has launched seven new academic programs including crime scene investigation; nurse anesthesia; commercial entrepreneurship; hospitality & tourism management; mechanical engineering; systems engineering and law enforcement intelligence.

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THE TOP 20

SMALL CLASS SIZES: FSU Panama City is committed to maintaining small classes. The current student to faculty ratio is 20:1.

For example, FSU hired 125 new faculty last fall to improve class size and research. Now, more than 50 percent of FSU’s classes are smaller than 20 students.

At FSU Panama City, only two classes have more than 20 students this fall. The campus also has placed more emphasis on student services, enhancing advising, tutoring and student activities.

that in our smaller classes our students learn better, and our faculty have a better opportunity to have an impact on those students.”

“Student success is at the heart of everything we do here.”

— FSU Provost Sally McRorie

“Our goal is always student success,” Hanna said.

“We know from the national data that one of the most important things for long-lasting lifetime success and a sense of well-being for college graduates is to have had a positive mentoring relationship with a faculty member,” McRorie said. “We know

A number of related factors also contributed to FSU’s ranking, such as improvements in graduation rates, student-faculty ratio and percentage of full-time faculty.

FSU’s average six-year graduation rate increased to 80.5 percent, up 3 percentage points in three years. FSU also outperformed its predicted graduation rate by 13 percentage points. The university ranks No. 11 among public universities when comparing the actual graduation rate against the predicted rate, which U.S. News calculates based on the university’s resources and student profile.

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THE TOP 20

“This is big news, not only for the entire university, but also here in Panama City. To have a Top 20 university right here in Panama City is great. We’re really proud of the role that our students, faculty and staff have played in helping Florida State reach this achievement.”

— FSU Panama City Dean Randy Hanna

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In addition, Florida State moved up five spots to No. 17 among public universities for graduation rates among Pell Grant students.

the right pathway to get their degree in four years,” Thrasher said. “Sally McRorie and her team have done that.”

Florida State’s four-year graduation rate of 72 percent ranks among the Top 10 public universities in the country and is No. 1 in Florida.

FSU also moved up in peer assessment ratings, which is a survey of the nation’s presidents, provosts and enrollment managers.

“You can talk about student success but to achieve a four-year graduation rate that is the best in the state of Florida and one of the best in America, you have to use your resources for counseling, for advisers, for giving students the opportunity to understand

“We haven’t had a lot of national attention until recent years, and it’s really gratifying as provost to know that other universities recognize the quality of educational opportunities we have at Florida State,” McRorie said.

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10 REASONS FSU PC IS CELEBRATING NO. 1

NO. 1

WORLDWIDE

CSI PROGRAM

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program had a 100% Behavior Analyst Certification Board pass rates in 2019

The Best Online Bachelor’s in Crime Scene Investigation program, The Best Schools, 2019

TOP 5

$10,057,768 raised for FSU Panama City as part of the “Raise the Torch” campaign for FSU

20TH

20TH

ANNIVERSARY

ANNIVERSARY

of the Applied Behavior Analysis program

of the online Computer Science program

COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAM Housed at FSU Panama City, FSU’s online Computer Science program is the No. 3 Best Online Bachelor’s in Computer Science Degree Program for 2019, BestColleges.com, 2019

7 NEW

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS SINCE 2015 including crime scene investigation; nurse anesthesia; commercial entrepreneurship; hospitality & tourism management; mechanical engineering; systems engineering and law enforcement intelligence

CONTINUING EDUCATION

OPPORTUNITIES IBM Skills Academy and Lifelong Learning Institute established in 2019

2,600+

$3

K-12 STUDENTS

MILLION

participated in FSU PC STEM programs since 2007

largest gift in campus history to create scholarships

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You can’t be a top-tier university without having great research scientists and good teachers who come in every single day and care about their students. That’s what we’ve invested in.”

— FSU President John Thrasher

“I can’t say enough about our faculty,” McRorie said. “Our faculty are working really hard to practice good teaching methodologies and to learn how to teach in a new and flexible way that appeals to students and makes active learning happen.”

Thrasher agreed.

“You cannot do this without outstanding faculty,” Thrasher said. “You can’t be a top-tier university without having great research scientists and good teachers who come in every single day and care

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about their students. That’s what we’ve invested in.”

Florida State also rose one spot to No. 7 in the undergraduate alumni giving metric.

FSU shares the No. 18 spot with three other public universities: Penn State University, Purdue University and the University of Pittsburgh.

“The number is significant in the sense that this is a university that stands out among all the public universities in America,” Thrasher said. “For

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that reason, it will help us continue to attract outstanding faculty and students.�

Among all national universities, including private universities, FSU ranked 57th, up from 70th last year. The University of Miami, a private institution, joins FSU, Penn State, Purdue and Pitt at No. 57 in the overall rankings. The national universities category comprises 381 institutions (208 public, 172 private and 1 proprietary) that offer a wide range of undergraduate majors as well as master’s and doctoral degrees.

U.S. News & World Report determines its national university rankings based on these factors: graduation and retention rates (22 percent); expert opinion, i.e. peer assessment (20 percent); faculty resources (20 percent); student excellence (10 percent); financial resources (10 percent); graduation rate performance (8 percent); social mobility (5 percent); and alumni giving (5 percent).

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STRATEGIC PLAN 2019-2024 The 2019-2024 Strategic Plan for Florida State University Panama City articulates five principal priorities and sets the stage for and outlines the next steps for the implementation of the plan.

In September 2018, Dean Randy Hanna commissioned the Strategic Planning Committee to create a five-year plan to address the future of Florida State University Panama City. The arrival of

Hurricane Michael in October 2018, caused work on the plan to be delayed as stakeholders worked on the initial recovery of the campus and the area.

As work resumed in the spring of 2019 it became clear that the recovery of the area we serve and the economic vitality of the region is dependent upon FSU PC playing an even greater role in meeting the higher education needs of students from the area.

OUR MISSION Florida State University Panama City offers life-changing educational and social opportunities that prepare students, faculty and community members to achieve their goals, develop a richer culture of diversity and foster a spirit of lifelong learning. Partnering with area military installations, industry leaders and other Florida State University departments and colleges, we tailor the educational experience to make higher education more accessible to the residents of Northwest Florida.

OUR VISION Florida State University Panama City will enhance its role as a regional center of excellence providing opportunities for advanced academic, cultural and public service experiences, within a caring community that is designed to promote success in a global society.

OUR CORE VALUES (THE FSU PC PROMISE) WE PROMISE TO BE YOUR PARTNER as you pursue your academic goals at one of America’s great public research universities. Through small classes, individual attention, and working with mentors, you will have the greatest potential for academic, career and professional development.

WE PROMISE YOU WILL BE PREPARED as you move into the workforce or onto graduate school. FSU’s high academic standards, along with our commitment to provide you opportunities to participate in experiential learning, undergraduate research and community service will guarantee your success.

WE PROMISE YOU CAN SET YOUR PATH by engaging in group and individualized projects, providing separate pathways and participating in handson learning experiences directly tied to your academic career. You can count on us working with you to meet your individual goals.

WE PROMISE FSU WILL ALWAYS BE HOME You see, this partnership is more than a commitment for just a few years. You will leave with greater critical thinking skills, a love for learning and an understanding the importance of being an engaged member of your community. Together, we will make sure that FSU continues to meet the needs of students and alumni just like you.

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OUR COMMITMENTS: 1

ACADEMIC QUALITY, EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING & STUDENT SUCCESS

Strategic objectives include: assess academic programs; recruit and retain diverse, expert faculty; strengthen efforts to encourage student diversity; promote and expand experiential learning opportunities; develop and implement initiatives that advance educational equity and retention; promote a culture of student excellence; and elevate the reputation of academic programs at FSU PC and in the College of Applied Studies.

2

STRATEGIC INNOVATIONS, PARTNERSHIPS & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Strategic objectives include: establish innovative, educational and outreach programs and partnerships; build intra-university and community partnerships; promote economic recovery and growth of businesses and communities across Northwest Florida; collaborate with other FSU colleges on initiatives that will positively impact communities across Northwest Florida; and affirm FSU PC as a leader in education and professional preparation.

3

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATING THE FSU PC BRAND

Strategic objectives include: amplify awareness of FSU PC academic programming across Northwest Florida and the southeast region; communicate FSU PC’s institutional reputation; build the FSU PC “promise” brand focused on the unique strengths of our campus; publicly demonstrate FSU PC’s commitment to being a part of the economic development fiber of our communities.

4

CAMPUS LIFE AND STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

Strategic objectives include: build a new residential facility that will reinforce, invigorate and create momentum for FSU PC initiatives; enhance collaborations with Gulf Coast State College through the Seminole Commodore Alliance; promote greater collaboration with academics in enhancing student learning to facilitate student retention and academic progress; and enhance student communication plans.

5

CAREER PREPARATION & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Strategic objectives include: Establish new programs to meet the changing economic and workforce landscape of Northwest Florida and increase career preparation services, resources and experiential learning opportunities for students and community members.

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TEST OF SKILLS

FSU PC, GCSC STUDENTS JOIN FORCES FOR AUTONOMOUS BOAT CHALLENGE 40

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by:

Erin Chaffin and TechFarms

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tudents from Florida State University and Gulf Coast State College came together to test their skills designing, programming, engineering and marketing an autonomous robotic boat to complete in the 2019 International RoboBoat Competition held June 17-23, 2019, in South Daytona, Florida.

The team of nine consisted of mechanical and electrical engineering students including FSU Panama City students Toni Weaver, Brandon Bascetta, Marshall Sowell, Kyle Greer, Mark Hartzog, Michael Kirke and Ryan Tracy; and Gulf Coast students Sydnee O’Donnell and Landon McCoy. FSU Panama City professors Damion Dunlap, Ph.D., and Joshua Weaver, Ph.D., and Gulf Coast State College instructors Alan Jeffries and Kurt Morris helped advise and prepare.

Newcomers to the competition, the team didn’t have a shared workspace, many students hadn’t taken even an introductory programming course and work time dwindled because of Hurricane Michael. But they overcame their obstacles and received a special award for Best Documentation Rookie Team for having the top design documentation score of all the rookie teams.

Seminole Coast is already hard at work preparing for the June 2020 International RoboBoat Competition.

THE TEAM: Students from Florida State University Panama City and Gulf Coast State College came together to create a robotic boat and competed in the 2019 International RoboBoat Competition held June 17-23 in South Daytona, Florida.

Photos by Seminole Coast and Tech Farms

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THE PREPARATION: The team signed up for the challenge in June 2018, but due to setbacks from Hurricane Michael, didn’t begin preparations until February, just five months before the competition.

The boat hull was manufactured at Gulf Coast State College, and the majority of the programming was completed at FSU Panama City. The final result was a carbon fiber boat — the lightest one in the competition — complete with an artificial intelligence computing device, USB hub, routers, voltage converters, thrusters, autopilot system, electronic speed controllers, light switches and relay, camera, sensors, microcontroller board, receiver, antennas and four lithium polymer batteries.

The team then had about one month for fitting, finalizing, and testing before the competition began June 17.

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THE COMPETITION: It wasn’t until Thursday, June 14, just four days before the competition, that team Seminole Coast could even begin testing their boat using a remote control at Reed Canal Park.

On its first autonomous attempt during the competition, the boat flipped, drenching the electronics inside and disqualifying them from the autonomous challenges. The team remained positive, proud of what they accomplished in their first year, especially after Hurricane Michael almost derailed the entire project.

Team Seminole Coast impressed the judges, receiving a new Nvidia Jetson TX2 (an AI computing device), the award for Best Documentation Rookie Team and $1,250 in prizes.

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THE NEXT STEPS: Before the competition was over, the Seminole Coast team members began preparing for the 2020 RoboBoat competition. Full of new ideas, ambition and determination, they went into full planning mode over the summer.

Team Seminole Coast will also have the advantage of working with TechFarms, who has offered the team 24-hour workshop use, storage for boat and equipment including tools, spare components as well as access to local autonomy and manufacturing experts through TechFams’ collaboration network.

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WANT TO HELP? Help FSU Panama City and Gulf Coast State College students compete as Seminole Coast in the 2020 International RoboBoat Competition. Funds will cover boat production, competition entrance fees and team travel. For more information, visit spark.fsu.edu/SeminoleCoast.

LEAVE A

lasting LEGACY PURCHASE AN FSU PANAMA CITY COMMEMORATIVE BRICK Perfect for graduation or celebrating your alumni status, bricks cost $200.

Purchase includes a matching miniature keepsake brick. Mini bricks will be available for pick up at the Office of Advancement at no additional cost or can be shipped for $10.

Personalized bricks will be incorporated into a legacy courtyard between the Holley Academic Center and the Technology and Barron buildings.

Your brick purchase is 100 percent tax deductible and is maintained and covered by a lifetime warranty.

Call 850.770.2168, email alumni@pc.fsu.edu or visit pc.fsu.edu/alumni-friends/brick-program to purchase your brick.

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NOTABLE

’NOLES HONORING OUR OUTSTANDING ALUMNI by:

Erica Martin

F

SU Panama City recognized four outstanding alumni for their continued commitment to education as part of a 23-year campus Homecoming tradition.

Kenneth Ayers III, Brittany Cole and Karen Hurst were named the 2018 Notable ’Noles.

The award is given to FSU Panama City alumni who demonstrated excellence as students and have made outstanding contributions to the community and within their careers. Since the award’s inception in 1996, FSU Panama City has recognized 74 Notable ’Noles, accounting for less than 1 percent of the campus’s alumni.

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KENNETH AYERS III, ’07, ’08 Kenneth (Kenny) Ayers III (’07, ’08) has used the skills fostered at FSU Panama City to entertain gamers throughout the world. As senior software engineer for The Trade Desk, he has contributed to several games, such as “World of Warcraft,” “Heroes of the Storm” and “Diablo III.” Ayers started his career as a website developer at 18 through his own business then began working for Applied Research Associates. He maintained a 4.0 GPA while working full time, earning a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a master’s degree in software engineering from FSU Panama City.

After being awarded Florida’s Outstanding Graduate in Software Engineering in 2008, he went on to become ARA’s youngest program manager. He then became a project manager and senior computer scientist for the Navy, leading a team through internet protocol upgrades and developing reporting and tracking web applications.

After a nationwide engineering talent search in 2009, he joined Blizzard Entertainment, the world’s largest online gaming company. In June 2019, he became a senior software engineer at The Trade Desk.

Ayers has served as a missionary in Honduras and aided underprivileged children and AIDS research worldwide through cycling charity events. He also helped fund the Alisa Kinsaul Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund at FSU Panama City.

“Kenny’s outstanding achievements in the workforce and community reflect great honor upon the Florida State University Panama City family,” his father, Ken Ayers Jr., said in the nomination.

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BRITTANY COLE, ’11 Brittany Cole (’11) proves you can succeed when faced with obstacles.

After her father died unexpectedly when she was 18, she was determined to become a success. She started her career as a morning producer at WMBB News 13 while working toward her bachelor’s degree in professional communication. Working midnight to 9 a.m., she maintained a high GPA and received the highest ratings in the station’s history, according to Nielsen.

Since then, her career has spanned from vice president of communication at the Bay County Chamber of Commerce, the director of marketing and public relations at Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center, the marketing and physician liaison at Hope Radiation Cancer Center and her current position, the director of communications for the Walton Area Chamber of Commerce.

Throughout her professional endeavors, she puts others first. While at Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center, she often interacted with patients, crying with them when there was tragedy and celebrating successes, said her former assistant, Rhonda Lavite.

“She is an exceptional person,” Lavite said in the nomination. “If there is ever a person that needs something, Brittany is there to help them.”

After Hurricane Michael, Brittany became a champion for the region, doing radio and television interviews with national news networks and coordinating donation efforts.

She has served as a March of Dimes NWFL board member, Take Stock in Children mentor, a member of the First Responders Appreciation Task Force and a Junior Leadership Bay Steering Committee member.

Throughout her career, she has won numerous awards from the Associated Press, the Florida Association of Chamber Professionals and the American Advertising Federation.

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KAREN HURST, ’87 Karen Hurst (’87) embodies Innovations Federal Credit Union’s motto of people helping people.

As the senior vice president/chief marketing officer at Innovations, she helped design and implement Mad City Money, a financial simulation that teaches Bay County students the importance of budgeting and financial responsibility. She also helped establish the Innovations Federal Credit Union endowed scholarship for Florida State University Panama City.

For the past 12 years, she has been part of the executive management team that oversees the entire credit union, and she directly manages human resources, marketing, facilities design and strategic functions of the credit union.

“She has such an enthusiasm and passion for whatever she takes on, and it is contagious to those who are lucky enough to work with her,” Nancy Luther wrote in her nomination. “Karen truly embodies the credit union philosophy of giving back to the community and is a shining example to the many team members who work at Innovations.”

Karen was in the inaugural graduating class at FSU Panama City, earning a bachelor’s degree in marketing while working full time and raising a family. She began her career as a marketing assistant at Tyndall FCU and eventually moved up to vice president of marketing. She then moved on to Panhandle Educators FCU, launching their first formal marketing department, before beginning her current role at Innovations.

Karen also is a longtime supporter of the United Way of Northwest Florida, serving two terms on the Board of Directors and three years as Communications Committee chair. Through Innovations, she has aided the American Heart Association Heart Walk, the Rescue Mission Klothes for Kids, Coats for Kids and other charities.

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TAKE THE PLUNGE

DIVE INTO THE ADVANCED SCIENCE DIVING PROGRAM AT FSU PANAMA CITY

W

by:

Erica Martin

hen Sally Pendoley spotted a Mark IV dive helmet at an open house, she was sold on the thought of an underwater classroom.

She began earning dive certifications and developing a passion for the water through FSU Panama City’s Advanced Science Diving Program while pursuing a degree in crime scene investigation. Pairing the two disciplines to learn to collect evidence, analyze data, document scenes and search for anomalies in the water, she went on to assist in a drowning investigation and examined the conditions of artificial reefs after Hurricane Michael.

The diving program made my student experience feel like I was part of something bigger and more unique,” she said. “I truly feel like I’m in my element when I’m diving, and I have FSU and my dive instructors to thank for that.”

Since FSU Panama City unveiled the Advanced Science Diving Program and the Underwater Crime Scene Investigation certificate program in 2003, about 500 students and national law enforcement officers have learned to navigate underwater, troubleshoot equipment and even swim through university dive courses.

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Students begin getting their feet wet in the shallow end of a pool, then transition to the open waters of the Gulf and underwater caverns in nearby springs.

Throughout coursework, students collect dive certifications from the International Association of Nitrox & Technical Divers, which open doors to assist on live investigations and specialty research.

For biology major Logan Turner, the program added 14,000 years of research potential. Already a recreational diver, Turner reinforced his resume with certifications through the program to land research opportunities uncovering evidence of the earliest people in Florida and studying food web interactions in Galapagos coral reefs.

“Much of the training we did for the dive certification translates perfectly into marine biology,” he said. “It widens the scope of research I can be a part of.”

Archeology major Emma Graumlich used her diving skills to uncover traces of ancient people in the depths of North Florida waters with a FSU anthropology team.

‘PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER’: Since FSU Panama City unveiled the Advanced Science Diving Program and the Underwater Crime Scene Investigation certificate program in 2003, about 500 students like Sally Pendoley (above) have learned to navigate underwater, troubleshoot equipment and even swim through university dive courses.

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“Underwater archaeology hadn’t been something I saw myself doing before I came across this opportunity, but now I see it as a possible career path,” she said.

Working in silted waters for hours at a time, Graumlich used her cavern and rescue training to navigate with little visibility while loaded down with equipment and specimens. “Taskloading was a real concern, so having the experience in cavern diving in which you have to manage a lot of equipment and rescue diving in which you have to problem solve was very valuable,” she said.

For Will McEwan, an Instagram ad for a dive class turned into an opportunity to get out of his comfort zone and eventually save a life.

McEwan, who signed up for a summer dive course on a whim, saw a fellow diver in distress while exploring a cavern. Using training from the program, he calmly assessed the situation. He took the faulty regulator out of the diver’s mouth, offered him his own regulator then guided him to safety.

“I cannot put into words how happy I am I signed up for that summer class,” McEwan said. “You will learn to push your boundaries and do something really amazing that not many people get the opportunity to do.”

FSU’s Advanced Science Diving Program also trains national law enforcement and first responders, loans equipment to other agencies and sends divers to active investigations, such as the search for Natalie Halloway and airmen from a Blackhawk crash from Eglin Air Force Base.

“I didn’t fully comprehend how high the quality of training is,” McEwan said. “Most of the time when I am in the water I have one of the best educations out of all the divers there.”

“YOU WILL LEARN TO PUSH YOUR BOUNDARIES AND DO SOMETHING REALLY AMAZING.” — Will McEwan, international affairs, ’22

Divers from the program and students at FSU Panama City can keep their passion for the water alive after class through the Scuba, Hyperbaric and Recreational Club (SHARC). Members coordinate group dives and can use FSU dive equipment and tank refills for free.

“Scuba changed my life, and the program helped guide me to achieve goals I didn’t even know were possible,” Pendoley said. “It wasn’t easy, but it was always worth it.”

“The Scientific Diving class was one of the most exciting courses I have taken in my four years at FSU,” Turner said. “It was great to be part of a group who were as excited about diving and working underwater as I am.”

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SEMINOLE SIGHTINGS

FSU PC GOLF INVITATIONAL S H A R K’S TO OT H G O L F C LU B A P R I L 8, 2 0 1 9 & O CT. 2 2 , 2 0 1 9

1. Jim Slonina, Kevin Thompson and Cornell Brock 2. Greg Ham, Harrison Hartley, Tim Norris and Gregg Smith 3. Mike Nichols, Darren Golema, Stacey Williams and Frank Hall 4. John Mercer, Bobby Landwehr, Herman Daniels and Justin Hall 5. Floyd Skinner, Jim Allen, Peter Fosthiem and Banyon Pelham 6. Steve Bowden, Bobby Bowden, Kyle Wilson, Dave Trepanier, Les McFatter, Jeff Dibenedictis

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FSU PANAMA CITY GOLF INVITATIONAL

Thank you to our sponsors and supporters for your commitment to our students and community

WALSINGHAM INVESTMENTS, LLC

Dr. Milton Gus Andrews Acton

Dr. Jim Cook

SEMINOLE SIGHTINGS

ALUMNIGHTS B E AU ’S M AY 9, 2 0 1 9

1. Dean Irvin Clark, Callie Sorensen and Dylan Thomas 2. Jack and Dana Kerigan 3. Angela Donahue, La’Quana Cooper and Dean Randy Hanna 4. Ksenia and Robert Hay

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SEMINOLE SIGHTINGS

LET’S DO BRUNCH ST. ANDREWS BAY YACHT CLUB J U N E 14, 2 0 1 9

1. Tricia Pearce, Lois Collier and Rachel Mincey 2. Mary Alice Monroe and Tony Simmons 3. Courtney Calhoun, Casey Lathem and Kelly Lathem 4. Debbie Ridge, Jennifer McCabe and Judith Hamner 5. Kasey Killebrew, Michaelean Stewart and Mary Alice Monroe 6. Gerry Clemons, Salie Cotton, Markus Kreusi, guest, Jerri Hanna, Kathie Bennett and Becky Rast

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SEMINOLE SIGHTINGS

ANNUAL DINNER E D G E WAT E R B E AC H R ES O RT O CTO B E R 8, 2 0 1 9

1. Judy Fleming, Gail Robbins and Robert Fleming 2. Margaret Gamble, Glenda and Leon Walters and Jennifer Conoley 3. Brandon McCray, Mary Beth Lovingood and Andy Jhanji 4. FSU President John Thrasher and Devin Burnett 5. Dean Randy Hanna and Lisa Walters 6. Mark Hartzog, Marshall Sowell, Student Government President Billy Bradley, Michael Kirke, Sam Lamb, Syndee O’Donnell and Brandon Bascetta

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nnual ADinner FSU PANAMA CIT Y

Thank you to our sponsors and supporters for your commitment to our students and community GOLD TABLE SPONSORS

Drs. Riyad & Rashda Albibi

Dr. James T. Cook III

CONTRACTORS

PCB Leasing

GARNET TABLE SPONSORS

Hutchinson Family Foundation

Law Firm of Zachary Van Dyke

Walters Family

‘JUST ANOTHER STUDENT’ AT AGE 16, MARCUS THOMAS BECOMES FSU PANAMA CITY’S YOUNGEST GRADUATE

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“I don’t give my relative youthfulness much attention; I consider myself just another university student. I’m thankful for the opportunity to learn computer science on such a level.”

— Marcus Thomas, computer science,’19

by:

Halie Crawford, ’20

F

lorida State University Panama City honored the youngest student to graduate with a bachelor’s degree from the online computer science program, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

But 16-year-old Marcus Thomas just sees himself as another college student.

“I don’t give my relative youthfulness much attention; I consider myself just another university student. I’m thankful for the opportunity to learn computer science on such a level.”

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said. “It turns out that he was a perfect match for our program. He consistently performed in the top 10 percent in his classes. He produced quality work and turned it in on schedule, an instructor’s dream. We are very proud of his accomplishments and look forward to seeing what the future has in store for him.”

Thomas graduated with a GPA of 3.656.

Photo courtesy of GradImages

Thomas started college as a non-degree seeking student when he was 12 years old at Fayetteville State University.

For all of his academic career he was home schooled by his family, allowing him to learn at the pace he was most comfortable with. After his family moved to Powell, Wyoming, he enrolled as a degree-seeking student in the local community college, Northwest College. He obtained two of his three associate degrees in engineering and math.

He then began his journey of furthering his education.

Due to age restrictions in college dormitories, his only option was to complete his bachelor’s degree online. While he and his dad were searching for an online computer science program, they found FSU Panama City’s program.

“While we were researching, we found it was affordable, ABET accredited, and overall one of the best online CS bachelor programs. It was also part of Florida State University, and my dad is a Seminole fan, and has family in the Tallahassee area,” Thomas said.

The Thomas family reached out to Stephen Leach, Ph.D., former computer science program director, to acquire information about the computer science program, and if it would be a good match for Thomas.

“I was aware of Marcus’s age from the beginning” Leach

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“I’m very proud to have graduated from such an esteemed university, and I feel the knowledge I learned in doing so will prove very helpful to me in the future. I learned about many programming languages, all of which have many applications in computer science careers,” Thomas stated.

He has been accepted to Arizona State’s master’s program to continue his education.

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS: FSU’s online computer science program, housed at FSU Panama City is celebrating it’s 20th anniversary. Two of the program’s longterm faculty, Stephen Leach, Ph.D., and Chris Lacher, Ph.D., are credited with the program’s continued success. Both Leach and Lacher retired from FSU this summer after more than 50 years of service.

Leach began working at FSU in 1967 and came to the Panama City campus in 2006. In addition to his teaching duties, Leach served as the interim dean for FSU Panama City from 2014-2015, associate dean from 2009-2014 and assistant dean from 2006-2009. Lacher was the first director of the FSU Office for Distributed and Distance Learning from 1999-2002 and beginning in fall 2003, was a resident faculty member in computer science at the Panama City campus. He began his teaching career at FSU in 1968.

’NOLE NOTES 'Nole Notes is your chance to tell other alumni what you have been doing since you left Florida State University Panama City. It can be a simple one-liner about your career, move, marriage or births, or something unusual that you have done. We love to hear about your achievements, send your story to alumni@pc.fsu.edu. Be sure to include your name, major and graduation year.

2000s EMILY “NIKKI” DICKENS, ’04, ’05 (B.S. psychology, M.S. psychology with an emphasis

ERICA (SPIVEY) AVERION, ’09, ’13 (B.S. professional communication, M.S.

in ABA) presented

corporate and public

DUSTIN STOKESBARY, ’06 (B.S. business administration)

presented “Finding the Good within the Forgotten” at TEDxFSU, a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TEDlike experience on April 12 at the Trumbell Center in Tallahassee. Erica is also the founder of HEART. HUSTLE. HAPPINESS.

“Build Your Legacy — Being a Champion with Behavior Analysis” as the opening keynote speaker for the National Autism Conference at Penn State College in August.

competed in the Ironman in Emilia-Romagna, Italy on Sept. 21.

communication)

BRITTANY COLE, ’11 (B.S. professional communication)

her husband, Matthew, and daughter, Charlotte, welcomed Luke William, on July 27.

Brittany is the director of communications for the Walton Area Chamber of Commerce.

SEAN REYNOLDS, ’11 (B.S. psychology) HEATHER (MAZZARA) REYNOLDS, ’11 (B.S. psychology) and

big brother,

Tyler (19 months), welcomed Jordan on Sept. 11.

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2010s

recently promoted at AldayHowell Engineering, Inc.

CODY GRAY, ’11

recently became the alumni and development coordinator for Florida State University Panama City. Cody was formally the communications and development director for the Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center.

JAMES DURHAM, ’14 (B.S.

JOHN FEENEY, ’13 (B.S.

communications)

(communication)

electrical engineering)

was

professional communication)

recently became a motivational public speaker, mentor, life and sales coach at Zig Ziglar Corp. in Plano, Texas.

CATIE (MUNNS) FEENEY, ’14, ’18 (B.S. criminology, M.S. corporate and public

received a Certificate of Congressional

Recognition on behalf of her hurricane relief work during a special ceremony on Oct. 9, 2019. Catie became the social media specialist for Visit South Walton in March.

ALINA DURHAM, ’15, ’19 (B.S. professional communication, M.S. corporate and public

recently became the director for student development at Fusion Academy Southlake in Southlake, Texas. communications)

SHAY (HANNON) DOWGUL, ’13 (B.S. professional CASEY LATHEM, ’12 (B.S. professional communication)

and Mark Hearn were engaged this spring and plan to marry in the spring of 2020. She recently became a business development coordinator for the Buffalo Rock and her online clothing boutique Sugar Bean celebrated its first anniversary in May.

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communication),

husband, James, and big sister, Isabella, welcomed their littlest princess, Olivia James, on Sept. 26.

KATHERINE MAY, ’16, ’17 (B.S. professional communication, M.S. corporate and public communication) moved

to Johnston, Iowa, after graduation to become a project associate with Growers Edge Financial, an agriculture technology company providing innovative, industry-leading solutions to help enable farmer adoption of new technologies to increase profitability, enhance sustainability practices, and gain income assurance.

JUSTINE POWELL, ’17, ’19 (B.S. professional communication, M.S. corporate and public ELISA (LIEGEL) PITTMAN, ’15 (B.S. elementary education) Meet the cutest

future Seminole! Hazel June was born June 4. The family cheers on the Seminoles every Saturday from their home in Texas.

communication) became

the digital media manager for WMBB News 13 in April before finishing her degree in May 2019. Now she spends her days helping local businesses with their digital advertising.

BOBBI LEE WOOD, ’18 (B.S. civil engineering) was

recently was promoted to Expeditionary Systems Development Branch Head at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division where she manages direct support personnel for the expeditionary maneuvers, air cushion vehicle and Seabasing technical areas.

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‘FSU PC WILL ALWAYS BE MY HOME’: FSU alumni Vy Nguyen interviews nurse anesthesia alumnus Andrea Davis, ’16, while filming a video series for FSU Panama City campus in mid-September.

Vy began his academic journey as one of FSU Panama City’s first freshman in 2013 before transferring to Tallahassee to pursue a degree in digital media production. After graduating in 2015, he began working at Compass Marketing & Consulting before creating Vy Nguyen Films, a full-service video production company based in Tallahassee. “It’s surreal to be back to the college that helped me get to where I am today. FSU PC will always be my home and I’m so glad I am able to come back and share my passion for film making with them.”

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Office of Advancement 4750 Collegiate Drive Panama City, FL 32405 pc.fsu.edu