ALUMNI

STETSON ALUMNI AWARDS

PRESENTED DURING THE 2020 VIRTUAL HOMECOMING LAST NOVEMBER

Stetson President Christopher F. Roellke, PhD, wasn’t on campus when these Hatters began making their mark as students and alumni. Yet, he certainly got to learn about them in November during Homecoming 2020.

As part of “Coffee with the President,” an annual tradition at Stetson, Roellke hosted his first Homecoming Awards program, including the Distinguished Alumni Awards, Outstanding Young Alumni Award, Doyle E. Carlton Award, George and Mary Hood Award, and Distinguished Service Award.

Note: Nominations are being collected for the 2021 Alumni Awards. The deadline for submissions is May 1. For more information, go to www.Stetson.edu/alumni/hall-of-fame.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARDS

The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented annually to up to four alumni who, through outstanding achievement in their lives and professions, have brought distinction and special recognition to the university.

STEVEN ALEXANDER ’85

A native Floridian, Steven Alexander graduated with a degree in finance, followed by a degree in accounting from Florida Southern College and a mini-MBA from the Rollins College Crummer Graduate School of Business.

Alexander worked for nine years in the Orange County Comptroller’s Office, eventually becoming treasurer, before joining PFM Asset Management LLC in 1996. Within six years, he was named managing director of PFM’s Orlando office, overseeing the Asset Management practice across the Southeast.

Alexander holds the designations of Certified Treasury Professional, Certified Government Finance Officer and Certified Public Pension Trustee. He serves on the Investment Policy Certification Committee for the Association of Public Treasurers of the United States and has served as a Government Finance Officers Association Standing Advisor for the Treasury and Investment Management Committee. He is a member of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. Also, he is a Certified Executive Coach and holds executive certificates in leadership, nonprofit management and endowment investing from some of the most respected institutions in the nation.

Civic-minded and having a desire to better his community, Alexander currently is a board member of the Central Florida Coalition for the Homeless, the Orlando Economic Partnership and the Orlando Regional Chamber, among others.

Further, Alexander has long been a champion for Stetson, where he’s served as a Stetson Trustee since 2012 and previously was a member of the School of Business Administration Advisory Board. Additionally, the Alexander family was instrumental in the successful completion of the university’s recent fundraising campaign.

STETSON ALUMNI AWARDS

THE HON. KIMBERLY CARLTON BONNER ’86

The Hon. Kimberly Carlton Bonner, an eighth-generation Floridian, grew up on her family ranch, which she now manages with her mother and sister. Her connection to Stetson runs deep, with her father, grandfa-

YVONNE CHANG, MBA ’09

Yvonne Chang earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from George Mason University and an Executive MBA from Stetson. She is multicultural and multilingual (Cuban American and Chinese American, and speaks fluent Spanish, and some French and Cantonese). ther, sister and niece, as well as other family members, all being counted as alumni.

Bonner earned a bachelor’s degree in history before continuing on to the University of West Florida, where she earned a master’s in history. She also holds her Juris Doctorate from Pepperdine University School of Law and a Master of Judicial Studies from the University of Nevada-Reno.

Beginning her career as an assistant state attorney, Bonner soon moved to a private practice and then to Washington, D.C., where she served as a staff attorney for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Returning to Florida, she was in-house counsel for a large insurance company and in 2002 was appointed as a Sarasota County judge. She was re-elected unopposed for two terms as a county judge, and in 2012 was unanimously elected president of the Florida Conference of County Judges. She was appointed as a circuit

Chang began her professional career as an electrical engineer with VSE Corp., a U.S. Department of Defense contractor in Virginia, working on the design and production of military defense systems. She joined The Walt Disney Co. in 1998 and has since held executive roles within various business entities: Walt Disney World Resort, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts (Domestic and International Business Segments) and, most recently, Disney Vacation Development. Her areas of responsibility have included multimarket business development, diversity and inclusion, public affairs, internal communications, business intelligence, and operations. Her current role is director, Business Operations. Before Disney, she held leadership roles at AT&T and Lucent Technologies.

Committed to community service, Chang has volunteered and served on a number of community and industry boards, including the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro judge of the 12th Judicial Circuit in 2013.

On July 1, 2019, Bonner became the first woman to hold the position of Chief Judge of the 12th Judicial Circuit, unanimously elected by her fellow judges.

In 2020, Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Canady appointed Bonner to a statewide task force that addresses the courts and re-opening during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bonner serves as chair of the Education Committee for the Florida Conference of Circuit Court Judges and has been involved in judicial education for several years. In addition, she is involved civically with organizations such as the National Association of Women Judges, American Judicature Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, local historical societies and Sarasota County 4-H.

Orlando, Hispanic Business Initiatives Fund, Orlando Magic Youth Foundation, Disney/SBA National Entrepreneur Center, Coalition for the Homeless, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, Women Unlimited Inc., African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida and the American Resort Development Association. For her industry achievements and community service, the American Resort Development Association recognized her with the Circle of Excellence Woman on Her Way Award.

Chang also has served Stetson. Immediately following graduation, she joined the School of Business Administration Board of Advisors and later was board chair. Currently, she is a Stetson Trustee and chair of the Marketing and Enrollment Committee on the Board of Trustees. In fall 2012, she was the keynote speaker for Stetson’s convocation ceremony.

OUTSTANDING YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD

DOYLE E. CARLTON AWARD

The Outstanding Young Alumni Award is presented to up to two alumni who are 35 years of age or younger. The award recognizes contributions to society, to a profession or to the university.

COURTNEY WILLIAMS EDGCOMB ’12

As a student, Courtney Williams Edgcomb served her DeLand community as a Bonner Scholar — embracing and truly living out the program’s motto, “Let your life speak.” Soon after graduation, she began working with a nonprofit in Volusia County. Her dedication to service led her to the United Way, where she joined as a resource development manager and quickly rose through the ranks. Within six years and at only 27 years of age, she was named president of United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties.

While working tirelessly to improve her community and grow in her career, Edgcomb also earned a master’s degree in management from Troy University. Edgcomb is credited with the launch of Generation Impact, an initiative aimed at engaging young professionals to be- come involved with United Way, and her organization’s transition to Community Impact. She is a 2014 graduate of Leadership Daytona and a member of the Alumni Council. In 2020, she was named The Daytona Beach News-Journal‘s Young Nonprofit Professional of the Year.

DEREK JANSANTE ’11

Derek Jansante graduated cum laude from Stetson with his Bachelor of Business Administration. As a student, Jansante served in numerous student-leadership positions, most notably as vice president and president of the Student Government Association. He also participated in the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society, Beta Gamma Sigma International Business Honor Society and Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity.

Upon graduation, Jansante moved to Washington, D.C., to work for the LGBTQ Victory Fund & Institute, an organization dedicated to electing openly LGBTQ public officials nationwide. After three successful election years, including the election of the first openly LGBTQ U.S. senator, he sought a return to higher education. He took on the role of alumni relations coordinator at George Washington University, and while working, he earned a Master of Arts in Education and Human Development, specializing in higher education administration.

In 2016, Jansante went to American University and served as an academic adviser in the Kogod School of Business and an adjunct faculty member in the pilot of American University’s first-year experience course. He was promoted to assistant director of Kogod Honors & Advising in 2018 and then to director of Undergraduate Programs in the Kogod School of Business in 2019. Since 2016, he has been recognized by American University with the Outstanding New Academic Advisor Award, Outstanding Collaboration in Advising Award and Kogod Staff Award.

Jansante has been a committed and enthusiastic member of Stetson University’s Alumni Association Board of Directors since 2013. He concluded his second term in 2020 after serving as chapter chair and regional vice president.

The Doyle E. Carlton Award is presented to a graduate or friend of Stetson in recognition of devotion to Christian higher education and in appreciation for his/her extraordinary contribution to the life and development of Stetson, the city of DeLand and the state of Florida.

JANELLE WATSON ’59 AND WILLIAM “BILL” WATSON ’59

Just a few years after graduating from Stetson, Janelle and Bill Watson embarked on their longtime dream of owning a realty company. Founding the William A. Watson Corp. in 1965 was the beginning of Watson Realty. Combining hard work and sacrifice with the commitment to legendary service, the company grew into one of northeast Florida’s most respected real estate companies.

At Stetson, the young couple attended chapel once a week, and the Watsons chose to run their family business based on solid Christian ethics and values. Once, for example, Bill Watson was told by a manager that “the company was getting a reputation all over town for spending money to fix problems that weren’t their fault.” Always looking to do the right thing, Watson simply replied, “Isn’t that great?”

The Watsons are well known in their Jacksonville community for generosity. In DeLand, they have extended their philanthropic reach through Watson Field, the beautiful football practice field that lies along Amelia Avenue on campus. Also, Watson Realty Corp. and Watson Mortgage Corp. sponsored the first sales lab, the Watson Sales Lab, which is housed at Stetson’s School of Business Administration.

GEORGE AND MARY HOOD AWARD

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

The George and Mary Hood Award is given in honor of the late Dr. George Hood, former dean of students, professor and director of Student Counseling Services, and his wife, the late Mary Turner Hood, longtime assistant to President and Chancellor J. Ollie Edmunds, PhD. The award is presented annually to a member or friend of the Stetson community in recognition of his/her passion for, and commitment and contributions to, the university and its core values.

THE HON. LUIS A. MALDONADO ’01

The Hon. Luis Maldonado was a first-generation student. At Stetson, he had mentors who helped him reach his potential. He graduated in 2001, earning his degree in English, magna cum laude. That year, he was selected as a commencement speaker for his class; he also was honored with the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, the June Brooks Award for Social Activism and Public Service, and the Ann Morris Essay Prize, and was named one of the state’s top 20 student leaders by Florida Student Leader Magazine.

After graduating, Maldonado continued his education at the University of Florida, where he earned his Juris Doctorate cum laude. As he did at Stetson, he earned awards and recognition for his hard work inside and outside of the classroom.

Upon graduating from law school, Maldonado began his career working with the Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association for two years. In 2006, he joined the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as assistant chief counsel. He then became an associate legal adviser for the National Security Law Section within ICE in Washington, D.C. He returned to the Orlando office of ICE in 2011 as deputy chief counsel. In 2016, Maldonado relocated to Atlanta, where he served as an associate counsel with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. In March 2020, he was appointed an immigration judge for the Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review.

Maldonado has always remained involved at Stetson. He was a graduate of Leadership Stetson’s inaugural class and served as a member of the College of Arts & Sciences Advisory Board for six years before joining the Stetson University Board of Trustees in 2017. In addition, Maldonado continues to be an ardent financial and intellectual contributor to the university.

The Distinguished Service Award is presented annually to a graduate or friend of the university in recognition of their personal commitment to the ideals and objectives of the Stetson University Alumni Association and dedicated service and advancement of the goals of the university.

NANCY K. DAVES ’72

Nancy Daves earned a Bachelor of Arts in humanities from Stetson. She is a retired international marine conservation professional, now active in local environmental and civic issues, and is a member of the Advisory Council of Stetson’s Institute for Water and Environmental Resilience.

Daves had a distinguished 22-year career with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Service after working in the business and nonprofit arenas. At NOAA, she worked to establish a structure for constituent groups to provide input to the implementation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, coordinated all agency activities concerning international wildlife trade, and initiated a capacity-building program for developing countries to improve their marine conservation.

After retiring from NOAA, Daves quickly became involved as a volunteer to several organizations. At Stetson, she serves as a member of the College of Arts & Sciences Advisory Board, and also serves on numerous other boards.

RICHARD C. GEORGE ’76

Richard “Rich” George, a political science graduate (Bachelor of Arts), began his public career serving in key management positions as a Volusia County government administrator with an emphasis on growth management and public land acquisition. His most recent government position was as Seminole County’s Deputy County Administrator.

Since 1988, and until its sale in 2019, he had been president of R. George & Associates Inc., a DeLand-based company that designed and built libraries, media centers, computer centers and specialized spaces. In addition to serving as consultants around the country, R. George & Associates completed more than 1,500 projects in Florida, including the expansion and renovation of Stetson’s duPont-Ball Library and the Stetson College of Law Library.

George has served on the Stetson Greek Alumni Advisory Board and the College of Arts and Sciences Advisory Board, as well as taken various active roles with the Museum of Florida Art in DeLand. George was elected to the Board of Trustees in May 2012 and chaired the Facilities Management Committee. In addition, he and his wife, Lilis, have contributed to many initiatives at Stetson, including construction projects, academics and athletics.

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SWEETHEART STORY

A serendipitous legacy of Hatter family love

BY MICHAEL CANDELARIA

Take a good look around the room. There’s a good chance that your future husband or wife will be here.”

Both of Ashley Cole’s parents, Marcia Whitehead Cole ’73 and Steve Cole ’73, were alumni. Yet, when Ashley heard those words during her first-year orientation on campus in 2002, she laughed them off as silliness.

The advice turned out to be not so silly, after all.

“I remember hearing that, and it has just kind of stuck with me because, in our family, that is exactly what happened for all of us,” said Ashley ’06, MEd ’07, in March.

Stetson, of course, has its share of love stories, some of which run across multiple generations. This tale of romance, however, takes such serendipity almost to an extreme.

It all began when Marcia and Steve met in 1969. Steve was a year ahead, having arrived on campus in 1968. Each was from Maryland, although they met in DeLand. “They had to go to a different state to meet,” Ashley noted, “even though they were from the same state originally.”

That circumstance pales in comparison to what would follow.

Marcia, an education major, and Steve, a business major, dated throughout their time at Stetson. She isn’t quite sure how their paths crossed, commenting, “I don’t know; we just sort of met. It was all a blur. … I guess it was at various parties or ‘studying’ in the library; that was a nice meeting place to go study, but we actually didn’t study that much.”

Steve even stayed around an extra year to earn a teaching certificate, although Marcia added with a chuckle, “He took that extra year to stay at Stetson to get his teaching credentials and so we could spend time together.”

They married in 1975, setting the stage for the true twists of fate.

Aside from Ashley, Marcia and Steve had an older daughter, Stefanie, who also was an alumna, ’01. Growing up, the daughters had accompanied their parents to numerous Stetson Homecomings. The Coles all were in Greek life on campus, too, with the women being sorority sisters (Pi Beta Phi). That’s fun, but there is more.

Steve had a good friend and Sigma Nu fraternity brother, Mike Lenahan ’73, who had a son, John, who also attended Stetson and wound up marrying Stefanie.

Over the years, Steve and Mike had lost touch, only to bump into each other again at a parents’ meeting on campus for first-year students in 1997. As the story goes, that bump occurred when they both tried to sneak out of the meeting at the same time. Until then, the two didn’t know the other had a child attending Stetson. The conversation was sort of a simultaneous “what are you doing here?”

Stefanie and John, ’01, MBA ’03, were told by their dads that “you might run into each other here,” but they didn’t know each other at the time. Both in Greek life, they met during that first year and began dating as juniors. Ten years after meeting, they married.

About their initial friendship, Stefanie said, “I just thought it was super cool that we had a shared history.”

About their romance, she described, “It clicked, and it was wonderful.”

The story continues. Enter Ashley Cole and Shaun Whalen ’03.

Nemec Hall wasn’t Ashley’s first choice for a dorm, but she ended up there, prompting a laugh from her father, who noted that it used to be the old men’s dorm and that he lived there as a student. When it came time to move Ashley in, he noticed something else: It was his old room.

Then Ashley met Shaun. She lived in Upper Beta. Shaun, an upperclassman, lived in Lower Beta. Within two weeks, they met and dated through college before marrying in 2012 — 10 years after meeting.

“It was crazy to me. I complained a lot about [the small room] but living in Nemec was the exact reason why I met my husband,” said Ashley.

Two Stetson students from the late 1960s, their two daughters, a fraternity brother and his son, coincidental dorm accommodations. Splendid serendipitous Stetson timing.

As side notes, John Lenahan’s mother, Suzanne, worked in the alumni office after John’s parents had moved to DeLand when he started at Stetson. Also, Whalen’s stepfather, Richard Graves, ’02, was a professor at Stetson University College of Law.

Steve Cole passed in 2017, but before then he and Marcia had lived in Georgia, Texas, Washington state, Florida and Maryland, where he thrived in business and in education, while she taught elementary school. Their daughters and their alumni husbands have enjoyed similar career success. And there now are three young children, a girl and boy from Stefanie and John and a boy from Ashley and Shaun — all potential, and likely, future Hatters. Every time they get the chance, the parents take the three little cousins to Stetson to explore the campus, just like their parents did for them.

Surely, the cousins will learn of their Stetson family legacy.

“Needless to say,” Marcia said, “Stetson has a special place in our hearts.”

Stefanie, who as a student got a special kick out of seeing her father’s name carved into the cement near the duPont-Ball Library, still is best friends with her college roommate. And many other classmates have remained close.

“Our best friends are people we met at Stetson. … I think it’s rare,” she said.

Concluded Ashley: “Stetson, being such a small school where you really join the community, you wind up making so many bonds with different people that last a lifetime.”

Literally.

Editor’s note: Stetson’s Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement collects “Stetson Sweetheart” stories annually to celebrate Valentine’s Day. All submissions can be viewed in the albums on Facebook at www. facebook.com/stetsonalumni. Submit your stories and photos to alumni@stetson.edu to be featured next year.

1: Stefanie Cole ’01 and John Lenahan ’01, MBA ’03 have a girl and boy. Ashley Cole ’06, MEd ’07 and Shaun Whalen ’03 have a boy. 2: The legacy began with Marcia Whitehead Cole ’73 and Steve Cole ’73 meeting on campus in 1969. 3: Stefanie and John Lenahan married 10 years after their campus introduction. Their fathers are Stetson fraternity brothers. 4: Marcia and Steve Cole regularly returned to campus. Steve died in 2017. 5: Ashley and Shaun Whalen married in 2012, also 10 years after meeting. Both lived in Nemec Hall, where Steve Cole had lived years earlier — in the same dorm room as his daughter.