Stetson Magazine by Stetson University

STETSON U

FALL/WINTER 2023

1883-2023

Celebrating a Rich Past with Big Plans for the Future

BEGINNINGS

Start of a New Journey For Stetson’s incoming Class of 2027, while the university celebrates its No. 140, this is year No. 1 for them — moving forward into the unknown on campus and poised to add more history to a very rich past.

STETSON | Fall/Winter 2023

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STETSON

UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE FALL 2023 • VOLUME 39 • ISSUE 2

President

Christopher F. Roellke, PhD

Editor

Michael Candelaria

Designer

Kris Winters

Art and Photography

Stetson University Archives

Writers

28 Departments

Features

18 Remembering Innsbruck

BEGINNINGS Start of a New Journey

WELCOME We’re Not Done Yet!

INTELLIGENTSIA News and Notes About Knowledge

52 ATHLETICS Four-Ever Hatters 54 ALUMNI Celebrating Hatters Everywhere 62 THE CLASSES Accolades and Achievements 67 PARTING SHOT University Namesake, Original Hatter: John B. Stetson

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A poignant documentary and a purposeful rebuild of Hulley Tower will honor the three students who died in the 1979 avalanche — and the Soul of Stetson.

24 [COVER STORY] 1883-2023: 140 Reasons to Celebrate a Rich History (But Not All!)

38 Students Leading Today Three graduating seniors rose above others to receive top academic awards for 2022-2023.

Kate Bradshaw, Rick de Yampert, Cory Lancaster, Patricia Letakis, Ryan Marks, Christopher F. Roellke, PhD, Jack Roth, Alicia Scott, Tony Tussing ’65

Class Notes Editor Amy Dedes STETSON UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE is published by Stetson University, DeLand, FL 32723, and is distributed to its alumni, families, friends, faculty and staff. The magazine is printed on FSCcertified paper. STETSON UNIVERSITY: The College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business Administration and School of Music are at the historic main campus in DeLand. The College of Law is in Gulfport/St. Petersburg. The university also has one satellite center: the Tampa Law Center. The mission at Stetson is to provide an excellent education in a creative community where learning and values meet, and to foster in students the qualities of mind and heart that will prepare them to reach their full potential as informed citizens of local communities and the world.

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42 42 Professors Ensuring Tomorrow The winners of three faculty awards from 2022-2023 share an excellence that’s rooted in Stetson’s past, both in the classroom and in their general approach to teaching.

46 Stetson Law’s New Leader Meet Dean D. Benjamin Barros — 10 things to know.

50 58 Years as a Hatters Basketball Fan It was a ball and a blast — times I’ll never forget. And I even kept score.

ON THE COVER:

DeLand Hall (circa 1890) — where it all began for Stetson University. Photo: Stetson University Archives

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WELCOME

WE’RE NOT DONE YET! What a year to be part of our beloved Stetson University! As we celebrate our 140th anniversary, the past several months have been an absolute revelation to me. I knew, of course, that our university’s past was filled with a rich history of individual achievements and collective successes but, honestly, I underestimated the depth and beauty of these accomplishments. Yes, I had read about 1883. Henry DeLand founded DeLand Academy, a prep school. The entire school

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was housed in one building — DeLand Hall. A year after the school was founded, hatmaker John B. Stetson and his wife, Elizabeth, arrived in DeLand. Soon after the Stetson family arrived, Henry DeLand asked John B. Stetson to donate to his school, which then had a university curriculum and the new name of DeLand College. John B. agreed, and thus began a decades-long history of giving to, and shaping the future of a university that in 1889 was named John B. Stetson University. It's an incredible legacy. Indeed, while it makes sense to point out “140 reasons to celebrate Stetson,” as our cover story does in this magazine, this only touches the surface of the heroes and honors, accolades and accomplishments that have come before us. As I stated during our glorious 2023 Homecoming in October, “I stand on the shoulders of those courageous Presidents and Trustees who came before me. I stand on the shoulders of honored faculty and staff members who developed the profoundly personal teaching and learning community we enjoy today. I stand on the shoulders of you, our alumni, who love your alma mater for all it has given you.” But, Hatters, let me tell you: We are not done yet! In this magazine, you’ll read about some of our most recent accomplishments. Even more, we have launched a set of strategic priorities centered around the theme “From Florida Gem to National Treasure.” The global public health challenges over the last several years, coupled with other sociopolitical and economic factors, have created unprecedented opportunity in the higher education landscape. Students and their families are demanding a college education that is authentic, cost-effective and impactful. And, in this new environment, we intend to deliver! It is imperative that we capitalize on this current context to provide a first-class education that is innovative, interdisciplinary, contemporary and experiential — an education that not only builds on our rich traditions, but also embraces new ways of learning and new degree pathways for our students. Our Strategic Priorities (see graphic) are rooted in a “relationship-rich” education that fully respects and understands the importance of close collaboration between accomplished faculty, staff and students to improve the human condition. In fact, both classroom and out of classroom experiences at Stetson are often co-created among faculty, students,

alumni, community and corporate partners. We will work diligently to promote student-centered success through high-impact practices that permeate our entire enterprise. Our strategic investments will result in comprehensive sustainability, including environmental sustainability, human resource sustainability and overall financial sustainability. Judging from our history, it’s always been this way. Now, here is our promise going forward into the future: When students enroll at Stetson, we make a lifetime commitment to their success. And, to all Hatters of yesterday, today and tomorrow, let’s move forward together. GO HATTERS!

CELEBRATING 140

ON CAMPUS OCT. 25 SEE MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 37.

HOMECOMING 2023

OCT. 17-22 SEE MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 54.

Christopher F. Roellke, PhD President, Stetson University

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INTELLIGENTSIA

Stetson ranked No. 4 on the overall list of 135 Best Regional Universities (South).

Stetson Climbs in 2024 Rankings by U.S. News & World Report Stetson is ranked again in the Top 5 for Best Regional Universities (South) and has moved up in three categories, including Best Value Schools, in the 2024 rankings by U.S. News & World Report. Stetson ranked No. 4 on the overall list of 135 Best Regional Universities (South), the same spot as last year. In other key categories in the South, Stetson climbed in the rankings, reaching No. 10 for Best Value Schools, up from No. 12 last year. The university also rose eight spots to No. 4 for Best Undergraduate Teaching Programs and moved up three spots to No. 26 in Top Performers on Social Mobility. “Our continued improvement in these rankings reflects the deep commitment of our faculty and staff for academic excellence and our students’ success,” commented Stetson President Christopher F. Roellke, PhD. In addition, the Stetson College of Law ranked No. 1 in the nation for Trial Advocacy and No. 3 for Legal Writing in the 2024 rankings by U.S. News & World Report. Stetson is the only law school to consistently rank among the top schools in the nation in both Advocacy and Legal Writing year after year.

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N E W S

A N D

N O T E S

A B O U T

K N O W L E D G E

Stetson Rated Among Nation’s Best 389 Colleges For the ninth consecutive year, The Princeton Review has included Stetson among its Best 389 Colleges (2024 edition). Schools selected for The Princeton Review comprise only 15% of America’s four-year colleges and universities. Rob Franek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review and lead author of The Best 389 Colleges, noted: “Our selection of colleges for this book reflects our high opinion of the schools. We recommend each one as academically outstanding. Our ranking lists reflect the opinions of the school’s students — their customers — and their reports to us about their campus experiences.” Stetson students praised the university for keeping the focus on the individual, even while offering about 60 majors. Stetson provides small class sizes, readily available technology such as a 3D printer, and many opportunities for study abroad and other hands-on learning, catering to each student, they say. Students also noted the importance that Stetson places on their personal well-being through the low student-to-faculty ratio, saying this characteristic is “allowing me to work closely with my professors and develop a unique relationship with some of the best professionals in my field of study.” The profile also reveals the general student consensus remains that “Stetson is a place where genuine, lifelong friendships develop,” and, with a wide range of diversity in the backgrounds and experiences of students at Stetson, “everyone is given the opportunity to become a leader.” The Princeton Review is a comprehensive guide to the nation’s best colleges and provides in-depth profiles on schools, including detailed admissions information, ranking lists and rating scores, best-of lists by interest, candid student feedback, and student-driven details that help both students and parents to select their best-fit colleges.

Students praised the university for keeping the focus on the individual.

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INTELLIGENTSIA

‘College of Distinction’ Stetson is officially a “College of Distinction” for the 2023-2024 academic year. To be named a College of Distinction, a university must demonstrate excellence in undergraduate education in such areas as student engagement, teaching excellence, outcomes-based learning and community involvement. Stetson was recognized for providing a well-rounded, practical education that prepares students for successful careers and lives, the college guide said. The Colleges of Distinction’s selection process includes in-depth research and detailed interviews with the school, accepting only those that adhere to Four Distinctions: Engaged Students, Great Teaching, Vibrant Community and Successful Outcomes. In addition to being named a national and a Florida College of Distinction, Stetson was honored as a Best Business College, Best Education College, Best College for Equity & Inclusion and Best for Career Development. “We are deeply inspired by how Stetson University immerses students in their academic pursuits, fostering a welcoming community that provides unwavering support throughout their college years and beyond,” said Tyson Schritter, chief operating officer for Colleges of Distinction. After graduation from Stetson, students enjoy a 91% success rate, securing meaningful employment or graduate school admission. Also, Colleges of Distinction found a vibrant and diverse campus with more than 100 student organizations, 18 NCAA Division I athletic teams, and students from across the United States and 56 other countries. Unlike some college guides, Colleges of Distinction does not rank schools based on factors such as faculty salaries, endowment size and peer opinion. Instead, it selects schools for its national list of Colleges of Distinction, as well as a state list and in specialty areas like Business and Education. “We prefer to focus on the innovative ways that colleges all around the country are providing an enriching undergraduate experience,” Schritter noted. “We believe that engaged students are successful students.” — Cory Lancaster

Stetson was recognized for providing a well-rounded, practical education that prepares students for successful careers and lives.

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Stetson Selected For Fiske Guide To Colleges 2024 Add the Fiske Guide to Stetson’s current badge of honors. The university was named “one of the best and most interesting four-year colleges in the country.” The Fiske Guide to Colleges 2024, now in its 40th year, selects more than 320 colleges as the best and most interesting among the country’s 2,300 institutions, plus ones in Canada, Great Britain and Ireland. The bestselling guide bills itself as the “most authoritative source of information” for college-bound students and their parents. Stetson received praise for its “top-notch business programs and strengths in music, health sciences, and digital arts,” according to the guide, written by former New York Times education editor Edward B. Fiske.

Stetson received recognition for its “topnotch" programs, including in health sciences.

Stetson was cited as offering strong programs in accounting, professional sales, finance and entrepreneurship, as well as the Roland George Investments Program, where students oversee a portfolio worth $6 million in stocks and bonds. Also popular are majors in psychology, political science and biology. Class sizes are small, and “professors are always willing to help,” reported the guide, which has featured Stetson repeatedly through the years. The “one-on-one attention” from faculty allows students to graduate from the university “with solid academic foundations for future work or study.” — Cory Lancaster

The New Chaudoin Hall Built in 1892 as the oldest living and learning facility on campus — and hugely popular through the years as Stetson’s only all-female residential facility — Chaudoin Hall was renovated in time for the start of the Fall 2023 semester. The makeover, which began in summer 2022, encompassed both comfort and safety while preserving the historic charm of the three-story living space. Enhancements included the addition of energy-efficient insulation, new HVAC and fire sprinkler systems, accessibility ramps, and refinishing interiors (such as the grand staircase and millwork). Also, the redesign featured a two-bedroom apartment for a full-time staff member, and each floor has a laundry room with three pairs of washers and dryers, along with collaboration spaces for lounging and studying. Plus, of course, the renovation serves to link current students to the university’s past. — Michael Candelaria

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INTELLIGENTSIA

Stetson Receives Silver Rating for Sustainability The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education has recognized Stetson with a STARS Silver rating for its accomplishments in campus sustainability. That’s STARS as in the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System — a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. Stetson received a STARS Bronze rating after its first sustainability audit in 2012. The new, higher rating comes by virtue of continued efforts to create an increasingly sustainable campus, reflecting its core value of environmental stewardship. The rating, valid through August 2026, covers university academics, engagement, operations, and innovation and leadership. A few examples: Charging stations are available on campus for electric cars. The university is working to reduce energy and water consumption by 18%, and it uses reclaimed water for irrigation. Students also can pursue degrees in Environmental Science and Studies and participate in projects through the Environmental Sustainability Fellows program. To document Stetson's ongoing progress, Robert Sitler, PhD, professor of World Languages and Cultures, took a sabbatical from teaching to lead the

audit during the Spring 2023 semester. As environmental sustainability rapidly becomes a critical world issue, Stetson strives to not only raise student awareness, but also to one day attain its hope of becoming the premier “green” institution in Florida, according to President Christopher F. Roellke, PhD. The STARS Silver rating follows The Princeton Review selecting Stetson for its 2023 Guide to Green Colleges, which recognized the university for the seventh time as one of the nation’s most environmentally responsible institutions.

Professor Robert Sitler, PhD, led the audit of campus sustainability.

DID YOU KNOW? As the fall semester began, James (Jim) Kurtz was named the university’s new director of Public Safety and Emergency Management. Kurtz has more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement. For five years, he served as director of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Manager for Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. His law enforcement leadership includes serving as the Health, Safety and Security director for Minnesota’s largest special education school district for 27 years, including nine years as chief of Police and Emergency Preparedness director, patrol officer, DARE officer, sergeant, detective, lieutenant, and tactical team member. Kurtz holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in law enforcement and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. He is also a FEMA-certified emergency manager.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Jason Evans, PhD

Water Institute Attracts Additional NSF Funding Thanks to a $1 million Stage 2 Civic Innovation Challenge award from the National Science Foundation, Stetson’s Institute for Water and Environmental Resilience is beginning a research-based pilot project to reduce flooding and improve water quality in the nearby City of Cape Canaveral. Jason Evans, PhD, the water institute executive director and associate professor of Environmental Science, is the principal investigator for the project. He is leading a large collaborative team that includes the City of Cape Canaveral, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, East Central Florida Regional Planning Council, Florida Sea Grant and multiple other community partners. Last year, the team received a $50,000 Stage 1 CIVIC planning grant from NSF to research and hold community design workshops in Cape Canaveral, where old stormwater drainage systems are struggling in the face of sea-level rise. Regarding the new grant, the Institute-led team was one of 19 projects selected across the nation and Puerto Rico. Other agencies partnering with NSF on the CIVIC program include the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Over the 12-month grant, the team will install and carefully measure the performance of the bioswale project in terms of increased flood control, enhanced nutrient removal, and biodiversity and aesthetic values associated with a diverse Florida-native and Florida-friendly landscape plan. Citizen volunteers and Stetson undergraduate student researchers will work closely with the team on all of the research aspects. The team will also share lessons with other communities, helping to shape future stormwater and flood management policies. — Cory Lancaster

Victoria Ramon, a second-generation Cuban-American, is Stetson’s inaugural Ginsburg Fellow — one of six students at Central Florida universities to serve in the inaugural Ginsburg Fellows Program, which was founded by the Winter Parkbased (Florida) Ginsburg Family Foundation. The program seeks to be a “civic engagement incubator” by supporting “a cohort of local youth leaders who aim to be positive activists against social injustice and all forms of prejudice and bigotry,” according to the foundation’s website. Ramon, a junior, is a self-defined Social Justice and Community Engagement major. Also, she’s the student director of Stetson Votes, a voter registration and education group. Her career goal is to “do nonprofit work in domestic violence, sexual assault, ally-ship and advocacy, while maybe during elections years still volunteering for campaigns when I can,” she said. The Ginsburg family and its foundation, established by real estate developer and entrepreneur Alan H. Ginsburg, have close ties to Stetson. Grandson Joseph Ginsburg graduated from Stetson in May 2021. Joseph’s late parents, Jeffrey and Diane Ginsburg, were also Stetson alumni. A $2 million donation by the foundation led to the renovation of a red-brick, 1930 Tudor-style home on Florence Avenue for Stetson Hillel. The building, dedicated in 2019, marked the first time the Stetson chapter of the international Jewish campus organization had its own dedicated place on the DeLand campus.

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INTELLIGENTSIA

New Cross-Cultural Center Opens

School of Music students Isabel (Izzy) Barbato and Nidia GuevaraNolasco (right)

School of Music Partners with Opera Orlando on Apprenticeship Program Stetson’s School of Music and Opera Orlando have partnered to launch an Apprenticeship Pilot Program, beginning this fall. The partnership provides selected students with a professional, on-stage experience that also counts as class credit, resulting in a “very unique opportunity that is not seen much throughout the country,” cited Gabriel Preisser, general director and CEO of Opera Orlando. Preisser added the audition process “was very competitive, which speaks to the high level of talent at Stetson University, and we are honored to be working with these stars of tomorrow.” The students selected, Nidia Guevara-Nolasco and Isabel (Izzy) Barbato, were nominated to compete for a spot in the program alongside other colleagues. Those nominations were based on their outstanding record in opera productions and their academic performance at Stetson. The students auditioned and ultimately were chosen to be the first Apprentices by the artistic and general directors of Opera Orlando. The Opera Orlando Apprenticeship culminated in two performances of Puccini's “Tosca” in Steinmetz Hall at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in late October. In addition to the students, the opera featured conductor Eiki Isomura, professional opera singers and chorus from Opera Orlando, as well as the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. As senior Voice Performance majors in the Bachelor of Music degree program, the students have appeared in shows with Stetson Opera Theatre, where they have honed their skills in lead roles. “Our school has a tradition of excellence in preparing artists and educators of the highest caliber. Izzy and Nidia are exceptional ambassadors of that tradition,” commented Stetson School of Music Dean Washington Garcia, DMA.

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Stetson’s Cross-Cultural Center, affectionately known as the Tri-C, has been relocated to the historic “Brick Palace,” formerly home to the Office of University Marketing (now in the Marshall & Vera Lea Rinker Welcome Center). In turn, Stetson’s Multicultural Student Council has a new place to continue advancing cultural, social and intellectual engagement on campus. Among other physical components, the new Tri-C comes fully equipped with a kitchen, dining room, event space, an outdoor veranda for social gathering, indoor lounge and a customized foot-washing station that accommodates students’ religious preparations before prayer in the second-floor prayer room. The home was designed in 1921 and has a rich heritage, becoming known during the late 1960s and early 1970s as the “Brick Palace” by students who enjoyed hanging out in the basement recreation room. Mostly, the center now is a “space that promotes harmony and understanding among individuals of various identities,” said Cayla Skeete ’24, who majors in Biology and Psychology and is president of the Multicultural Student Council. “It has the capacity to overcome divides, knock down obstacles and foster a sense of community that transcends borders, ethnicities and backgrounds.” — Alicia Scott

The Cross-Cultural Center 's ribbon-cutting in late August

Jeff Altier

Director of Athletics Jeff Altier to Retire in March Jeff Altier, who began his association with Stetson University as a student-athlete in 1980, will retire as Director of Athletics after 27 years in that position, effective March 31, 2024. In August 2024, Altier will then return to the university as a major gifts officer in the Office of Development, with a focus on continuing efforts toward a major renovation of the Edmunds Center and creating an Athletics endowment. During the announcement near the start of the fall semester,

DID YOU KNOW? Kristie Perez was named Stetson’s new director of Student Counseling Services, which provides a haven for students to feel safe and welcome and receive top-quality mental health care. Support is the top priority. Perez has more than 25 years of clinical experience as a mental

Altier commented: “I'm stepping down as athletic director, but I'm not departing the university. Everything about Stetson and this job has been a passion. And that isn’t changing.” The Altier-Stetson relationship has spanned five decades. Altier ’82 MEd ’87 played baseball for Coach Pete Dunn, serving as captain in 1982 for a team that was nationally ranked and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. His first employment at Stetson came that same year — as a lifeguard at the Hollis Center pool that held no water. A few years later, after volunteering as a baseball coach and helping raise funds to pay his own salary, Altier became a fulltime assistant. Then, after six years with the Hatter baseball program, he was offered a move to the administrative side of Stetson Athletics on a full-time basis. He became Director of Athletics in 1996. Since that time, Altier has guided Hatters Athletics to nearly unprecedented heights — more than doubling the number of participants with the addition of teams and facilities, along with the campus introduction of club sports. Also, numerous new facilities were constructed. In 2012, Altier achieved his longtime dream. Stetson football returned following a 57-year hiatus (to play the following year), women’s lacrosse and women’s beach volleyball became official NCAA sports on campus. Today, all totaled, more than 450 student-athletes have the opportunity to compete annually at Stetson on a national stage in 18 sports. “I’m the one who has been lucky and fortunate with all of this,” he said during his announcement. — Michael Candelaria

health administrator and counselor specializing in young adults in high-intensity situations. After earning a Bachelor of Science in psychology and a Master of Science in social work from Grand Valley State University in Michigan, Perez operated and owned a mental health agency for 20 years throughout northwest Indiana. “I hope that the counseling

center becomes a place where everyone is welcome and that it harbors a feeling of rest from the hustle and bustle of campus life, where you can breathe and take a moment for yourself,” Perez commented, adding, “I would love to see it become a part of the weekly self-care routine to stop by the counseling center for students and faculty alike.”

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INTELLIGENTSIA

DID YOU KNOW? Viviana Vasiu ’15 JD ’18 has been assigned to the United States Sentencing Commission, which sets sentencing policies and practices for the federal courts. Her yearlong term began in September. She is one of four individuals chosen for a prestigious U.S. Supreme Court fellowship. Prior to starting her term, Vasiu served as a clerk for the Hon. Gregory H. Woods in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. She has also clerked for another Double Hatter, the Hon. Anthony E. Porcelli ’93, JD ’98 of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. In addition, she participated in the Attorney General’s Honors Program at the U.S. Department of Justice, where she was a Trial Attorney in the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the Criminal Division. A native of Romania, Vasiu earned her bachelor’s degree summa cum laude. At Stetson Law, she was editor-in-chief of the Stetson Law Review, as well as a star moot court competitor, and she had five scholarly articles published. She earned her JD magna cum laude.

Biology Professor Awarded NSF Grant for Robust Lab Research Assistant Biology Professor Jean Smith, PhD, was awarded a $502,998 grant from the National Science Foundation. Only 62 grants were awarded through NSF’s new funding source. Smith — a molecular biologist whose research focuses on the genetics and cell biology of fungal cell-cell fusion — is the only grant recipient in Florida. The grant will help to create a robust research lab by funding the purchase of reagents and specialized equipment, such as a microscope to allow for genetic manipulation of yeast, as well as allowing time and energy to complete high-caliber research that uncovers the mechanisms of cell fusion. Also, the funds will enable Smith to hire a laboratory technician to aid in the daily upkeep of the research space and projects that Natural Sciences faculty now do on their own. The work will be performed by Smith, along with undergraduates majoring in biology or molecular and cellular biology. The award is the largest single-investigator grant from NSF given to a pre-tenured faculty member at Stetson. “As an early-career faculty member at Stetson, I aim to teach rigorous, student-centered courses that give students a strong fundamental biology base for success in future endeavors, to advise students, so they can be successful at Stetson and identify their best future path, and to set up a vibrant research lab that will identify the mechanisms of cell fusion and introduce students to research,” said Smith, who will commit two months of work on the project each summer over the course of three years.

Professor Jean Smith, PhD, (on left) is a molecular biologist whose research focuses on the genetics and cell biology of fungal cell-cell fusion.

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New University Fundraising Record Set Again For the second consecutive year, Stetson has established a new fundraising record — raising $65 million during the 2023 fiscal year (ending June 30) for student scholarships, renovations and other areas across the institution. During fiscal 2022, the university raised $52.2 million, setting a record at the time. Approximately 75% of the funds raised during the two years will go to student scholarships. "These gifts will provide a superior education to thousands of students who might not otherwise attend Stetson University," commented Krista Bofill, executive vice president and chief of development. In addition to scholarships, Stetson raised money for the $8.2 million renovation of Melching Field at Conrad Park, a cost split with the city of DeLand, to upgrade the stadium's seating, videoboard and other amenities for Stetson Baseball. The philanthropy also supports several other areas of the university, including such programs as the Center for Public Opinion Research and Sustainable Food Systems; space in buildings, such

DID YOU KNOW? By virtue of its continuing efforts, Green, White & You, Stetson’s student philanthropy program, has been a winner for a long time. Now, it’s a winner in a different category — earning a 2023 CASE Circle of Excellence Award for Student Engagement. Each year, CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education) recognizes best practices in advancement and outstanding people who contribute to the growth and understanding of the advancement profession. Meanwhile, the Circle of Excellence Awards

Krista Bofill

as the College of Law’s new Advocacy Institute and Chaudoin Hall; Athletics support for facilities, teams, coaches and players; professional certifications for students; and other initiatives in the School of Music, the School of Business Administration, and Religious and Spiritual Life. “Though this extraordinary philanthropy represents an investment in Stetson’s future, it also represents a deep and authentic confidence in Stetson’s present,” said Stetson President Christopher F. Roellke, PhD. — Cory Lancaster

“showcase the impact advancement professionals have upon their institutions and communities around the globe, every day.” In all, CASE membership totals more than 90,000 educational advancement professionals. Founded in 2016, Green, White & You is designed to teach the importance of staying connected to the university and educating students on how they can give back. The organization is composed of fun, dedicated, philanthropicspirited students who love Stetson. They work together to educate and engage fellow students through

activities and more than 20 yearly events, highlighting Stetson as a philanthropic cause worthy of investing their time, talent, treasure and ties. In turn, CASE described Green, White & You as “an admirable campaign for philanthropy awareness that is led by students and contributes to raising awareness across campus.” Commented Krista Bofill, executive vice president and chief of Development: “The Green, White & You students are our future alumni who will lead Stetson engagement for the next generation to enjoy.”

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REMEMBERING

INNSBRUCK A poignant documentary and a purposeful rebuild of Hulley Tower will honor the three students who died in the 1979 avalanche — and the Soul of Stetson. BY RICK DE YAMPERT

STETSON | Fall/Winter 2023

ildred Cross Spalding was awestruck that January night in 1979 as she and 39 of her Stetson classmates took some free time to walk the streets of Innsbruck, Austria. The city was one of the stops during the business school’s trans-Europe, study abroad trip led by Edward Furlong, then-Dean of Stetson’s School of Business Administration, and Joe Master, revered professor of Accounting. “It had snowed 3 feet, and it was like a picture postcard,” says Spalding, who was known as Mimi during her Stetson days. “It couldn’t have been a prettier night.” The next day — Jan. 15, 1979 — many Hatters were excited to ski the slopes of 6,300-foot-high Seegrube Mountain near Innsbruck, but authorities closed the mountain due to an avalanche threat from the heavy snow. By late morning, however, the decision was made to open the slopes to skiers. Jill Jinks ’79 “had never been on skis,” she describes. Despite being the star quarterback of the Tri Delta championship flag football team, she was relegated to the beginners’ area known as the “bunny slope,” even though that spot was unnervingly close to a ledge.

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Standing on her skis, Jinks, like other Hatters, says she “heard absolutely no sound” during the moment she “looked up, and I watched the mountain come apart.” Stuart Pavlik ’79 recalls hearing something. “People say when an avalanche breaks there’s no sound,” Pavlik says. “But in my mind I heard something. I’m still trying to ponder what that was.” Spalding, who was on the slope standing “1 foot away” from classmate Katy Resnik, remembers the wall of fast-moving snow “looked to be three blocks away. Katy and I were looking at each other like, ’What are we supposed to do?’” Spalding turned around and the snow “went straight over me on the backside and took my gloves off. Katy was swept into a drift under the ski lift.” Spalding was buried under 3 feet of snow and ice. Resnik and other Hatters were submerged by the snow, too. 20

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“I was panicky and hyperventilating,” Spalding says. “I was able to move just enough snow to get maybe an inch air pocket with my nose. I realized I can’t be panicky and hyperventilating or I’ll die in a minute. So, I had to go into low gear and just lay there. Prayed, thought about my loved ones, of course. It was super quiet. I thought I was going to die.” Fifteen minutes later, she “heard the dogs, and I had hope I would get rescued,” she continues. Professional rescue personnel and Austrian townspeople had been summoned to the mountain by the region’s numerous belltowers sounding their bells to form a rescue crew. Jinks and other Hatters not engulfed by the avalanche joined the rescuers, some 200 strong. Aided by dogs that could sniff humans’ scent, the rescuers formed a long line and slowly trudged side by side up the slope, poking long, thin poles into the snowdrifts, hoping to feel life. As Jinks had watched the mountain come apart, “I recall thinking, ’I wonder what they are going to tell my dad because I’m about to die.’” The wall of snow and ice stopped just feet away. But Jinks was untouched by the rampaging snow, and she became part of the rescue group that found classmate Hunt Parry: “Hunt was white like a sheet of paper. He looked up and said, ’Wow, I was just about to go to sleep’ — suffocate.” After locating Spalding 15 minutes after the avalanche, rescuers needed another 15 minutes to extricate her. “It was difficult to get me out because I was quite hysterical,” Spalding says. “I was the last one rescued alive.” She was crying and her hands were frostbitten, but otherwise she was unhurt. Stetson students Katy Resnik, Scotty Fenlon and Dennis Long were lost to their families, friends, classmates and the entire

Stetson community that day. The next day, “THREE U.S. STUDENTS KILLED IN AVALANCHE IN ALPS,” proclaimed the headline of a New York Times photo on Page A2. “Katy stood 1 foot away from me during the avalanche and she died, and I lived,” says Spalding, an Atlanta resident and retired interior designer who works with nonprofit agencies. “I always think about ’How did that happen to her and not me?’” THE AFTERMATH . . . AND REMEMBERING 44 YEARS LATER Some Hatters decided to continue the study abroad trip. Others returned home immediately. “Staying gave me time to process and heal versus hopping on a plane and going back to the U.S.,” says Susan Perry Brockway ’79, a Boca Raton resident, retired accountant, community volunteer and vice chair of Stetson’s Board of Trustees. “There was a lot of anger, especially with a lot of the guys. It was like ’How could this happen? Why?’” Three funerals. A memorial service in the chapel of Elizabeth Hall, with the Eloise Chimes of Hulley Tower ringing across campus. And then … . “Your life goes on is the best way to say it,” Brockway says. At the time, there was preparing for graduation and for new careers. Yet, across the ensuing decades, that fateful day “has been really heavy on my heart,” Brockway adds. In early 2023, Brockway got a call from Jinks out of the blue. Jinks said, “I really want to do something; we need to do something.” Brockway’s response: “Jill, you found the right person because it’s been heavy on my heart, too.” It was time to remember — palpably, publicly. LOOKING BACK IN SADNESS, LOOKING FORWARD IN COMMUNITY Jinks, a Stetson Trustee and insurance executive with a degree in finance and economics, and a doctorate in education

from the University of Georgia, joined the faculty of Stetson’s Summer Innsbruck Program in 2022. Despite the location, the program, now in its 27th year, is not a direct descendant of the 1979 study abroad trip. But that long-ago trip loomed large and heavy in Jinks’ heart as she shared her memories a few years ago with Innsbruck summer program co-director John Tichenor, PhD, associate professor of Management. As Jinks recalls, “John was shaking his head going, ’Jill, we don’t know this; why don’t we know this?’ “People are shocked when I tell the story now. They go, ’Jill, I’m so sorry — I had no idea.’” Jinks sought change. An Atlanta resident, she reached out to Rina Arroyo, chief of staff and senior Development officer, Office of the President. Arroyo was stunned to learn about the 1979 tragedy, and at one point she began crying as Jinks shared her story of Innsbruck — and how that horrific day had been largely put in the past, forgotten. Jinks asked Arroyo’s help “to reach out to my friends and fellow students to ask them to do remembrances,” even though Jinks had little idea of how those remembrances might bear fruit. “I was surprised that I had not heard about the 1979 Innsbruck tragedy – I had been at Stetson for nearly two decades and had not heard about the tragedy,” comments Arroyo. “The story had nearly been lost to time at Stetson. If you think about

it, it was a different day and age back then … no cellphones, no social media, no 24-hour news cycles. Communication was different and lives were different. But rest assured, those affected by the tragedy — classmates as well as faculty, administrators and staff who were at Stetson in 1979 — had not forgotten. I was honored when Jill invited me to help her reconnect with classmates and begin the journey of remembrance, and memorializing Dennis, Katy, and Scotty.” A DOCUMENTARY STARTED AND A TOWER REBORN One of the alumni contacted, Jep Barbour ’79 JD ’82, did not make the trip to Innsbruck in 1979, but Scotty Fenlon was his first cousin, a “very good friend,” a “tremendous athlete” and a Sigma Nu fraternity brother from Thomasville, Georgia. “It was very devastating for me, and it’s still a tough thing to deal with,” says Barbour, now a Jacksonville attorney. “That was the first time I had ever lost a friend or even heard of someone my age losing someone their age.” Barbour spoke at that memorial service in Lee Chapel of Elizabeth Hall all those years ago. The Sigma Nu house erected a flagpole and placed a marble stone in Fenlon’s memory; his football jersey still hangs in the fraternity’s trophy case. Nonetheless, as Barbour describes, “Everybody moved on with their lives.” As the Innsbruck ’79 alumni were reconnecting with Arroyo’s help, it was like

a candle had been lit that quickly “turned into a fuse,” Jinks says. It was Barbour’s idea to create a video documentary, and Karen Schmitt Roberts ’80, a North Palm Beach resident who sits on the advisory board for the College of Arts and Sciences, quickly and eagerly supported that idea. “It’s something that has very profoundly impacted my life because I’ve never forgotten them,” Roberts says. Especially during holidays or attending such life milestones as a wedding, she will think about her three classmates, “who were on a journey with you, and they’re not getting to do those things.” Haunted by the tragic beauty of the bells that had rung out on that fateful day in 1979, and later that night as the local townsfolk lined the streets holding candles while the Stetson entourage proceeded to a local church, someone in those early discussions proposed incorporating Hulley Tower into any sort of memorial. After sustaining damage during the 2004 hurricane season, Hulley Tower had been dismantled the following year, leaving intact only its mausoleum base where Stetson President Lincoln Hulley, PhD, and his wife, Eloise, remain interred today. The tower’s 11 bronze bells, named the Eloise Chimes, were salvaged and installed in various campus locations, and/or donated to community organizations. A restoration of Hulley Tower was embraced by the alumni, and an official steering committee, with Barbour and Roberts serving as co-chairs, was formed

Following the tragedy, a memorial service was held in Lee Chapel on campus.

Stetson.edu/today | STETSON

As part of the plans to restore Hulley Tower, a documentary film was created, which was premiered during October’s Homecoming.

in early 2023 to oversee both a documentary film and the tower rebuild. The university has applied for a $500,000 historic preservation grant from the State of Florida, which entails a cash match. While that grant decision won’t be made until June 2024, the alumni have raised $500,000 in cash and irrevocable pledges for the rebuilding of Hulley Tower. A group of 12 alumni, trustees, neighbors, administrators and architects represented Stetson during the review process in Tallahassee, and the request ranked ninth out of 45 applications. The group is hopeful after that very positive outcome. In addition to the grant process, the architects selected to oversee the historical reconstruction and surrounding courtyard design hosted a visioning session on campus with 70 stakeholders in attendance, including alumni, students, neighbors, city officials, faculty and staff. The “charrette” and subsequent focus groups will help to inform the design of the courtyard surrounding Hulley Tower. There is a strong desire for that space to be a place of remembrance, a place where 22

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various communities can come together and “feel” the soul of the campus. Ongoing discussions with architects will determine the scope and final costs of the restoration. Alumni also plan to purchase three bells crafted at the Grassmayr Bell Foundry in Innsbruck, and install them in the restored bell tower as a memorial to their departed friends. A fourth bell to honor the Innsbruck rescuers and a fifth bell in remembrance of survivors of the tragedy may be added. The plans for the historically reconstructed tower include a full 52-bell carillon. Washington Garcia, DMA, dean of the School of Music, is leading that portion of the design process. And You Films, a DeLand-based company headed by Will Phillips ’05 and Brendan Rogers ’07, producers and co-owners, is creating the video documentary. Alex Barratt, a New York-based digital video technician, also contributed stunning Innsbruck videography to the story. Barratt is the son of Tom (Toby) Barratt ’79, who was on the mountain that fateful day.

In July, Jinks, Brockway, Roberts, Spalding and Pavlik attended an alumni reunion in Innsbruck, along with university President Christopher F. Roellke, PhD; Steven Alexander, Board of Trustees chair; Dean Garcia; Arroyo; and other staff and faculty. The alumni experienced an emotional reunion with four members of the original rescue team. A number of attendees were interviewed on camera about their experiences those 44 years ago, with the footage contributing to the documentary. Stetson’s School of Music has created original music for the film. In addition to a final version of the film, plans call for a shorter piece that can be shown to the Stetson community every year, perhaps during Homecoming, “in the vein of remembrance,” says Amy Gipson, associate vice president of Development and Communications, who also went to Austria and is Stetson’s lead person on the documentary. (A screening occurred during the 2023 Homecoming.) Arroyo says she, Gipson and Krista Bofill, executive vice president and chief of Development, “are supporting this effort, but we are not leading it. It’s all been grassroots through this group of alumni. They are leading it, and it has been beautiful to experience.” SCOTTY, DENNIS, KATY AND THE ’SOUL OF STETSON’ “Scotty was kind of a rock star on campus because he was such a great athlete, and he was just a great guy,” Jinks remembers. “I knew him to be really kind and, as we said then, a well-mannered Southern gentleman.” “We were only a year apart in age and had similar interests in sports, especially golf, as we played in a number of junior tournaments together,” says Barbour. “He never told me, but I suspect he likely came to Stetson, at least in part, because I was there and it was a good fit for him. He joined my fraternity, Sigma Nu, and we had some great times together. “Scotty was an easy-going, fun-loving, young man who had a great future ahead of him. I regret that we were not able to

grow up, raise families and grow old together, sharing the joys and challenges of life.” “Dennis and I were friends, and he was my roommate on the trip,” says Pavlik, who runs a marketing services company in Jupiter, Florida, that works with nonprofits as well as the outdoors/recreational fishing industry. Dennis’ death “prompted me to make some life changes,” adds Pavlik, who had considered applying to law school but realized his heart wasn’t in it. “I changed my mind to the point where I thought, ’I’m going to do something that I’m interested in because I don’t know if I’m going to be here tomorrow.’ I didn’t make the most lucrative choices, but quite frankly I’ve never looked back and never been sorry for it,” he says. Dennis’ mother mailed Pavlik an engraved graduation watch she had purchased for her son. “That was very moving to receive that from her,” Pavlik says. Brockway and Katy were sorority sisters in Pi Beta Phi. “Katy was from Massachusetts,” Brockway says. “She was quiet and a really deep-soul person. There were a number of Pi Phi’s on the trip, as well. She was a wonderful friend and thoughtful person. “She came to Stetson a few years older than the typical freshman, having worked for a year or so out of high school. Her

Dennis Long

maturity added a wonderful dimension to our chapter, and her Massachusetts background was a welcome difference since most of our Pi Phi sisters were Floridians. It is wonderful to know that the Katharine Resnik award we established in her memory continues to be given to a Stetson Pi Phi to this day. I am humbled and honored to be a part of the project to rebuild Hulley Tower and in doing so remembering and honoring Katy, Scotty and Dennis.” While the documentary will look back, the Innsbruck 1979 alumni are hopeful, even adamant, that their project will serve the present and point to the future. “As this project evolved, we started calling it the ’Soul of Stetson’ because there’s something about this place that anchors people to it,” concludes Arroyo. “Jill talks about it as her ’why’ — it’s why she keeps coming back to this place and giving her time, her energy, her love, her resources, why she’s a Trustee. It’s this soul that anchors her here. She will oftentimes say, ’It’s in the dirt.’” The alumni hope the restored Hulley Tower will be not just a memorial for their three friends, but that the monument, according to one steering committee document, “comes alive through programming, traditions, celebrations and remembrance.” “I didn’t want to rebuild another vertical lighthouse that just sits there on

Katy Resnik

campus,” Pavlik asserts. “President Roellke was very open to the idea that it would be a focus or gathering place for current students, even if it’s a bulletin board area where people get their news about what’s happening on campus. Or perhaps have yoga in the morning at dawn, and acoustic guitar in the evening.” The tower, Pavlik and other alumni believe, will not only be a monument to yesterday, but also a testament to tomorrow. That message, according to Pavlik: “Whatever knocks you down, there is going to be a tomorrow. Continue on. Keep moving forward. That’s what I’m hoping someone gets from this.” “This desire has created an alumnidriven, and administration-supported, movement dubbed ’The Soul of Stetson,’ says Jinks. “It goes beyond what happened in 1979 to incorporate what is pure and true about our university — that its core values have stood the test of time, and, by standing tall, these values connect and sustain the Then, the Now and the Next. It is about creating spaces and rituals that are founded on our shared values. And that is good … .” Editor's note: If you would like to know more about these events, or want to watch the documentary or contribute to the Hulley Tower reconstruction, visit Stetson.edu/rememberinginnsbruck. Or, contact Amy Gipson at agipson@stetson.edu.

Scotty Fenlon Stetson.edu/today | STETSON

Lee Chapel, 2023.

Holler Fountain, 1951.

Hammocking.

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1883-2023: 140 REASONS TO CELEBRATE A RICH HISTORY (BUT NOT ALL!) BY MICHAEL CANDELARIA

hy celebrate Stetson’s history from 1883 to now? There are so, so many reasons. Here are 140 of them, and there are many more. Also, this alphabetical compilation is about inherent university events, distinctiveness and places — not about noteworthy Stetson people. Simply, there are too many people to mention! So, here goes: Stetson.edu/today | STETSON

Center for Community Engagement/Bonner Program.

A–C

“All Who Came Before Us.” Those were the words used by Stetson President Christopher F. Roellke, PhD, during his 2023 Presidential State of the University Address at Homecoming in late October. Roellke was referring to the university’s multitude of historymakers through the years. Athletic Training Center. The 25,000-square-foot building, prompted by the growth of NCAA team sports on campus in 2012-2013, houses locker rooms and areas for sports medicine and strength/conditioning. Baptist Church. Stetson’s affiliation with the Florida Baptist Convention and Southern Baptists began in 1885 and didn’t officially end until 1995. While no longer active, that affiliation is an important part of the university’s rich past. Bonner Program. Since 2005, the Bonner Program has been a catalyst for student-led community transformation and social justice at Stetson.

5 Brown Center for Faculty

Innovation and Excellence. The center promotes faculty vitality and vibrancy in all facets of faculty life (learning and teaching, scholarship, leadership and service) by offering programming, mentoring and consultancy that spurs innovation and sustains excellence. Campus Blood Drives. The Big Red 26

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Chaudoin Hall, 1901.

Bus is a staple on campus outside the CUB area. Cancer Research. Undergraduate Biology students study cures under the watchful eyes of professors. Candlelight Concerts. The holiday showcase of more than 200 student musicians typically performs to sellout crowds.

Center for Community Engagement. The center plays the lead role in directing a nationally recognized campuswide engagement program that is delivered through both curricular and co-curricular avenues. The mission: create opportunities for student learning through community impact.

10 Center for Public Opinion

Research. Focused on independent non-partisan survey research, the center produces insight about how the public thinks about politics, the economy and other social issues. Centurion Sales Labs. Housed in the School of Business Administration, the program provides advanced training in professional sales to students and working professionals. Chaudoin Hall. See Page 11.

Cici & Hyatt Brown Hall for Health & Innovation. Its opening last year made history on multiple fronts. Not only was the building the result of Stetson’s largest charitable gift — by longtime university benefactors and

Trustees Cici and Hyatt Brown — but it also established a truly vital science complex on campus. The two-story, 40,000-square-foot building connects to Sage Hall. City of DeLand Relationship. For many decades the close and cooperative partnership has aided both campus and community growth.

Class Photo Following Orientation. It’s an annual rite of passage — see Page 2

15 College of Law. Founded in 1900, Stetson Law is still making big history — this year once again ranked No. 1 in trial advocacy and No. 3 in legal writing by U.S. News & World Report. Stetson Law was Florida’s first law school, and the first law school in Florida to admit women. The first female lawyer graduated in 1908. In 1954, when an enrollment boom after World War II prompted Stetson to look elsewhere for campus locations, the university chose Gulfport in Tampa Bay, on a 17-building/21-acre site of the former Hotel Rolyat (built in 1925). Today, the student enrollment hovers around 1,000. Another bit of history: Stetson was the first law school in Florida to require pro bono service by students and faculty. Commencement. Celebrations for the 2024 Commencement ceremonies are scheduled for May 10-11 at Spec Martin Memorial Stadium outdoors, rain or shine.

Concert Choir. One of four ensembles in the School of Music, the Concert Choir is highly selective and the principal vocal touring ensemble. Consisting of 52 vocalists, it has performed concerts throughout the United States and Europe. Convocation. Signifying the formal opening of the new academic year, the most recent convocation was held on Aug. 23, 2023, in the Edmunds Center.

20 Cross-Cultural Center. This fall, the Tri-C, as it’s called, moved into a building that dates back to 1921. Today, the building is a place that salutes Stetson diversity by promoting harmony and understanding among individuals of various identities. CUB Rocking Chairs. An aesthetic treat, the chairs also accommodate Dean of Students Lynn Schoenberg, EdS, during her regular open meetings with students. Cultural Credit. In addition to completing 32 course units, students must participate in at least three approved cultural events for each semester of enrollment — events that include lectures by distinguished visitors, musical performances, plays, art shows and more.

College of Law in Gulfport.

Cici & Hyatt Brown Hall for Health & Innovation.

Cummings Gym. Stetson’s

first gymnasium is said to be the earliest college gym in Florida.

Cupola.

Symbolizing prestige and tradition, Stetson’s Cupola sits atop Elizabeth Hall.

duPont-Ball Library/Operation Booklift. Stetson.edu/today | STETSON

Eloise Chimes.

D–F

25 David and Leighan Rinker

Center for International Learning. The center offers study abroad programs, provides support services for international students and scholars, plus engages in community-based international initiatives.

Hatters Football, 1928.

“Dear Alma Mater.” Stetson’s timehonored song for alumni — “Dear Alma Mater, Smile Upon Thy Children; Gladly We Greet Thee … .” DeLand Hall opened on Oct. 13, 1884, as the first academic building on campus, constructed at a cost of $4,000 by Henry DeLand, the university’s founder. Two-story DeLand Hall is the oldest building in Florida in continuous use for higher education. You’ll find university President Roellke there, along with a host of other administrators and staff. Dolly & Homer Hand Law Library.

Greenfeather/Green, White and You.

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The library serves as the academic heart of Stetson’s College of Law campus in Gulfport. Double Hatters. It’s the term used to describe alumni who carry both undergraduate and graduate degrees from Stetson.

Hulley Tower.

30 Downtown DeLand. In recent

years an award-winning Florida Main Street community, this historic area has served students for many decades. duPont-Ball Library. The library contains lots of great stuff, from the oldest (1877) Federal depository in Florida to an Innovation Lab, and books and CDs, et al., in between. Historically, though, the library is tied to true Hatter spirit. On May 7, 1964, it was the center of Operation Booklift, when students, faculty and staff volunteered to form a human line to carry books, periodicals and furniture from Sampson Hall to the new building. Earth Day. Highlighted by activities at the Gillespie Museum, Earth Day celebrations on campus last for weeks. Edmunds Center. (See related story, Page 50.) Elizabeth Hall. Elizabeth Hall was the first major building built on campus by university benefactor and namesake John B. Stetson. Elizabeth? That was his wife’s name.

35 Eloise Chimes. The chimes, which once rang atop Hulley Tower, have their own history. The 11 bells were delivered to the front of Elizabeth Hall in 1915, the result of a canceled order in Pennsylvania. They were named after the wife of then-President Lincoln Hulley. The bronze bells ranged in size from 575 to 3,000 pounds. Yet, as it turned out, their historical significance to Stetson was even weightier. (See Page 18.) Environmental Fellows. The group was founded in 2014 with the purpose of uniting student environmental leaders to enact campuswide change. Faculty Bridge Club. Great camaraderie has historically existed among professors, too, who have bonded over bridge. Family Legacies. Hatter families are proudly spread across multiple generations.

First Year Seminars. These courses are designed to set the stage for intellectual written and oral conversations at a significantly higher level than students are accustomed to in high school. (President Roellke teaches such a class.)

40 Flagler Hall. Mediterranean-style Flagler Hall was financed and built in 1902 by railway magnate Henry M. Flagler, who required the university to keep his $60,000 gift a secret for fear other institutions would ask him for money. After his death in 1913, the three-story classroom building was renamed in his honor. Football, Part I. Stetson played its first football game in 1894 — an intramural game that drew hundreds of spectators. The football program officially began in 1901 and played in the first intercollegiate football game in Florida (Hatters won). The Hatters had a big-time program. In 1927, they finished the season 6-0-1, including wins over Auburn University and the University of Miami. Football, Part II. The program was disbanded in 1956 and revived in 2013, when Women’s Lacrosse also was added as a new NCAA Division I program. (Beach Volleyball was added a year earlier.) To make football happen again on campus, university officials partnered with the City of DeLand for shared use of Spec Martin Memorial Stadiium near the campus. Forest of Arden. The wooded area of bygone days was located where the Homer and Dolly Hand Art Center stands today. Founder’s Day. A Stetson tradition held at various times during the year, this was a day dedicated to community service.

45 Fraternity Row. In 1962, Fraternity Row, sometimes called Fraternity Circle, became a phrase used on campus for the first time.

Fundraising. During the 2023 fiscal year, for the second year in a row, Stetson set a fundraising record, raising $65 million for student scholarships, renovations and other areas. The year prior, $52.2 million was raised. Approximately 75% of the dollars raised during those two years will go to student scholarships. Also, the Beyond Success – Significance Campaign, which ended in 2019, far exceeded its $200 million goal.

G–I

Gillespie Museum. Founded in 1958, the museum is a center for earth and environmental science education on campus and in the community. Among other items, the museum houses a historic mineral collection and exhibit galleries. Greek Bid Day at the CUB. Being in a fraternity or sorority on campus has meant being part of a brotherhood or sisterhood that strives to better the community, create bonds that last a lifetime and much more. Greek Week. This is a weeklong celebration for all social fraternities and sororities on campus.

Stetson.edu/today | STETSON

Model Student Senate.

Lee Chapel, 1903. Edmunds Center.

50 Green (Environmental)

College. See Page 12. Green Fridays. Fridays mean green — the campus color of choice for attire.

Greenfeather. Greenfeather began in 1952 as a fall carnival where students raised funds for local charities. Over the decades, Greenfeather expanded to a weeklong event that brought awareness to philanthropy and issues surrounding the DeLand community. Today, Greenfeather is managed under Stetson’s student-run Green, White and You, which this summer won a 2023 CASE Circle of Excellence Award for Student Engagement (Council for Advancement and Support of Education). Hammocking. It’s been called an unofficial Stetson sport — as students gather in Palm Court for rest and relaxation the Hatter way. Hand Art Center. The Homer and Dolly Hand Art Center supports students and faculty on campus while also adding to the cultural dynamic of DeLand — highlighted by a collection of Oscar Bluemner works. 30

STETSON | Fall/Winter 2023

55 HATS Program. That was the

60 Hatter Trek. Years ago, this was

previous name for years. Now, it is called Stetson’s Young Scholars. Working with Stetson faculty, the program — involving enrichment sessions held on campus — helps motivated middle and high school students achieve deeper critical thinking and higher academic levels. Hatter Holiday. The annual Hatter Holiday was a very big deal in decades past — a festival and a dance. Hatter Howl. The Homecoming bonfire has often lived up to its name. Hatter Network. The student-run media collective features three components: The Reporter, Florida’s oldest collegiate publication; WHAT Radio, an internet radio station; and Touchstone, a literary and arts magazine. Hatter Saturdays. For students who are making their final decisions about a college choice, this is the ideal event to prepare for a successful start at Stetson. In April 2023, for example, more than 800 guests (including families) enjoyed a day of fun and learning.

designed as a summer transition program that involved voluntary summer retreats for incoming students. Holler Fountain. Almost all in Hatter Nation are likely to have their own description — Holler Fountain in Palm Court is that iconic. The Art Deco-style fountain, constructed in DeLand as a presentation piece for the 1937 Great Lakes Exposition in Cleveland, arrived on campus in 1951 as a gift to the university. Oh, and there’s a tradition — students getting dunked in the fountain on their birthday. Hollis Center. We’re talking recreational and wellness, which for decades have been staples on campus. Completed in 1995, the center offers a YMCA-type setting for students, faculty and staff while also being the center of intramural sports.

Hollis Family Student Success Center. Housed on the second floor of the duPont-Ball Library, the center is dedicated to ensuring students reach

Presser Hall.

Sage Hall, 1967.

Stetson’s formal entrance at Woodland Boulevard and Minnesota Avenue.

70 Intramural Competitions and

Club Sport Competitions. Nearly their maximum academic potential while at Stetson. Homecoming. See Page 54. 65 Howard Thurman Lecture Series. Named for a leader of the American Civil Rights Movement, this series has hosted such important civil rights leaders as John Lewis, Angela Davis, C.T. Vivian and Fred Shuttlesworth. Hulley Tower. This 116-foot Stetson monument was a gift from Lincoln Hulley, the university’s longest-tenured president (1904-1934). Hulley never saw it completed, dying of a heart attack just before its completion in 1934. The bottom of Hulley Tower is a mausoleum, where Hulley and his wife, Eloise, are interred. The full tower stood until 2005, when structural instability forced its dismantling. Today, alumni and university work is underway to restore Hulley Tower to its full glory. (See Page 18.)

Innsbruck Study Abroad. (Related story, Page 18.)

Institute for Water and Environmental Resilience. A first of

its kind at Stetson, the institute focuses on research to offer policy options that protect natural resources in Central Florida and beyond. Also, IWER channels student and faculty research across all university colleges in partnership with other institutions and community stakeholders. Integration of Black Students. In 1962, Stetson became one of the first, private, non-historically black colleges to integrate in Florida. Cornelius Hunter, Class of 1966, was the first African American undergraduate student to graduate. In 1964, George Williams Sr. was the first African American to earn a graduate degree. That year, six African American students moved into the dorms, marking the dawn of a new era.

one-in-four students on the Stetson campus participate in intramural and/or club sports programs.

J–L

J. Ollie Edmunds Scholars. Edmunds scholars are students who exhibit exemplary academic and personal leadership — even beyond what’s typically found on campus. The scholarship program is a nationally competitive award that attracts high-achieving students and pays expenses for four years at Stetson. JD/MBA Program. Students completing the program receive both an MBA degree from Stetson’s School of Business Administration and a JD degree from the Stetson’s College of Law. John B. Mascot. The Hatter mascot has taken on a variety of looks over the past 60 years. In 2012, John B. made his first public appearance. In 2021, John B. was given a makeover to a more slimmed down, muscular version to compliment Stetson's rebranding efforts. Stetson.edu/today | STETSON

John B. Stetson Statue.

Late Night Breakfast. This tradition features a complimentary breakfast during the week when final exams begin.

75 Lee Chapel. Named in honor of

Templeton Fountain.

STETSON | Fall/Winter 2023

former Stetson President H. Douglas Lee 15 years ago, the chapel has enjoyed a thriving presence for more than a century. It’s noted for performance-hall acoustics and a 2,700-pipe Beckerath organ that arrived in 1961. Mostly, the 700-seat chapel has been a memorable place for church services, university events and stirring concerts. Libby Lawn. In 2020, Stetson’s Board of Trustees designated the open green between the CUB Commons dining room and the Templeton Fountain as the Libby Lawn, in honor of retiring President Wendy B. Libby. Lynn Business Center. LBC was built as a bank in 1991 (building later acquired by Stetson) and became Florida’s first LEED-certified green building (Leadership in Energy and

Environmental Design). It’s home to the School of Business Administration, which began as Florida’s first business school in 1897.

M–O

Marshall and Vera Lea Rinker Welcome Center. The three-story welcome center, opened in 2016, serves as a one-stop shop for admissions and enrollment, student records and registration, financial aid, and more. With an atrium and glass wall overlooking a palm-lined courtyard, it’s also a testament to environmental sustainability on campus.

Master of Healthcare Administration/Master of Business Administration Dual-Degree. In partnership with AdventHealth University, the dual-degree programs prepares students to operate in both business and health care environments.

80 McMahan Hall. Adjacent to Presser Hall (listed below), this hall features the School of Music’s principal ensemble rehearsal space and is home to a Bösendorfer Imperial Grand piano. Most recently, Richard and Mary McMahan, longtime supporters of Stetson, donated once again, when at Mary’s passing she bequeathed $15.4 million to the university to benefit Volusia County students and the music school. Melching Field. The home of Stetson Baseball first hosted the Hatters in 1999. Per a lease arrangement with the City of DeLand, they will remain at the stadium until at least 2042. Memorial Benches. Throughout campus, the permanent metal benches honor past students, faculty and staff.

Mock and Moot Law Teams (Graduate and Undergraduate). For

many years, the College of Law has produced championship teams. In 2022,

Stetson’s undergraduate mock trial team gained footing on the national stage with several successes in competitions. And a newly formed moot court team quickly showed well against top-rated teams from across the country. Model Student Senate. In 1970, a Stetson student and his professor formed the Model United States Senate, established as the nation’s oldest collegiatelevel model Senate. The Model Senate reproduces the actual procedures and activities of the United States Senate — and became a model for other colleges and universities across the nation to follow.

85 Multicultural Student

Organizations. At present, there are nine multicultural student organizations on campus — and counting.

National Register of Historic Places. On March 14, 1991, Stetson became listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

National Science Foundation Awards. The university’s most recent

NSF grant came in October, when a $502,998 grant arrived to fund microbiology lab activity. New Athletics Logo in 2018. The highlight of the 2018 logo redesign was a warm embrace of the Stetson "S" in place of "SU."

P–R

Pass Through the Gates. Not literally gated, Stetson’s formal entrance at Woodland Boulevard and Minnesota Avenue has served as a sign of distinction, both yesteryear and today. In the past decade, the “gates” have become part of a new tradition, where first-year students march ceremoniously following the completion of orientation. The march ends at Holler Fountain, where, in essence, the students’ journeys begin.

90 Patricia Wilson Field. Built in 2003, the complex has been named national Softball Field of the Year numerous times. Pet-Friendly Campus. The university’s current Chief Happiness Officer is Athens-George Glenn, a 1-year-old Goldendoodle. In 2010, Stetson began allowing dogs of up to 50 pounds to reside on campus, on a limited basis. Phi Beta Kappa. In 1982, Stetson became the first private college in Florida to host a chapter of the nation's oldest honor society. Phi Beta Kappa has celebrated excellence in the liberal arts and sciences since 1776, and fewer than 10% of institutions nationally have been awarded chapters. Pi Beta Phi. The first Greek-letter organization on campus for women, started in 1913 to promote friendship and cultivate leadership, was also the first such chapter in Florida.

Points of Interest Near Campus. Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach, Port Canaveral, et al. The campus location makes short fun trips very possible for students.

95 Pre-Law Program. See Page 46.

President’s House. The three-story

President’s House, built in 1910 for local businessman W. A. Steed, is one of Florida’s most prominent examples of Neoclassical architecture in a residence — despite the base cost of $5,000. The 4,500-square-foot house, directly across from campus on Woodland Boulevard, was purchased by the university in 1948. Presidential Scholars. Academic top achievers, these incoming first-year students receive scholarships that cover eight semesters or until undergraduate graduation, whichever comes first. Presser Hall. First opened in 1970 and renovated in 2020, the three-story complex is dedicated to the School of Music. Stetson.edu/today | STETSON

It houses practice rooms, large classrooms, rehearsal rooms, a complete music library and listening booths, and faculty studios, among numerous other components. Relay for Life Races. Fun for a good cause, the races are devoted to raising money for American Cancer Society research.

100 Rinker Environmental

Learning Center. Adjacent to the Gillespie Museum, the center is an innovative, high-tech meeting place for museum and Stetson academic activities, as well as other campus and community programming, with adjoining resource room and gallery space.

Roland George Investments Program. Established in 1980, the RGIP is a testament to experiential learning, made possible by Sarah George in memory of her husband, Roland George. The program embodies his conviction that true learning occurs through hands-on investment decision-making. Students are entrusted with a $5 million portfolio. “Roll Hats.” A new cheer for students started this year at first-year orientation. ROTC/AFROTC. Stetson’s long-established Army ROTC program offers students the opportunity to earn a commission as a Second Lieutenant. Stetson and the School of Business Administration began partnering with the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps in the Fall 2018 semester.

S–U

Sage Hall. In 1967, the Science Building (later named Sage Hall) was included as part of the university’s Higher Education Facilities Program. Sage Hall housed the departments of biology, chemistry and physics. Stetson was the first university in Florida to offer courses in those subjects. In 2021, Sage

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Hall was renovated, creating a cluster of research labs and student collaboration spaces. And in 2022, science learning on campus took a quantum leap with the opening of the adjacent Cici & Hyatt Brown Hall for Health & Innovation.

105 Sampson Hall. Sampson Hall, constructed at a cost of $40,000, opened in 1908. The building was funded by steel magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, with a matching gift of $40,000 from Elizabeth Stetson, wife of John B. Stetson, for endowment. Sandra Stetson Aquatic Center. The 10,000-square-foot multipurpose center (water research and rowing) sits on 10 acres along Lake Beresford, just a few miles from the campus. School of Music. Established in 1936, the School of Music was Florida’s first collegiate school of music. For many years, it was housed in DeLand Hall, the oldest building on campus. In 1938, the School of Music became an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Music. And today, the School of Music is regarded as one of the nation’s best for undergraduate-only education. John B. Stetson Statue. The university’s namesake has a permanent presence on campus, thanks to a donor-funded bronze sculpture bearing his likeness. See Page 67. Senior Toast. As a prelude to Commencement, Senior Toast is a celebratory time of joy and reflection, mixed with a dash of melancholy.

110 SGA. The Student Government Association on campus was established in 1908. Solar Array. Becoming operational in 2019 from a new student Green Fund, more than 200 solar panels sit atop the CUB, helping to produce electrical power for the university.

Spec Martin Memorial Stadium. The 6,000-seat facility, just down the road from campus, is home to Hatters football and the recent site for Commencement. Spring Hill. This 698-acre neighborhood, not far from the campus, is a continual source of community and hands-on learning for both Stetson students and faculty. In years past, Spring Hill often was described in the media as the “poorest community in Florida.” The past 30 years have seen Hatters working with Spring Hill residents and leaders to change that narrative through youth empowerment, public health, community development and social entrepreneurship programs. Stetson Community Taste of DeLand. Hatters descend on their

nearby downtown for food and fun.

115 Stetson’s Evening Under the

Stars. Through the years, as the name

implies, this has been a traditional campus event of enchantment. Stetson Follies. With staging, skits and music, the Follies meant campus fun and frolic through the decades. Stetson Hall. The second building on campus opened with a furnace and running water on all of its three floors. John F. Forbes, the university’s first president, and his family resided in the building until 1903. Reportedly, Stetson Hall was Florida’s first coed dorm. It was demolished in 2011. Stetson Institutes There are nearly two dozen institutes on the DeLand and Gulfport campuses — from the Brown Center for Faculty Innovation and Excellent to the Veterans Law Institute at the College of Law.

Stetson Law’s Wills for Warriors.

The program at Stetson Law's Center for Excellence in Elder Law assists eligible veterans and their spouses in the development of those documents free of charge.

120 Stetson Showcase. Held annually in the spring, the showcase allows students to exhibit their research works in a wide spectrum of academic areas at sites across the campus. It’s a celebration of achievement and academic excellence that has become nationally recognized for quality and scope.

Stewart Lecture Series.

This series honors the memory of James A. Stewart, PhD, Stetson’s first chaplain. The series has attracted national speakers, including President Jimmy Carter and Desmund Tutu. Stover Theatre. Built in 1930, Stover was demolished in 2012 — but plenty of lore remains. SURE Grants. The Stetson Undergraduate Research Experience has fostered excellence in research and creative activity for many years. The centerpiece is an eight-week research-intensive experience where competitively selected students work on an individual project under the mentorship of a faculty member. They then present their research findings at various venues throughout the subsequent year.

Palm Court/The Quad.

Templeton Business Ethics Competitions. An

emblem of the university’s core values, these events are hosted at Stetson for undergraduate students from invited institutions, but without actual participation from Stetson students.

Stetson Showcase, 2016.

Stetson.edu/today | STETSON

was Nov. 7, with the theme “Things We Don’t Talk About at Dinner.” Uncouth Hour. Hosted by the campus literary magazine Touchstone and studentrun WHAT Radio, this lively, welcoming event is open to all every Thursday night in the CUB.

135 Victory Bell at Hollis Center. Yule Log Lighting, 1965.

125 Templeton Fountain. The fountain, behind the CUB (east side), sprang to life in 2019 as a gift from alumnus Troy Templeton, a former university Trustee, and wife Sissy. The fountain has 41 jets of water and colorful lights. Thank a Donor Day. An event to thank donors to the university, students gather on the campus Green to, uniquely, handwrite thank-you cards. The Lynn Commons. The main dining hall on campus has doubled as a place for casual comradery for decades. The CUB. It’s the Carlton Union Building — the most active, impactful physical setting on campus (with apologies to Palm Court). The CUB was built in 1957, named after former Florida Gov. Doyle E. Carlton Sr., Class of 1909, and it quickly became the center of student life. In 2016, renovation and expansion work began on the CUB, with the three-year project increasing the building’s square footage by 67%. The Pit. Despite its moniker, this was an endearing alternative spot for dining on campus. It was also called the Hat Rack.

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The Quad. Now called Palm Court, this area of campus is quintessential Stetson, complete with 1800s buildings, palm trees, hammocking and the kind of abundant comradery one can only find at a small, private, residential university. It has been a campus landmark since 1909.

130 The Rock. Dedicated in 2014 as a project among the Student Government Association, the Class of 2014, and the Division of Campus Life and Student Success, this campus monument is meant to symbolize global citizenship, intellectual development and personal growth. Time Capsule. Stetson’s 2072 time capsule, containing university and community mementos, was buried during the Spring 2022 semester under the construction of the Cici & Hyatt Brown Hall for Health & Innovation — to be opened 50 years later.

V–Z

Values Day. This annual celebration is designed to continue a caring dialogue among students, faculty, staff and community members. The 2023 Values Day

Housed in a tower connected to the Hollis Center, the bell honors tradition and signifies Stetson’s drive to victory. VITA. In 2019, Stetson’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program celebrated $2 million in tax refunds for 2,000 local families during the previous 10 years. Through the School of Business Administration, the program began more than a decade ago, with students accounting for those refunds while also saving clients on the cost of tax preparation. Washington Semester. During fall semesters, selected juniors and seniors may study politics in the nation’s capital. Wilson Athletic Center. Adjacent to the Edmunds Center, the WAC provides resources to Stetson Athletics, as well as programs within Sport Management and Allied Health. Writing Center. Free of charge, trained peer tutors help writers across campus with any type of written work, at any stage of the writing process.

140 Yule Log Lighting. Each year, the Stetson community gathers near Hulley Tower for the ceremonial start of the holiday season. The Yule Log Lighting is a symbolic celebration, commemorating the coming of light into the darkness — marking the moment when the days stop becoming shorter and darker, and begin to move toward light and warmth.

CELEBRATING 140 On Oct. 25, the Stetson campus celebrated 140 years of the university. Faculty, staff and students participated in a campus-wide bash filled with fun, food and excitement.

More Photos Here

Among the activities, students faced off against staff and faculty in kickball.

SEE VIDEO

Or type qrco.de/140celebration in browser.

Stetson.edu/today | STETSON

Three graduating seniors rose above others to receive top academic awards for 2022-2023. BY PAT R I C I A L E TA K I S

STUDENTS LEADING

TODAY

omebody is always going to stand out from the crowd. And, at least in academics, standing out usually comes from consistent hard work, not to mention a positive attitude.

Sometimes it’s a charismatic way of interacting with people or a curiously creative personality that sees opportunity where others don’t. Yet, there’s one thing for sure, those who stand out from their peers are willing to put in the extra work it takes to rise above. From the graduating class of seniors last spring, three Stetson students were recognized for their high achievements. With strong commitment and intellectual passion, along with a sense of community for classmates and colleagues, they made their mark. Meet the successful trio — Hatters head and shoulders above.

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Catherine Kraft

ETTER MCTEER TURNER AWARD: CATHERINE KRAFT The Etter McTeer Turner Award is presented to the student who has achieved the highest standard of excellence in not only academic performance and leadership, but also exhibits outstanding character and demonstrates personal commitment to community service. The award honors Etter Turner, PhD, who was a student at Stetson in the late 1930s before working her way up to be the first woman to hold the title of Dean of Students at the university. She was dean of Women from 1941 to 1976 and dean of Students from 1976 to 1977. The award was presented to Catherine Kraft. As Kraft sat in the audience in May, waiting for this final award to be presented, she thought her day was done. “I was excited for whoever would be going up there to get the award,” she recalls. That was until she realized the presenter was describing her. “I was completely shocked,” she adds. “I think it was funny because I knew before anyone else, including my family, because they were reading my bio and I knew my bio… . And then it was me.” Kraft graduated with a major in History and a minor in Stetson’s Program in Russian, East European and

Eurasian Studies (S.P.R.E.E.S.). She credits lots of perseverance and relentless work, which she calls the hallmarks of her college career, for earning the award. She completed her undergraduate studies in three years. “My work ethic was definitely there, but it was also my professors’ understanding and willingness to help,” Kraft says, citing her academic adviser, Leander Seah, PhD, as a major influence in supporting her academic endeavors. Additionally, she points to the entire history department for its support as she faced personal challenges. Kraft was caring for her late mother and working three jobs. “It wasn’t absolutely terrible, the circumstances were just different,” she says in her upbeat manner about the caregiving. “I also credit my Russian study courses with not only helping me understand how the world is today with the war in Ukraine, but also for helping me get to where I needed to go in the history department.” Kraft’s senior thesis, “Speaking of Dictators: Stalin’s Soviet Union, Mao’s China, and the Language of Personality Cults,” was a fascinating study about the personality cults of the Soviet leader Josef Stalin and his Communist Chinese counterpart, Mao Zedong. Her investigation was considered groundbreaking by virtue of its intellectual sophistication, transnational scope and first-rate use of primary sources. Eager to learn more about government and politics, Kraft opted for an internship this past summer at the office of Rep. Michael Waltz, Florida’s 6th Congressional District. “I really enjoyed that work. It helped develop my cus-

tomer-service skills, but I also got to serve the country,” she says. The ambitious student is now at the University of Florida, studying law, with the goal of earning her Juris Doctor followed by a Master of Laws degree. “I knew I wanted to go to law school, and throughout college I was able to hone in on international practice, like international law and business. Studying history, I realized the different interactions between different countries, and I knew that was what I was interested in,” she explains. Kraft also credits her father, Michael Kraft, who instilled in her the values of justice and service, for her decision to pursue a law degree. “I have a hyperinflated sense of justice. So, I really want to be able to serve people and serve my country, because I think that’s really important, and I figured that going through the judicial system would be the way to do that,” she says. Her ultimate goal: working for the U.S. State Department or an international business firm.

Etter Turner, PhD

Stetson.edu/today | STETSON

Kirk Mattern

ALGERNON SYDNEY SULLIVAN AWARD: KIRK MATTERN The Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award can be traced back to 1890 and Algernon Sydney Sullivan, along with wife Mary Mildred Sullivan, who were dedicated to helping people in trouble. Algernon founded the law firm Sullivan and Cromwell and would take on clients who couldn’t afford a lawyer when he believed their cause was just. After his death, the award was created to recognize college students in the South for “excellence of character and service to humanity.” At Stetson, the award is presented jointly by the Sullivan Foundation and the university to one male and one female in the senior class whose personal example and influence throughout the campus best exemplifies the “noblest human qualities and the finest values that Stetson nurtures.” The young man honored in 2023 was Kirk Mattern. Graduating with a double major — Religious Studies and Health Sciences — Mattern says that both departments in their own unique way facilitated the development of his passion for helping others. He wasn’t expecting to be recognized with an award for what he did during his days on campus. That’s because, as he explains, “Everything I’ve 40

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done in the service of this community and any other, I was doing so because I genuinely wanted to.” In Mattern’s opinion, what it really took to receive the award was simply “recognizing that there are people out there who need help and understanding that I have been blessed with the ability to help.” Mattern believes he doesn’t have any inherently special qualities or unique qualifications for helping others. “Instead,” he says, “I have an understanding that there is something or someone greater than myself that has blessed me with good health and the good sense to aid others.” Further, Mattern believes everyone has the capability to help the disadvantaged, downtrodden and destitute — but many people are too focused on themselves to recognize their relative blessings. In that sense, Mattern was especially mindful of comments made during the awards summary by guest speaker Andrew Larson, DMA, associate dean and choral director at Stetson’s School of Music. “[Larson] mentioned that culture today tells us to focus solely on ourselves and look out for number one. Dr. Larson argued, and I agree, that this message is a significant part of the reason the world is the way it is,” Mattern says. As a child, Mattern observed his parents serving as youth ministers at the family’s church and sacrificing their time for the betterment of others. This ignited his passion for helping others.

“Ultimately, the motivation behind my ‘attitude of service’ is rooted in my faith,” he comments. “I've read Matthew 25:35-40 many times, and its message is clear: In serving others, we serve God. When I contemplate life's potential meanings, service is what resonates with me.” Mattern plans to continue helping people; however, in the future, it will be as a physician. He’s already applied for medical school. Currently he’s working as a lab manager in Stetson’s Health Sciences department and holds a parttime position as a pharmacy technician at Publix. He’s also shadowed doctors to gain insights into the field, and he continues to volunteer as a Sunday school teacher at his church. And he’ll be getting married in December to the “love of my life,” Amber Schwartz, also a Stetson graduate, Class of 2022. Then he plans to attend medical school and begin his path to medical missions. “I may also serve in the Army during medical school so that I can fulfill my lifelong goal of becoming Captain Kirk,” he adds. Until then, he hopes to land a parttime EMT volunteer position and make a mission trip to Bomet, Kenya, next summer to volunteer in the pediatric wing of a hospital. “As I move forward,” Mattern concludes, “my path is marked by a blend of personal commitments, medical pursuits and opportunities to make a meaningful impact.”

Maddie Skelton

ALGERNON SYDNEY SULLIVAN AWARD: MADDIE SKELTON As Maddie Skelton pursued majors in Public Health and Spanish, she was able to find time to embrace the Bonner Scholar Program. The program provides an opportunity for students to partner with local nonprofit organizations in an effort to solve problems in the community through service — and Skelton was an ideal fit. She served as the program’s student coordinator and also received a Certificate of Community Engagement, which allows students to connect what they learn in the classroom with applications in the communities they engage. With her studies and knowledge of public health, Skelton was well-positioned to focus on ways to improve community health care. Her grant-writing efforts resulted in securing much-needed medical equipment for Good Samaritan Clinic in DeLand. The clinic provides free medical, dental, mental health and pharmacy services to qualifying patients who cannot afford care. As such, Skelton was recognized for demonstrating a sincere commitment to helping the less fortunate. However, Skelton’s dedication and interest went beyond the community. Her command of the Spanish language and her participation in a study abroad course on the Mayan culture with Robert Sitler, PhD, professor of World Languages and Cultures, prepared her to embark on a research project about the interaction between agricultural and food practices and the Mayan identity within a changing global and capitalist agricultural system. Skelton has been applauded for her ability to think critically and approach complex issues from an interdisciplinary perspective. Her plan after graduation is to pursue internship opportunities with the Corella & Bertram F. Bonner Foundation in Princeton, New Jersey, and then work in community engagement and nonprofit management in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Research Triangle. In addition, attending law school in fall 2024 and studying constitutional law are on the drawing board, too.

Algernon Sydney Sullivan, JD

In 1926, The New York Southern Society established the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, presented to undergraduate seniors at colleges and universities as determined by their faculty. After the New York Southern Society closed its doors, the awards were continued by the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation.

Stetson.edu/today | STETSON

PROFESSORS E N S U R I N G TO M O R R OW The winners of three faculty awards from 2022-2023 share an excellence that’s rooted in Stetson’s past, both in the classroom and in their general approach to teaching. BY JACK RO TH

he John Hague Award for Distinguished Teaching in the Liberal Arts and Sciences celebrates Stetson’s “tradition of excellence in teaching the liberal arts and sciences and devotion to scholarship, morality and friendship, the guiding principles of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation's oldest and most prestigious undergraduate honorary society.” A widely admired teacher, scholar and academic leader, Professor John Hague, PhD, led the university's application to earn a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa in 1982, the first chapter established at a private university in Florida.

The Hand Award for Research, Creative and Professional Activity emphasizes the quality of the research or creative activity, the significance of the accomplishment within the faculty member's field, and its contribution to the intellectual vibrancy and vitality of the campus. The award “recognizes that excellence is to be found in innovative as well as traditional forms of scholarship; in work that contributes to the pedagogical discussion in a discipline or across disciplines as well as work that makes original contributions to knowledge; in work that redefines disciplinary knowledge as well as in work that reinforces it; and in major community outreach projects that demonstrate substantive disciplinary or interdisciplinary knowledge.” Meanwhile, the William Hugh McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching honors the memory of McEniry, former dean of the university, who was credited with providing academic leadership for the university in the post-World War II era. Specifically, he was cited for his instrumental role in restructuring the curriculum, for strengthening the faculty and academic standards, and for elevating the prestige of the university. Each award just isn’t about excellence. It’s also about ongoing contributions and innovation going forward — to help students now and in the future. This past academic year, those characteristics (and more) were personified by award winners Eric Kurlander, PhD; Khushbu Mishra, PhD; and Cindy Bennington, PhD. 42

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JOHN HAGUE AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED TEACHING ing a diverse range of sources, debate and breakout groups. He IN THE LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES believes teaching is not one size fits all. The key is to make the Eric Kurlander, PhD, the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of class fun and lively, and have students formulate their own opinions by teaching them how to evaluate the information History, applied to colleges many years ago knowing that he using secondary research, primary source analysis, writing, liked history but was thinking he’d be an engineer. However, as John Lennon once said, “Life is what happens when you are critical thinking, and quantitative and qualitative reasoning. “As an excellent liberal arts university, Stetson creates the busy making other plans.” At the last minute, Kurlander best learning environment for students with small classes and a applied to Bowdoin College, a liberal arts school, and the rest lot of faculty-student interaction, while also creating space for is history. Literally. “My history professor was incredible. So, I took more classes faculty to develop and integrate their scholarly interests, which is great for what I want to do,” Kurlander says. “We have a with him and decided at the end of my first year [history] was flexible curriculum that allows students to learn how to think the direction I wanted to take. Specifically, I loved European historically, learn about culture and belief, economy and history, and I realized Germany was a laboratory for what we face in the modern world, with questions of race, space, indus- society, politics and diplomacy.” Most importantly, Kurlander wants students to be able to trialization and more,” explained Kurlander, who teaches articulate theoretically and evaluate empirically different points modern German, European and world history. At a young age, Kurlander asked himself how a country that of views and problems, to think critically in terms of problems and questions. If they are better at doing this after taking one was so modern and possessed a viable liberal democratic of his classes, he has done his job. constitution could have such a failure (read: Fascism, Nazism, “I like problem solving, discussing questions and coming up Holocaust). He describes Germany between the 1800s and with solutions, and I believe history provides the perfect forum 1930s as being as close as you could get to our contemporary for this,” he asserts. “History draws upon all disciplines for its society. Because Germany was so modern, studying its history theories and subject matter, and it gives you a palette that is before 1945 provided a good sense of the different paths one much broader and flexible. It’s also the only discipline orgacan take in any modern industrialized society. nized principally around both time (chronology) as well as Kurlander took that passion for learning into his teaching space (geography), and it’s fun trying to understand how we career. He believes that, in most cases, one learns to teach by observing people who are good at their craft and working with got to where we are now by studying something that happened in another time and place … and with teaching, even more so them to learn techniques and methodologies. At the same than scholarship (which can be somewhat specialized), you can time, he adds, teaching is discipline-specific and requires a integrate other disciplines to get to that level of more personalized approach. understanding.” In liberal arts colleges, there are general approaches to teaching history and, for Kurlander, he opts to introduce some type of lively narrative into lectures organized around problems and questions in the discipline, then analyze sources within that framework through seminar-style discussion. Knowing there are always theoretical and methodological debates in academic research, he utilizes this framework to build specific in-class Eric Kurlander, PhD John Hague, PhD exercises and experiences, including evaluatStetson.edu/today | STETSON

Khushbu Mishra, PhD

HAND AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED FACULTY ACHIEVEMENTS (RESEARCH, CREATIVE AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY) Before joining Stetson University, Khushbu Mishra, PhD, worked as a consultant for the World Bank Group and UNICEF. Today at Stetson, the assistant professor’s work focuses on gender and development economics, agricultural economics and impact evaluation. Born in a very small agricultural village in southern Nepal, Mishra has taken a keen interest in formulating innovative solutions to reducing social inequalities in developing agrarian economies. “My father was a farmer, and my mother was a teacher. So growing up, I saw the difference educators can make and also saw problems faced by farmers, especially rural farmers in developing countries,” she says. “My mother has been a huge influence in my life as a researcher, as has the environment in which I grew up.” Mishra, who attended boarding school in Kathmandu, went on to earn bachelor’s degrees in economics and mathematics from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. After graduating, she traveled to Thailand for a year and worked for UNICEF. Then she returned to the United States to earn two doctorate degrees in applied economics and in agricultural, environmental and development economics from The Ohio State University. “I got my inspiration for teaching while at Mount Holyoke, a liberal arts college with a small student-to-teacher ratio,”

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Mishra explains. “It’s important to have close relationships with my students and offer one-on-one time with them. I’ve also traveled a lot for my research, and I want to bring cultural and geographical context to the issues we discuss.” In addition, Mishra Frances R. (Dolly) Hand, PhD creates an inclusive environment in her classroom for different personalities, extroverts and introverts. “It’s easier to communicate with extroverts,” she says. “So, instead of simply asking questions based on the reading, the first thing I do is ask them to write down what they found interesting so everyone can answer the questions. Introverts also feel more comfortable expressing themselves verbally after writing the answers down.” With the world of the internet making it easy to find economic formulas, Mishra’s goal for her students is not to simply memorize, but to find and trust their intuition when evaluating and solving problems. For example, taking an issue focused on social inequalities and agrarian economies, Mishra wants students to realize how different things are for people in different social and economic circumstances. “For farmers in Ghana, they don’t have access to insurance. So, if there’s a drought, they lose their crops and aren’t able to get loans,” she says. “I want to show how connected we all are globally. We don’t live in a bubble … . We’re connected, and this helps them better understand economic inequality and how their actions impact people around the world, especially the poorest and most vulnerable.” Stetson, like Mount Holyoke, has a small student-to-teacher ratio — and that’s how Mishra prefers it. Students are welcome in her office anytime. “I’m not here to just do lectures in a hall,” she asserts. “I learn my students’ names and personalities, as well as their motivations to learn and understand. I know how much my life has changed for the better because of the higher education I received. I want to provide the same thing for them.”

MCENIRY AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING Biology Professor Cindy Bennington, PhD, has conducted ecological research in Alaska, West Virginia, New Jersey and Florida. At Stetson, she teaches ecological and botanical courses and actively engages students in research on the ecology of arctic and temperate plant species. She involves students in environmental service-learning projects both on and off campus. Bennington has always loved plants, but it took her a while to realize she wanted to make ecology her career. “Mine hasn’t been a straight-line journey,” she reveals. As an undergraduate at West Virginia University, she majored in wildlife management. Then, after attending graduate school in that field, she realized it wasn’t what she wanted to do and dropped out. She eventually went back to graduate school and took a class in ecology, which she loved. Her professor asked if she wanted to go to graduate school, and, eventually, she got her master’s degree and doctorate in Ecology, as well as a postdoctoral associate degree from Princeton University. “Intellectually, plants were the perfect subject matter for me,” Bennington says. “I wanted to teach, and when I interviewed at Stetson, I fell in love with everything about it. Other faculty were extremely welcoming, and in a relaxed atmosphere while doing great research. From a curriculum standpoint, every student has to do a research project, which helps them figure out what they

want to do moving forward. This is how I first got interested in ecology.” As a child, Bennington spent a lot of time outside, playing in the woods, studying plants. At college, she became interested in adaptation and how plants evolved and became adapted to different environments, and why we have such diversity of plant species on Earth. Ecology allowed her to ask the questions she wanted to ask. “Plants, unlike animals, can’t walk away from stress and bad environments; they have no choice but to stay and deal with it,” she says. “Adaptation happens fast, and there are actually genetic differences in species based on where they are. Now with climate change, which is a very serious issue for plants, changes are occurring faster than perhaps plants can adapt to.” As far as teaching is concerned, Bennington’s goal is to engage students by giving them things to think about that they may already know, at least a little. With plants, that’s not easy because people generally don’t think about them. In other words, plants tend to be taken for granted because they are just there. “Students need to learn the vocabulary and the concepts, and this can be hard,” she says. “So, I have to be intentional about telling students what I expect them to learn on any given day and what’s most important. Transparency with everything is important for a teacher because students need to know you’re there for them and to help them. I try to help them learn how to learn in a very transparent way. This is why I’m here … not to just throw a bunch of information at them.” Bennington hopes to assist students in learning how to appreciate the natural world (nonhuman world), and to appreciate things that are not human-centered. “Our world is very human-centered. So, I want them to appreciate how amazing the natural world is, and how important that world is to humans,” she concludes. “In the end, I want them to learn how to think critically and dive deep into subjects because this will benefit them no matter what they wind up doing in life. “At Stetson, we’re all excited about what we teach, and if we weren’t, we wouldn’t be good teachers.”

Cindy Bennington, PhD

William Hugh McEniry, PhD

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S T E T S O N L AW ’ S N E W

LEADER Meet Dean D. Benjamin Barros — 10 things to know. B Y K A T E B R A D S H AW

D. Benjamin Barros arrived at Stetson University College of Law on July 1.

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n July 1, as he embarked on his new role as dean at Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, D. Benjamin Barros brought a wealth of experience and success to the Gulfport campus. Barros joined Stetson Law from The University of Toledo College of Law, where he also served as dean. During his leadership there, the institution saw great gains in bar passage, fundraising and other key areas.

Barros has been a leader in the legal community, serving two terms as a member of the Association of American Law Schools Executive Committee and serving as chair of the Supreme Court Task Force on the Ohio Bar Exam. He is a Property Law expert and has authored a popular Property textbook. In addition, he is a former chair of the AALS Section on Property Law and a former president of the Association for Law, Property and Society. Before joining the legal academy, Barros practiced as a litigator at two prominent firms in New York City. He holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Colgate University, a master’s degree in philosophy from the University of Maryland and a law degree from Fordham University School of Law, as a member of Order of the Coif. And this spring, aside from his duties as dean, he will teach property law. Here are 10 things to know about Dean Barros.

1. INSPIRED BY A GREAT TEACHER Throughout high school and my first couple of years of college, I was interested in chemistry and the sciences. I gradually moved towards philosophy, and took a wonderful Philosophy of Law course during my junior year taught by a wonderful professor named Jerry Balmuth. That was the beginning of my interest in law. Around the same time, I was sued for libel for an article that I wrote in the school newspaper. It was a ridiculous lawsuit — I didn’t even write the offending text, but it accompanied an article that I did write — and ended up just fizzling out after a year or so. Getting sued is never fun, but the exposure to the legal system increased my interest in law. The lawsuit also gave me something to talk about in my law school application essay. 2. FROM PROSECUTION TO PROPERTY Like my experience as an undergraduate, I went into law school expecting to want to do one thing and ended up after my first year focusing on something completely different. I thought that I wanted to be a prosecutor, but after my first year I never took any courses related to criminal law. Property was my favorite course in law school. The course was taught by Bill Treanor, now the Dean of Georgetown Law School. Among other things, he is an expert in regulatory takings law. This ended up being my main area of academic interest. So again, a great teacher had a major impact on the trajectory of my career. 3. LONG LIST OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS I’m very proud of the progress that The University of Toledo College of Law made during my eight years as dean. We went through a series of major challenges, including COVID, and came out stronger. A core job of a dean is to leave the institution in a materially stronger place than it was in when you started. I’m proud that we were able to do that at Toledo, and I’m looking forward to working with the Stetson community to do that here. 4. KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL LEADERSHIP I’m very committed to the idea of servant leadership — that the key job of a leader is to create the conditions for success for all of the members of the organization. As dean, I can achieve so much more by supporting and empowering everyone in the community than I could ever achieve doing things on my own. My goal every day is to be positive and to lift the people around me up. I’d ask that everyone else in our community try to do the same.

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students to be outstanding lawyers. The culture of our school is committed to student professional success, which is a great thing. I share Stetson Law’s values, which made me think that Stetson Law would be a good fit for me and that I’d be a good fit for Stetson Law. 8. STRONG VISION FOR YEAR ONE In my first year, I want to listen, learn and meet as many people in our community as I can. I already have ideas about some priorities, but I want to hear from our students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends about what is important to them. So far, some of my areas of interest are working to make our evening program more flexible for our students, continuing our efforts to improve student success on the bar exam and on the job market, developing our non-JD and international programs, and taking better advantage of our facilities in both Gulfport and Tampa.

5. FAVORITE PART ABOUT BEING DEAN This might surprise some people, but my favorite part of being a dean is fundraising. I really enjoy working with donors who care deeply about Stetson Law. Their giving has a tremendous impact on our students and our ability to continue to grow and thrive as an institution. 6. MULTIFACETED TEACHING STYLE Very straightforward and supportive, but I expect a lot from students in return. I put a lot of effort into helping my students to understand the fundamentals of property law, some of which are a bit arcane. I’m very transparent about what I expect from my students. My quizzes and exams are not easy but shouldn’t be surprising. My goal is to have students walk out of my final thinking that it was very challenging but fair. 7. STETSON LAW'S REPUTATION WAS APPEALING I see Stetson Law as an incredibly strong law school that has the potential to become even stronger in the future. I’ve known of Stetson’s outstanding reputation in advocacy for as long as I’ve been a lawyer. I love the fact that we have the best advocacy program in the country, and I want to be sure that we continue to maintain that leadership position. I also love the fact that our areas of strength, including advocacy and legal writing, are focused on training our

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9. STUDENT SUCCESS IS THE COLLEGE'S SUCCESS I always focus on bar passage, job placement and student professional success more broadly. We are a professional school, and the basic point of law school is for our students to pass the bar and get good jobs. We do many other things as an institution — our faculty create new knowledge through their scholarship, we serve our community through our clinics, etc. — that are very important and that I value highly. But always come back to student success as the key measure of our success as a law school. The biggest positive impact that Stetson Law has on our society is by training our students to be outstanding lawyers who will do great things in their careers. 10. WHAT HE LOOKS FORWARD TO ABOUT HIS NEW HOME My grandparents lived in St. Petersburg when I was growing up, so I have very fond memories of the region. It probably goes without saying that I’m looking forward to the better winter weather. I love to fish and spend time at the beach, so I’m looking forward to being so close to the Gulf.

AMPLIFYING PRE-LAW IN DELAND The way Steven Smallpage, PhD, sees things, the components are all in place to create a new legion of like-minded pre-law students on the DeLand campus. And Smallpage not only believes the timing is right, he has also stepped up to help make it happen. As Stetson’s Fall 2023 began, Smallpage, an associate professor of Political Science, was appointed director of the university’s pre-law program. Smallpage’s plan is to coordinate, connect and amplify. His words: “I want to coordinate, to connect and to amplify the resources we have, and to solidify a community commitment to the precursors of a legal education.” Those different facets, even separately, are clearly impressive. Steven Smallpage, PhD, new director Phi Alpha Delta, the pre-law fraternity on campus, already serves to unite for Stetson's pre-law program students, professors and legal advocates. Last year, Stetson’s undergraduate mock trial team gained footing on the national stage with several successes in competitions. Meanwhile, a newly formed moot court team quickly gathered steam to win against well-established, top-rated teams from across the country. Those previous achievements have made Smallpage’s job easier, he says. In addition, although Stetson doesn’t currently offer a pre-law major or minor, a Pre-Law Advisory Committee helps to guide undergraduates toward the study of law and legal careers. Not coincidentally, interest is strong: At last count, more than 460 undergraduate students at Stetson had indicated an interest in learning about law. Smallpage sees potential in DeLand — and the potential for expanding connections to Stetson’s campus in Gulfport, some 150 miles away, where the university’s College of Law resides. The College of Law regularly sits at or near the top in national rankings for excellence. According to U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 rankings, Stetson Law is the No. 1 law school for Trial Advocacy and No. 3 for Legal Writing. It’s been that way year after year for more than two decades. Further, Stetson Law’s Dispute Resolution ranking has continued a sharp upward trajectory, climbing from No. 72 in 2021 to No. 18 in 2024. At the same time, the College of Law’s overall ranking has climbed nearly 30 spots to No. 84 from its 2023 ranking of 111. There are existing pathways from DeLand to Gulfport. For certain high-performing undergraduates from the College of Arts and Sciences and School of Business Administration, Stetson’s Accelerated 3+3 Bachelor’s/J.D. Program enables them to attend the College of Law before completion of a bachelor’s degree. In addition, the 4+3 Direct Admissions Program allows undergraduate students studying at Stetson, as well as Stetson alumni, to gain admission to the College of Law based on certain academic credentials. As he looks to the future, Smallpage says his job in DeLand is to “basically bring everything together.” Stetson College of Law Dean D. Benjamin Barros, who arrived in Gulfport earlier this year, points to the promise of enhanced entrepreneurship at his campus, along with broader global relevance and the possibilities of part-time distance learning for working professionals. Mostly, however, Barros is excited about working more closely with the Stetson campus in DeLand. “I think there’s tremendous potential for collaboration between the College of Law and legal programming at the undergraduate level [in DeLand],” Barros says. “ … I think there is an awful lot of things that we can do here, and I would love for the College of Law to be an asset for everything in DeLand in terms of enrollment, in terms of education, in terms of programming and in terms of intellectual life.” “We’re really trying to build a community of students who are interested in law,” Smallpage concludes. “I want students to know that if they’re interested in law, pre-law, if they’re interested in law school, if they’re just interested in it as an academic area of study, there is a community of like-minded, motivated, interested students.” – Michael Candelaria

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Action on the court from 1962 in the DeLand Armory. Inset: Action on the sidelines from legendary coach Glenn Wilkes Sr.

58 YEARS

AS A HATTERS BASKETBALL FAN It was a ball and a blast — times I’ll never forget. And I even kept score. TONY TUSSING ’65

he title is a little misleading as I kept score for the Hatters men’s and women’s basketball teams for 58 years, which kept me as a fan of Stetson basketball. In fall 1962, I was a sophomore at Stetson, and Athletics Director Brady Cowell approached me one day during one of the physical education classes that students needed to graduate. Cowell, who was also a longtime coach of baseball, football and basketball at Stetson, asked me if I would like to help on the score table during games for the men’s basketball team, as the women did not have a team. I said, yes, but that there was a problem since I did not have a car. Coach Cowell volunteered to pick me up for all home games and return me to campus. I think

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that the starting pay was $5 per game. I quickly agreed, and what started as a temporary job turned into a long-term enjoyment. The first two years, I worked alongside Yogi Watson, who was the scorekeeper while I operated the clock. After Watson graduated, I moved over a seat to become the official scorekeeper. Those were the days when Stetson played in the NAIA Division of collegiate athletics. The Hats played the majority of their games in the DeLand Armory, a very small gymnasium that was limited in seating and had large exhaust fans on the east upper wall. (Actual fans, not people.) The team played several seasons at DeLand High School, as well as many other gyms, in Central Florida until the Edmunds Center was constructed in 1974. I continued to keep score for the Hatters and saw the university add wom-

en’s basketball, which I kept score for as well. We got to see a lot of outstanding basketball and many very talented athletes on both the Stetson teams and opposing teams. I stepped down during the COVID19 epidemic — I could not see adequately wearing a face mask and a visor, which fogged up my glasses, making it difficult to see who made the shot or even whether the shot went in. The following season, I was asked to return but decided that, for the first time in 58 years, I wanted to cheer for the Hatters men’s and women’s basketball teams. So, this season, the first time in seven decades, that’s where you’ll find me, cheering. Some of the memories I have and cherish, let’s call them my Top 10 list — but in no particular order and excluding the years. (After all these seasons, some things I’ll never forget, but others I can’t remember.)

•H aving legendary Coach Glenn Wilkes Sr. sit in a rocking chair on the sidelines one season. Head coaches were required to be seated, and many coaches had trouble with the rule, including Coach Wilkes. •S tetson men defeated nationally ranked Western Kentucky in the Orlando Junior College gym, which today is Lake Highland Prep. •P laying a school from South Florida that brought two buses full of fans. The fans ended up in a minor brawl on the small Armory court. •O ur first game in the Edmunds Center and several years of the Florida Junior College Basketball Championships. •W atching all-time great NBA stars Larry Bird and Charles Barkley play in the Edmunds Center. •T he Orlando Magic holding closed practices in the Edmunds Center. •H omecoming being centered around basketball. (Sorry, Hatters Football.) •W inning a game against the University of Tampa, and the student body campaigning for a day off from school. •S erving as a basketball game official back when Stetson had a freshmen team. I would officiate the freshmen game first and then keep score for the varsity during the second game.

•T here was a student who at one time would charge out on the court and spell out Stetson to cheer the team on. When he graduated, another student took over the task. On his first time out there, he stepped on the scorer’s table, leaving a large footprint on the scorebook. OTHER MEMORIES I was a student from 1961 to 1965. Let's call these 10 reminders of my youth — and a very different time. •A ll the women having a curfew and having to check out a key. (What male student could forget?) •T he Vietnam War build up. Max Cleland, another Stetson legend, was my roommate during his senior spring semester. He returned to campus as a triple amputee. Later, he became a huge political and administrative success. •T he Cuban Missile Crisis when military convoys would run through DeLand, heading south. •H aving required weekly chapel sessions but not having it during fall 1961 so the organ could be installed. •F irst-year students wearing beanies and going to the freshmen dance, which was square-dancing.

•H atter Holiday when during the spring semester students had a day off for recreation and fun at DeLeon Springs. •T he assassination of President John F. Kennedy and how the campus reacted. •F raternity Row being built and the following year when an orange-throwing fight happened between fraternities, which made national TV news. •P eter, Paul and Mary (a legendary band) giving a concert on campus. •T he Sigma Nu Fraternity house burning during exam week. All in all, the things I appreciate most, still today, were the education I received and the numerous friendships developed during my time as both a student and as the Official Scorekeeper for Stetson University over those 58 years. Tony Tussing, Class of 1965, worked in the Volusia County School System as a teacher, coach and administrator for nearly 40 years. In his retirement, Tussing spends summers in Vermont and plenty of time officiating high school and college track meets when not visiting his two grandsons. Tussing has been married to wife Monica for 49 years, and they have two sons, Leith and Ethan.

Above: Basketball was widely celebrated in Homecomings of the past. Right: Tony Tussing, second from right, was honored by Stetson Athletics for the 58 years he kept score for the men's and women's basketball teams. He is flanked by John B (mascot), Stetson President Christopher F. Roellke, PhD, and Director of Athletics Jeff Altier.

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AT H L E T I C S

FOUR-EVER HATTERS Stetson’s Athletics Hall of Fame welcomed its 2023 inductees: Kristin Lind, Jessie TenBroeck, Brooks Wilson and Logan Gilbert. BY RYA N M A R K S

irst, a bit of history: The Stetson University Athletics Hall of Fame was established in 1974 to honor those alumni who had distinguished themselves as student-athletes and the coaches of the Hatter teams who had made significant contributions to the intercollegiate athletic programs. Criteria for selection include superior athletic performance while enrolled at Stetson. No former student-athlete is eligible until a minimum of five years has passed since graduation or participation in the program. The first class was inducted in 1975. Now, here’s some big historical excellence by Hatter student-athletes who performed well enough to be recognized — forever. They are the 2023 inductees into the Athletics Hall of Fame, as celebrated in October.

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KRISTIN LIND, 2014-2017, BEACH VOLLEYBALL A native of Sweden, Lind set the all-time record with 88 dual match victories for both Stetson and ASUN Beach Volleyball. Lind's record of 88 wins out of 119 matches played stands as a testament to her unwavering dedication and skill on the sand. Her dominance on the beach court was highlighted by her recognition as the ASUN Pair of the Year in 2017 and two prestigious ASUN First-team All-Conference honors in 2015 and 2017. Additionally, she garnered acclaim with five ASUN Pair of the Week titles and three appearances on the ASUN all-tournament team in 2014, 2015 and 2017. Lind also received three consecutive ASUN Scholar Athlete of the Year awards — closing her career with a 3.94 GPA as an Accounting major in spring 2017. Lind’s pivotal role in securing three ASUN team championships and her contributions during the NCAA Championship showcase her invaluable impact on the team's success.

JESSIE TENBROECK, 2014-2017, SOFTBALL Throughout her outstanding career, TenBroeck garnered numerous accolades, including two-time First Team All-ASUN selections in 2016 and 2017, and being named to the 2014 ASUN All-Freshman Team. TenBroeck’s exceptional performance and impact on the field are evident in her remarkable statistics, which include becoming Stetson's all-time leader in runs (157) and stolen bases (142). Moreover, she solidified her position as the ASUN all-time leader in stolen bases. A true all-around player, TenBroeck achieved numerous school records, ranking among the top in batting average, on-base percentage, doubles, walks and assists, further cementing her legacy. She played 203 games, making 203 starts and missing just one game in four seasons. Especially noteworthy was her leadership during the team's triumphant 2014 season, which culminated in a 39-14 record, an ASUN Championship plus its first-ever NCAA Tournament victory. The Suwanee High School (Florida) graduate majored in Accounting.

BROOKS WILSON

JESSIE TENBROECK

BROOKS WILSON, 2015-2018, BASEBALL Wilson was what is called a two-way baseball player — and he impressed in every way. In 2018, his final year, he earned ASUN Player of the Year and was named to the Unanimous All-ASUN First Team. As a pitcher, Wilson achieved a 24-18 record with a 3.19 career Earned Run Average (ERA) in 81 appearances, including 20 saves and six complete games. Over slightly more than 316 innings, Wilson struck out 310 batters. As a batter in 2017 and 2018, he showcased his skills in hitting, boasting a career average of .288 with 59 hits, 40 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. Plus, beyond his on-field accomplishments, Wilson’s leadership qualities shined brightly as a team captain in 2017 and 2018. All totaled, Wilson set records at Stetson and in the ASUN conference for saves in a season and ranked fourth in school history for career strikeouts. Additionally, he received recognition on national levels, being named to various All-American teams and winning the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award. Wilson’s versatility and remarkable achievements solidify his place among the top players in ASUN history. From Lakeland, Florida, he majored in Business Administration.

LOGAN GILBERT, 2016-2018, BASEBALL Gilbert’s baseball career at Stetson — like his fastball from the mound — was nothing short of electric. A dominant pitcher, he received multiple ASUN Pitcher of the Year awards and All ASUN First Team honors. Also, he made multiple All-America teams and was a finalist for the Collegiate Baseball Foundation Pitcher of the Year Award. Gilbert's performances were often overwhelming — compiling a 23-3 record and an ERA of 2.48, while striking out 310 batters over his Stetson career and walking only 78. His junior year was particularly outstanding, as he set a school record for the most strikeouts in a single season. Additionally, he ranked highly in various national categories, including fourth in ERA, first in fewest hits allowed per nine innings and second in total strikeouts. A product of Wekiva High School (Florida) who majored in Business Systems and Analytics, Gilbert is now starring in Major League Baseball, pitching for the Seattle Mariners.

LOGAN GILBERT Stetson.edu/today | STETSON

ALUMNI

HOMECOMING 2023 OCT. 17-22

With more than 60 events, Homecoming was filled with activities and adventures for all of Hatter Nation.

1. Class of 1973 celebrates its 50th Reunion. 2. Alumni attend documentary screening of “The Story of the 1979 Innsbruck Avalanche … and the Soul of Stetson.” 3. Alumni and friends gather at Homecoming Block Party: Downtown DeLand. 4. New Stetson Athletics Hall of Famers pose at induction ceremony. 5. Former Chaudoin Hall residents and friends gather to attend Chaudoin Hall Open House. 6. Alumni from the Class of 2013 celebrate their 10-year Reunion at the Class Reunion Happy Hour.

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12 7. Alexis Trapp and Christian Berberich are crowned Homecoming Royalty 2023. 8. Alpha Tau Omega celebrate its 16th Legacy Cup win at pregame tailgate party. 9. Alumni and friends gather at Hatter Village. 10. Alumni cheer at Homecoming game vs. University of St. Thomas. 11. Friends gather at tailgate party. 12. Students enjoy the Homecoming game. 13. Alumni gather at Presidential State of the University Address reception.

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ALUMNI

15 14 14 14

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14. Fun at the KIckoff Cocktail Party. 15. Brian Ray '91 and President Roellke at the Alumni Awards reception. 16. The family of late Robert E. Bugg ’73 JD ’76 gathers to honor his memory at the President's Champagne Brunch. 17. The President's Champagne Brunch.

Editor’s note: To see more photos of Homecoming 2023 and other events this fall, go to flickr.com/photos/stetsonu/ albums.

OTHER ALUMNI EVENTS 18 18. Stetson football players and coaches partnered with young alumni and staff during Move-In Weekend in August. 19. The Forever Green Young alumni program was officially launched at a kickoff party.

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20. Alumni enjoyed Hatters baseball in a big 11-5 win vs. South Florida.

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21. Alumni filled the outfield terrace at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg for the annual Stetson/Tampa Bay Rays game. Stetson.edu/today | STETSON

ALUMNI

2 02 3 A LU MNI AWAR DS During Homecoming in October, the Stetson University Alumni Association presented its five special annual awards to six true winners.

AND THE WINNERS ARE: DOYLE E. CARLTON AWARD Presented to a graduate or friend of Stetson University 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. ROBERT E. BUGG ’73 JD ’76 The late Bob Bugg graduated cum laude from Stetson with a degree in Economics, alongside his wife, Patra ‘73. During his years at Stetson, Bugg was recognized as a national debate winner and continued to use the skills he gained on campus to effectively teach, speak publicly and share his faith within his community. After graduation, he continued his education at Stetson School of Law. He began his law career as a trial attorney in the Tampa Bay area, and eventually became certified by the Florida Supreme Court as a circuit civil mediator. He began his own mediation firm in 2001. Later, Bugg returned to Stetson Law as an adjunct professor, teaching courses in Alternative Dispute Resolution.

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GEORGE AND MARY HOOD AWARD

OUTSTANDING YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD

Presented in honor of the late George Hood, PhD, former dean of students, professor and director of the Counseling Center, and his wife, the late Mary Turner Hood, longtime assistant to President and Chancellor J. Ollie Edmunds. It is given to a member or friend of the Stetson community in recognition of his/her passion for, and commitment and contributions to, Stetson and its core values.

Presented to one alumna/alumnus of Stetson who is 35 years of age or younger. The award recognizes contributions to society, to a profession or to Stetson. Recipients must demonstrate significant accomplishment or promise in their fields; leadership; or civic, cultural or charitable involvement.

BRIAN RAY ’91 Brian Ray earned his undergraduate degree in Finance, and while at Stetson he served as Student Body vice president during his junior year and Student Body president as a senior. He received a PhD and an EdS in University Administration from Florida State University, a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College, and an MBA from the University of Central Florida. He’s also a graduate of Harvard University’s Management Development Program. Ray is currently a faculty member at the University of Florida, where he serves as director of the Poe Business Ethics Center and an instructional professor of Leadership and Ethics.

VIVIANA VASIU ’15 JD ’18 After immigrating from Romania on her own at the age of 18, Viviana graduated from Stetson in 2015 with her Bachelor of Arts in English with a perfect GPA. She was the recipient of the Etter McTeer Turner Award from the College of Arts and Sciences, an award presented to the student who shows outstanding academic achievement, leadership and service to the community in honor of Stetson’s first woman dean of students. Vasiu was the first graduate of Stetson to secure one of four spots as a 20232024 United States Supreme Court Fellow, assigned to the United States Sentencing Commission.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD Presented to up to two Stetson University alumni who, through outstanding achievement in their lives and professions, have brought distinction and special recognition to Stetson. JOHN MILLS ’04 John Mills majored in Religious Studies, and during his time as a student he was the recipient of the Algernon Syndey Sullivan Award and the June Brooks Award for Activism. He is also a 2008 graduate of Cornell Law School, where he received the Freeman Award for Civil-Human Rights. Mills is a founder and the executive director of Phillips Black Inc., an organization committed to providing excellent representation of clients facing execution or sentences to die in prison.

MICHAEL PLEUS ’94 MBA ’99 Michael Pleus currently is the city manager for the City of DeLand and has been in that role since 2008, but his career in public administration began back in 1994 as an intern in the County Manager’s Office, thanks to the guidance of former professor T. Wayne Bailey, PhD. Pleus is a past-president of the Florida City and County Management Association, a member of the DeLand Breakfast Rotary and past-president of the Kiwanis Club of DeLand. He currently serves on the Executive Committee for Team Volusia Economic Development Corporation and on the board of directors for Volusia/Flagler Commission on Homelessness. He’s also the treasurer for the Community and Support Services Board for Catholic Charities of Central Florida, as well as for the board of directors for the Florida League of Cities.

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD Presented to a graduate or friend of the university in recognition of his/her personal commitment to the ideals and objectives of the Stetson University Alumni Association and dedicated service and advancement of the goals of the university. RANELL TINSLEY MASON ’00 Ranell Tinsley Mason is a certified paralegal and the Sr. Corporate Compliance Paralegal for Masonite International Corporation in Tampa. After graduating from Stetson, she joined Bankers Life Insurance Group in its Annuities Department. During her tenure at Bankers, she worked as a compliance coordinator — filing analyst and later as a paralegal for the corporate headquarters. She joined Masonite International In 2011. During her time there, she has been a team member of mergers, acquisitions and senior note offerings that total more than $4 billion.

For complete coverage of the 2023 Alumni Award winners, go to Stetson Today and search “2023 Distinguished Alumni Award Winners.”

STETSON UNIVERSITY ALUMNI BOARD: NEW MEMBERS The new members, all beginning their term July 1, 2023: (L-R) Tony Biancarosa ’90, Courtney Edgcomb ’12, Travis Hill ’16, Dre Long ’18, Will Perry ’06, Ryan Rapolti ’09, Marshall Thompson ’21 and Dereck Williams ’17.

The Stetson Alumni Board serves to represent the Stetson University Alumni Association as a whole and as an advisory board to the Office of Alumni Engagement. Everyone who graduates from Stetson is automatically a member of

the Stetson University Alumni Association, and with more than 40,000 alumni in that grouping, these volunteers are essential in helping with outreach and key university initiatives. Also, a big thank-you to those Alumni

Board members who completed their terms of service on June 30, 2023: Annmarie Boss ’13, Elizabeth ’90 and Harold Kilgore ’94, Debbie Magruder ’89, Dennis Martin ’83, Ranell Tinsley Mason ’00, and Debbie Monaco ’88. Stetson.edu/today | STETSON

ALUMNI

A LIFE OF SIGNIFICANCE

MARY B. MCMAHAN

Mary and Richard McMahan

1933-2023

Stetson held a special place in Mary McMahan’s heart. She and her husband, Richard “Dick” McMahan, moved to DeLand in 1957 and took a lifelong interest in the university. From her leadership as a charter 1883 Society member to her faithful service on the board of directors for the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Music, and to her 36 years of generous financial support of Stetson and its students, Mary made a difference. A difference worthy of tribute. As the first responder to the Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation’s Challenge Grant to Stetson in 1991, Mary and Dick

STETSON | Fall/Winter 2023

played a significant role in stimulating support for the university’s Annual Fund for academic programs and faculty development. In 1992, the McMahans received Stetson’s Doyle E. Carlton Award for Service — one of the most prestigious honors bestowed by the university — in recognition of their extraordinary contributions to the life and development of Stetson, the city of DeLand and the state of Florida. Grateful for Stetson’s commitment to being culturally significant, Mary generously supported the university over the years while simultaneously providing for its future. When she passed away June

23, 2023, her estate generously provided for scholarships and the School of Music as a way of saying, “Thank you.” She bequeathed $15.4 million to the university, which will be split between Stetson’s scholarship program supporting Volusia County students and a gift for the School of Music. If you would like to make a tribute gift in memory of Mary B. McMahan, donations can be made online at www. stetson.edu/give or by mail to Stetson University, 421 N. Woodland Blvd., Unit 8286, DeLand, FL 32723.

ALUMNI SURVEY KEY FINDINGS 2023 In early 2023, a total of 1,449 Hatters offered valuable feedback to improve Alumni Engagement at Stetson. The input serves as a guide to enhance the postgraduation experience for alumni. Scan the QR code for key findings, along with insights and perspectives. Or, go to stetson. edu/alumni-survey. Also, contact the Office of Alumni Engagement at alumni@stetson.edu; 386-822-7480.

S AV E T HE

Upcoming Alumni Events Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024 | Tampa University Club of Tampa

Thursday, April 4, 2024 | Ft. Lauderdale

DATE! March 20-21, 2024 Second Annual Giving Challenge

#TipYourHat4Stetson

Ft. Lauderdale Yacht Club

Tuesday, April 9, 2024 | Jacksonville Miller Electric Company Corporate Office

qrco.de/140-events Questions? Contact the Office of Alumni Engagement at alumni@ stetson.edu or 800-688-HATS.

Stetson.edu/today | STETSON

THE CLASSES

Send Us Your Class Note STETSON UNIVERSITY is proud of its alumni and their accomplishments. We would love to hear about your achievements. If you are a graduate from the DeLand campus, please send your class note to Stetson University, Office of Alumni Engagement, 421 N. Woodland Blvd., Unit 8257, DeLand, FL

1950s Malcolm Glass ’58 published “Her Infinite Variety,” a collection of poems, stories and plays to be released in late 2023 by Finishing Line Press. In the past five years, Glass' art photographs have been chosen for juried exhibitions in dozens of galleries and competitions. He has also published poetry, plays and fiction in many literary journals. His short story "Lavender, Frankincense, and Amber," recently appeared in The Write Launch Magazine.

1960s

32723, or email your news to alumni@ stetson.edu. If you are a graduate of the College of Law, send your class note to Stetson University College of Law, Office of Development and Alumni Engagement, 1401 61st St. South, Gulfport, FL 33707, or email your class note to alumni@law.stetson. edu. College of Law graduates also can fill out the online form at Stetson.edu/ lawalumninews. We can only use photos that are high-resolution, and because of space limitations, we cannot guarantee use of all photographs.

Rev. Bill Rhinehart ’60 published a book, “My Brush with Eternity,” which tells the story of Rhinehart’s death by cardiac arrest in a car accident in 1993, and because a nurse administered CPR, he was brought back to life. It’s available on many online bookstores, and an audio/visual version, narrated by the author, is available on YouTube. Ron Knapp ’62 published “Theodore Burr and the Bridging of Early America: The Man, Fellow Bridge Builders, and Their Forgotten Timber Spans.” The book will be of interest to anyone curious about covered-bridge history and transportation history in the early part of the 19th century. Theodore Burr was a prominent innovator of

STETSON | Fall/Winter 2023

long-span timber bridges of his time. Priscilla Campbell ’63 and Scott Owens partnered to bring readers their latest poetry collection, "All In," a novel-length narrative sequence of poems that tells a love story in two voices. The collection is a sequel to their wellreceived "Shadows Trail Them Home," published in 2012. The two poets have never met, yet they have managed to create a cohesive and compelling work that showcases their individual poetic styles. It is available for purchase from Redhawk Publications. Campbell, a retired Clinical Psychologist in Florida, has been writing continuously since 1999. Rev. William Gaventa ’69 is the 2023 recipient of the Oskar Pfister Award. The award was established in 1983 in memory of Oskar Pfister, an ordained minister who studied and used psychoanalytic principles in his work. Co-sponsored by the Association of Professional Chaplains and the Harding Foundation, the Pfister Award honors outstanding contributions in the field of psychiatry and religion.

1970s

Rob Word ’70 received the Western Writers of America, Finalist Award for Best Documentary Script for the “A Word

on Westerns” episode titled "Unlucky 13 Who Died Too Young.”

J. Stephen Pullum ’72, MBA ’73, JD ’76 was hired as an attorney in the Estate Planning Department at Dean Mead. Also a Certified Public Accountant, Pullum received his BBA, MBA and JD degrees from Stetson, and his LLM in Taxation from the University of Florida. His areas of specialization include estate planning, taxation and corporate law.

Russell DeJulio ’76, following 38 years of working in the financial services industry, started a new career in the entertainment industry. DeJulio was part of background scenes in the Netflix show “The Chair” and was a stand-in for two of the main actors in the Showtime series “American Rust Season 2.” Vicki Peterson Fey ’76 retired in February 2023 after more than 50 years as an active church musician, including more than 30 years working with husband Steve at three Presbyterian churches. They

were recently honored with honorary lifetime memberships in the Presbyterian Association of Musicians. Richard Koethe ’77, MFA ’22 was named as an intelligence analyst with the Middle East Forum and Foundation, and he was promoted to director of Training and Development with the INTEGRAS Program with the Dave Roever Foundation. Roberta Adams Albrecht MA ’79 published her first work of fiction, titled “New York Bestiary.” The book is available on Amazon. Previously, Albrecht worked in academia.

1980s Debra Anderson Faulkner ’80 published “Your Kids Don't Want Your Stuff — A Memoir,” available on Kindle and in paperback on Amazon. Lynne Wilson ’83, part of law firm ShuffieldLowman, was selected by peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America (2024), as published in dozens of cities and regional publications across the nation, including U.S. News & World Report. Tracy Tidwell Piper ’84 became CEO of 1stEnviroSafety Inc., a manufacturer of green, nanotechnology-based, broad-spectrum cleaners, bio-pesticide and agricultural solutions (helping plants absorb nutrients across their membranes to super produce). Lila Jaber ’88, JD ’90 was included in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and recognized in six practices: Administrative/Regulatory

Law, Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law, Government Relations Practice, Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement and Utilities Law.

Rev. Jaime ClarkSoles ’89 appeared in the National NPR Weekend edition on Sept. 24, leading in the field of psychedelic chaplaincy, as well as the intersection of psychedelics and Christian faith. ClarkSoles was also added to the leadership team at Emory University Medical School’s Center for Psychedelics and Spirituality.

1990s

Amy Broutman Schultz MEd ’90 published a nonfiction book, titled "MUMENTOUS: Original Photos and Mostly True Stories about Football, Glue Guns, Moms, and a Supersized High School Tradition That was Born Deep in the Heart of Texas." MUMENTOUS began as a series of photos taken by the award-winning photographer at Nolan Catholic High School in Fort Worth, Texas, during the 2016

homecoming season. Schultz's collection of photographs and narratives then blossomed into a multimedia art exhibition during her tenure as the inaugural Artist-in-Residence at the Arlington Museum of Art in 2019. Jenny Hayden Stupica ’90 has been named the Workforce Development director for the National Tooling & Machining Association, which represents more than 1,200 tool and die and precision manufacturing companies with more than $35 billion in sales.

John Crowther ’92, JD ’96 published “The Bushwhackers: Blood, Sweat & Cheers” — a biography of New Zealand professional wrestlers and 2015 WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) Hall of Famers Luke Williams and Butch Miller.

Blane McCarthy ’92, JD ’95 was inducted as the president of the Jacksonville Bar Association, serving through June 2024. Greg Meier JD ’95 of the law firm ShuffieldLowman was selected for

inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America (2024). George Galante ’96 was promoted to vice president of Communications and Alumni Engagement with the Orlando Magic. Beginning his 29th season with the Magic organization, Galante supports all areas of the communications department, including serving as managing editor of all media guides, compiling game notes, coordinating interview requests with players and front office personnel, writing press releases, maintaining statistical information and traveling on the road with the team.

Jason Paulk ’97, professor of Music and director of Choral Activities at Eastern New Mexico University, was named the New Mexico Music Educations Association Music Educator of the Year. Paulk, who has been with Eastern New Mexico University since 2005, conducts the University Singers, Chamber Singers and Swanee Singers ensembles. He also teaches beginning and advanced conducting and choral methods courses. James W. Schwartzel ’98, president of Sun Broadcasting, was named the recipient of the 2023 Pete Weitzel Friend of the First Amendment Award in recognition

of his efforts before the Florida Legislature on behalf of free speech and the media. He joined the family broadcasting business in Fort Myers 25 years ago. Jerra Fortner Hayden ’99 was promoted to director of the Asset Based Lending Team at Texas Capital Bank. Melissa Jenkins Ramey ’99 was promoted to director of the Office of Research Development and Communications at Texas Tech University.

2000s Jason Davis MBA ’02 is a partner at ShuffieldLowman. The law firm recently provided legal counsel to Antilles Power Depot Inc. (APD) in the sale of its Lawn & Garden Division (Antilles L&G) to Freije Supply Inc. Davis assisted in serving as legal counsel for Antilles APD and L&G. Amber Crooks ’03 graduated from Leadership Collier Class of 2023. Those selected for the program are leaders within their community and within their organizations, with the intention of increasing participation in community affairs. Crooks’ participation was supported by the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, where she has worked for more than 15 years. Greg LeFils ’04 published an article in the August edition of the Florida Music Director. The article, titled “The Grit Factor: Four Ways to Help Music Students Develop the Determination to Succeed,” offers valuable insights and strategies for music

educators who want to cultivate a culture of excellence and persistence in their classrooms. The article draws on the latest research and best practices in music education and psychology.

Anthony D. Martino JD ’04 was installed as the president-elect of the Hillsborough County Bar Association. He has spent many years serving the HCBA, starting in 2008. Joseph Percopo ’06, an attorney with Dean Mead, was published by The Florida Bar. The article was titled “Transferring Real Property Into Limited Liability Companies in Florida: Benefits and Considerations.”

Chris Schroeder ’07 serves as executive director of the Boston Music Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to ensuring the long-term social-emotional and musical success of Boston youth. He has exponentially grown the program from serving 150 youth with a team of five teachers to more than 1,300 youth with a team of 55 teachers

Stetson.edu/today | STETSON

THE CLASSES

across 17 Boston public schools. Recently, the program partnered with international musician Ed Sheeran. He surprised one of the orchestras during a concert, and they played together!

Joshua Miller ’07 published a book, “Prenatal Genetic Testing, Abortion and Disability Justice.”

Chantel Wonder ’07, JD ’10 joined McGlinchey Stafford on the firm’s

Financial Services Litigation practice group in Florida. Wonder is one of 33 attorneys McGlinchey Stafford has brought on in 2023 as part of a hiring effort to expand its highly integrated team of “best-inclass attorneys.” Patricia Flanagan MBA ’08, JD ’08 was selected to the 2023 Influential Businesswomen list by the South Florida Business Journal. The list “recognizes outstanding and influential women executives based in South Florida who have a strong record of leadership, performance and innovation in their industries plus meaningful community involvement.” Flanagan is co-chair of the Trademarks Practice Group at the Fox Rothschild law firm. Christian Barker MBA ’09, JD ’12 was named to Billboard magazine’s 2023 list of Top Music

Lawyers. The list recognizes the nation’s top attorneys who serve as an essential resource for the music industry’s rising artists, songwriters and superstars alike. Barker is a former president of the Tennessee Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division and serves on the board of advisers for DIME Collective, a Nashvillebased digital media company specializing in podcast production and marketing.

Ryan Lynch ’09 was a lead editor and writer in his latest book, an Open Educational Resources textbook published by OpenStax and Rice University. The innovative book is

free of cost for students and professors to use for World History classes worldwide. Ryan is employed at Columbus State University.

2010s

Jesse Christeson ’10 has engaged with the Louisville Orchestra as the rehearsal and understudy soloist for “Yo-Yo Ma,” a debut of a work by composer/conductor Teddy Abrams. Christeson lives in Boston, where he regularly performs new compositions as a part of the twice Grammy-nominated Hub New Music quartet. He is also the principal cellist of

BIRTHS 1 Vicki Peterson Fey ’76 and Steve Fey, two grandchildren, 2019 and 2021. (not pictured)

6 Jamie Walsh Hoch ’15 and Chip Hoch, daughter Darla Juniper, November 2022.

2 Megan Krinsky Albrecht ’07, son Rowan Joseph, December 2022.

7 Kristen Gray Bobay ’18 and Dalton Bobay ’19, daughter Quincy Lauren, June 2023.

3 Karla Readshaw Moultak ’08, son Kieran William, February 2023.

4 Kristen Kolleda ’08, a son Luka Marshall, March 2023. (not pictured) 5 Melanie Diaz Olsen ’10 and Ryan Olsen ’10, son Lucas Henry, October 2022.

STETSON | Fall/Winter 2023

the Huntsville Symphony. Patrick Wildenburg MAcc ’11 was promoted to partner/managing director at Accenture, where he has worked since 2009.

Sandra Perry Shafer ’12 is director of Choirs at her alma mater, Apopka High School, and has twice been named Teacher of the Year at Liberty Middle School (2014) and Apopka High School (2022). Student choirs under her direction have consistently received Superior Ratings at District Music Performance Assessment, as well as toured throughout the United States. Rev. Michelle Willing Wildridge ’13 was

ordained as reverend in the Presbyterian church in June 2023. Alexandrina Andre ’14 published a children’s book, “The Pranky Monkey," which is available on Amazon. Tyler Puttick JD ’14, an attorney at Dean Mead, was recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star.

George Salis ’15 was honored with the inaugural Tom La Farge Award for Innovative Writing, along with its $10,000 prize. The award was established to celebrate authors and artists who push the boundaries of traditional storytelling and embrace innovative techniques,

forging new paths in the literary world. Named after the imaginative writer Tom La Farge, the award aims to recognize and honor those who display exceptional creativity, imagination and originality in their work. Salis, an accomplished author and visionary, continues to push the boundaries of conventional literature — first with his debut novel, “Sea Above, Sun Below,” and soon with his almost-finished second novel, “Morphological Echoes,” almost a decade in the making. Michael Allan Galvez ’16 was promoted to digital marketing and design manager at 54 Below and BFV Management. Galvez was also elected fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in recognition of work and “unwavering commitment” to bringing lasting social change as defined by the RSA.

Jonathan Bak ’17 received a "Master of Arts in International Security Studies" from the University of Arizona.

Alliance, is given to educators who have shown exceptional dedication and excellence in the development of their students. Ricketts is director of bands at DeLand Middle School.

United States Army. While at Stetson, Gonzalez performed in nearly every ensemble for the School of Music and proved to be an outstanding music education student.

2020s

Daniel Lange ’18 graduated from Albany Law School in 2022 and later passed the New York State Bar. Lange is living in Albany, New York, with fiancée Alexandria Bocco ’18. Lange works at Wilson Elser, a national law firm, mostly doing commercial litigation. Christian Ricketts ’19 received a West Volusia Crystal Apple Award in March 2023. The award, presented by the DeLand Area Chamber of Commerce and Orange City

Ariel Bermitz ’21, choir director at South Lake High School, took the school choir to State MPA for the first time post COVID and for only the second time in the program’s history.

Andres Gonzalez ’21 earned a conducting position with the United States Army Bands. Founded in 1922, the Army Bands is the premier musical organization of the

Jordan Acosta ’22 has traveled to Kyrgyzstan as a Fulbright Scholar, working as an English teaching assistant. Loretto Arzu MFA ’22 had two watercolor images accepted by UCF Eclectic Knight for presentation at the Orlando Museum of Art. Samantha Jenkins Shuler ’22 was hired as a literary agent for Gold Dust Literary.

5 Miranda Fick Wallace ’15 to Alec Wallace, January 2023.

7 Josey Pearce Keener ’18, MBA ’20 to David C. Keener ’19, November 2022.

MARRIAGES AND ENGAGEMENTS 1 Andrea Newhouse Reynolds ’07 to Greg Reynolds, December 2022.

3 Matthew Snyder ’09 to Steven Allegro, September 2023 (engagement photo).

2 Ryan Rapolti ’09 to Corina Purrazzo, March 2023.

4 Jamie Walsh Hoch ’15 to Chip Hoch, October 2021.

6 Heaven Cassata Colaluca ’17 to Christopher Colaluca, September 2022.

8 Samantha Jenkins Shuler ’22 to Benjamin Shuler, June 2022.

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THE CLASSES

In Memoriam 1940s

1960s

Carl R. Garrett ’44 Elizabeth Tucker Harner ’47 Esther Rucker Painter ’47 Lucy Effinger Dover ’48 Claude Duncan ’49 Claire Lupfer Forrester ’49

Ross S. Carter ’60 Robert L. Maynard ’60 John H. Ellis ’61 Judith Grentner Stowe ’61 John B. Davis ’62 Laurence A. Deets ’62 Thomas F. Granahan, JD ’62 Roger O. Sanders ’62 Richard L. Colling ’63 Angeline M. Forest ’63 William C. Grose ’63 Kenneth C. Lasseter ’63 Bruce T. McKinley ’63 JD ’66 Sandra Ivery Mugg ’63 Richard F. Reiff ’63 MA ’71 Alice Stewart Schweitzer ’63 Robert A. Stebbins ’63 Diane Futch Trotter ’63 James R. Austin ’64 Mabel Smelcer Carnahan ’64 Aubrey E. Cox JD ’64 William L. Kahle ’64 Dianne Scott Matthews ’64 Richard L. Nichols JD ’64 Barbara Mihm Sucher ’64 Gwynne Williams Barber ’65 Donna Dollens Kelley ’65 William Nelson ’65 Sheila Olson Bryan ’66 Richard G. Greenwood ’66 Diane B. Hoopes ’66 Harry J. Parker ‘66 JD ’69 William F. Purkey ’66 C.R. Seibold ’66 Gwen Knight Snowden ’66 Cecilia W. Dyal ’67 James B. Gentry ’67 Gerald R. Herms JD ’67 Richard O. Jacobs JD ’67 Robert D. Lenholt ’67 Thomas P. Prince ’67

1950s James C. Cox ’50 Ruth Pendleton Perdue ’50 Helen Murphy Riddell ’50 Mary Prince Lipstate ’51 Mary Brewin Porter ’51 James R. Rose ’51 Betty Grover Andrews ’52 H.M. Flournoy ’52 Susan Wilson Hilton ’52 MA ’66 Laura Langwish Ives ’52 Edward G. Stephany ’52 Ruby Fletcher Mobley ’53 Victor A. Muzii ’53 Helen Grimsley Roberts ’53 Jane Allen Rowe ’53 Barbara Pence Folmar ’54 Carolyn Cole Hightower ’54 Norma Bainbridge Beckler ’56 Barbara Caldwell Plank ’56 B.F. Singletary ’56 Carl S. Whiddon ‘56 Curtis A. Golden JD ’57 A.J. Starp ’57 Gordon T. Wells ’57 Charles J. Hunt ’58 Patricia McBride Lievendag ’58 Sarah Beasley Mack ’58 Merrill D. Nelson, JD ’58 Harry P. Dews ’59 Joseph B. Folds ’59 Jo Anne Norman Geiger ’59 Robert H. Hiller ’59 James A. Sawyer ’59 Ralph Steinberg JD ’59 66

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Barbara Whitley Wright ’67 Richard B. Badgley ’68 Raymond F. Johnson ’69

1970s Catherine Joel Anderson ’70 Gilbert W. Atnip ’70 Scott W. Bray ’70 Phyllis Blanchard Hartley ’70 Rebecca Ray Letzkus ’70 John R. McArthur JD ’70 Ronald L. McKenzie ’70 Theodore F. Zentner JD ’70 Stephen M. Kleinberg ’71 George Winston ’71 Pamela Sible Hannah ’72 Richard W. Heberle ’72 Stephen A. Stutts ’72 Mark E. Cleeland ’73 Luke V. Coderre ‘73 Kenneth R. Hauger ’74 John S. Murray ’74 Nancy Larson Rotta ’76 Jack W. Smith ’76 A.R. Thoreen JD ’76 George E. Seiler ’77 Kenneth R. Hall ’78 Freddye Clay Moore ’78 Valerie D. Dawkins ’79 Delores D. Menendez JD ’79 LaRita W. Rollins ’79

1980s Peter L. Oatman ’81 Rose M. Perrino ’81 Lisa Schultz Smith ’81 Mary T. Wester ’81 Robert A. Hamilton ’83 Sandra Smalley Bessenger ’84 Faith Juba Eriksen ’84 MA ’88 Joseph E. Gayton JD ’84 Albert W. Manchester ’84 Genie Fowler Rothman JD ’85 Shirley Haas ’87

Jeffrey A. LeHeup ’87 Gerard E. Schloth JD ’89 Sandra D. Borriello ’89 Bonita R. Clark ’89

1990s Kathleen Van Nimwegen ’90 Loretta M. Personius ’91 Linda K. Albers ’93 Kim R. Helper JD ’93 Carrie Colling Cox ’94 Kathleen Shanas Parker ’94 Catherine G. Doyle ’97 Carol T. Emery ’97 Joan D. Barratt ’98 Carl W. Green ’98

2000s Donna J. Lonsberry JD ’00 John A. O’Keefe ’07 William R. Schult ’07

2010s Samantha R. Pickens ’13

PARTING SHOT

University Namesake, Original Hatter: John B. Stetson In 1889, John Batterson Stetson became chairman of the university’s Board of Trustees. Later that year, the university was renamed from DeLand Academy in his honor. Yet, there is much more to the story. John Batterson Stetson was a risk-taker, a problem solver and an innovator. Also, he was a caring giver — giving back to his community with his profits in business. Ultimately, he was a giver who helped Stetson University with great generosity and strategic vision in a time of need. John B. Stetson was special, uncommon, unique. So, what is a Stetson Hatter? Today, Stetson Hatters share many of those same characteristics. Hatters are giving, caring and generous. They are problem solvers and innovators who want to change the world for the better. They are special, uncommon, unique. That is known to be true on campus, throughout communities and across continents. Oh, and by the way, John B. was born in Orange, New Jersey — the same city as the current university president, Christopher F. Roellke, PhD!

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