3 minute read
Growing Our Own Corn
Story by: Antonio Farias
As the inaugural chief diversity officer at the University of Florida, I came here for the people, and for the richness of this community. I recently sat down with four senior African-American administrators at UF in order to get their perspective on the community centered values that drew me to Gainesville.
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Curtis Reynolds, VP for Business Affairs
Curtis Reynolds, vice president for business affairs, oversees the strategic direction of a broad portfolio of business services. I recently asked Curtis what continues to surprise him about UF and its relationship to Gainesville. His response embodies the generous spirit he brings to his work. “What surprises me is just how nice of a community Gainesville is – and that after all these years, there are still undiscovered surprises. Equally surprising is how much we want to be connected to Gainesville, be it through job creation or research that betters the lives of our citizens.”
One means to accomplish this, and one of Curtis’; most treasured achievements, is the Career Progression Program, which sends UF service employees to school while on payroll so they can level up on trade skills that will increase their earnings and employability for life. As he put it, “We have to continue to invest in our Gainesville citizens, and grow our own corn.”
When I asked Eddie Daniels, assistant vice president for business services, what inspires him, he replied “I keep in search of and doing in the service of others, so what continues to inspire me is the need to help others, particularly in Gainesville, and of course including students.” In response to my question about what the good people of Gainesville should know about UF, he noted, “There is a wealth of talent and resources at UF including deeply caring people who want to share and help. … Any problem you can think of, there is someone here to help find a joint solution in a spirit of respect and collaboration.”
Eddie Daniels, Assistant VP for Business Services
I recently asked Dean of the College of the Arts Onye Ozuzu what advice she would give to someone thinking of becoming an educator. “Education’s promise of change is one of orienting our awareness of how we perceive existence (our own and beyond our own) – and in the process of learning we embody hope.”
Onye Ozuzu, Dean of the College of the Arts
Her approach to education reflects the decades of work she has put into making the dance curriculum across the national higher education landscape inclusive of West African dance, jazz, and hip-hop forms. In terms of community, she noted “With so many recently hired faculty in the college of the arts, our identity is in flux, so there is no better time to engage us as citizens of Gainesville – don’t let old conversations dictate the new conversations that need to be had.”
Zina Evans, associate provost and vice president for enrollment management, oversees the offices of admissions, student financial aid, and the registrar. When I asked her to share what keeps her centered, it became clear she models the true spirit of servant leadership.
Zina Evans, Associate Provost and VP for Enrollment Management
“Strong women of faith keep me grounded. I look to others and ultimately ask, Lord, what is my assignment? How can I have an impact on as many young lives by expanding access to UF? Education pushes you to work with people different from you, and it is this particular level of the educational experience you take back to your community, which is critical for the community to flourish and grow. With knowledge our young leaders create new contexts for old and spawn innovation.”
Along with all my colleagues and the amazingly diverse students, faculty, and staff, we have hope and a willingness to roll up our sleeves in order to build a stronger Gainesville for all. As engaged citizens of Gainesville we all have a responsibility to challenge and inspire one another to do our best work and be our best selves. Go Gators!
