&

INDEPENDENT

Colleges

Universities

ED H. MOORE, PhD , P R E S I D E N T

(850) 681-3188 emoore@icuf.org

I C U F N e w s l e t t e r S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 3

Weatherford Speaks at PBAU’s Warren Library

Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford (R-Wesley Chapel) pointed out he isn’t much older than the Palm Beach Atlantic University student leaders who attended the address he gave to invited guests at the University’s Warren Library. He called on those students to begin making a difference now. “I believe that young people today have a responsibility to engage in

government,” he said, speaking in the library’s Lassiter Rotunda as part of Palm Beach Atlantic’s LeMieux Center for Public Policy speaker series. “I don’t really care what level it is. You don’t have to be elected to office to be a public servant.” Representative Weatherford added that in addition to leaders, “we need people who will follow and join” the movements and causes they support. The 50-minute presentation concluded with a question-and-answer session led by former U.S. Senator George LeMieux, where Rep. Weatherford addressed a wide range of issues.

Speaker Will Weatherford

Former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux & Speaker Will Weatherford

ICUF President Publishes Book

Dr. Ed Moore’s recently published book, “The Speakers,” is the second installment of a brilliant collection of Florida’s political history seen through the eyes of powerful leaders who served in the Florida House of Representatives between 1994 and 2012. Beginning with Florida House Speaker Peter Rudy Wallace, and ending with current Speaker Will Weatherford, “The Speakers” chronicles the legacy that these individuals share and their most renowned endeavors. Offering an intriguing view of these politicos and issues that they faced while in office, the manuscript also includes personal anecdotes, which give the reader a multifaceted perspective of Florida’s political landscape. Above all, “The Speakers” reflects on the Promise of Florida. From our state’s very beginning, the pursuit of opportunity, growth and adventure has driven Floridians to reach their highest potential. It is the Promise of Florida that has motivated political leaders, such as those featured in this book, to continually build a better, safer and brighter Florida. “The Speakers” serves as a reminder of this destiny, pushing Floridians to uphold the spirit of our state as a compass for generations to come.

ScienceMathMaster Adds New Online Resources for FL Teachers

ScienceMathMaster (SM2) announced the addition of a virtual Equipment Locker to its arsenal

of online educator resources. The new Equipment Locker, along with other online tools developed by SM

2, will be used by teachers across the Sunshine State to improve classroom practices, offering

students increased enrichment to boost achievement in Biology and Geometry. ScienceMathMaster is a professional development program for high school Biology and Geometry teachers composed of face-to-face professional development workshops and on-line science and math resources for teachers, including modules, videos, coursework examples, demonstration ideas and curriculum tools. SM

2 is sponsored by the Florida Department of Education

and produced by The University of Tampa in partnership with ICUF and the Florida Independent College Fund. “The expansion of ScienceMathMaster video tools and the addition of our new Equipment Locker make the ICUF eLibrary an ideal hub for educators to enhance their teaching methods,” said Dr. Ed Moore, president of Independent Colleges & Universities of Florida. “Our commitment to preparing young learners for careers in STEM is bolstered by the success of ScienceMathMaster and we’re excited to launch this new facet of the project.”

5th

Annual Taiwan-Florida Conference Held

A cultural exchange of students and faculty was one of the topics discussed at the 5th Annual Taiwan-Florida Higher Education Conference, held this past August at St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens. The conference theme was “Taiwan and Florida: Gateways and Pathways to Emerging Millennium Challenges and Opportunities for Higher Education.” St. Thomas University President, Rev. Monsignor Franklyn M. Casale, said it was critical to have these types of partnerships in the globalized economy in which students would be graduating. In the fall of 2014, the Lawrence Cox Scholarship will be available for students of St. Thomas University who want to study at a university in Taiwan. Gigi Laudisio, director of board relations and major gifts officer for St. Thomas, said the scholarship is expected to grow as more donations are received. The scholarship was started by Ben Chen, an engineer and university board member. “Taiwan has some very good and world class universities in many disciplines,” said Chen, adding that most classes are taught in English, although students would need to learn some Mandarin Chinese before going. “If this student also speaks Spanish, which is not uncommon in South Florida, his or her future is guaranteed,” he said.

Fr lft, C.T. Hsu, pres. of the Chinese Amer. Scholars & Prof. Assoc. of FL; Ed Moore, pres. of Independent Colleges & Univ. of Fl.; Pi-twan Huang, political deputy minister of Taiwan's Ministry of Ed.; Msgr. Franklyn M. Casale, president of St. Thomas Univ.; Anthony J. Catanese, president and CEO of the FL Institute of Tech.; Sandra Chan and Gregory S. Chan, provost of St. Thomas University.

Continued...

Flora Chia-I Chang, president of Taiwan's Tamkang University & chair of the Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education, presents Msgr. Franklyn Casale, St. Thomas University's president, with a porcelain tea set as a token of thanks for his hospitality.

Florida Institute of Technology President Anthony J. Catanese

FICF Distributes $74,400 in UPS Scholarships

The Florida Independent College Fund (FICF) has distributed $74,400 in UPS Scholarships to 31 low-income students at private colleges and universities in the state. The scholarships were made possible by a grant from the UPS Educational Endowment Fund administered by the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) in Washington, DC.

Nationally, CIC and the UPS Foundation teamed up to provide nearly $1.5 million in student scholarships this year, which will be distributed through state-based private college associations around the country.

The UPS Scholarships were funded by the UPS Educational Endowment, which is held and administered by CIC. The Endowment was established in the 1970’s by the UPS Foundation to support programs to benefit underserved populations. Since its inception, the Endowment has generated over $50 million in scholarship support for more than 17,000 students at independent colleges and universities.

“UPS is proud to continue the spirit of giving by partnering with CIC to support thousands of students working to become the leaders of tomorrow by obtaining an education from our nation’s independent colleges,” said Eduardo Martinez, president of The UPS Foundation. “We are proud, too, that The UPS Foundation and UPS employees directed $97.5 million in philanthropy and in-kind services, including more than 1.8 million hours of volunteer service, to local communities around the world.”

This school to school relationship is one of the goals of the Taiwan-Florida conference, according to Ed H. Moore, president of Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida, which was one of the co-sponsors of the conference. The goal is also to increase language programs to attract students. Chen added that advancing the quality of education is done by encouraging universities to recruit renowned professors, scholars and researchers from overseas; attain membership in international organizations; exchange faculty, students and researchers; and organize international symposiums and forums.

ICUF Schools Rank High in Degree, Value

Washington Monthly magazine recently released its 2013 College Guide. Unlike other college guides, the magazine “rate[s] schools based on what they are doing for the country — on whether they’re improving social mobility, producing research, and promoting public service.” Several ICUF institutions ranked high on different measures. Stetson University ranked 6

th of all 684 master’s degree

universities cited using those criteria. This year, Washington Monthly also published a second list, rating colleges and universities that are the best value: “schools that do the best job helping non-rich students earn marketable degrees at affordable prices.” Clearwater Christian College ranked 15

th of all

liberal arts colleges cited, and Flagler College ranked 18th of all bachelor’s degree colleges on the list.

ICUF schools benefit all Floridians: students, who earn a high rate of return on their college investment, and all citizens of Florida, who benefit from the research, work, and public service produced by these graduates.

For more information about the rankings, please visit: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com

ICUF Schools Rank in Top 20

US News & World Report recently released its rankings of “2014 Best Colleges”. Quantitative ranking formulas are based on reliable indicators of academic quality that have been proposed by education experts. Key measures of quality include graduation and retention rates, assessment by peers, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, graduation rate performance and alumni giving.

ICUF Institutions ranked in the top 20: Regional Colleges (South) Florida Southern ranked # 5; and Flagler College ranked #8.

Regional Universities (South) Rollins Colleges ranked #1; Stetson ranked #5; and ERAU ranked #11

Learn more: http://www.usnews.com

Saint Leo Receives Grant from Gates Foundation

Saint Leo University President Arthur F. Kirk, Jr., announced the university has received a $100,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to launch adaptive learning technologies in one of its core business courses. The funding will pay for new software tools Saint Leo will use in the redesign of the online version of a 300-level course, Principles of Marketing. The marketing course is required of all students pursuing undergraduate degrees from the Donald R. Tapia School of Business at Saint Leo University, whether they are studying online, or in a traditional classroom setting.

The redesign will take the existing online course and develop marketing scenarios where the student is in charge of making decisions for a business, and where results will be returned based on those decisions. He/she will also have to justify those decisions by showing mastery of particular content. “Saint Leo is well-established among universities as a leader in online learning, and we are constantly seeking ways to progress. We are delighted that this grant will help us continue to improve,” said President Kirk. “The results of this course redesign may be applicable to many of our other online courses and teaching strategies, and benefit even more students.”

Barry Alumna Named Finalist for Teacher of the Year

Maria Donohue was destined to become an educator. At 10-years-old, she set up an easel chalkboard in her parents’ garage, assumed the role of teacher, and “taught” her younger sister the lessons she learned that day while at school. Today, it is no surprise that the Barry University alumna has not only experienced a successful career in education but also continues to remain passionate about teaching. “Growing up with my father who was a teacher, I knew I wanted to help others,” said Donohue, who graduated from Barry in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in biology. “If you are doing something you love, you will never dread going to work, because it won’t be work at all.”

In 2012, Donohue was named Hialeah Gardens Senior High School Teacher of the Year and North Region Miami-Dade County Teacher of the Year. After being awarded Teacher of the Year for her region, Donohue was named one of five finalists, out of 23,000 teachers in the district, for the 2014 Francisco R. Walker Miami-Dade County Teacher of the Year. “I was surprised and so honored,” Donohue said. “As a teacher, you go into school every day with only one thing in mind — making sure you give an engaging and unforgettable performance, so that your students leave your classroom learning something new that will help them succeed. To be recognized for doing something you do every day and never think twice about is awesome.” This fall, Donohue will begin her seventh year of teaching at Hialeah Gardens Senior High School. In addition to serving as the lead biology teacher, Donohue also teaches forensic science.

Maria Donohue

Eckerd’s M & W Tennis Land 6 ITA Scholar-Athletes

Women's tennis players Christine Hammerschmidt '13, Manon Ironside '13, Hanna Segal '13 and Erika Fridrik '14 and men's tennis players Dylan Randazzo '13 and Takoda Edlund '16 earned distinction as Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar-Athletes for the 2012-13 academic year. "I'm really proud of the girls," said EC Head Coach Erin Koenig. "It takes such hard work, dedication and time management, to be a collegiate student-athlete. These girls managed to accomplish something that not everyone can do. They have represented Eckerd women's tennis in the highest manner possible and I'm really proud of their accomplishments and appreciate their dedication." Hammerschmidt and Ironside graduated with degrees in psychology, Segal finished her studies in management and Fridrik is working towards a degree in marine science and management.

"I'm really proud of Dylan and Takoda," said Coach Koenig. "Takoda's freshman year speaks volumes about him and how he's managed tennis and his work in the classroom. Dylan has had a solid four years at Eckerd and has been a huge part of our program. They have set the highest standards for the rest of our team."

(L-R): Hanna Segal '13, Manon Ironside '13, Christine Hammerschmidt '13 and Erika Fridrik

Dylan Randazzo '13 & Takoda Edlund '16

First Students Graduate from ERAU’s Ph.D. Programs

In an Embry-Riddle milestone, the first students have completed the research-based Ph.D. degree programs the university launched in 2010 – Jaime Rubio Hervas with a Ph.D. in engineering physics and Robert "Buck" Joslin with a Ph.D. in aviation. During his studies at Embry-Riddle, Rubio Hervas helped develop an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) used in the Galapagos Islands to deter poachers from mutilating sharks for shark fin soup. He also worked on a project in South Africa employing UAVs to monitor great white sharks. His productive research resulted in 20 peer-reviewed papers. Rubio Hervas will next work as a Research Fellow on a project titled “Automatic Landing System for UAVs” at the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore

Joslin, the university's first Ph.D. in aviation graduate from its premier College of Aviation Ph.D. program, finished his dissertation research under the supervision of Dr. Alan Stolzer, Professor and Chair of the Doctoral Studies Department. Joslin is a chief scientist with the Federal Aviation Administration who used his studies at Embry-Riddle to evaluate technology for preventing aircraft accidents on runways. He will take his findings – that even the latest technology alerting pilots when two planes are on the same runway could stand improvement – back to the FAA to influence the development of future technology. In an additional role, Joslin will soon become an adjunct professor for one of Embry-Riddle's worldwide campuses in California.

FL College Business Students Win Invitational

Florida College business administration students have taken care of business, winning their class’s GLO-BUS strategic management software competition, and going on to compete in the GLO-BUS Best Strategy Invitational, ranking first in their industry grouping and third overall against 75 groups. The Camera Cowboys, run by seniors Jon West, Jonathan Wickersheim, Joshua Westenhouser and Tyler Gann competed in and won the simulation featured in their strategic management class. This qualified them for the GLO-BUS Best Strategy Invitational, the same simulation on an international scale. GLO-BUS is an educational business strategy software that offers students the chance to run a business in a simulated environment. In the simulation, groups are assigned to run a digital camera company that markets and produces cameras. These “companies” are managed by groups consisting of one to five class members, who then compete in a web-simulated arena based on the real-world principles of supply and demand, market variables and competitors’ decisions.

Camera Cowboys CEO Jonathan Wickersheim described the competition as the consummate business learning experience. “The program was an aid for us to implement the lessons we have been learning during our time in the business program,” he said. “Vision, goals, communication, teamwork, leadership, flexibility, critical thinking — we had to use them all to succeed.”

L- R: Jon West, Jonathan Wickersheim, Joshua Westenhouser and Tyler Gann

Ringling Alumna Introduces Cosmetics Line

When Michelle Phan was an illustration student at Ringling College of Art and Design in 2007, she had no idea that the makeup tutorials she recorded on her school issued Mac notebook would turn her in to an Internet sensation. Just one week after she posted her first video, she had received 40,000 hits. Her hobby became an obsession and today her channel is one of the most popular on YouTube with more than 4.6 million views. Michelle launched her own makeup line "EM", by L'Oreal USA Luxe Division, which was inspired largely by designs created during her time at Ringling College.

http://www.youtube.com/user/MichellePhan

Michelle Phan

Stetson Alumna Awarded DuPont Fellowship

Stetson University alumna Maria Wrabel ’12, who graduated in Global Development Studies, a major she designed to reflect her strong passion for global issues, has been selected as one of only two college graduates to serve as a Fellow through the Jessie Ball duPont Fund Fellowship. Having recently returned from her work in Vietnam with Volunteers in Asia, Wrabel has just begun as a Fellow in the program’s two-year period of work and study in philanthropy and charitable work in the American South. The program is designed to provide practical experience for students interested in careers in the independent sector, either with nonprofit organizations,

faith-based organizations or philanthropic organizations. Since fall 2012, Wrabel was based in Vietnam, teaching Cultural Awareness and Intercultural Communication to students with bachelor’s degrees seeking advanced degrees through study abroad at Can Tho University’s Center for Foreign Languages. She partnered with Peacework Development Fund to run an English Club for Can Tho University students in a rural area, and to conduct community assessments of two villages in the Mekong Delta. She also worked as a volunteer for Heifer Vietnam, a branch of Heifer International, a global nonprofit with the goal of ending poverty and hunger. “Vietnam was an amazing and challenging experience,” said Wrabel after

returning recently to the States. “In addition to exploring Vietnam, I got to travel around Cambodia, Indonesia, and Thailand. You meet an incredible mix of people when living abroad.”

Maria Wrabel

Keiser Opens Latin American Campus

Keiser University is opening its first Latin American campus. The campus is located at an 18-acre residential campus in San Marcos, Nicaragua. With 300 employees and 500 students, the campus offers degrees in business and liberal arts. While Keiser has traditionally been focused in Florida, this is actually its second major international location. In 2010, the university opened a campus in Shanghai, China. The college also has language centers in South Korea, Taiwan and Moldova. “An exciting aspect of bringing the Latin American campus into the Keiser University community of campuses is that it continues our efforts in becoming a global educational institution," said Arthur Keiser, the university's founder and chancellor. As a residential institution with traditional students, the new campus has athletics such as football, soccer, basketball, volleyball, and boxing. The campus has dormitories for all the students, food service, a student center, a gymnasium, and a chapel.

ERAU Growing 'at the speed of thought'

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University saw an increase in new students and signs of “unprecedented growth” when school started this fall. President John Johnson stated that the Daytona Beach campus will see a 6 percent increase in new students while the Prescott, Ariz., campus is up 18 percent and the worldwide campuses up 5 percent. About 20 percent of entering freshmen at the Daytona Beach campus will be women, up from 18 percent last year, officials said. Adding women's softball last year helped, and the university recently hired a coach to add women's basketball next year. “I think we are doing well. We still have a ways to go, but we are making wonderful progress,” Johnson said at his “State of the University” address. Signs of the school's growth can be seen across campus, Johnson said, including a $28 million College of Arts and Sciences building to be completed in December and development of a research park.

Embry-Riddle will also start construction on a student union. The $60 million student center — one-fifth of which was paid for with student fees — will be the largest building on campus at about 225,000 to 250,000 square feet. In 60 days, construction will start on remodeling the pedestrian bridge over Clyde Morris Boulevard. Permitting has started also for a new athletic building that will be constructed between the baseball field and women's softball field. The building will include offices, locker rooms, new bleachers and concession stands and space for a new sports medicine program. The university is now able to build facilities without borrowing funds or raising debt. Several new degree programs are starting this fall, including a bachelor's in commercial space operations and a master's in unmanned and autonomous systems engineering.

President Johnson

Flagler Set to Unveil Civil Rights Library

Flagler College has introduced the Civil Rights Library of St. Augustine, an Internet-based multimedia archive documenting the St. Augustine Civil Rights Movement. On-line users are able to interact with the database. "The students have identified a variety of archival material that certainly I didn't know existed and that when organized the right way adds layers of understanding to this whole series of events," said documentarian CB Hackworth, who oversaw the project. "I don't know if anyone has done this sort of approach, but when you add this chronology and compare to things that were happening in Florida and across the nation, you can really see the cause and effect of the events in a larger scale."

For Micajah Henley, who graduated in April of 2013, the chance to work on the project was life changing. "This site is going to do something that history books and even documentaries cannot do. It is going to tell the story using a scope that has been either neglected or forgotten altogether," said Henley, who is now studying for his Master’s degree at the University of Mississippi. "I honestly believe that this will be the most important source for research on the St. Augustine Movement."

ICUF is proud to serve over 6,500 veterans,

41% minority students, and 57% Florida resident

undergraduates

Warner Granted Accreditation

At its June 2013 meeting, the Commission on Accreditation (COA) reviewed Warner University’s social work program application for Initial Accreditation. The COA voted to grant Initial Accreditation to the baccalaureate social work program through June 2017. Warner University has had an undergraduate program of study in social work for many years so they are pleased to announce they are now a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited program. The curriculum is fully compliant with the 2008 CSWE Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards. The social work faculty includes Erica Sirrine, LCSW, as the Program Director and Nancy Anderson, MSW as the Field Education Director. In the past,

Warner University graduated generalist-level social work practitioners who go “Beyond Belief” to impact the profession, help the vulnerable, and advocate for change, but now they will be graduating from a CSWE accredited program.

Social Work Students in Tallahassee

FIT Research Scientist Earns Prestigious Medal

Larry Hench, University Professor of Biomedical Engineering in the Florida Institute of Technology College of Engineering, has been awarded the highly acclaimed international 2014 Acta Biomaterialia Gold Medal. The award recognizes excellence in research and development in the field of biomaterials. Hench, who is also director of the Florida Tech Center for Medical Materials and Photonics, specializes in bio-ceramics and holds a prestigious membership in the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). The NAE recognizes those who have made outstanding contributions to the engineering field and to the advancement of new technological fields. The Gold Medal Award consists of the medal, a plaque, a cash honor -arium and travel expenses to attend the award ceremony. Awardees are undisputed world leaders in the field of biomaterials, whose accomplishments in discovery and translation to practice are surpassing and known to all in the field.

Larry Hench

FSC Names School of Nursing Dean

Florida Southern College is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Loretta Reinhart as the new dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Dr. Reinhart brings more than 40 years of experience as an educator and a practicing nurse to her new position. She served as dean and professor at the School of Nursing and Health Sciences at Malone University in Canton, Ohio, from 1991 to 2012 and was a professor of nursing at Olivet Nazarene University in Kankakee, Ill., from 1979 to 1991. Her experience also includes eight years as an acute care nurse at hospitals in Ohio and Illinois. “We are very fortunate to have Dr. Reinhart, who brings such experience in health education to Florida Southern,” said FSC Provost Kyle Fedler, Ph.D. “…Dr. Reinhart is ideally suited to lead the School of Nursing and Health Sciences as it continues to grow in size and in the scope of its offerings.”

Dr. Loretta Reinhart

Hodges Chief Diversity Officer Honored

The Hispanic Institute at Hodges University hosted its third annual Promise Award Luncheon recently where Gail Williams was named the 2013 Promise Award recipient. Ms. Williams is the President of the Southwest Florida branch of the Florida Diversity Council. She also serves as Chief Diversity Officer at Hodges University. The Award is presented annually to a community group or member who exemplifies society’s most valued human characteristics and thus serves as a distinguished example of social responsibility, determination, dedication, honesty, and moral character. “We are pleased to honor Gail Williams in recognition of her tireless efforts on behalf of diversity and inclusion in our area,” said Carmen Rey-Gomez, director of the Hispanic Institute. Gail Williams

Lynn Launches Tablet-Based Learning Programs

Lynn University is launching a far-reaching, iPad-based initiative that will use Apple technology to deliver the school’s nationally praised core curriculum to all incoming freshmen while also saving them up to 50 percent on the typical cost of their core curriculum text books. “After two years of research and successful pilot programs, we are putting a transformational learning companion in our students’ hands that will deliver our core curriculum in a rich environment, allowing our students to engage with the content in interactive ways,” Lynn President Kevin M. Ross said. “This will save them up to 50 percent off what it would cost for just the core curriculum text books alone.”

An Apple iPad mini loaded with the Dialogues of Learning core curriculum books, summer reader, iTunes U courses and other class materials and useful apps will be provided to all incoming freshmen for the Fall 2013 semester. The preloaded device will cost each new student $475—50 percent less expensive than the typical purchasing price of their core curriculum books, and they get to keep the iPad mini. The student can download any additional apps or content they like since they now own the device. As Apple’s education website states, “Powerful apps from the App Store like iTunes U and iBooks let students engage with content in interactive ways, find information in an instant, and access an entire library wherever they go.”

JU Faculty Member Receives Educator Award

Jacksonville University Davis Aviation Center Director Dr. Juan Merkt has received a national award for his efforts to improve aviation education and accreditation in the U.S. and worldwide. The Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI) honored Merkt with the prestigious Paul Whelan Educator Award. It is given to an individual who has been highly instrumental in the advancement of AABI, which works to advance quality aviation education globally through accreditation and leadership. “I am very fortunate to serve in this organization and deeply honored to have been selected for this award,” said Merkt. “None of these accomplishments would have been possible without the dedication and hard work of many colleagues at AABI.”

JU Davis Aviation Center Dir. Dr. Juan Merkt (center); AABI Pres. Gary Kitely (left); and accreditation and meeting services manager Ceci Shirley.

NSU Names Provost and EVP

Nova Southeastern University (NSU) has announced the appointment of Ralph V. Rogers, Jr., Ph.D. to the position of provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “Dr. Rogers is an accomplished higher education administrator and engineer who has held wide-ranging, senior level administrative and faculty positions during his career in higher and post-secondary education,” said NSU President and CEO George L. Hanbury II. “We are looking forward to the addition of his talents to our team as we progress toward our Vision 2020, particularly as it relates to the academic goals of the university.”

“I am beyond thrilled to join NSU at a time in its history where the university has come so far, and still has so much potential,” said Rogers. “I look forward to working closely with the university’s deans and executive leadership to lead the academic vision forward toward 2020.”

Ralph V. Rogers, Jr., Ph.D.

Rollins Announces Opening of The Alfond Inn

The financial challenges facing higher education institutions throughout the country are being addressed in a new and innovative way by Rollins College. Rollins recently built a hotel with net operating income designated for a permanently endowed scholarship fund. The $30-million initiative, including a generous $12.5-million gift from the Harold Alfond Foundation, entails the construction of the 112-room Alfond Inn. The Inn, located a block from campus, not only meets a community need for lodging and conference space, but also provides full scholarships (tuition, room and board) for top students through The Alfond Scholars program — the College’s premier scholarship fund. “One of the most exciting aspects of this gift is that it’s philanthropy supporting our long-term sustainable business model,” said Rollins President Lewis Duncan. “In the competitive world of higher education, we must employ creative problem solving and innovation. The Alfond Inn is our latest example of doing just that, and we thank the Harold Alfond Foundation for enabling us to provide annual financial assistance to deserving students and contributing significantly to our long-term endowment growth, while addressing strategic institutional and community need.”

“My father had a strong fondness for Rollins, and this project would have been right up his alley,” said Ted Alfond. “He was a businessman who liked entrepreneurial, creative ideas — and this project is both. Rollins will capitalize on a commercial opportunity to fund student scholarships. As the Inn achieves business success, the scholarship program’s impact will continue to grow. My father would have loved it.”

.

The Alfond Inn

ICUF

of Independent Colleges

and Universities

Florida

S P OT L I G H T

on this month’s Preferred Vendor

Metz Culinary Management

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Metz Culinary Management is a leading provider of food service management in the country. Founded in 1994, our guest-first philosophy has been the cornerstone of our mission since the start. Walk into any facility that says “Metz Served Here” and you will notice the difference right away. Primary Contact:

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Adventist University of Health Sciences

Ave Maria University

Barry University

Beacon College

Bethune-Cookman University

Clearwater Christian College

Eckerd College

Edward Waters College

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Everglades University

Flagler College

Florida College

Florida Institute of Technology

Florida Memorial University

Florida Southern College

Hodges University

Jacksonville University

Keiser University

Lynn University

Nova Southeastern University

Palm Beach Atlantic University

Ringling College of Art and Design

Rollins College

Saint Leo University

St. Thomas University

Southeastern University

Stetson University

The University of Tampa

University of Miami

Warner University

Webber International University

Melissa Armstrong is responsible for the content,

layout and visual formatting of the ICUF Newsletter.

Please email comments and suggested news items to:

marmstrong@icuf.org.