Explore our August Campus Insider to discover what faculty, staff and students on the Sarasota-Manatee campus have been up to this summer: graduation, grants, growth, student government and more. Subscribe to receive the newsletter in your inbox each month.
Table is set for Brunch on the Bay on Nov. 6 as USF’s Sarasota-Manatee campus plans for growth
The table has been set.
Tickets and sponsorships are now available for the 28th annual Brunch on the Bay, the marquee benefit event for the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus, scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 6, 2022.
Since 1994, the event has drawn community supporters to the beautiful grounds of the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus on Sarasota Bay to dine on fine cuisine from the area’s leading restaurants and catering companies while investing in student scholarships. Brunch on the Bay has raised over $6.5 million, including a record setting $450,000 in 2021, and aided more than 2,000 students.
That foundation of success has fueled extraordinary growth in enrollment and programs on the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus, allowing it to rise to exceptional heights along with the rest of the region -- and to run out of room in its current facilities.
The campus needs to expand, and plans are underway! The Sarasota-Manatee campus, nestled behind trees along U.S. 41 near the Manatee-Sarasota county line, has outgrown the 130,000-square-foot Crosley Academic Center, its home since 2006.
In addition to scholarships, this year’s Brunch on the Bay will support a next level of exciting initiatives – including construction of a planned Nursing/STEM building – that will create new academic and research opportunities for students and faculty and grow the invaluable partnership between the Sarasota-Manatee campus and the larger community.
Karen Holbrook, chancellor of the Sarasota-Manatee campus, said Brunch on the Bay celebrates the powerful, mutually beneficial connection between the campus and the Sarasota-Manatee region, and assures the campus can fulfill its commitment to providing affordable access to the region’s preeminent state research university.
“With the support of our friends and supporters, we will build a new and more vigorous campus experience and invest in a new generation of thought leaders for Sarasota-Manatee and beyond,” Holbrook said.
The $61.7 million, 75,000-square-foot Nursing/STEM building, currently in the planning and design stages, will double the size of the campus’s nursing program; increase new majors in the health disciplines and other programs; and fill the need on campus for teaching and clinical labs and research facilities.
Surveys show that STEM buildings are what prospective students want to see during campus tours and can drive a student’s decision on which university to attend. Similarly, STEM buildings help attract and retain faculty.
“The building will signal students, parents, funding agencies, friends and donors that the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus is committed to providing a contemporary, high-quality educational experience supporting the community’s demand for more nurses and science and technology graduates with the knowledge and skills needed to enter the talent pipeline,” Holbrook said.
Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature this year approved $3 million for planning and design of the new building. Holbrook said community support is needed as USF seeks projected state funding for construction.
The USF Federal Credit Union is the title sponsor of the 2022 Brunch on the Bay, and alumnae Dr. Mona Jain and her daughter Dr. Anila Jain are the event’s co-chairs.
“We are honored to return as the Brunch on the Bay title sponsor and to support student success and the expansion of USF’s Sarasota-Manatee campus as it grows along with the community,” said Richard J. Skaggs, president of USF Federal Credit Union.
Drs. Jain are USF alumnae and longtime supports of the Sarasota-Manatee campus. Anila Jain, a member of the Campus Board, was among the first organizers of Brunch on the Bay.
Supporters of the 2022 Brunch on Bay will help the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus, and the region, ascend to a new level of achievements.
“USF is growing here in Sarasota-Manatee,” Holbrook said. “Behind every great community like ours is a great institution like the Sarasota-Manatee campus. We are expanding for the success and sustainability of our community.”
Visit sarasotamanatee.usf.edu/brunch for sponsorship and ticket information for the 2022 Brunch on the Bay.
Summer Graduates Take the stage
As the University of South Florida prepares for commencement ceremonies on Aug. 6, 2022, three outstanding graduates on the Sarasota-Manatee campus recall fond memories and look to the future.
Angad Singh Dang
Born in New Delhi, India, Angad Singh Dang is an assistant professor of instruction in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus. This summer, he is graduating with a doctorate in education with an emphasis in adult education curriculum and instruction.
In addition to teaching International Food and Culture (HFT 3894) and Restaurant Operations (HFT 3803), Dang operates the Café at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus, which doubles as a student learning lab.
“I train the students how to operate both sides of the restaurant,” Dang said. “In the front of the house, students learn the different procedures involved – how to take an order, how to do inventory control and how to manage food costs. In the back of the house, students learn how to prepare and cook the food, how to maintain hygiene and sanitation and not get into cross-contamination.”
Dang’s approach is “simple."
“Most of our purveyors are local. We use St Armands Baking Company for the bread and Oak Farms for the produce,” said Dang. “We also do everything from scratch.”
His position in the Café ties in neatly with his academic studies.
“I truly believe in experiential learning and understanding how you can make these things work together,” Dang said. “It’s important to understand not only the theory of running a restaurant, but also know how to make critical executive decisions every day. No book can teach you that.”
As a student of adult education, Dang is interested in pedagogy’s adult counterpart, andragogy. His dissertation assesses the competencies needed to be successful in the hospitality industry based on the perspectives of hospitality professionals, students and faculty.
“Andragogy emphasizes facilitation in the classroom,” Dang said. “There’s a transference of knowledge between the student and the professor.”
Dang puts this into practice in the Café, where he adopts the role of facilitator, rather than instructor.
“I am open to suggestions and experimentation,” said Dang. “There’s so much to learn from students today. They are so well-rounded. They have so much access to information.”
Before coming to USF to pursue a master’s degree in hospitality and tourism management, Dang worked at two five-diamond hotels including The Oberoi, which is located in Gurgaon, India and offers fine dining from around the world. At The Oberoi, Dang worked with multiple chefs and saw some of the best ingredients.
“Money was not a question,” Dang said. “I saw some of the best service and food production protocols.”
In the kitchen, Dang, who is classically trained in the European kitchen, is inspired by the high fires and quick sautés of southeast Asian cuisine as well as “authentic Indian flavors,” like cumin, turmeric, ginger and garlic. He also has a soft spot for southern cuisine.
“I like harmony in my food,” Dang said. “That’s what really creates something special.
After graduation, Dang hopes to secure a tenure-track teaching position.
Aleah Bartosiewicz
Aleah Bartosiewicz is a cat person. She’s also a dog person. And a pelican person. And, most recently, a Galápagos tortoise person.
In addition to majoring in biology on the Sarasota-Manatee campus, Bartosiewicz, who earned her veterinary assistant certification at 17, also worked as a veterinary technician at Ranch Animal Hospital and Braden River Animal Hospital, an experience that complemented her coursework at USF.
“When we see antibiotic resistance in dogs, we send out cultures,” said Bartosiewicz, referring to her work at the animal hospital. “And I knew that they grew it on a plate, but I didn’t know what they were looking for. I just knew that the lab would send back an analysis that said, ‘This will work. This won’t work.’ But I didn’t know why.”
At USF, Bartosiewicz had the opportunity to go behind the scenes.
“In microbiology, we analyzed bacteria and came up with a treatment plan,” Bartosiewicz said. “So, I got to be the lab, in a sense."
The reciprocal nature of her coursework and veterinary work motivated Bartosiewicz to persevere even when things got tough.
“Organic chemistry was a challenge,” said Bartosiewicz, who enrolled in the course during the pandemic. “But being able to take what I was learning in class and see it come to life at work meant my brain was always on. I was always learning something and applying it and building on that knowledge. It was a nice balance.”
Originally from Wisconsin, Bartosiewicz never thought she would have the opportunity to work with marine life. But an experience with an at-risk pelican changed her perspective.
“I found a pelican tangled in fishing line,” Bartosiewicz said, recounting the time she saved the bird during a trip to the beach. “That experience gave me so much joy. I thought, ‘I can do this.’”
Bartosiewicz is concluding her time at USF with a 10-day trip to the Galápagos directed by Karen Atwood, an assistant instructor of biology. The study abroad course emphasizes fieldwork, service and cultural immersion by spending five days in the highlands conducting field research and another five days touring rehab centers and nurseries across the island.
“I’m looking forward to applying everything I’ve learned in the past four years over the next 10 days,” Bartosiewicz said before embarking on her trip. “What I’ve always loved about Karen’s teaching style is her emphasis on hands-on experience. We’re going to study the giant tortoises and track their eating habits. Are they eating invasive or native plants? And, if they’re eating invasive plants, what effect does that have on them?”
Bartosiewicz predicts the trip will provide clarity. “This will be, I think, my turning point,” she said. “Do I want to pursue a career in marine life, or do I want to continue caring for cats and dogs?”
For Bartosiewicz, there is pleasure in not knowing exactly what the future holds. “Either way,” she said, “I’m very excited.”
Riffatul Islam
Born in Bangladesh and raised in Bradenton, Riffatul Islam has known from a young age that he wanted to become a physician.
When it came time for Islam to decide where to go to school, he chose to study at the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus for two reasons: small class sizes and a proximity to family – one of Islam’s “main driving forces” alongside his faith.
“I was in the International Baccalaureate program in high school,” Islam said. “So, I was familiar with academic rigor, and I knew I wanted to go to a small, student-focused school.”
The decision allowed Islam to form strong relationships with his professors and peers.
In the three short years Islam spent at USF, he was recognized as a Golden Bull, was a member of the Order of Golden Brahman and the Student Government Association and held several leadership positions, including orientation leader, ambassador, campus council representative and student governor. As student governor, he created initiatives and programs that unified the three campuses as OneUSF and helped to rejuvenate the Sarasota-Manatee campus after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It feels like a blur,” Islam said. “It went by really quickly. But I feel like I’m ready.”
Islam especially loved being part of the USF Judy Genshaft Honors College and participating in the USF Pre-Health Scholars Internship Program through the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.
“Each of the roles I took on has better prepared me to become a doctor,” Islam said. “Working and connecting with the leadership team on the Sarasota-Manatee campus allowed me to succeed in my position as student governor, and I am especially grateful to Dr. Karen Holbrook and Dr. Rhea Law for supporting the success of the Sarasota-Manatee campus.”
Islam plans to specialize in internal medicine and provide aid to poverty-stricken countries by serving organizes such as Doctors Without Borders and UNICEF, a decision fueled by his experience witnessing extreme poverty during visits to his native country.
“My two main motivations of my life have always been religion and family,” Islam said. “For my successes and continued guidance in life, I credit Allah, my parents and my brother for everything.”
USF to confer more than 2,700 degrees during summer commencement ceremonies
The University of South Florida will award more than 2,700 degrees during summer commencement scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 6. The ceremonies include recipients of 1,789 bachelor’s, 755 master’s, three educational specialist, and 170 doctoral degrees.
The group features 15 undergraduate students earning a perfect 4.0 GPA, 68 student veterans and includes graduates from 41 states and 70 nations. At 18 years old, the youngest graduate is earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology. The oldest graduate, who is 75 years old, is receiving a bachelor’s degree in general studies.
USF President Rhea Law will preside over all ceremonies, which will be held at the Yuengling Center on the Tampa campus.
Click here for the full story.
USF faculty awarded grant for tourism research exchange in Florida and Serbia Student Government
A group of faculty and students from the University of South Florida’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management will travel to Serbia this fall as part of a U.S. Embassy University Partnership grant. The $98,000 grant was awarded to Brooke Hansen, director of sustainable tourism in the Patel College of Global Sustainability; Cihan Cobanoglu, dean of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management and director for the M3 Center for Hospitality Technology & Innovation; Adam Carmer, director of the Sensory Innovation Lab and assistant professor in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management; Faizan Ali, associate professor in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management; and Laura Harrison, director of USF’s Access 3D Lab.
The grant, titled “Immersive Technologies for Cross-Cultural Tourism Development: U.S. and Serbia on a Pathway to Digital Transformation,” will foster an informative and cultural exchange between faculty and students at USF and Serbia’s University of Novi Sad (UNS).
“We’re creating this bond across the ocean and across countries to strengthen ties, share information and support one other,” Hansen said. “There’s a lot we can learn from each other when it comes to digital technologies in tourism and hospitality.”
“The fact that Novi Sad is this year's European Capital of Culture provides a unique opportunity for us to present Serbian cultural heritage to our American colleagues,” said Ugljesa Stankov, a professor in the department of geography, tourism and hotel management at UNS. “Our goal is to collaborate on the development of a digital transformation process, to learn from one another and to contribute to the strengthening of ties between students, professors and our countries.”
The exchange begins this October in Serbia, where the UNS faculty will host workshops on sustainable tourism development and national heritage at Prince Alexander’s Royal Palace, the national museum of Serbia and at tourism sites including Lepenski Vir and Golubac Fortress.
“Serbia is home to amazing cultural heritage and food and beverage tourism assets,” said Hansen, who sees their first stop – the royal compound – as a microcosm of Serbia’s deep cultural heritage. “I really want people to understand what the royal compound means to the Serbian people.”
On a previous visit, Hansen used her 3D scanner to create a virtual model of the White Palace in an effort to enhance existing tours at the royal compound.
“It was during Dr. Hansen’s initial trip that we saw a lot of opportunities for collaboration, not only in an academic setting, but also in the development of new programs with a broader social and economic impact,” said Miroslav Vujicic of UNS.
A new project, led by USF alum Marko Bajic, sustainability manager for the royal compound, will involve USF in sustainable tour development initiative.
“Prince Alexander is passionate about sustainability,” said Hansen. “He wants to turn the compound into a sustainability showcase featuring composting, solar panels and circular economy demonstrations.”
In November, USF will welcome faculty and students from UNS to Florida and invite them on a tour of USF's Access 3D Lab, the Sensory Innovation Lab, Egmont Key, Busch Gardens and Tampa’s Riverwalk. The visit will showcase the latest virtualization and 3D modeling technologies, the augmented reality development in hospitality and tourism and the immersive sensory pedagogies used in food and beverage tourism.
“Egmont Key is where I do a lot of my virtualization technologies and tourism work,” said Hansen. “We use terrestrial laser scanners and other equipment to monitor the effects of climate change at Egmont Key and to help protect heritage at risk.”
In addition to being a Florida State Park and housing the historic military complex Fort Dade, Egmont Key is a national wildlife refuge, where a diversity of birds and turtles build their nests. It is also the site where Seminole people were incarcerated in the 1850s.
“One of the stories we’re trying to tell through our engaging virtualization technologies like VR goggles and touch screens is the story of marginalized peoples and histories erased,” said Hansen.
In partnership with the Egmont Key Alliance and USF’s Access 3D Lab, Hansen has created virtual tours of Egmont Key and worked with local marine operators to incorporate conservation education.
“We want to show our Serbian guests how we’re incorporating digital technologies into tourism storytelling, monitoring for climate change effects, bringing invisible histories out and promoting equity and inclusion.”
Following the exchange, USF and UNS will host two virtual workshops during which students from both universities will be invited to participate in a live “cluster learning initiative” that unites multiple classes under one theme. As many as 400 students are expected to participate.
“This is really an unbelievable opportunity for us to engage on a deeper level,” said Cobanoglu, who plans to recruit Serbian students to USF. “We are thankful to the U.S. Embassy in Serbia for this wonderful grant. We will see the impact for years to come.”
Meet the new student leaders at usf's sarasota-manatee campus
Students on the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus have elected new student government leaders Gov. Evelyn De Oliveira and Lt. Gov. Madison Sosa.
While the two rising seniors ran unopposed, they took their campaign seriously.
“We wanted to give everyone the opportunity to get to know us,” said De Oliveira, a psychology major. “We didn’t just want them to vote for us because we were the only option.”
In the months leading up to the election, De Oliveira and Sosa created an Instagram account and developed the acronym “O.N.E.” – which stands for opportunity, nourishment, empowerment – to introduce themselves to their constituents and highlight their initiatives, including a plan to revamp the MyUSF Mobile app, plant a garden on the Sarasota-Manatee campus and update the "Bull’s Country” discount program.
Neither De Oliveira nor Sosa are new to student government. During the 2021-2022 academic year, De Oliveira served as deputy chief of staff under Gov. Riffatul Islam and Lt. Gov Jovanna Arce while Sosa served as the assistant director of marketing and promotions.
“I worked directly with Riffat and Jojo, so I saw a lot of what they did,” De Oliveira said. “The job is a lot of meetings and a lot of meeting new people. I learned to always keep an open mind and be open to new ideas.”
For Sosa, a biology major, forming personal relationships with colleagues before “talking business” was the most important takeaway.
Both De Oliveira and Sosa flew to Denver this summer with their counterparts from the Tampa and St. Pete campuses to attend a conference hosted by the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA).
“The conference provided us with an opportunity to get to know the other governors on a personal level,” Sosa said.
As a result, De Oliveira and Sosa expect to see effective collaboration across the three campuses this fall.
“We all experienced this pandemic,” Sosa said. “And we know it hit every individual differently. Our main goal is to get students involved again, to see everyone happy and healthy and to let everyone know that we have resources ready for them. If they need help with academics, with overall wellness, we’re here to connect them with the available resources and to advocate on their behalf.”
“We’re excited,” De Oliveira said. “I think we’re going to do great things in the upcoming year.”
Student Government is hiring for the 2022-2023 academic year. Visit www.joinhandshake.com to apply.
USF REMEMBERS Sept. 11
The University of South Florida will host a special ceremony on Friday, Sept. 9, on the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus to mark the 21st anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The ceremony will begin with a flag-raising event and then shift to the campus courtyard. Included will be guest speakers, patriotic music, local first responders and representatives of the Armed Forces. Light refreshments will be served afterward in the Selby Auditorium.
The annual remembrance has become a tradition at the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus, located at 8350 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, to commemorate the attacks on New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. Previous events have included an honor guard, a bugler playing “Taps” and a children’s choir from St. Stephens Episcopal School in Bradenton, as well as military, first responders and community leaders.
The event is hosted by the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus and the Office of Veteran Success. To RSVP or receive more information, email Carlos Moreira.
‘I love the book.’ USF ‘Twainiac’ contributes to new volume on Tom Sawyer
Critical Insights: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, the first original collection of critical analyses of the titular Mark Twain novel, features an essay by Cindy Lovell, an instructor in the College of Education on the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus and self-described “Twainiac.”
Lovell’s affinity for Samuel Clemens – known to most by his pen name Mark Twain – began when her fourth-grade teacher Mr. Riese read an excerpt from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer aloud to the class.
“Mr. Riese never read an entire book to us,” Lovell said. “Instead, he would read a chapter from a different book each day – just to get us interested. When he read the whitewashing chapter from Tom Sawyer, I got ahold of the book right away.”
Tom Sawyer "whitewashes" the fence
Lovell finished the book only to find herself standing on the edge of a cliff. “That was the first time I felt disappointed to finish a book because it ends kind of on this ‘What’s going to happen now?’ feeling,” Lovell said. “As a fourth-grade kid, you’re like, ‘What else?’”
So, Lovell read the book again. And again. And again. “I’ve basically been reading the book since fourth grade non-stop,” Lovell said. “I love the book. I teach the book.”
For Lovell, who once served as the executive director for the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum in Missouri as well as the Mark Twain House and Musuem in Connecticut, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer has been a life-changing text and a “gateway” to Clemens’ oeuvre.
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Clemens’ death and 175th anniversary of his birth, Lovell organized the creation of a benefit album featuring artists such as Jimmy Buffett, Sheryl Crow, and Brad Paisley. She is also credited with discovering Clemens’ long-sought signature in the Mark Twain Cave, a three-mile passageway near Clemens’ boyhood home. “I’d searched for his signature for decades,” said Lovell. “Everybody knew he’d put his name in there. But there are a quarter of a million other signatures in the cave. Then, it was as though the universe said, ‘Look over there.’ And there it was.”
When Lovell’s contributor’s copy of Critical Insights: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer arrived on her front porch, she experienced yet another serendipitous moment.
Lovell, who grew up in rural Pennsylvania, recalled the many times she rode with her parents on Interstate 83. “We’d either go north to Harrisburg or south to York,” Lovell said. On the way to York, the family invariably passed by Maple Press, a book manufacturer and distribution center.
“We never had a reason to visit the place,” Lovell said. “But for a little kid in a family of readers, I remember looking out the window, thinking, ‘Wow,’ and picturing all these authors sitting around at desks writing books,” Lovell said. “I had no frame of reference.”
Then, last week, when Lovell’s contributor’s copy arrived, she was delighted to discover it had shipped from Maple Press. For Lovell, this is just “how the universe works.”
Lovell missed 10 days of school the year she spent in Riese’s class. She wonders now what she missed that might have changed her life the way The Adventures of Tom Sawyer has.
“When Mr. Reise read from Tom Sawyer, I didn’t know it was changing my life. All I knew was it was a new author I liked. And for years that’s all it was. Everything else was serendipitous.”
Critical Insights: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is available from Salem Press. Lovell’s chapter is titled, “Tom Sawyer’s Complicated Relationship with Mark Twain’s Hometown.” She considers it “an honor” to be included alongside her fellow Twain scholars.
Forbes ranks the University of South Florida as one of America’s Best Employers for Women
The University of South Florida (USF) is among America’s best employers for women, according to a new list published by Forbes. USF ranks No. 22 on the list, which includes employers across a wide range of industries.
Women currently account for 57% of all USF employees, including 64% of administration employees.
“The University of South Florida is proud to be recognized as one of the nation’s top employers for women and to support the development and career growth of our hard-working employees,” USF President Rhea Law said. “With women accounting for more than half of all employees at the university, it’s crucial that our employment practices are equitable and supportive of women in the workplace. This recognition is a testament to the diverse and inclusive community we are committed to sustaining at USF.”
Click here for the full story.
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