As the University of South Florida prepares for commencement ceremonies on Aug. 6, 2022, three outstanding graduates on the Sarasota-Manatee campus - Angad Singh Dang, Aleah Bartosiewicz and Riffatul Islam - recall fond memories and look to the future.
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) on the Sarasota-Manatee campus and Restaurant Operations (HFT 3803) on the Tampa campus, 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 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.”
Born in Bangladesh and raised in Bradenton, Riffatul Islam knew 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.”
He 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. 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.”