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Our Bull on the Scene: Kerry Sanders NBC News, Pg. 8 Dearly Bull-loved Life Member Honor Roll Dancing Bulls Amaris Nunez and Chris Jett, `01, take Many thanks to the generous Maria Colaco, `01, leads a NYC dance their marriage vows amid a festive benefactors who support the USF Alumni company that is rife with USF talent and display of green and gold. Pg.12 Association. Pg. 14 earning respect. Pg. 20 Completing the Circle “My degrees fromfrom USFUSF changedchanged my my life. life. They They were were the credentials II neededneeded to to start start my my own own company. company. I feel it’s mymy dutyduty to to pass pass that that opportunity opportunity along! along! There are soso manymany waysways youyou can can make make a adifference: difference: become a Life MemberMember ofof thethe Alumni Alumni Association, Association, get a Bulls licenselicense plate, plate, endow endow a ascholarship…. scholarship…. You can change people’speople’s lives. lives. It It really really is isas as simple simple as that.” Angie Brewer B.A. `82, M.S. `84 Learn moremore about about how how you you can makemake aa difference.difference. If If you’d likelike toto become become more more involved, pleaseplease contact: contact: Ron Sherman,Sherman, `74 `74 USF AlumniAlumni Association Association (813) 974-1891974-1891 [email protected]@alumni.usf.edu. WWW.USFALUMNI.ORGWWW.USFALUMNI.ORG JULY 2009 JULY CONTENTS FEATURES 8 12 8 Q&A with Kerry Sanders, `82 Award-winning NBC News correspondent Kerry Sanders swam with whale sharks, drank Vodka with Russian sailors and reported the news alongside Marines in Iraq. He credits his USF education for giving him the critical thinking skills necessary to report what’s happening in the world. 12 Green & Gold Wedding Chris Jett, `01 and Amaris Nunez met and fell in love attending Bulls games and events, so it seemed only right 20 23 that they make their wedding a green and gold affair – from the rehearsal dinner tailgate party to the singing of the fight song at the reception. 14 Life Member Honor Roll The USF Alumni Association gratefully acknowledges the alumni who help us achieve our mission of connecting alumni, supporting students and strengthening USF with the generous donation of their time, talent and treasure. 20 Dancing in the Streets Maria Colaco, `01, didn’t start dancing until she came to 4 6 26 USF. Now she runs a successful New York City-based company, MariaColacoDance, made up largely of USF grads. Her unconventional choreography is earning rave reviews and she recently won a prestigious Dance Theater Workshop Outer/Space Creative Residency. DEPARTMENTS 2 President’s Message 27 That Was Then; 3 USF Spotlight This Is Now 4 News Roundup 28 Employ-A-Bull 6 Where’s Rocky? 29 Featured Member Benefit 8 Q&A 30 Class Notes 23 Chapters & Societies 36 Athletics 26 Blast from the Past 37 Calendar JULY 2009 | ALUMNIVOICE 1 Alumni Voice message USF Alumni Association® president’s Gibbons Alumni Center University of South Florida 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ALC100 Hello Fellow Bulls, Tampa, Florida 33620 [email protected] Please let me introduce myself – My name is Roger Frazee, USFalumni.org the 2009-2010 national president of your USF Alumni Association Board of Directors. I feel very privileged to provide you with this Alumni Voice Editorial: progress report on the achievements your USF Alumni Association Karla Jackson, [email protected] or has accomplished over the past fiscal year and our plans for what Rita Kroeber, [email protected] lies ahead. Advertising: Jim Gundry, [email protected]. USF is the 9th-largest public university in the country. We edu or 813-286-8299; Rita Kroeber, rkroeber@ now have over 224,000 proud alumni Bulls. Visit our website at admin.usf.edu or 813-974-6312 www.USFalumni.org to learn how to get connected with your Design: Marilyn Stephens, University fellow Bulls and about member benefits. Communications & Marketing This past year our alumni memberships continued to grow Contributing Writers in this Issue: and we also passed UCF on the number of specialty license plates on the road. We Lisa Cunningham, `85 still have a ways to go to catch up with UF, so please encourage your fellow alumni Mia Faucher, `10 to sign up for their Bulls tag. And please don’t forget the USF Bulls credit cards, which Anna Peters, `09 benefit the Alumni Association. Arleen Spenceley, `07 Two very important programs were started this year. A public advocacy committee was formed to develop the Alumni Association’s advocacy efforts. These Alumni Association Contact Information efforts will advance the University’s priorities throughout our local communities and Executive Director: John Harper, `76 the state. We will talk more about this later in the year. Membership: 813-974-2100 or 800-299-BULL Our other initiative was the development of a Student Alumni Association and Alumni & Student Programs: 813-974-2100 a closer relationship with USF student government. The vice-president of student General Alumni e-mail: [email protected] government, Bruno Portigliatti, now serves as a voting member of the Alumni Giving/Scholarships: Ron Sherman, Association board. We believe this effort will develop closer ties with the students and [email protected] vice versa – a win/win for both organizations. The president of student government USF Bulls License Plate: www.BullsPlate.org serves on the USF Board of Trustees. Alumni Association website: USFalumni.org Some Alumni Association membership rewards cannot be counted in terms of dollars and cents – namely the satisfaction that comes from helping to shape the Letters to the editor are encouraged. Please futures of USF students who benefit from our programs. write to Karla Jackson at kjackson@admin. This year you are helping 35 deserving students continue their studies, providing usf.edu or mail to the address at the top of opportunities they might not have had without Alumni Association scholarships. the page. Views expressed in Alumni Voice do Additionally, you are helping 11 talented students receive academic credits through not necessarily reflect the opinions of the USF our nationally recognized legislative internship program. By providing scholarships, Alumni Association, the University of South housing, food and internships, you enable these students to gain invaluable Florida or the editorial staff. experience working in a variety of government offices. You also help fund the Ambassador program, where this year over 50 students will acquire leadership skills and networking experiences by serving as student representatives at University events. ALUMNI VOICE On November 4th of this year, it will be the USF Alumni Association’s 40th (USPS# 025203) anniversary. We have come a long way and we thank you all for our significant Number 9 growth and progress. The number of our association groups has continued to grow Alumni Voice is published quarterly in – we now have 39 chapters around the U.S., 14 societies and 1 corporate sponsored January, April, July, and October as a benefit group. of membership in the University of South My final comment is about our great football team and upcoming conference Florida Alumni Association, 4202 E. Fowler season. One of our alumni board members is a sports and football aficionado of the Ave., ALC100, Tampa, FL 33620-5455. first degree. He tells me that we are going to be the BIG EAST Champions in football Periodical Postage Paid at Tampa, FL. this year. While that remains to be seen, I personally believe it. So be sure to get your POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: USF Bull auto tags for the drive on I-75 and I-10 to Tallahassee for the game against University of South Florida Alumni Association, FSU on September 26th – and all of this year’s games. We will be there to greet you Communications Department, 4202 E. Fowler under the alumni welcome tent. Ave., ALC100, Tampa, FL 33620-5455. Enjoy this outstanding edition of Alumni Voice. Thanks for your continued support and GO BULLS! New Address? Moving? Update your official USF alumni record at Representing you, myUSFbio.org or email your information to [email protected]. You also may remove the magazine label and send it with your Roger T. Frazee, `71 correct address to Alumni Voice, USF Alumni President and Life Member Association, 4202 E. Fowler Ave. ALC100, Sarasota (Manatee County) FL. Tampa, FL 33620. © 2009 All rights reserved. 2 ALUMNIVOICE | JULY 2009 University of South Florida Alumni Association Board of Directors — PRESIDENT — USF Roger Frazee, CFP, CLU, ChFC, CPA, `71 Finance & Accounting — PRESIDENT-ELECT — Brad Kelly, CPA, `79 Accounting spotlight — SECRETARY — Anila Jain, M.D., MBA, `81 Biology — Co-TREASURERS — Victor Lucas, `85 Management Rich Heruska, `99 Business — IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT — Michele Norris, `79 Marketing — BOARD MEMBERS — Janice Sands Ash, P.E., `87 Engineering Science & M.S. `89 Civil Engineering Gene Balter, P.E., `77 Engineering Shaye Benfield,`97 Marketing Donna Brickman, `81 Accounting Rajiv Dembla, `92 Engineering Bill Eickhoff, `69 Business & `73 MBA Audrey Gilmore, `80 Marketing Gene Haines, `97 Criminology Lizz Harmon, `82 Mass Communications/Advertising Lisa Provenzano Heugel, `93 Mass Communications/Journalism, `96 Information Systems & `07 MSCS Computer Science Mark Levine, Esq., `74 Psychology Diana Michel, `88 Business Patrick Poff, Esq., `92 English Bruno Portigliatti, USF Student Government Vice President Jim Ragsdale, `81 Management Kimberly Choto Schmidt, `92 Communication & USF Alumni Association board member and Advocacy Committee `02 M.A. Adult Education chair Anila Jain with Florida Gov. Charlie Crist. Jeff Spalding, `87 Computer Science & Engineering Alan Steinberg, `78 Communication Christi Womack-Villalobos, `92 English Jim Weber, `77 Finance & `82 MBA Advocacy Committee Derek Williams, CFP, `00 Finance The Advocacy Committee is comprised of USF Alumni — NON-VOTING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD — Association officers and members who play an active Judy Genshaft, University of South Florida President John Harper, `76 Mass Comm., Alumni Association Executive Director role in supporting the University and its interests in Leslie “Les” Muma, `66 Mathematics, the Florida Legislature.