A CELEBRATION of GATOR GOODNESS, GRIT and GRACE DURING the CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC — Page 22
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SUMMER 2020 A CELEBRATION OF GATOR GOODNESS, GRIT AND GRACE DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC — page 22 CONFRONTING BIASES ALONE TOGETHER INK AND MEMORIES Hear from UF's premiere implicit bias For some international students, Meet one special Gator scientists and campus leaders in the returning home during the quarantine whose life was cut short aftermath of racial violence — page 18 was not an option — page 48 by COVID-19 — page 36 UF Champions FLORIDA GATOR The University of Florida’s GATORS HELPING GATORS alumni magazine VOLUME 8 ISSUE 1 SUMMER 2020 VICE PRESIDENT, As UF scientists, staff, students and health care workers leapt UF ADVANCEMENT into action in February to assist with the COVID-19 pandemic, Thomas J. Mitchell FEATURES UF supporters also stepped up to help. Just five examples: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UF ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 18 Through My Eyes Matthew Hodge UF and U.S. Olympic track coach Mike Holloway shares his experiences JANE SUN (BSAC ’92) of Shanghai, China, sent face masks and a personal UF ALUMNI ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE BOARD following our nation’s recent racial violence incidents and protests. check to support UF’s coronavirus efforts. The CEO of Trip.com Group also President Katrina Rolle led her company to donate millions of masks to people at risk in numerous President-elect Mark Criser Vice President James Gadsby 24 41 Reasons to be Proud of UF countries around the world. (See more on pages 17, 32 and 55.) Past President Brian Burgoon See how Gators banded together during the coronavirus pandemic to save lives MAGAZINE STAFF THE LOUIS AND GLORIA FLANZER TRUST supported the UF Health COVID-19 [email protected] and help others near and far. 352-392-5491 Rapid Response fund with a $100,000 donation to advance research, delivery P.O. Box 14425 28 Reasons Gators Rock of testing and treatment, epidemiological studies, vaccine development, Gainesville, FL 32604-2425 32 This magazine can be delivered Hip, hip, hooray for these Gators who did their part to defend against COVID-19. prevention efforts and other similar initiatives. These goals align well with the in an alternative format for the blind/visually impaired. trust’s mission of enhancing the lives of Suncoast residents and all Floridians UF ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 36 Ink and Memories through social services and healthcare initiatives. [email protected] A former Alligator editor mourns the loss of his best friend to COVID-19. 352-392-1905 P.O. Box 14425 The trust also gave $139,950 for the purchase of a robot to speed coronavirus Gainesville, FL 32604-2425 40 Furry First Aid www.ufalumni.ufl.edu testing and results analysis in UF’s Department of Pathology, Immunology and UF veterinary students offer free care for pets of area seniors. Laboratory Medicine. The robot will also aid in the study of other pathogens in PAY IT FORWARD Make UF and its programs better addition to COVID-19. for future generations of Gators 44 Basement to Big League through your gifts at www.uff.ufl. edu/OnlineGiving or by contacting Two fraternity brothers launched a multimillion dollar business from their DR. DEAN HAUTAMAKI (BS ’86, MD ’89, HS ’92) of Sarasota, who is a co- UF Advancement at 352-392-1691. basement for $500. trustee of the Flanzer Trust, and his wife, Lizzie, added a personal gift to the FLORIDA GATOR is published quarterly by the University of rapid response fund. “UF Health is able to efficiently gather scientific and Florida Alumni Association Inc. 46 Gator Strong for its members. Address changes medical resources, deploy these resources statewide and lead our state’s may be sent to ufalum@ufalumni. UF’s Davis United World College Scholars may have been left behind during ufl.edu or Alumni Records/UF efforts surrounding coronavirus intervention,” he said. Alumni Association, P.O. Box 14425, the pandemic, but they’re proving just how savvy Gators can be. Gainesville, FL 32604-2425. Standard FLORIDA BLUE health insurance company gave UF $220,000 to aid the gradual postage paid in West Allis, Wis., and at additional mailing offices. DEPARTMENTS reopening of UF’s campus through a test-and-trace initiative, an expansive Membership and advertising queries may be sent to the above address. data-driven effort that will allow students, faculty and staff to return to 4 CONVERSATION WITH PRESIDENT KENT FUCHS campus as safely as possible while minimizing the risk of infection from the 6 UNIVERSITY AVENUE: News about UF novel coronavirus. 52 GATOR NATION: News about alumni TD BANK gave $20,000 to aid UF Health’s testing efforts, particularly those in 64 40 UNDER 40: See if you know these Gators who are going greater underserved populations in Jacksonville. 70 3 MINUTES WITH: Class of 2020 graduates 73 FINISH LINE: Gators bound for the Olympics, eventually ON THE COVER SUMMER 2020 Celebrate some of the alumni, faculty scientists, staff and students who put aside their own work to help others during the COVID-19 pandemic. HOW GATORS WORKED TOGETHER DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC TO SAVE LIVES AND HELP OTHERS. Their stories begin on OTHER FEATURE STORIES OTHER FEATURE STORIES OTHER FEATURE STORIES page 22. GO HERE GO HERE GO HERE GO HERE GO HERE GO HERE Something about that feature Something about that feature Something about that feature goes here. p20 goes here. p24 goes here. p32 2 | SUMMER 2020 FLORIDA GATOR | 3 Conversation with President Kent Fuchs UF ACTS AGAINST RACISM At press time, President Fuchs announced a plan to address racism and inequality at UF. See his message at http://uff.to/6k980x. Highlights include: WHEN GATORS RISE • Training all current/new students, faculty LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE PANDEMIC INCLUDE ONE and staff on racism, inclusion and bias; COMMON THREAD: GATORS MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE • Offering esearchr grants for studies about race, equity, justice and reconciliation; s we chart a path to reopen this fall, • Focusing the 2020-21 academic year on the Take care. I want to celebrate UF’s faculty, staff, Black experience, racism and inequity; students and alumni for all they have • Organizing more speakers, seminars and doneA to respond to the pandemic — and all they courses in colleges and through ACCENT; And we sincerely mean that. will continue to do. • Reevaluating and revising appropriate Everyone in the UF community adjusted elements of UF’s curriculum; rapidly to the upheaval this spring, continuing • Hosting Town Hall meetings and devoting their work and the university’s mission in Faculty Senate meeting items to this topic; unprecedented times. What’s more, many Gators • Devoting a day in the fall to community When COVID-19 appeared, the world had a problem. A big problem that required big acted beyond their personal sphere to help their service and learning; colleagues, neighbors or the public. • Appointing a task force to document UF’s solutions from people with big ideas and even bigger hearts. COVID-19 put America I think of the anesthesiology and engineering history as it relates to race and ethnicity; professors who built a low-cost, open-source • Organizing a task force to review honorary on pause. Yet despite all it has taken from us, it hasn’t shaken our spirit, or dampened ventilator prototype, and the student journalists who won a national namings on campus (historic and current) competition for virus-related coverage that helped inform the reading public. and determine if they should be retained; our resolve. We’re with you caring for patients, protecting our communities, and (Learn about these and many other faculty and staff efforts in “41 Reasons to • Reviewing University Police use-of-force be Proud of UF” on page 24). policies and engaging community input; training the next generation. Because problem-solvers don’t shut down, they rise up. Much the same has been true of our alumni, who have been leading • Intensifying (within state and federal laws) contributors to public health, food security and many other efforts to lessen efforts to recruit, support and retain the impact of the pandemic in Florida, nationally and around the world (See students, faculty and employees of color; “28 Reasons Gators Rock” on page 32). • And redoubling efforts to support local So please take care of yourself. Be hopeful. Stay positive. Continue to take care of I am very proud of UF’s rise to the 7th-ranked public university in the small businesses and vendor diversity. business. Above all, take care. And be confident that we’re doing the same — for you. country. But our collective response highlights a quality of our university President Fuchs also said: not measured in rankings or lists: A uniquely caring culture. As important • While I know of no evidence of racism as this quality was in the first months of the pandemic, it will be even more associated with our “Gator Bait” cheer, important this fall as we work to adjust to the inevitable changes that will there is horrific historic racist imagery accompany living and learning with COVID-19. associated with the phrase. Accordingly What are those changes? We continue to address that question, but they University Athletics and the Gator Band are likely to include expanded online offerings, as well as in-person labs, will discontinue the use of the cheer. studios and other classes. We have new policies and procedures in place for COVID-19 screening and testing of faculty and students — as well as rigorous • There are agriculture operations where UF sanitation, wearing of masks and physical distancing. We will continue as has relied on prison/jail inmates to provide many social, athletic and extracurricular activities are possible safely. farm labor.