Vol. 7 • No. 1 • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 OPENING FALL 2022 FALL OPENING DAYTONA STATE RESIDENCE HALL RESIDENCE COLLEGE MAGAZINE DSC STUDENT DSC
CONTENTS Vol. 7 • No. 1 • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 and staff fortheircontributions. Daytona Stateadds16newmembers toHallofFame andrecognizes four long-timefaculty Student &Faculty Honors Nursing; Marbly Jackson,Maintenance SpecialistinFacilities and Kathy Clarke, Services; ManagerofTech Support. Daytona StateNews region’s healthcare training. Floridawilltransformthe University ofNorth betweenDaytonaA newpartnership Stateand former DistrictBoard ofTrustees Chair. and MenhonorsthelegacyofDSC’s The newhomefortheCenterWomen Forough B.HosseiniHall fall 2022,willgive studentsthefullcollege experience. Daytona State’s firston-campus residence hall,opening A NewEraforDaytona State Marc Campbell’s long career at Daytona State. for mathlaidthegroundwork for A passionforfootballandanaffinity Meet theFaculty 18 32 26 22 6
(L-R) LouieMercer, Director ofCampus Safety; Dr. Amy Szoka, Chair oftheSchool shining examplesofsuccessfulDSC alumni. Daytona BeachPolice ChiefJakariYoung and local businessownerMeghanHughesare Alumni Profiles in thelife oftheCollege. ofanewchapter State celebratedthestart With goldenshovels intheground, Daytona Groundbreaking Residence Hall tournaments. advance totheirrespective national women’s golfandmen’s soccerteams schedulesawthe A busyspringsports Falcon Sports 10 22 28 commencement ceremonies attheOceanCenter. Graduates from 2021and2020were recognized inthisyear’s Commencement 2021 14 College’s onlypresident isstillfelt today. The impactofVolusia CountyCommunity J. GriffenGreene Honoring VCCC President scholarship forAccounting. Susan B.Glass‘82 creates firstendowed Foundation DonorSpotlight themselves through andmusic. art students were stillabletocreatively express Even withenhancedsafety protocols, DSC andCulture Arts 13 24 34 PRESIDENT’S DAYTONA STATE PERSPECTIVE COLLEGE MAGAZINE Dr. Thomas LoBasso DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Dr. Randy Howard, Chair s the country continues the return to pre-pandemic life, Betty J. Holness, Vice Chair Daytona State is also preparing for a more normal college environment in the fall. I will never be able to properly Bob Davis A Sarah Dougherty say thank you to our faculty and staff for the outstanding work they’ve done to ensure our students had the opportunity to begin, Randy Dye continue, and complete a college education under the most difficult Lloyd J. Freckleton of conditions. It took an extraordinary effort and it re-affirms our Robert Lloyd commitment to serving our students and local communities. Garry R. Lubi
While our resoundingly successful transition to a virtual learning environment last year was necessary given the circumstances, Daytona State was never intended to be a strictly online institution. We are all looking forward to campuses filled with students again, ______along with the vibrancy of life that brings. Our robust and nationally acclaimed online programs will continue to be offered, as will many hybrid options, but we are also focused on expanding face-to-face DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE STAFF opportunities again.
The last few months have served to reinforce the value of in-person Publisher interactions, with many people feeling isolated in a virtual Dr. Thomas LoBasso environment they did not choose. Pursuing a college education is a life-changing decision that opens the door to new possibilities and Editor broadens one’s horizons, and as our students return to campus on a Timothy A. Norton regular basis, they need to know we’re here for them to provide the direct human touch that has too often been absent in recent months. Managing Editor Chris Thomes As a parent, I know the amount of “screen time” was already a serious concern for our youth even before the pandemic, and nearly a year Senior Writer and a half of online life has only exacerbated this issue. With that Tim Carpenter in mind, our goal is to provide a well-rounded college experience, presenting our students with opportunities to engage with faculty Art Director/Graphic Design and peers beyond the classroom and especially beyond digital Lisa Deignan displays. We anticipate a full athletic schedule this fall, a complete offering of student life activities including Welcome Back, and Photographer exciting special events such as Homecoming, the annual Gala, and Aldrin Capulong the NJCAA Division I Women’s Soccer National Championship. The Daytona State College Magazine Once more, thank you to all who have helped us through this difficult is published for alumni, friends and time and for fully embracing the College’s mission of providing supporters of Daytona State College educational access to everyone. Though we’ve been tested by and the DSC Foundation. the events of the last year and a half, Daytona State has emerged stronger than ever, and we could not have accomplished this without the support of our alumni and friends. Join us for The 28th Annual Gala Boots PRESENTED BY &
BlingKick up Your Heels for DSC Thursday, October 21, 2021, 6:00 p.m. Hosseini Center - Daytona Beach Campus
The Daytona State College Foundation’s Then, make your way to the Hosseini Board of Directors invites you to join us Center at Daytona State’s Daytona Beach for its 28th Annual Gala – Boots and Bling: Campus where you’ll enjoy great food Kick Up Your Heels for DSC – on Thursday, prepared by Chef Costa and our renowned October 21, where you can connect with culinary students, and be inspired with old friends while supporting DSC student stories from students while enjoying scholarships. fabulous entertainment.
You’re invited to get all “gussied up” in At the end of the evening, you’ll be feeling your finest attire (black tie optional – bolos wonderful – and kickin’ up your heels – welcome), bling-it-up (don’t be shy now knowing that you are making education y’all), and dust off those boots (stilettos affordable for students attending welcome, too, ladies). Daytona State College.
For more information call (386) 506-3195 or email [email protected]. s this issue of Daytona State Magazine is going FOUNDATION to press, we are enjoying the rewards of our BOARD OF DIRECTORS collective determination and diligence to do A Denis Shelley, Chair everything possible to end the chaos and uncertainty of the past 15 months and move toward normalcy. Zina Grau, Vice Chair Bill Lenssen, Secretary The Board of Directors of the Foundation held our Rufus Johnson, Treasurer most recent meeting in person on the Daytona Beach Bobby Thigpen, Immediate Past Chair Campus, and I have to say it was a bit moving to return to a vibrant campus! Here is just some of the information we reviewed and gladly share with you. Jeff Abbott Mary Boyd • The Foundation provided $3,966,731 in scholarship Dan Francati and program support for students, faculty, and staff in Michele Goeb-Burkett 2020. Boots Denis Shelley Michael J. Duranceau Dr. Beverly McMurtry-Grissom DSC Foundation • The Foundation’s core investment portfolio gained Board Chair 10.36% in 2020 (net of fees). Over the last three years, John Hodgson the Foundation’s return on investments places it in the Dr. Thomas LoBasso, President & top 17th percentile for performance among academic Frank Molnar institutions across the nation. David Sacks Louis Seno • The 2020 audited financial statements show the net Gregory Snell position of the Foundation increased by $1,585,829 Greg Sullivan over 2019 with total assets at the end of the year of Maggie Thompson Bling $35,834,899. • Recorded contributions totaled $1,104,407, plus EMERITUS BOARD another $642,857 pledged to established endowed funds that are not reported until received. Sally Gillespie Cherie Keemar • The Foundation provided $4.1 million for the Student Dirinda Maddy Residence Hall ($2.9 million reported above in 2020 and another $1.2 million in 2021). You can see more about this exciting project, including a live camera view, at Support the Foundation DaytonaState.edu/Housing. Donate.DaytonaState.edu (386) 506-3110 All this underscores the commitment of the Foundation to be good stewards of your trust. We are grateful for your continuing support with gifts and by way of your Timothy A. Norton participation in the life of the College. Vice President of Advancement Executive Director, Finally, I hope you will mark your calendar and make Daytona State College Foundation plans to join us on October 21st for our 28th Annual Gala – Boots & Bling: Kick Up Your Heels for DSC. We’ll gather with friends, old and new alike, in hopes of raising more than $150,000 for student scholarships.
Again, thank you for your continuing support.
W. Denis Shelley Chair, Daytona State College Foundation, Inc.
Inserted in this issue is a Pay It Forward envelope. 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd. Now would be a great time for you to make a gift in Daytona Beach, Florida 32114 support of student scholarships. Thank you for your support. (386) 506-3195 • DaytonaState.edu DAYTONA STATE NEWS
Daytona State College and the University of North Florida Create Historic Partnership for Healthcare Training Daytona State College and the University of North Florida have at a location convenient to students from Volusia, Flagler, entered into an agreement as part of UNF’s new MedNex St. Johns and Putnam counties. MedNex will support state initiative. The agreement creates the first university-based, higher education priorities such as retention of healthcare comprehensive medical nexus in the United States and is graduates, partnerships with Florida colleges, and career expected to transform the landscape for medical training in pathways from high school through graduate programs. northeast Florida. The initiative supports efforts to supply the region with highly trained healthcare professionals through a Professionals trained at the MedNex hub would then spread out university hub planned for Palm Coast. into hospitals, clinics and other facilities throughout the region at a time when there is expected to be a critical need for new “This collaboration between our two institutions will help develop practitioners. new educational opportunities for students seeking to enter the healthcare field, while providing enormous long-term benefits for Daytona State has long been a leader in healthcare education our community,” said Daytona State President Dr. Tom LoBasso. in Volusia and Flagler counties with its nationally recognized “It’s exciting to be involved in the earliest stages of this endeavor nursing program, which is annually ranked among the national and to think about where it will lead in the future for Daytona leaders in both quality and affordability. Students are able to State College and our Flagler/Palm Coast Campus.” complete the entire Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) at DSC’s Flagler/Palm Coast Campus, a short distance from the planned The training hub is designed to consolidate healthcare MedNex hub, and its BSN program is available completely online. disciplines, technology development, research, and analytics
Daytona State College Named as One of the Nation’s Top Teacher Prep Programs
Daytona State College’s elementary teacher preparation program has been named among the best in the country by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ). Daytona State stood out as one of only 17 elementary programs out of more than 1,000 programs that earned an “A” in both clinical practice and classroom management, and according to the NCTQ, “serves as a model of excellence for others.” Along with the other top-performing programs, Daytona State “The faculty and staff of the DSC School of Education are hon- was recognized for its strong clinical experience requirements, ored to be recognized by the NCTQ for our achievement in the which include calling for candidates to spend ten or more weeks areas of clinical practice and classroom management,” said in an experienced teacher’s classroom, and at least four days in Dr. Amy Ringue, Chair of the DSC School of Education. “With the the classroom each week. The program also screens potential support of our local school districts, we offer students a mentor teachers for mentorship skill and/or instructional first-class education to prepare them as highly effective effectiveness as measured by student learning. Furthermore, teachers.” DSC requires program supervisors to give student-teachers written feedback based on observations at least four times The ratings were released as part of the NCTQ’s 2020 Teacher during the clinical practice experience. Prep Review: Clinical Practice and Classroom Management. The nonpartisan, not-for-profit research and policy organization found Now in its fourth edition, the Teacher Prep Review assigns a encouraging progress in teacher preparation programs’ adoption team of experts to evaluate teacher preparation programs on of evidence-based classroom management strategies that are their adherence to evidence-based classroom management universally effective, regardless of student age or the subject strategies and their requirements that support quality clinical being taught. practice experiences.
6 | DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 BEST ONLINE BACHELOR’S
BEST ONLINE BACHELOR’S U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
Daytona State College Remains BEST ONLINE Among the Nation’s Best in BACHELOR’S 2021 U.S. News & World Report Rankings FIRST IN THE FLORIDA COLLEGE SYSTEM for Top Online Bachelor’s Programs U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
Daytona State College has once again been recognized in Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings for Best Online of widely accepted indicators of excellence that include four Bachelor’s Degree Programs. DSC is also the highest ranked general categories: engagement (35 percent), services and school among Florida’s 28 state colleges, and the only one in technologies (25 percent), faculty credentials and training U.S. News & World Report’s top-50 that is not a state or private (20 percent) and expert opinion (20 percent). The expert opinion university. category surveys high-ranking academic officials to help account for intangible factors affecting program quality that are not The new rankings mark the ninth consecutive year the College captured by statistics alone. has earned a spot among the nation’s best, and in addition to its overall ranking, Daytona State was also recognized as a Best Daytona State College began offering bachelor’s degrees in 2006 Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans and its online business with the Bachelor’s in Applied Science in Supervision and degree program. Management. Since then, the College has added bachelor’s programs in Engineering Technology, Information “The annual rankings by U.S. News & World Report are one of Technology, Elementary Education, Secondary Education (with the highest standards by which colleges and universities are specializations), Nursing and Accounting, bringing the total measured,” said Dr. Tom LoBasso, DSC President. “The fact that number to 12. The BAS in Supervision and Management, BSET, Daytona State continues to achieve such high marks, year after BSIT, and BS in Nursing can be completed entirely online. year, is a reflection of the hard work put in by our entire staff, and their commitment to providing education at the highest level.”
S-STARS Scholarship Program Renewed for 2021-22
The S-STARS program has already assisted more than 60 Daytona State students pursuing degrees in STEM disciplines. In addition to covering tuition, fees, books and potential living costs, the grant allows the College to guide students using proven best practices that include: • Assigning faculty mentors from a cross section of STEM disciplines to work with students throughout their programs of study; • Providing intensive academic advising via a STEM coordinator, who will map student progress and steer them toward appropriate academic and social support services; • Introducing students to careers in their fields of study through internships with local business and industry; • Establishing student cohorts and a peer-to-peer support network among participants; Daytona State College is pleased to announce the continuation of the S-STARS (Students – Support Through Academic Resources • Adopting innovative methods of using social media to and Services) Scholarship Program, which is part of a $999,552 foster student engagement and success. National Science Foundation grant awarded in 2017. Now in its fourth year, the project was created to provide aid for low-income Prior STEM grants supported by the National Science students in STEM-related associate or bachelor’s degree Foundation enabled the College to build strong partnerships programs offered by Daytona State. with local industries and provided opportunities for job shadowing, internships and cooperative education They include Associate of Science degrees in information experiences. S-STARS enhances these school-to-career technology, engineering technology and advanced experiences by first engaging students in career exploration manufacturing; an Associate of Arts degree that prepares and development through the DSC Career Services Office. students for transfer to STEM baccalaureate programs; and Participants also receive career guidance and participate in DSC’s own Bachelor of Science programs in engineering other career-related activities such as job site visits and and information technology. industry-specific job fairs.
DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 | 7 DAYTONA STATE NEWS “Entrepreneurial mindset training is an essential life skill that amplifies the employability of our students,” said Sherryl Weems, Associate Vice President of the Mary Karl College of Workforce Daytona State Awarded and Continuing Education. “The training reinforces our commitment to our business community, to fully embrace the Entrepreneurship, Education value of providing intentional approaches that ensure our & Training Grant students are competitive and add value in the workplace.” The EET project benefits from broad collaboration and support Daytona State College has received the Entrepreneurship, by several regional organizations who have agreed to participate Education & Training (EET) Grant from the Florida Department of during the initial grant period and beyond. Participation by these Education, designed to introduce students in Career and stakeholders ensure “real-world” expertise for student Technical Education (CTE) programs to the mindset required of participants, faculty trainers, and facilitators. successful entrepreneurs, while guiding and developing their Those organizations include: entrepreneurial skills. The grant also allows the College to partner • African American Entrepreneurs Association with local business and development organizations to promote • CareerSource Flagler Volusia long-term economic growth in Volusia and Flagler counties. • Center for Business & Industry • Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce • Entrepreneurial Learning Initiative • Florida Virtual Entrepreneurial Center • Service Corps of Retired Executives • Small Business Development Center • UCF Business Incubation Program • Volusia County Economic Development
Through CTE programing, the project is designed to deliver DSC has selected CTE programs where student interest in relevant instruction and experiential learning, provide individual entrepreneurship and business ownership is already strong to guidance for students, and offer co-curricular activities in relation participate in the EET project. These programs include to the successful L. Gale Lemerand Entrepreneurial Speaker Cosmetology/Barbering, Building Trades, Automotive Series. The initiative also includes professional development for Technology, Photography and Digital/Interactive Media, and CTE faculty and the expansion of a CTE school-based enterprise Business. Numerous occupations associated with these to provide a skills demonstration site for entrepreneurial programs are on the 2020-21 Florida Regional Demand capabilities. Occupations list for Flagler and Volusia counties.
New Automotive Apprenticeship with Toyota Announced
Daytona State College is proud to announce the creation of a The combined program design will enable students to complete new Automotive Apprenticeship program made possible through the Toyota-based training modules and levels of mastery, the Florida Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant approved by complete the required RTI while taking the available ASE Governor Ron DeSantis. The College will work in conjunction with certification exams along the way, and obtain multiple stackable Daytona Toyota to develop the curriculum and receive additional certificates throughout the program. The full apprenticeship support from CareerSource Flagler Volusia. program is expected to be completed by most participants in two years. The $73,145 grant provides funding to establish the program, secure equipment and instructional materials, and recruit new students. The apprenticeship is expected to deliver approximately 2,650 hours of employer-based training through a combination of direct on-the-job training and one-on-one mentorship provided by qualified senior employees of Daytona Toyota. Additional training includes Related Technical Instruction (RTI) delivered by Daytona State at its Advanced Technology College. The course work will mirror the content currently presented in DSC’s Automotive Service Technology career certificate program. Apprentices will also earn hourly pay, and upon completion of the Maintenance Level Training, receive a standard company issued “This is a fantastic opportunity to partner with a local business tool set with a guaranteed 40-hour week job and incentives. that has been so supportive of our programs,” said Frank Snyder, The College already offers two apprenticeship programs for Director of DSC’s Mary Karl College of Workforce and Continuing electricians and one for plumbers and pipefitters. Nearly 300 Education. “Funding from this grant will purchase equipment and students were enrolled in those courses during the 2019-20 tools, fund testing certifications and leverage funds from academic year, and the Plumbing and Pipefitters Apprenticeship additional sources to support this hybrid apprenticeship model.” program was further expanded through a Career Pathways Grant in 2020. 8 | DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 Six Daytona State College Students Named to 2021 All-Florida Academic Team Six Daytona State College students earned spots on the 2021 Maacks is working toward her A.S. in Paralegal Studies and All-Florida Academic Team announced by the Florida College served as PTK President and President of the DSC Student System. The award recognizes outstanding students who are Paralegal Association. She has been volunteering with the enrolled in associate degree or certificate programs for their Halifax Humane Society and the Volusia County Sharks junior academic achievement, leadership and service to the football league, and also organized an Honors in Action project to community. Representing Daytona State are Andrew DeZego, bring awareness to over-development of local wetlands. Richard Lane Jr., Loran Maacks, Megan Martin, Stephanie Sy and Anna Whitaker. Martin recently graduated with her A.A. and plans to attend Stetson University to study Environmental Science, working Students are nominated through the All-USA Academic Team toward her goal of protecting the planet’s water resources and competition sponsored by Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) marine environments through education and science. She’s been International Honor Society. To be eligible, a student must be active with the Volusia Audubon Society, the Atlantic Center for enrolled in a minimum of six semester credit hours of associate the Arts, and coordinated marine debris cleanups in her role as degree, college-level coursework at the time of nomination. PTK Vice President of Service. They must also hold a minimum 3.50 grade point average on all college-level coursework completed in the last five years and be Sy graduated with her A.S. in Photographic Technology, with on track to earn an associate or bachelor’s degree. plans to transfer to Savannah College of Art & Design. Sy has been a student ambassador at Daytona State for the last two DeZego graduated this spring with his A.A. degree with plans years and through PTK, is working to promote the value of to transfer to Florida Polytechnic University and major in recycling in Deltona by working on proposals that would give its engineering with a career focus in robotics. He is also an active residents and city leaders incentives to begin the new program. volunteer with local environmental projects, including beach cleanups and events sponsored by the Elks Lodge. After initially attending Daytona State through dual enrollment, Whitaker completed her A.A. this spring with plans to major in Lane, who is PTK’s Vice President of Communications, grew up History at Stetson University. Whitaker, who would like to become in a military family and graduated from high school in the an educator, was selected as the Outstanding A.A. Student for Philippines before joining the Navy. After 10 years in the service DSC’s DeLand Campus in 2020 and has assisted the Florida and more than 20 in the workforce, he returned to school at DSC’s Society of Geographers during local events in Melbourne Flagler/Palm Coast Campus and earned an A.S. in Business and Orlando. Administration last fall. He is currently pursuing his B.A.S. at Daytona State.
DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 | 9 DAYTONA STATE SPORTS
The 2021 spring sports season marked a return to play baseball, softball and golf in February, with soccer for most of the Daytona State athletic teams following returning to the pitch in April. Despite the later than an abbreviated spring schedule in 2020 and further usual starts, the Falcons put together a strong spring postponements that resulted in only the cross-country as the golf team earned a runner-up finish in the NJCAA teams competing last fall. Basketball and volleyball National Championship Tournament, and men’s soccer resumed in January, followed by traditional spring sports advanced to the National Tournament as well.
DAYTONA STATE BASEBALL
Baseball
Led by Mid-Florida Conference Player of the Year Spencer also got a team-high 32 RBI from freshman Carter Page, and a Rich, the Falcons finished with a 16-18 record while averaging .362 average, five homers and 30 RBI from sophomore Bobby exactly seven runs per game and batting .307 as a team. Rich Sparling. Freshman Bryce Holmes led the team on the mound led the state of Florida with his .438 average and had a .518 with a 4-1 record and three saves while posting a 3.83 ERA with on-base percentage. The redshirt freshman added 10 home 49 strikeouts in 42.1 innings. runs and 31 RBI and stole 20 bases in 21 attempts. The Falcons
Softball
The softball team compiled a 25-20 record and placed five batting average, seven doubles, six triples, 12 home runs and players on the All Mid-Florida Conference Team. First team 41 RBI, and swiped 13 bases without being caught. Two other selection Alyssa Kelly went 16-11 with a 2.09 ERA in her debut freshmen, Destiny Colgate and Anna Margetis, each drove in 30 season, striking out 133 batters in 170.2 innings. Freshman runs, with Colgate hitting a team-best .370, and freshman Asia Daisy McQuain had a huge season at the plate with a .310 Thomas hit .352 with six homers, 29 RBI and 15 steals.
10 | DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 DAYTONA STATE SPORTS Men’s Basketball
Playing more than half their schedule during the final three Player of the Year honors. He was joined on the all-conference weeks in March, the Falcons finished 7-12 while featuring team by Issa Muhammad, who averaged 15.9 points and 11.1 NJCAA Second Team All-American Jackson Makoi. The rebounds, and Brandon Betson, who scored 17.3 points per sophomore guard averaged 18.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 6.0 game and led the state in 3-point field goals per game. assists per game on his way to earning Central Conference
Women’s Basketball
The DSC women’s basketball team went 9-10 and had five NJCAA All-Region 8 Team. Turner averaged 14.4 points, 3.8 players named to the All-Central Conference Team, led by rebounds and 3.2 assists from her guard position. Sophomore sophomores Kianni Westbrook and Janay Turner, who were Taylor Williams, freshman Blessing Okoh and freshman each first team selections. Westbrook averaged 14.7 points Shayla Bouie were each All-Central Conference Second Team and 11.5 rebounds per game to earn first team all-conference selections. honors for the second year in a row and was also named to the
Volleyball
Under the direction of former assistant coach Laura Booker- six players made the all-conference team, including freshmen Anderson, who was promoted to head coach during the spring, Derionah Abner and Sarah Stratton who were also All-Region. the Falcons went 15-8, finished runner-up in the Mid-Florida Stratton finished fourth nationally in blocks per set with a 1.35 Conference, earned a spot in the NJCAA Region 8 Tournament average. In the classroom, the Falcons also set a program and were ranked as high as No. 6 in the nation. A school record record with a 3.71 team GPA for the year.
DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 | 11 DAYTONA STATE SOCCER
Women’s Soccer
Playing an abbreviated spring season in April and May, the Falcons into the region championship game. Sophomore Falcons went 3-4 and advanced to the Region 8 Championship Megan Sheehan added two goals and two assists. Sophomore Game for the fourth time in the last five years. Freshman Elena goalkeeper Cassandra Bodi posted three shutouts, giving her Diaz Trujillo led the team with three goals and one assist and five in 11 career starts at Daytona State. scored the game-winner against Polk State that pushed the
DAYTONA STATE SOCCER
Men’s Soccer
The Falcons put together an undefeated regular season under Freshman Kevin Kelly scored eight goals with four assists for head coach Bart Sasnett, finished 8-2-1 overall, and outscored a team-high 20 points, while freshman Yutaro Tsukada (six their opponents 41-5. The Falcons defeated USC Lancaster 7-0 goals, five assists), and sophomores Santiago Fonseca (four in the Southeast District Championship Game to earn a spot in goals, eight assists) and Pablo Leigh (four goals, six assists) the NJCAA Division I National Championship Tournament for were also among the scoring leaders for the Falcons. Freshmen the second time in their five-year history. William Diaz and Marco Tavares split time in goal, combining for seven shutouts, 42 saves and a 0.46 goals against average.
DAYTONA STATE GOLF
Women’s Golf
Daytona State added to its impressive list of accomplishments Manon Donche-Gay, who placed third after winning the regional in golf with a runner-up finish at the NJCAA National title two weeks earlier. Donche-Gay was a NJCAA First Team Championship. It marked the eighth year in a row the Falcons All-American, while fellow sophomores Sarah Scott (7th place), have either won the national title or finished second. Hosting Symone Henriques (11th) and Casey Sommer (12th) earned the tournament at Plantation Bay in Ormond Beach, the Falcons Second Team All-American status. had four of the top 12 golfers in the field, led by sophomore
12 | DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 ARTS & CULTURE
Although things might have looked a little different this year in the Mike Curb College of Music, Entertainment and Art, our students flourished and let their creativity flow!
DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 | 13 COMMENCEMENT 2021
Commencement at Daytona State is always a momentous The College was also honored to have Kathy Hebda, Chancellor occasion even during normal times, but this year’s event took on of the Division of Florida Colleges, speak to the graduates in the even more meaning as the College successfully returned to an afternoon and evening ceremonies. The Chancellor noted the role in-person presentation of the time-honored tradition. in which the pandemic played in the graduates’ college experience, but also reminded them about the power that comes with a degree Taking place at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, graduation from Daytona State College. day saw the conferring of nearly 4,000 degrees, diplomas and certificates in three separate ceremonies, with students able to “So many have experienced loss and sorrow, and the challenges celebrate alongside their families. It was the first large-scale seemed greater,” Hebda said in her address. “Some things changed gathering for the College in more than a year and members of the so fast, and some things seemed to slow down into slow motion. class of 2020 were also invited back to participate in the evening But what we found, is while the pandemic may have been the herd ceremony. of elephants in the room, it was not everything in the room. There was love and light, friendship, and family.” As part of his address to the graduates, College President Dr. Tom LoBasso acknowledged some of the unique hardships The class of 2021, the 61st in the history of the College, included faced by students during the last year, and praised both the more than 1,500 Associate of Arts degree graduates and nearly 600 classes of 2020 and 2021 for their resiliency in overcoming graduates from of Daytona State’s A.S. degree programs. Many of those obstacles. them will be continuing their education in one of DSC’s 12 bache- lor’s degree programs, which had 496 graduates this year. There “All of us have been deeply affected by the pandemic and all that were also more than 800 students who earned certificates through came from it,” said LoBasso. “There were additional challenges for DSC’s various workforce programs, 283 who earned associate students, as conventional classrooms, lectures and labs were degrees or certificates as dual-enrolled students while still replaced with their virtual equivalents, and even time-honored attending high school, and 274 adult education graduates. social traditions had to be experienced in more creative ways, such as our online commencement ceremony last year.” Approximately 1,600 members of this year’s class graduated with honors and among them are 16 new members of the Daytona State “But we were also resilient. We adapted to remote learning and College Hall of Fame, which is the highest honor the faculty can remote working, and we learned to use technology in new ways. bestow upon a student. The College also saw 33 members of this Faculty, staff and students alike supported each other through year’s class join Phi Theta Kappa, the only accredited national every challenge, whether it was a laptop that couldn’t connect to honor society for two-year colleges in the United States. To be Wi-Fi, slow internet connections at home, online tutoring sessions eligible for PTK membership, students must not only excel at odd hours, or making an extra phone call to check on someone.” academically, but be active members of their campus and community. SGA President Hilton Smith spoke emotionally about the impact the College and its leadership has made on his life. “In 2020 and “The motto of this institution is ‘Knowledge is Power,’ and even 2021, we witnessed severe trauma, and we remarkably kept while the pandemic was raging, you were still searching for pushing through what we call the storms of life,” Smith said. knowledge, and learning,” remarked Hebda. “Knowledge goes “As human beings, we always find a way.” beyond the facts and figures learned. It includes your experience, your ability to pivot and your ability to innovate. In finding that knowledge, you have found power and human connection.”
14 | DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 Since its founding in 1957 as Florida’s first comprehensive community college, Daytona State has awarded more than 110,000 degrees and certificates.
Dr. Tom LoBasso, DSC President, and Bachelor of Science in Kathy Hebda, Information Technology graduate Stephen Miksits Division of Florida Colleges Chancellor COMMENCEMENT 2021
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Hilton Smith, Student Government Association President
“For anyone who is about to go to college, I would tell them to never quit, just keep on pushing. It might get hard, but never stop. Daytona State College is awesome and I wouldn’t trade this experience for the world.” - Hilton Smith, SGA President
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DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 | 19 MEET THE FACULTY MARC CAMPBELL
Marc Campbell laughs when he talks about the career he thought Like many others before him, however, Marc eventually had to deal he’d have as a young man growing up in Mobile, Alabama. Although with the reality he wasn’t going to be a professional athlete. After he has been a faculty member at Daytona State College for more a tryout with the Atlanta Falcons (“I wasn’t even close to making than 26 years and chair of the School of Mathematics since 2002, it.”), Marc was at a crossroads. He came from a neighborhood teaching was definitely not on his radar. where few people went to college, had been away chasing a dream that was no longer possible to fulfill, and didn’t want to go home. An exceptional high school athlete who earned 12 varsity letters Instead, he stayed in Cookeville, Tennessee and began doing playing multiple sports at Mattie T. Blount High School, Marc was maintenance work at a local church. sure he’d be playing in the NFL, or maybe the NBA, but either way he’d be a professional athlete. His talent landed him a football While there, Marc was tutoring a student in math and was noticed scholarship to Tennessee Tech, and he admits that’s the only by Jeff Norden, a professor in Tennessee Tech’s graduate program reason he went to college in the first place. But sports weren’t the in mathematics. Impressed by what he saw, Dr. Norden suggested only thing in which Marc excelled, and though he was hesitant to Marc return to school in order to earn his master’s degree and was fully embrace it as a 20-year old student-athlete, mathematics was able to secure a fellowship that helped make that possible. Even the key which opened the door to everything he now has. today, as a successful college professor in his own right, Marc is still amazed how it all played out, and as a spiritual person, knows When Marc first arrived at Tennessee Tech in 1986, there was a the right people were in his life at exactly the moments they needed bit of culture shock. He had come from an all-Black high school in to be. Mobile to attend a college that was almost all white, but there were two things that made the adjustment a little easier. “I had people around me who saw something in me that I had yet to see in myself. I give them all the credit.” “Football helped because the team was predominantly African-American, so I had a place to fit in. But what made sense As he was finishing graduate school, Marc had become interested through it all, was that I was a pretty good math student. I took in teaching. He had developed a passion for it and felt he was led calculus my first year and I fit right in.” there by developing the potential he never knew he had, but others had already noticed. When he began looking at job opportunities in Even though his focus remained on football, Marc was the Chronicle of Higher Education, there were a handful that caught well-prepared for the rigors of college academic requirements. his attention. One was an opening for a math instructor at Daytona Tennessee Tech was rated as one of the nation’s top five Beach Community College. engineering schools, but Marc had already taken high school math classes led by teachers with master’s degrees in the subject, one of “I was able to talk to Frank Lombardo and Jack Cvercko whom also had a doctorate in leadership. (Academic Chair of Mathematics and, Program Manager of College Mathematics, respectively), but when I put my application in, I’d “Math was my favorite subject, and I think it’s because my high never had any jobs. The only type of reference I could use when it school teachers did such a good job of making me comfortable came to my character and leadership skills was the role I had as with it. Those last three years, when it came to math, I had some a student-athlete. Both Frank and Jack had been collegiate of the smartest people I could learn from on a high school level. student-athletes too, and Jack had even been in the NFL So when I got to college, the concepts of having to work through (a fifth-round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers in 1963), problems were easy. I still had to study and apply myself, and I so there was a kinship.” didn’t blaze through it by any means, but I already had a very good foundation.” Marc had four job interviews lined up in the fall of 1992, and DBCC was the first. It was also the last. Marc’s natural affinity for math came into play when the team’s academic advisor informed him that he was required to declare a “Once I came here, I didn’t even bother with the other three. I knew major. Still convinced he was on his way to the NFL, Marc hadn’t this was where I was supposed to be.” given it much thought. The advisor, knowing Marc had performed well in his high-level math classes, suggested majoring in mathematics. It sounded like a good idea to a kid who just wanted to get back on the field for practice that day and continue his pursuit of an elusive NFL contract.
DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 | 19 DSC RESIDENCE HALL
On campus residence hall is the beginning of a new era for Daytona State College
Daytona State College kicked off construction of the new student beyond. Those have always been our goals, and by offering residence hall with a groundbreaking ceremony on April 15, 2021. affordable housing on-site, just a few steps away from many other Projected to open in August 2022, the facility will be located on the important resources, we’re staying true to our mission of providing Daytona Beach Campus and will begin a new chapter in the life of open access to a college education for everyone, no matter their the College. personal circumstances.”
The four-story hall will provide 52,505 square feet of living, study Daytona State is already nationally recognized for its many and recreational space for up to 252 students. For some, having a outstanding degree programs, and the on-campus housing place to live and study on campus is the deciding factor in where option will become an even larger draw for those wishing to they go to school, and Daytona State will now be on a short list of enroll in special programs such as the Associate of Science in eight state colleges, out of 28 in Florida, that offer on-campus Photographic Technology degree and Nursing. Providing housing. Approximately 180 student-athletes will make this their affordable housing and a vibrant college community makes new home and the remainder of the spaces will be occupied by DSC even more attractive to potential students from within full-time, degree-seeking students. Central Florida and from outside this region.
“All of our studies and surveys have shown that students would Daytona State will be one of only eight schools in the Florida rather live closer together than further apart, not only in relation to College System that offers on-campus housing, and aligning with each other but to campus,” said Dr. Thomas LoBasso, DSC its mission of open access and affordability, the residence hall will President. “A more interactive environment with their peers be within reach for all students, including those on financial aid and increases their sense of well-being and leads to higher levels of scholarships. academic and personal achievement. And that’s what has really driven this entire process. It’s about taking care of our students and The modern, state-of-the-art building design will allow residents to making sure they have the best chance to thrive in college and enjoy fully furnished rooms with amenities including laundry facilities, study areas and recreation space on each floor.
20 | DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 The first floor will also feature a conference room for group study, The decision to offer on-campus housing dates back to 2016 when as well as additional recreation areas and space for students to it was an element of a five-year master plan developed by the relax or spend time with friends. Students responded to surveys District Board of Trustees. The plan included iconic new buildings, early in the process, and administrators met with Student landscape improvements, a reimagined athletic complex and Government Association members to discuss design plans. residence halls. Many of those elements have already come to life, including the stunning L. Gale Lemerand Student Center and the The building’s location was strategically chosen in order to put soccer stadium. students in close proximity to all of the services and amenities the College already offers, including the Academic Support “Students choose to come here because they know they’re getting Center, dining hall, library, fitness center and aquatic facility. a quality education at an affordable cost, and this new residence When combined with the infrastructure already in place, the hall further demonstrates the College’s commitment to both,” new residence hall allows DSC to utilize its facilities to their said Garry Lubi, DSC District Board of Trustees Member and DSC greatest potential while enhancing campus life for students Housing Corporation Chair. “At a time when there’s been a lot of and improving retention. discussion about the cost of education in the United States, the value of the Florida College System really shines, and that’s even “For many years now, Daytona State has provided off-campus more apparent here at Daytona State. On-campus housing, along housing a few miles away for scholarship student-athletes, while with the opportunities that come with it, is another way in which we also assisting many others in finding a place to live while they can significantly reduce the expense for our students and ensure attend school. It’s worked for us, and the students have been they won’t be priced out of a college degree.” appreciative, but we’ve always wanted to do more, and now we can,” added Dr. Randy Howard, DSC District Board of Trustees Chair. Students have already started contacting Admissions to be “Having students on campus where they can live and study togeth- notified once the housing application is active. Anyone interested er provides a much greater sense of community along with more in learning more about the residence hall and living on campus can opportunities for social interaction.” visit DaytonaState.edu/Housing.
DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 | 21 DSC Residence Hall April 15, 2021 Groundbreaking
Dr. Randy Howard, DSC District Dr. LoBasso with Athletics coaching Board of Trustees Chair staff and administration
Dr. LoBasso with members of the Women’s Soccer team
22 | DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 April 15, 2021
MAY 10–13, 2021
DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 | 23 J. GRIFFEN GREENE CENTER Daytona State College Honors President J. Griffen Greene and Volusia County Community College
As part of the College’s Black History Month celebration, Daytona “He personally went into the State College held a ceremony honoring former Volusia County community to recruit students who Community College President J. Griffen Greene on February 18, shared a similar vision, most of 2021. The ceremony formally re-dedicated the J. Griffen Greene whom would have never had an Center on the Daytona Beach Campus and took place outside the opportunity to attend college if not building bearing his name. The event also included the unveiling for his efforts. He was described as of a 35 foot long timeline mural that will be permanently displayed calm, quietly forceful, and persistent. inside the Greene Center, highlighting his legacy and the history of All of those traits helped him succeed Volusia County Community College (VCCC). in building a model community college, one that presented a wide range of educational opportunities for its students, from college VCCC, established in 1957 as one of Florida’s 12 Black junior degree programs to vocational training.” colleges, was given priority status because of its proximity to Cape Canaveral and the growing space port. The College opened its “The College strives to respect and represent every person who doors on September 2, 1958, and later merged with Daytona Beach comes through its doors, because everyone is welcome here,” said Junior College in 1965 as a result of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Betty Holness, Vice Chair of the District Board of Trustees. “Daytona State During that time, James Griffen Greene served as VCCC’s only presi- has always found ways to reach out dent and oversaw the expansion of the College from 1,334 students into the community, just as J. Griffen in its first year, to a high of 5,600 in 1964. It was surpassed in size Greene did many years ago, as he only to Gibbs Junior College in St. Petersburg, and VCCC’s impact sought to build not just a college, but on the community confirmed Greene’s central role as a pioneer in a true ‘community’ college. He may not higher education in the state of Florida. have had the resources we have now, but he had the same passion for “President Greene felt that improving the educational standing of helping people achieve their dreams, and the belief that everyone, Black citizens would lead to improved economic conditions, which no matter their background, deserved a chance to better them- was essential to overcoming the ravages of segregation and selves with a college education.” discrimination,” said Dr. Tom LoBasso, DSC President.
24 | DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 Juleen Daley, DSC School of Nursing faculty and Cultural Diversity Com- mittee Chair, noted that, “Mr. Greene’s dedication to his family and communi- ty will be represented at Daytona State College and be forever part of its iden- tity. The mural in this building will offer everyone who walks these halls a rich tapestry of images that will remind us daily how the strength of those before us, in addition to education, have propelled Black people to break glass ceilings.”
Following the merger, which ended the region’s segregated community college system, Greene was named Vice President of the Volusia Center where sophomores from VCCC completed their studies during the 1965-66 academic year. He then served as an administrator at DBJC as the Dean of Continuing Education, before teaching in the English and Education departments at then Bethune-Cookman College from 1973-76. As part of its “Great Floridians 2000” program to help celebrate the turn of the century, Greene was recognized by the Florida Department of State for his distinguished service and contributions to the community.
“At a time when the nation was badly divided, President Greene helped strengthen this community through the power of education,” remarked Dr. LoBasso. “I hope he would have been proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish so far, and what we’ll be able to do in the future.”
DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 | 25 FOROUGH B. HOSSEINI HALL
Daytona State College Dedicates Forough B. Hosseini Hall
On January 19, 2021, Daytona State College named Building 130 Originally built in 1966, Building 130 served for more than 50 years as the Forough B. Hosseini Hall in honor of the long-time member as the home for student life, the cafeteria, and space for a myriad of the DSC District Board of Trustees. The building, located on the of other campus activities. Daytona Beach Campus, was officially opened in a ribbon-cutting ceremony, where Hosseini and her family were recognized for their In 2019, renovations began on the facility which would house two contributions to the College. of Daytona State’s most important student services: The Center for Women and Men, and the Veteran’s Center. “When you consider all Forough has done to support the needs of our students, particularly those who sometimes need additional The Center for Women and Men is the backbone to the College’s assistance, it’s easy to see why a place such as this should be network of support services that are designed to aid at-risk named in her honor,” said DSC President Tom LoBasso. “It’s a place students with a food pantry, free textbooks, free bus passes, free where Daytona State can provide the resources our students need access to medical services, housing assistance, and more. The in order to achieve their dream of a college education, even while Veteran’s Center provides targeted services for active-duty or facing some of life’s most serious challenges.” former members of the military and their families who wish to pursue a college degree or further their education. Forough Hosseini served on the board for 13 years, including six as chair, before stepping down in 2019. During her time as a trustee, Both offer support to segments of the student population whose she was a strong advocate for students’ needs beyond the needs often extend beyond the scope of other departments on classroom, focusing on their social and emotional needs as well. campus, and the services they provide are essential for many who Among the initiatives that came from her leadership was a compre- would otherwise be unable to continue their education. hensive 10-step plan to eradicate hunger and homelessness among DSC students, a plan that is now used as a model by the State “One thing that was very important to me in resolving the various Board of Education. She currently serves as a member of the issues they are facing, is that we need to keep in mind the Florida Children and Youth Cabinet, an appointment made by recipient’s dignity,” said Forough. “By bringing all of our resources Governor Ron DeSantis in 2019. under one roof, the student who needs various resources can walk
26 | DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 in, check in at the reception desk one time, and be able to receive them without having to go from office to office in different buildings, reiterating their situation.”
After extensive renovations, construction crews applied the finishing touches shortly after New Year’s Day, giving the facility a new look that combines the modern aesthetics of the new student center across Echo Plaza with the historical elements that were already in place.
“I know there are many students who are grateful for what Daytona State College has provided them, and we are grateful to Forough for helping make so many of those things possible,” said Randy Howard, current District Board of Trustees Chair.
The Center for Women and Men opened in 1976 as the result of a vision shared by former faculty members Dot Moore and Ellen O’Shaughnessy. Originally created to help remove barriers to education for women, it was founded on the premise that education and workforce training in a supportive and nurturing environment can lead one out of the binds of poverty and uncertainty into a life of independence, self-sufficiency and purpose.
Today, the Center serves the needs of all students who are attempting to navigate the college experience while also dealing with personal hardship.
The Veteran’s Center opened in 2012 after the College had seen steady growth in the enrollment numbers of veterans returning from active duty overseas. It’s staffed with experts who help veterans with everything from their application for GI Bill benefits, tutoring and other student services to referrals for other assistance both inside and outside the College.
DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 | 27 Sitting with Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young at “The School of Emergency Services provided me with the state department headquarters not far from the main campus of certification I needed to go into law enforcement, and through that Daytona State College, it’s easy to see why he was promoted to his experience I developed bonds and friendships that are still in place current post last November. Having completed 20 years with the today,” Young said. “The director of the academy at the time was department, he projects the confidence of a person who was born Louie Mercer, now the Director of Campus Safety at Daytona State, to lead, and his calm demeanor inspires the same confidence in a dear friend and mentor, and someone I would have never had the others. He provides steady, detailed answers and nothing opportunity to meet otherwise.” is missed. Since joining the Daytona Beach Police Department in 2001, As the department’s 17th chief since 1919 and its first Black chief, Young has worked in a variety of operational and administrative Young leads a force of approximately 240 officers and 60 civilian capacities, including Patrol Division, Criminal Investigations, employees. He’s a graduate of Daytona State’s Law Enforcement Special Response Team, Crisis Intervention Team and the Office of Academy but his first experience in the field came as a high school Professional Standards, more commonly known as Internal Affairs. student in Miami Beach. It was there, through a combination of “When you’re a young police officer, you want to do it all. I wanted different experiences, that he began to see law enforcement as a to delve into law enforcement headfirst and experience everything future career. it had to offer. I ended up taking more of an investigative route, so the majority of my background is there, and I eventually became a “My tenth grade Spanish teacher’s husband was an officer in the homicide investigator.” Miami Beach Police Department, and she suggested that I do some ride-alongs with him,” said Young. “I was doing that in the late 90s Many of the challenges Young and his agency face are unique to around the time the famous designer Gianni Versace was murdered Daytona Beach, a city with approximately 70,000 residents that in South Beach. When that happened, they put all of South Beach can swell to half a million people during major events such as the on lockdown so I could no longer do ride-alongs, but by then I was Daytona 500, Bike Week, Biketoberfest, or spring break. He advises already convinced this was the career for me.” that if young officers are interested in joining the police force in Daytona Beach, they better be prepared to work hard. Another part of Young’s experience involved being a victim of crime himself. He remembers as a child having his home burglarized, “Sometimes I refer to us as people movers,” Young says, referring to watching the police conduct their investigation, and the profound the sheer volume of pedestrians and traffic the DBPD must handle effect it had on him. during those events. “We get a lot of practice with that throughout the year and I feel like we’re the best in the business. But we still “I remember coming home and my house being completely have the normal duties and responsibilities when it comes to ransacked. There was that feeling of vulnerability when you’re serving our community from a public safety standpoint, too. So standing outside and the police are inside, dusting for prints, and if you’re coming here, you’re going to work, but there should be a processing the scene for evidence. So being a victim myself, feeling sense of great accomplishment by the time you’re done with that vulnerability, wanting to be able to catch the bad guys and your shift.” provide justice to victims, all of that fueled my desire to go into law enforcement.” Young has had a full plate since taking over for former Police Chief Craig Capri, another product of Daytona State’s Law Enforcement Young’s next step along that road brought him to Daytona Beach Academy, who had led the department since 2017 and retired after where he attended Bethune-Cookman University as a criminal 30 years of service. Above all else, he’s underscored the need for justice major. He had satisfied most of his degree requirements but community engagement and has expanded the “Park and Walk” still needed an internship focused on law enforcement. As it turned program to “Park, Walk and Talk,” which further encourages officers out, Daytona Beach Community College, as it was then known, to interact with people one-on-one. offered the perfect solution. Young’s academic advisor at BC-U told him he could enroll in DBCC’s Law Enforcement Academy and it “If the community only sees us when there’s a problem, then that’s would fulfill his internship component, too. a fail for us. They need to see us when there’s absolutely nothing going on, when we can see if there’s anything we can do for the That wasn’t the only good news. Young was also working a community. That could be special projects or areas of focus that part-time job at Olive Garden and one of his co-workers, who was we may not normally be able to address. I’m trying to weave that following a similar path, told him about a program offered by the type of community policing throughout the entire agency.” Daytona Beach Police Department that would provide sponsorship and pay his way through the academy. Young applied for the Young emphasized that police officers need to recognize that at program and was one of 12 chosen during the next round of their core, they are public servants. Yes, there is a lot of power selections by the very department he would come to lead more and authority with the position, but they are here to serve the than 20 years later. community first and foremost. “You have to have a heart to serve, so if you’re interested in going into law enforcement, hopefully it’s for that reason.”
28 | DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 ALUMNI PROFILE
CHIEF JAKARI YOUNG
DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 | 29 ALUMNI PROFILE MEGHAN HUGHES
30 | DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 With an infectious personality and wide array of digital media skills, After graduating from JU in 2011 with a degree in broadcast 2009 Daytona State graduate and local business owner Meghan communications, Meghan landed an internship covering sports for Hughes has compiled an impressive list of clients who utilize her a Jacksonville news station but quickly realized it wasn’t for her. services to promote their own businesses. The roll call of some of The shocking realization left her adrift after years of pursuing what the area’s most recognizable names includes real estate she thought was her passion, and not knowing what else to do, companies, major hotel brands, hospitals, auto dealerships, she moved back to New Smyrna Beach. While working two charitable organizations, insurance agencies and many more. part-time jobs, Meghan’s boss at Sugar Mill Country Club reminded her she had the potential to do more than just work in the The list is impressive on its own, but even more so considering golf course pro shop and urged her to apply for a full-time position Meghaphone Marketing really didn’t exist until 2017. That’s when with the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce. She was soon Meghan left a more secure position as social media marketing hired as an administrative assistant there and her career began manager with a group of local car dealerships to start her own moving in the right direction. company, using her childhood nickname in the title as a clever way to promote her own unique brand. Just four months after she started, the Chamber lost its marketing director and Meghan was given the chance to fill that role. It was “It really goes hand-in-hand with what I’m doing,” Meghan said. the opportunity she needed, and Meghan was suddenly at the “I’m a little loud, I’m outgoing, and you want your voice to be forefront of planning for the biggest events in the region. heard in marketing.” “That’s when I really started to flourish,” Meghan said. “It got my foot in the door and helped me figure out what I really wanted Meghan even has her own customized megaphone of the to do.” traditional variety, along with a collection of more advanced tools she uses to produce promotional materials for her many clients. While working for the Chamber, Meghan also became involved with Cameras, computers, lighting equipment, tripods, microphones the Volusia Young Professionals Group and even after changing and a sleek-looking drone are all part of the package, and she’s not jobs in 2016, she continued working with that organization as afraid to break out the iPhone for an immediate social media post, marketing chair. Her colleagues were so impressed with her too. videography and how well it was incorporated into what they were doing, they encouraged her to start her own business. In fact, social media is how Meghan has built her business to the level she has in a relatively short time. She relies less on “Those people truly brought out the potential in me that I didn’t conventional advertising and more on her own ingenuity along know I had. They asked why I was just working for one company with the best publicity of all – happy customers who spread the when I could do this for multiple companies. Why don’t you branch word and display her work through their channels. out on your own? I looked at them like they were crazy, but then I thought why not?” Meghan’s present-day success in marketing is rooted in her early interests in broadcast journalism. She was a member of the news Meghan had found her niche with a blend of video production team at Samsula Elementary School and further developed her and social media that was exactly what businesses were seeking, skills in New Smyrna Beach High School’s multimedia program. and by 2017 she was ready to put it all on the line. Meghaphone It was there, and later in college, where Meghan learned the art of Marketing was born, and as the client list continued to grow, so did story-telling, and though she’s now behind the camera instead of in the awards. Right out of the gate she was the Marine Marketers of front, many of the concepts are the same as she tells the story of America national winner for best social media marketing campaign her clients through the imagery she produces. for her work with Boston Whaler, which came on the heels of two other national awards from car manufacturers Dodge and Alfa Broadcasting wasn’t Meghan’s only passion in high school. She Romeo. The Volusia Young Professionals Group named her the excelled as an athlete, winning the regional tournament as a senior 2018 Young Professional of the Year, and in 2019, she collected when she was named the Orlando Sentinel Volusia County Girls multiple awards from the American Advertising Association. Golfer-of-the-Year. Admitting she didn’t have much of a plan for college and wasn’t sure where she would go, her big senior year Meghan said it can be exhausting work but is proud of what she’s earned her a late scholarship offer from Daytona State golf coach accomplished and is eternally grateful for her time at Daytona Laura Brown. State, and to Coach Brown. It allowed her to remain close to her family, who gave her the support she needed while she developed “After I won the regional tournament, the coaches really started into the person she is today. coming after me because I hadn’t made a decision yet. I was going to take a trip to Charleston Southern to see what they had, but “I made lifelong friends here and didn’t know you could do that with there was something about the hometown feel at Daytona State. people who were complete strangers at first. I learned the core I wasn’t ready to fully spread my wings yet and the opportunity here values of life, too.” was amazing. HELLO!!! I was getting a full scholarship to play for the best NJCAA team in the country and I could still go home for As for setting out on her own as a young business owner four years dinner at my parents’ house if I wanted!” ago, Meghan offered up this advice.
The personal connection she felt with Coach Brown was another “You have to take the risk, or you’re always going to be wondering factor in Meghan’s decision, and during her time with the Falcons, ‘what if,’ and I didn’t want to be like that. Learn your strengths and she developed further as a golfer. She capped her junior college weaknesses, go through the ups and downs, and just keep career with a top-10 finish at the 2009 NJCAA National grinding.” Championship before transferring to Jacksonville University where she was one of the top players in the lineup for two seasons and team MVP as a junior.
DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 | 31 STUDENT & EMPLOYEE HONORS
Daytona State Honors Students and Employees
DSC Students are recognized for COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES Business Management Quanta Megan Martin Annalisa Emilia Pereira their academic, community service Dan Stout Award Austin Daghita Project Management Carold Allen-Blanco and athletic achievements. Among Outstanding Mathematics Sullivan Hessler Industrial Management Technology the award winners, 21 were named Philosophy Igor Kojadinovic Ken Stocker to the Falcon Engagement Award Environmental Science Technology Business Operations - Entrepreneurship Christine Kress Shannon Cole program and 16 were inducted into the Sociology Bryce Erdman Broadcast TV Production (Associate) College’s Hall of Fame - the highest Photographic Technology Kayla Kender Justin Manchette honor the faculty can bestow upon a Digital and Interactive Media Production Broadcast TV Production (Certificate) Hope Hiles Candy McClure student. Elementary Education - Bachelor of Science Television Studio Production ______Heather Wall Amber Proulx Exceptional Education - Bachelor of Science Drafting and Design Technology (CAD) Induction into the College’s HALL OF FAME is Amber Dieferdorf Wilkes Lindsey M. Darrow based on the highest standards of excellence in Secondary Biology Education - Drafting and Design Technology scholarship, leadership and citizenship. Bachelor of Science Andrew Diaz-Recurt Lindsey M. Darrow Secondary Mathematics Education - Architectural & Building Technology The 2021 inductees are: Bachelor of Science Hannah Oliver Dylan Kazaks Joana Aebi Educators Preparation Institute AutoCAD Foundations (Engineering) Derionah Abner Taylor Payne Kevin Bell Adam Mastrobuono Personal Narrative Jarial Holmes Interior Design Technology Maria Brizio Christine Bochnar Argumentative Category Cassidy Peters Interior Design Technology Nicole Davis-DiCaprio Poetry Category Valarie Bush (Kitchen & Bath Specialization) Ryanne Gouveia Short Fiction Category Tre Topping Taylor Madison Perry Lindsey Hollingsworth General Research Category Abigail Adams Computer Engineering Technology Denzell Jones Literature Analysis Category Alexandria Simane Mark Jackson Andrew Marcello Multimodal Web Composition Computer Information Technology Megan Martin Cassidy Peters Robert Anthony Victor Garcia Michael Pari Music Production Collin Clark Computer Programming and Analysis Makayla Parsons Outstanding in Theater Madison Yale (Software Engineering Technology) David Racine Outstanding in Studio Arts 3D Chris M. Weaver Clifton Roby Calvin Rapp Electronics Engineering Technology Ahmad Talton Outstanding in Studio Arts 2D Tara Houser Adrianne Toles-Williams Hadassah Shores Engineering Technology Luis Moreno Perez ______Network Systems Technology Timothy Johnson Selection to the FALCON STUDENT COLLEGE BUSINESS, ENGINEERING & Simulation and Robotics Technology ENGAGEMENT AWARD program is based upon TECHNOLOGY Gabriel Anthony Rios academic excellence as well as contributions to Bachelor of Applied Science (Management) Cybersecurity and Cyberforensics the College and the community. Charles Greaves Armand Ansley Bachelor of Applied Science Web Development Specialist Students selected for 2021 are: (Hospitality Concentration) Riley Oldham Jose Arocho Guzman Derionah Abner Bachelor of Science - Accounting Database Technology Juan Rodriguez Joana Aebi Mathew C. Marquard Information Technology Analysis Andrew DeZego Culinary Management (AS) Norma Lagger Emma Hill Ryanne Gouveia Hospitality Management (AS) Network Server Administration Denzell Jones Sandra Fabian John Ryan Dennehy Richard Lane Culinary Arts (Certificate) John Pate Computer-Aided Design & Drafting Angel Limardo Hospitality Beverage Science James McCloud Saul Eduardo Orta Loran Maacks Baking and Pastry Specialization Web Development Specialist Jessica Malott Hannah Sparling Jose Arocho Guzman Andrew Marcello Accounting Technology (AS) Natali Alexandrova Computer Programming Alex Louis Megan Martin Office Administration Paige Dendall Engineering Technology Support Specialist Makayla Parsons Paralegal Studies (Legal Assisting) Rossitza V. Kostova Michael Pari Angel Nunn Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology Milica Pejovic Accounting Technology Management (BSET) Kristian Reed Brown David Racine Sara Strock Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology - Clifton L. Roby Accounting Technology Operations, Electrical Engineering Technology Concentration Hilton Smith Tax Preparation Gina Rivers Richard Beau Bosman Casey Sommer Office Management Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Stephanie Sy Katie Cheyenne Chandler (BSIT) Adam Laalou Ryan Taylor Business Administration Amanda Venable Renata Maria Slusarz-Hunter
32 | DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 DAYTONA STATE COLLEGE FACULTY AND STAFF EXCELLENCE AWARDS
STERLING AWARD FOR PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE EMPLOYEES COLLEGE OF HEALTH & PUBLIC SERVICES DIVISION OF STUDENT LIFE Louie Mercer, Director of Dental Hygiene Jana Fouce Student Government Ahmad Talton Campus Safety, began Dental Assisting Jessica Armitage Student Publication: Interactive Media - In Motion his DSC career in 1999 as the Director of the School Florida Law Enforcement Academy Denzell Jones of Emergency Services Brianna Doonan Phi Theta Kappa Ryanne Gouveia after serving in leadership Early Childhood Education Katherine Martinez ______roles at the Daytona Occupational Therapy Assistant Beach Police Department Amber Joy Smith ACADEMIC SUPPORT AND for 20 years. A Daytona Physical Therapist Assistant Jana Vaclavikova COLLEGE WRITING CENTER State alum, Louie works Respiratory Care Christine Bochnar Supplemental Instruction Leader of the Year: with students, faculty, staff and board members in Radiography Kendal L. Watkins Science Lindsey Hollingsworth a wide variety of areas, providing excellent service Massage Therapy Nathalie Dunning Academic Support Center: Outstanding Tutor and constant communication. He is also the College’s point of contact with COVID health agencies. Medical Assisting MiMi Troung Adam Laalou Surgical Technology Samantha Struble Academic Support Center: Bachelor of Science in (BSN) Outstanding First Impression Clerk PRESIDENTIAL MEDALLION FOR TEACHING Echo Ewers Diabante Demps Nicole Davis-DiCaprio EXCELLENCE Nursing Lori Sager Academic Support Center: Dr. Amy Szoka, Chair of Practical Nursing Lafawn Williams Outstanding First Impression Clerk/Regional the School of Nursing, ______Janaina Warner is an alumna of Daytona State with nearly 20 years Writing Center: Peer Tutor- Daytona of service to the College. MARY KARL COLLEGE OF WORKFORCE Jerithza Quinteros Perez She is described as an AND CONTINUING EDUCATION Writing Center: Peer Tutor- Virtual Campus innovative educator who Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning/ John Markham consistently finds ways Refrigeration Technology Gennady Prokopiev ______to incorporate active and Automotive Collision Repair and Refinishing experiential learning into Diego Consuelos, Jr. ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY COLLEGE her courses. Over the past Automotive Service Technology Outstanding Service to Campus two years, she has worked Georgiy Andriyenko David Racine to expand the ADN program, which now offers the entire program at the Flagler/Palm Coast and Deltona Barbering David Munoz Galicia ______campuses. Additionally, Amy played an integral role Building Trades and Construction Design in the College and School of Nursing’s COVID response Technology Mira Testerman DELAND CAMPUS and protocols. Cosmetology Madison Michele Thames Outstanding Service to Campus Early Childhood Education Apprenticeship Lindsey Hollingsworth STERLING AWARD FOR PROFESSIONAL Karen Khelawan-Michaud Nursing Mary Keefer EXCELLENCE FOR Electrical Apprenticeship - Union ______CAREER EMPLOYEE Mathew Marques Marbly Jackson, Plumbers & Pipefitters Apprenticeship (Union) DELTONA CAMPUS Maintenance Specialist Charles Edwards Associate of Arts Brianna Barrett in Facilities Services, has CNC Machining Joshua Lima Dental Hygiene Ashley Penc been with the College Advanced Welding Perla Vergara ______since 1996, and in that Welding Technology- Applied time his craftsmanship Jeanette Galvin FLAGLER/PALM COAST CAMPUS and attention to detail General Education Development Degree Associate of Arts Alvin Vyon Deap has not gone unnoticed. Marbly continues to Maria McCune Nursing Caley Lehan amaze faculty and staff English for Speakers of other Languages Political Science with his impeccable talents, which includes his Javier Carballido Adrianne Nicole Toles-Williams own interpretation of safety shields and bench ______protectors which ensured a safe and healthy campus environment in response to COVID-19. DIVISION OF INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS NEW SMYRNA BEACH/EDGEWATER CAMPUS Men’s Baseball Carter Page Associate of Arts Ashlee Marie Nadeau STERLING AWARD FOR PROFESSIONAL Men’s Basketball Brandon Betson Dual Enrollment Ian Lange EXCELLENCE FOR Men’s Cross Country Adam Mastrobuono Machining Jacob Boucher PROFESSIONAL Men’s Soccer Angel Limardo ______EMPLOYEES Women’s Basketball Janay Turner Kathy Clarke, Manager Women’s Cross Country Angel Khrino EXCEPTIONAL ACHIEVEMENT IN of Tech Support, started Women’s Golf Symone Henriques SERVICE LEARNING at the College in 1999 Women’s Soccer Courtney Magnan Pamela Adkins as the only person at Women’s Softball Kansas Crean Andrew Hardwick the HelpDesk for the IT department. The DSC Women’s Volleyball Joana Aebi ______alumna now oversees all computer hardware EXEMPLARY REFLECTIVE ACTIVITY and software out in the Deidre-Ann Palmer field. Her efforts were ______critical during the early weeks of the pandemic when employees telecommuted from home. Kathy SHINING EXAMPLE OF A SERVICE LEARNER continues to work closely with faculty, staff, and Kelly Estrella students to ensure their technology is up to date and running smoothly. FOUNDATION DONOR SPOTLIGHT
Susan Glass (r), shown here with DSC’s Director of Alumni Engagement & Development, Kristen Hanson.
Alumna Susan Glass creates first endowed scholarship for Accounting: THE GLASS FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP IN ACCOUNTING
Susan Burton Glass, DBCC ’82, has created the first endowed An avid golfer, owner of TG Glass & Associates – a commercial scholarship in support of Daytona State College students in the construction company – and “the most wonderful, honorable Bachelor of Science in Accounting program, which launched in person with the biggest heart,” says Susan, Gerry was known and Fall 2020. loved by many in the community, especially at LPGA International where the family was deeply invested. A 1980 graduate of Mainland High School, Glass was awarded a full scholarship for high school graduates finishing in the top 10% With the full support of Justin, who lives in New York City, of their class – today’s Presidential Excellence Scholarship. Susan created this scholarship following a conversation with DSC Foundation’s Kristen Hanson. Upon completion of her A.A., Glass went on to Florida State University where she earned her bachelor’s degree, followed by “I have known Kristen for a long time, and after she joined the additional study at Stetson University to meet the requirements Foundation staff early last year, it seemed to be the perfect time for for her Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation. me to do what I’ve been wanting to do for a long time,” said Glass.
For almost 30 years, Glass has owned and operated Susan B. Glass The Bachelor of Science in Accounting enrolls students in a cohort CPA, a full-service accounting firm serving businesses and model, meaning that students learn together throughout their time individuals. in the program. According to Dr. Max Nagiel, Chair of the School of Applied Business, “it’s a model that works to the advantage of our As grateful as she is for a very successful and rewarding career, students as they work together and support one another.” she is exuberant when describing her husband of 24 years, Gerry Glass, whom she, and son, Justin, lost suddenly in late 2015. At the end of the day, Glass is grateful for her education at the College and, she says, “I hope other alumni will think about giving back to Daytona State like I’m doing with this scholarship.”
For information on establishing a scholarship, contact Kristen Hanson, Director of Alumni Engagement & Development, at (386) 506-4506 or by email to [email protected].
34 | DAYTONA STATE MAGAZINE • SPRING/SUMMER 2021 THE L. GALE LEMERAND ENTREPRENEURIAL SPEAKER SERIES PRESENTS... HARRIS ROSEN President & COO, Rosen Hotels & Resorts A true All-American success story, iconic hotelier and philanthropist, Harris Rosen overcame humble beginnings growing up in the disadvantaged Bowery section of New York City to now owning seven expansive Orlando hotels that comprise approximately 5 percent of the tourism area’s total guestrooms.
A vivid storyteller, Rosen will share various success stories, including his first Orlando hotel purchase in 1974, and why he feels that his company enjoys one of the lowest employee turnover rates in the hospitality industry (around 12 percent vs. the industry average around 70 percent). And closest to his heart, his desire to inspire others to give back through his legacy of philanthropy, which includes a focus on education.
L. Gale Lemerand, Entrepreneur • 1995 Florida Entrepreneur of the Year • Founded more than 100 successful companies “To Win in Business … Bet on the Jockey” is a book about Lemerand’s remarkable life. Save the date: Wed., Nov. 17, 9 a.m. | HosseIni Center DaytonaState.edu/SpeakerSeries CarryJust theEssentials
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