COMMENCEMENT THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL GRADUATION LIST While every effort is made to ensure accuracy in this commencement program, printing deadlines may result in omission of some names and use of names of persons not completing graduation requirements as intended. This printed program, therefore, should not be used to determine a student’s academic or degree status. The university’s official registry for conferral of degrees is the student’s permanent academic record as reflected on the student’s transcript, maintained by the Office of the University Registrar. Commencement SPRING 2020 Greetings from the President n behalf of the University of Florida, our faculty and our entire university community, I would like to extend my deepest congratulations to you, the Graduates of 2020. OI celebrate your remarkable accomplishment in earning a degree from one of the world’s leading research institutions. I applaud you for the education you have received, for honing your creative, scientific, or analytical skills and for your achievements as students. I join you in thanking your professors, advisors and family and friends for their contributions to your success. This is a time for celebration, but also for reflection on your future. I am confident that the knowledge and experience you gained as a UF student will serve you well regardless of your career or how you choose to invest your life. The university has benefited from your active engagement and contributions to your classes, programs of study and your peers, and we are grateful for your time here. We hope you will recall these years fondly, and that you will remain connected to UF as active members of our distinguished alumni. Good luck, best wishes, and always remember, It is Great to be a Florida Gator! W. Kent Fuchs University of Florida President Dr. W. Kent Fuchs Dr. Kent Fuchs became the 12th President of the He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts University of Florida in January 2015. Building on and Sciences, the American Association for the many years of excellence and focused leadership, Advancement of Science, the Institute of Electrical the university has reached its goal of joining the and Electronics Engineers, and the Association for nation’s top-ten public research universities. Computing Machinery, and has received numerous awards for teaching and research. Dr. Fuchs has set UF on a path to joining the top-five public research universities and President Fuchs earned his doctorate in electrical becoming the nation’s number one university and computer engineering from the University for comprehensive excellence. UF is working of Illinois, and a Master of Divinity from Trinity toward those goals through the creation of 500 Evangelical Divinity School. He also holds a new faculty positions, the addition of advanced Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Duke and beautiful university facilities and an ongoing University. $3 billion fundraising campaign. Dr. Fuchs is married to Linda Moskeland Fuchs, Previous to the UF presidency, Dr. Fuchs was an art historian. The Fuchses have three sons, a provost of Cornell University. He has served in daughter, and three grandchildren. academic leadership positions and as a faculty member of electrical and computer engineering Born on an Oklahoma farm in 1954, President at Cornell, Purdue and the University of Illinois. Fuchs spent much of his youth in Alaska before moving to Miami, where he graduated from Miami Killian Senior High School. 2020 SPRING COMMENCEMENT 2 University of Florida Leadership State Board of Education President and Vice Presidents Richard Corcoran Ben Gibson of the University Commissioner of Education Tom Grady W. Kent Fuchs, Ph.D. Michael Olenick Andy Tuck President Chair Ryan Petty Joe York Joseph Glover, Ph.D. Marva Johnson Provost and Senior Vice President - Academic Affairs Vice Chair Charles E. Lane, D.P.A. Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer - Administration Florida Board of Governors David R. Nelson, M.D. Marshall M. Criser III Tim Cerio Senior Vice President - Health Affairs Chancellor Shawn D. Felton Jack Payne, Ph.D. Richard Corcoran Patricia Frost Senior Vice President - Agriculture and Natural Resources Commissioner of Education Zenani D. Johnson Darlene L. Jordan Elias G. Eldayrie, M.B.A. Sydney Kitson Ned C. Lautenbach Vice President and Chief Information Chair Alan M. Levine Officer - Information Technology Brian Lamb Steven M. Scott Zina Evans, Ph.D. Vice Chair Eric Silagy Associate Provost and Vice President - Enrollment Management Kent Stermon Antonio Farias, M.F.A. Chief Diversity Officer and Senior Advisor to the President Jodi Gentry, M.A. University of Florida Vice President - Human Resource Services Board of Trustees Amy M. Hass, J.D. Vice President - General Counsel Morteza “Mori” Hosseini David L. Brandon Chair James W. “Bill” Heavener Mark E. Kaplan, J.D. Vice President - Government and Community Relations Thomas G. Kuntz Leonard H. Johnson Vice Chair Michael C. Murphy Thomas J. Mitchell, M.S. Daniel T. O’Keefe Vice President - Advancement Rahul Patel D’Andra Mull, Ph.D. Marsha D. Powers Vice President – Student Affairs Jason J. Rosenberg Robert G. Stern David Norton, Ph.D. Ray G. Thomas Vice President - Research Anita G. Zucker Nancy Paton, M.S. Vice President for Strategic Communications and Marketing Curtis Reynolds, M.B.A., M.S.E.E. Vice President - Business Affairs Deans of the University R. Elaine Turner, Ph.D. Leonardo Villalón, Ph.D. College of Agricultural and Life Sciences International Center Onye P. Ozuzu, M.F.A. Diane H. McFarlin, B.S. College of the Arts College of Journalism and Communications John Kraft, Ph.D. Laura A. Rosenbury, J.D. Warrington College of Business Fredric G. Levin College of Law A. Isabel Garcia, D.D.S., M.P.H. David E. Richardson, Ph.D. College of Dentistry College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Chimay Anumba, Ph.D. Adrian Tyndall, M.D., M.P.H. College of Design, Construction and Planning Interim, College of Medicine Glenn E. Good, Ph.D. Anna M. McDaniel, Ph.D., R.N. College of Education College of Nursing Cammy R. Abernathy, Ph.D. Julie A. Johnson, Pharm.D. Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering College of Pharmacy Henry T. Frierson, Ph.D. Michael G. Perri, Ph.D. The Graduate School College of Public Health and Health Professions Michael Reid, Ph.D. Dana Zimmel, D.V.M. College of Health and Human Performance Interim, College of Veterinary Medicine Nick Place, Ph.D. Judith C. Russell, M.S. IFAS Extension University Libraries Robert Gilbert, Ph.D. Heather White, Ph.D. IFAS Research Dean of Students 2020 SPRING C OMMEN C EMENT 3 Commencement Speaker Thaddeus M. Bullard (a.k.a. Titus O’Neil) Thaddeus M. Bullard, known to the world as WWE Superstar Titus O’Neil, is an accomplished athlete, philanthropist, entertainer and author — as well as a University of Florida alumnus and former Gator football player. Mr. Bullard grew up in poverty after being born to a teenaged mother, the result of a rape. He went from being a troubled, underperforming young man to serving as a mentor, celebrity role model and children’s advocate and champion. At UF, he played defensive end for the Gators, receiving three Goodwill Gator awards as well as He is not only committed to succeeding personally University Presidential recognition. He was elected as but also to helping others succeed. The seed for UF Student Body Vice President and was a member of this commitment was planted when he was a youth Florida Blue Key, UF’s student leadership and public resident of the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches where service organization. He graduated from UF with his many invested in him when, in his words, “they had bachelor’s degree in sociology in 2000. nothing to gain in return.” After moving on from the Gators to the NFL’s Bullard has continued to grow his support for various Jacksonville Jaguars, Bullard joined WWE as Titus organizations, locally and globally by sharing his O’Neil and became a fixture on programs likeRaw and time, talent and treasure. He lacked a strong male Smackdown. Today, he is equally well known for his role model in his home, a circumstance he has sought extensive philanthropy with young people. to remedy with his commitment to his own family and sons, TJ (15) and Titus (13). He has raised thousands for scholarships and millions for non-profit organizations such as the United Bullard is a proud member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity, Way, Susan G. Komen and the Special Olympics. the president of the Bullard Family Foundation and Additionally, for the past nine years, his “Joy of a member of Revealing Truth Ministries in Tampa, Giving” holiday event has resulted in 15,000 gifts to where he lives. His first book, “There’s No Such underprivileged children and families in need in the Thing as a Bad Kid: How I Went From Stereotype to greater Tampa area. Prototype,” was published in August 2019. 2020 SPRING COMMENCEMENT 4 2020 SPRING C OMMEN CEMENT 5 Outstanding Student Scholars and Leaders The selection committee for Outstanding Student Scholars considers grade point average, curriculum, academic awards, research project or honors thesis. The selection committee for Outstanding Student Leaders considers the quality and scope of leadership activities, universitywide leadership, experience, special awards, recognition and recommendations of faculty, staff and students. Outstanding Leaders Victoria Bindi Aaron Sandoval COLLEGE: Liberal Arts and Sciences COLLEGE: Liberal Arts and Sciences MAJOR: Biochemistry MAJOR: Biology Two-Year Outstanding