122552-LynnR2.qxp:122552-LynnR2 2/27/08 8:31 PM Page 1 WINTER 2008 FOR ALUMNI, PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF LYNN UNIVERSITY 122552-LynnR1.qxp:122552-LynnR1 2/25/08 9:29 PM Page 2 In Focus Challenges and Opportunities Ever notice how often these two words crop up together? offerings.” It’s no accident that this priority is labeled “1” I shared this observation last September in my second in Lynn 2020. As I stated in my address, perhaps the most State of the University address. As I reflected on our achieve- challenging opportunity we face is at our literal core—our ments in academic year ’06-‘07 and the daunting goals in academic mission. Our faculty, led by the deans and Vice the year ahead, “challenges” and “opportunities” repeatedly President for Academic Affairs Cynthia Patterson, are hard at came to mind. Not only that, they blended into one, greater work re-imaging the scholastic experience for our students. concept: “challenging opportunities.” Our new program in American Studies and our innovative This hybrid term perfectly sums up the tasks now before teaching in mathematics, which are detailed in this issue, are us, as we face the “heavy lifting” required by our strategic but two examples of this work in progress. plan, Lynn 2020. For those of us who are committed to Ultimately, we will build a core curriculum that is Lynn’s Lynn’s bright future—faculty, staff, alumni, parents and and Lynn’s alone, one that is innovative, individualized and friends—the real work has begun. By that, I mean the work international—and, most important, one that will ensure that will transform Lynn into one of the most distinctive our students graduate from Lynn University better prepared small universities in America. for success in life. Take a look at our plan’s first priority: “Lynn will recast, —Kevin M. Ross, president partially restructure, and intensify the focus of its academic 2 P = People with Passion Editor’s Note The Lynn people in this issue’s feature stories have some- to admit that before my ‘roundtable interview’ with them, thing in common—they’re passionate about their pursuits. I was a little intimidated about facing off with not one, but From the math professors in “Doing the Math” to the stu- five math professors. But I needn’t have worried. Just as they dent writers in “The Blog Squad” and the alumni who are do in their classes, the professors put me at ease with their devotees of extreme sports in “Push the Limit,” they are all terrific humor and interesting take on math. absolutely in love with what they do. These amazing professors, students and alumni of Lynn As we do with every issue, assistant editor Debbie Stern remind me of something our president, Kevin Ross, said in and I compared notes after our interviews. Debbie, who an interview a couple of years ago. When I asked him what wrote the bloggers story, was positively beaming after talking Lynn’s greatest strength was, he replied without hesitation, with the six students who keep these riveting online journals “Our people.” I couldn’t agree more. I hope you enjoy read- for Lynn (check them out at blogs.lynn.edu). ing about the Lynn people in this issue, and if you work in And I couldn’t wait to tell her about the fascinating a creative field—advertising, literature, photography, art, alumni I spoke with about their daring sports. Not long design, etc.—please send us an e-mail about you and your after that, I was raving about the math professors I had work for a future alumni feature (see our inside back cover interviewed for our story about innovative teaching. I have for details). —Liz McKey, editor 122552-Lynn.qxp:122552-Lynn 2/21/08 3:50 AM Page 3 WINTER 2008 VOLUME IV NUMBER 1 Editor Liz McKey Art Director Andréia Brunstein '00, '03 Assistant Editor Debbie Stern FOR ALUMNI, PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF LYNN UNIVERSITY Contributing Writers Chad Beattie Jason Hughes ( FEATURES ) Carol Mandel Susan Philbrick Matt Roos Joyce Shelfo Push the Limit Photography Kiteboarding, skydiving, deep sea diving, Jet Ski racing and Anthony Bosio more—life is a thrill a minute for these alumni and extreme Gary Brittain 8 Brad Broome sports enthusiasts. Andréia Brunstein '00, '03 Joe Carey The Blog Squad Gina Fontana Curious about what’s on Lynn students’ minds? Just read the Carolina Gonzalez Atienza Barbara McCormick 14 blogs of Ashlea, Gene, Jana, Morgan, Joey and Allan. Michael Marko J.C. Ridley Doing the Math Robin Roslund Lynn’s talented professors are subtracting the angst from college Jon Way Jim Wilson math. Their formula? Dynamic teaching + real-world relevance + 20 mastery of Lynn’s high-tech classrooms. President Kevin M. Ross Vice President for Marketing and Communication Michele M. Morris ( DEPARTMENTS ) Vice President for Development and 2 On Campus Alumni Affairs Judith L. Nelson 7 Ask the Professor – Diane DiCerbo 26 Sports Lynn Magazine is produced for alumni, 28 Connections parents and friends by the Office of Marketing and Communication at 32 Class Notes Lynn University, 3601 North Military Trail, Boca Raton, FL 33431-5598 36 Close-Up – Dale Dobuler ’07 e-mail: [email protected] www.lynn.edu Lynn University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, disability and/or On the cover: Instructor Michael Grigelis, along with the rest of age in administration of its educational and admission policies, scholarship and the mathematics faculty, makes math an active—and, even, fun— loan programs, athletic and/or other school-administered programs. learning experience for Lynn students. Illustration by Andreia Brunstein; photo by Robin Roslund. 122552-LynnR1.qxp:122552-LynnR1 2/25/08 11:35 PM Page 4 ( ON CAMPUS ) President outlines successes, priorities in State of the University address Proclaiming Lynn University to be employee compensation strategy; and a “as strong as it’s ever been,” President national championship in men’s tennis Kevin M. Ross gave his second annual (Lynn’s 18th). State of the University address Sept. 19 “It’s been a year marked by almost to more than 400 faculty, staff and stu- unbelievable progress on our campus,” dents. In addition to outlining priori- he said. “It’s been a time where we’ve ties for the year ahead, President Ross all been challenged by the rigor of con- highlighted several institutional suc- stant forward motion, even as we’ve cesses from the past year, including a been steadied and emboldened by the near-record year in fundraising as the consistent achievement it has yielded— university received gifts and pledges achievement we’ve grown so accus- totaling more than $11.3 million. This tomed to.” figure, he noted, was bolstered by a The president concluded his doubling in the number of gifts made address by referencing a quotation by alumni. attributed to the former president of President Ross also announced that Roanoke College in Virginia, David Lynn University’s endowment—that Gring. That president called his insti- “most crucial of institutional barome- tution a place where “the potential is ters”—had grown to $16,980,188, extraordinary, limited only by imagina- more than $10 million since 2003. tion and will.” Among the additional successes President Ross stated, “Lynn is a President Ross cited were the faculty’s place of extraordinary potential. As work in revising the core curriculum; for imagination and will, we don’t extensive classroom technology lack for either.” upgrades; a recently implemented Presidential scholar, historian Robert Watson leads new American Studies program A campus often best known for its including “Social and Political History international focus and students, Lynn of the U.S.” and “The Politics of University launched an American American Education and Human Studies program last fall to ensure Services,” among others. all of its students are getting a solid “We envision an exciting new pro- grounding in the United States as gram with opportunities for community- well—and the university has selected based learning and field studies at prolific author and political scientist unique historic, geographic and cultural Robert Watson to lead the way as sites throughout the United States,” coordinator of the program. says Watson. “Lynn students will have The new American Studies pro- the opportunity to use the community gram is the eighth major offered in and country as their classrooms.” Lynn’s College of Arts and Sciences. Watson joined the university from The program is designed to provide Florida Atlantic University, where students with a rich contextual and he received both the Distinguished A nationally recognized expert on multidisciplinary understanding of Teacher of the Year award and Faculty the presidency, first ladies, campaigns America and American culture as well Service Award in 2006. He holds a and political scandals, Watson has as the study of American literature, art, Ph.D. from Florida Atlantic, an M.P.A. published 25 books and more than politics, economics and history. The from the University of West Florida 100 scholarly articles and chapters, and major will require 36 credits in classes and a B.A. from Virginia Tech. has edited numerous books. 2 WINTER 2008 | LYNN MAGAZINE 122552-LynnR2.qxp:122552-LynnR2 2/27/08 8:37 PM Page 5 Monaco named dean of College of Arts and Sciences Pamela Monaco joined Lynn conferences and increasing funds and University last fall as dean of the support for the Writing Center. College of Arts and Sciences. Prior to joining the University of Previously, she was assistant dean of Maryland, Monaco was an assistant communications, arts and humanities professor and chair of the department at the University of Maryland, Univer- of English and foreign languages at sity College in Adelphi.