R I L 2 0 0 9 AP a publication by & for usf alumni association members Robert Stackhouse SNAPSHOTS OF AN ARTIST The Right Balance Building a Legacy Here She Comes Achieving balance is the key to a healthy body Sculptor, painter, printmaker, Robert Stack- Miss America 1999, Nicole Johnson, `96, has and happy life, says Tampa’s premier “diet house, `65, discovered his talent as a member of made a career out of helping people with doctor” Jay Garcia, `68. PG 10 USF’s charter class. PG 12 diabetes live their lives to the fullest. PG 18 What happens when Knights, Bulls and Gators meet o f f the football field? RESEARCH Competitors on the Field – Industry Partners in the Laboratory Working Together to Discover Innovative Technologies These successful alumni found research partners: Antoine Khoury, UCF, ’88 Advanced Power Electronics Corp. (APECOR) provides leading research and development services in power electronics for renewable energy, electric vehicles, space power management and other applications. Jim Donovan, USF, ’76 TempTroll Inc. developed a self-heating washcloth that has been used by hospital patients, American troops in Iraq and hurricane victims here at home. Neil Euliano, UF, ’86 Convergent Engineering created an “electronic pill” that communicates with an external monitor when the pill is consumed. More than 300 companies from across Florida’s High Tech Corridor have used Florida High Tech Corridor Council matching grants research dollars to partner with university faculty and graduate students on applied research to develop or enhance their company’s products since 1996. Find your partner at FloridaHighTech.com/research. APRIL 2009 CONTENTS FEATURES 8 10 8 Q&A with Marlee Matlin Academy Award winning actress Marlee Matlin wants people to understand that the only thing deaf people can’t do is hear, which is why she appeared on Dancing with the Stars and speaks extensively at colleges and universities like USF. 10 The Diet Doctor is In Jay Garcia, `68, was the first baseball player to attend USF on scholarship. Now the Havana native is a successful physician with a patented weight-loss program that has 12 18 helped tens of thousands of people change their lives. 12 Robert Stackhouse Growing up at his grandparent’s fish camp in Polk County, Robert Stackhouse, `65, never dreamed he would become an internationally renowned artist and sculptor. He credits USF with helping him unearth his talent, and in return, he gifted the University with an archive of his prints, both past and future. 18 In the Pink Nicole Johnson, `96, was a 19-year-old sophomore just 21 26 37 starting out on the beauty pageant scene when she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. She went on to become Miss America 1999, as well as an author, T.V. host and advocate for those who live with the disease. COVER: American Print, 2001 Screenprint DEPARTMENTS “This one is actually 2 President’s Message 27 That Was Then; collaboration with 3 USF Spotlight This Is Now Carol. One of the reasons I’m interested 4 News Roundup 28 Employ-A-Bull in making prints is 6 Where’s Rocky? 29 Featured Member Benefit because … prints are 8 Q&A 30 Class Notes an affordable way 21 Chapters & Societies 36 Athletics to collect blue-chip 26 Blast from the Past 37 Calendar artists. You can spend a relatively small bit of money and get a name artist. Graphicstudio has a wonderful sale every year.” -Robert Stackhouse APRIL 2009 | ALUMNIVOICE 1 Alumni Voice USF Alumni Association® Gibbons Alumni Center University of South Florida 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ALC100 president’s message Tampa, Florida 33620 [email protected] USFalumni.org Hello Fellow Alumni, Alumni Voice Editorial: Have you noticed the world seems to be getting smaller Karla Jackson, [email protected] or and more connected? It seems like every time I turn Rita Kroeber, [email protected] around, people are texting or emailing from their cell Advertising: Jim Gundry, [email protected] or 813-286-8299; Rita Kroeber, rkroeber@admin. phones, talking into their Bluetooth ear buds, listening usf.edu or 813-974-6312 to their iPods or downloading photos and music to their Design: Marilyn Stephens, University PC. Even many job candidates list their own professional Communications & Marketing websites on their resumes today. Contributing Writers in this Issue: Lisa Cunningham, `85 The world is changing. You may be asking, how did this Mia Faucher, `10 happen? What is driving the change? Nowhere is the change more obvious Anna Peters, `09 than among students and alumni. Consider the many recent advances in social Arleen Spenceley, `07 networking for USF alumni: Alumni Association Contact Information • Now you can connect the USF alumni website to your Facebook Executive Director: John Harper, `76 account. When you register for an alumni event, you can publish an Membership: 813-974-2100 or 800-299-BULL announcement to your Facebook profile and help give USF the exposure Alumni & Student Programs: 813-974-2100 it deserves. General Alumni e-mail: [email protected] • Just last month, the Bulls Country Network — your trusted social network Giving/Scholarships: Ron Sherman, [email protected] powered by inCircle, launched an application with Facebook. Now you USF Bulls License Plate: www.BullsPlate.org can go to your inCircle community directly through Facebook. Alumni Association website: USFalumni.org • You can also become a fan of the USF Alumni Association page on Facebook or join the USF Alumni Association group on MySpace. Letters to the editor are encouraged. Please write to Karla Jackson at kjackson@admin. • Some of you already are involved with LinkedIn, Twitter, Plaxo, hi5 … usf.edu or mail to the address at the top of the list goes on. the page. Views expressed in Alumni Voice do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the USF Community is no longer just the neighborhood in which you live. Alumni Association, the University of South Technology allows us to define community in different ways — many Florida or the editorial staff. of which have nothing to do with physical location. As a member of the Baby Boomer Generation, I’m new to many of these technologies. But I ALUMNI VOICE am thankful to my friends in Generation X and the Millennial Generation (USPS Alumni Voice) for opening my eyes to the power of these social networks. We’re able to Number 7 reconnect and stay connected with each other and our University. Alumni Voice is published quarterly in Janu- ary, April, July, and October as a benefit of You may already be part of a virtual community. Hopefully you’re already membership in the University of South Florida registered on our Bulls Country Network (https://incircle.usf.org). It’s a Alumni Association, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., great place to share a significant college experience and common affinity ALC100, Tampa, FL 33620-5455. Application to with other USF Bulls in a trusted and secure environment. Be sure to visit mail at periodicals postage prices is pending at Tampa, FL. POSTMASTER: Send address www.USFalumni.org/SocialNetwork to learn more about social networking changes to: University of South Florida Alumni opportunities with your fellow alumni. Association, Communications Department, If you have suggestions on other social networking opportunities that we 4202 E. Fowler Ave., ALC100, Tampa, FL should explore, don’t hesitate to email your idea to [email protected] 33620-5455. and put “Social Networking” in the subject line. New Address? Moving? In Bull Pride, Update your official USF alumni record at myUSFbio.org or email your information to [email protected]. You also may remove the magazine label and send it with your cor- Michele Norris, `79 rect address to Alumni Voice, USF Alumni As- President, USF Alumni Association sociation, 4202 E. Fowler Ave. ALC100, Tampa, FL 33620. © 2009 All rights reserved. 2 ALUMNIVOICE | APRIL 2009 University of South Florida Alumni Association Board of Directors — PRESIDENT — USF Michele Norris, `79 Marketing — PRESIDENT-ELECT — Roger Frazee, CFP, CLU, ChFC, CPA, `71 Finance & Accounting spotlight — SECRETARY — Patrick Poff, Esq., `92 English — Co-TREASURERS — Marie Edmonson, CPA, CFE, `88 Accounting, M.A. `90 Accountancy Brad Kelly, CPA, `79 Accounting USFAA Spotlight: Athletics Council — IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT — This newly established council has a primary goal of identifying opportuni- Jeff Spalding, `87 Computer Science & Engineering ties for the USF Alumni Association and USF Athletics to work together — BOARD MEMBERS — more closely to serve and promote the constituencies of both organizations. Brandon Aldridge, `88 Communication The Council also developed, implemented and maintains the “Be Respect- Janice Sands Ash, P.E.,`87 Engineering Science, `89 M.S. Civil A-Bull” campaign, which sets the standards of Bull pride, sportsmanship Engineering and honor that ensure a safe and fun atmosphere at USF athletic events. Gene Balter, P.E.`77 Engineering Angie Brewer, `82 Management, M.S. `84 Management Shaye Benfield, `97 Marketing Athletics Committee Members Bill Eickhoff, `69 Business & MBA `73 • Angie Brewer, `82 & M.S. `84, Chair James Gossett, `98 Business • Brandon Aldridge, `88 Gene Haines, `97 Criminology • Gene Haines, `97 Lizz Harmon, `82 Mass Communications/Advertising • Rich Heruska, `99 Charley Harris, Esq., `87 Business • Mike LaPan, `81 Richard Heruska, `99 Business • Victor Lucas, `85 Anila Jain, M.D., MBA `81 Biology • Jim Ragsdale, `81 Mike LaPan, CFE `81 Management Mark Levine, Esq.,`74 Psychology • Carla Saavedra, `87 Victor Lucas, `85 Management Diana Michel, `88 Business Jim Ragsdale, `81 Management Carla Saavedra, `87 English Jim Weber, `77 Finance & MBA `82 The 2008-09 USF Alumni Association Board of Directors show off Derek Williams, CFP `00 Finance their Bull Pride. Pictured are, front row: Christi Womack-Villa- Christi Womack-Villalobos, `92 English lobos, Diana Michel, Dr.