STUDENTS, START YOUR ENGINES! IN THIS ISSUE> 2010–2011 HONOR ROLL OF DONORS Q&A WITH MATT KILCULLEN SLUMDOG SOCIAL WORKER SMART USE OF SMART PHONES President’s Perspective IN THIS ISSUE WINTER 2012 • VolumE 20, IssuE 3 Dear Florida Tech Alumni and Friends, TODAY Welcome to 2012! All of us at your univer- http://today.fit.edu sity are excited about the year ahead. Florida Institute of Technology PRESIDENT Anthony James Catanese, Ph.D., FAICP First, we have some important alumni news EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER … the Florida Tech Alumni Association is waiv- T. Dwayne McCay, Ph.D. VICE PRESIDENT FOR MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS Wes Sumner ing future membership dues for all alumni! Now, the only requirement for alumni to Florida Tech TODAY is published three times a year by Florida Tech’s Office of Marketing and become official FTAA members is to register at Communications and is distributed to over 50,000 readers. http://alumni.fit.edu/pantherconnect. It’s that simple. MANAGING EDITOR/DESIGNER Judi Tintera, [email protected] I applaud the Alumni Association for taking this important step. EDITOR Christena Callahan, [email protected] 16 ASSISTANT EDITOR Karen Rhine, [email protected] 24 30 Feature: Service Project in India Cover: Students Start Their Engines Homecoming Recap You can read more in FTAA President John Valente’s column in this CLASS NOTES REPORTER Ann Munroe, [email protected] edition. ON THE ROAD REPORTER Melissa Klos CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Stephanie Bacon, Christena Meanwhile, this year we not only stand firm in the U.S. News & Callahan, Bino Campanini, Ryan Jones, Melissa cover story World Report top tier, but U.S. News also named us in the national Top Klos, Andy McIlwraith, Lisa M. Onorato, Karen Students, Start Your Engines Rhine, Beverly Sanders, Gretchen Sauerman, Hector 30 10 for student internships. This January, U.S. News is lauding us in the Severeyn Whether it’s a need for speed or the smell of the grease pit, car “Top 5 Great College Towns to Avoid Winter,” and named our online PRODUCTION Rob Gribbroek, Kristie Kwong projects are popular with many Florida Tech engineering students. WEB LAYOUT Joshua Culver alumni news programs to its Top 4 Honor Roll! We’ve all known for years that the CIRCULATION Ali Faisal, Karen Sukolsky combination of outstanding academic programs and a beautiful, near- PHOTOGRAPHY Stephanie Hopper, Angela McAleavey, Bill Simmonds, Amanda Stratford features From the FTAA President ......... beach locale is a win-win in college education … now, the rest of the 12 ALUMNI OFFICE Jim Herdt: Master of Sea and Service world is acknowledging it, too. 20 On the Road ................................. ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT FOR ALUMNI RELATIONS Jim Herdt ’92 M.B.A. held the Navy’s highest-ranking 13 AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALUMNI ASSOCIATION I hope that you’ll let us hear from you in the coming year. We’d enlisted position: Master Chief Petty Officer. Bino Campanini (321) 674-8434, [email protected] Homecoming Recap ................... love to receive an alumni note from you for the magazine—your career ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR 16 news, family update—whatever the news may be, Florida Tech takes Diane Deaton (321) 674-7198, [email protected] Deborah Sater Carstens: Inefficiency Hunter ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Marjorie Beckett ’98, ’08 22 Alumni Spotlight ........................21 pride in your accomplishments. (321) 674-7642, [email protected] Associate Professor Deborah Carstens is a task analysis and Take care and have a great year. ALUMNI RELATIONS COORDINATOR Hazel Rosskamp usability expert who leads the project management track in the Alumni News Notes ................... (321) 674-7190, [email protected] 56 ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT OFFICER Melissa Klos (321) 674-6826, online M.B.A. program. Sincerely yours, [email protected] Q&A with Bino Campanini .....58 Slumdog Social Worker HOW TO KEEP IN TOUCH 24 Florida Tech, Office of Marketing and Through IBM’s Corporate Services Corps, John Gontkof ’95, ’01 Communications, 150 W. University Blvd., Melbourne, M.S., completed the service project of a lifetime in Kolkata, India. FL 32901-6975 (321) 674-6218, Fax (321) 674-6399, A.J. Catanese, Ph.D., FAICP [email protected] Q&A with Matt Kilcullen CHANGING ADDRESSES? 26 President Don’t leave copies of your alumni magazine behind. Assistant Vice President Matt Kilcullen discusses the goals and Send your new address to Florida Tech, Office of events of the Office of Athletic Fundraising. Development Services, 150 W. University Blvd., Melbourne, FL 32901-6975, [email protected] 28 smart use of smart Phones: Tips for a mobile marketplace Richard Ford, Harris Professor of Computer Sciences and Director Alumni Association 2012 READERSHIP SURVEY of the Harris Institute for Assured Information, suggests strategies John Valente ’76, ’81 President Hampstead, NC for managing your mobile identity. [email protected] Let us know what you think of Florida Tech TODAY— 2010–2011 Honor Roll of Donors Alexis Loo ’75 Vice President www.fit.edu 34 Pasadena, MD your favorite sections, areas © Copyright 2012 by Florida Institute of Technology. [email protected] All rights reserved. Reproduction by any means whole that need improvement, or in part without permission is prohibited. For reprint departments Penny Vassar ’98 Treasurer information, contact Florida Tech TODAY at (321) President’s Perspective...........2 Dean Spotlight ................23 Anderson, SC stories you’d like to read. 674-8963, Fax (321) 674-8606 or [email protected]. [email protected] etc. .4 Athletics . .54 We welcome your input at Allyn Saunders ’76, ’80, ’83 Secretary On Campus ....................5 Alumni News Notes............56 West Melbourne, FL http://today.fit.edu/survey Development ..................9 [email protected] On the cover: The FIT Formula SAE car was designed for a road racing Mike Gordon ’94, ’00 Member-at-Large competition held in Michigan and Nebraska. It’s being driven by Carlos Vargas, West Melbourne, FL [email protected] captain of the FSAE F1 team. 2 Florida Tech TODAY | 3 On Campus Making History at Florida Tech Ignited during the Golden Anniversary celebration and continuing today, Florida Tech’s professors emeriti group has spearheaded a comprehensive campus history initiative—preserving our treasured past while our early pioneers are still alive to share it. KEY HISTORY PROJECTS The History Committee, formed in 2005, assists the university in identifying and INCLUDE: preserving this material as well as providing recommendations for archiving and sharing it. The Harry Weber Archives Key projects include: historic documents The Harry Weber Archives and artifacts Funding is ongoing to help construct and manage a dedicated space in the Evans Library to house historic documents and artifacts. Professor Emeritus Harry Weber The Keuper Scrapbooks has been instrumental in this effort, securing commitments from pioneers, including 81 of founding president himself, to leave significant documents to the library. Jerome P. Keuper’s The Keuper Scrapbooks personal scrapbooks Fireball Run Success Volunteers have scanned 81 of founding president Jerome P. Keuper’s personal Florida Tech Pioneer Series Missing since December 2010, siblings scrapbooks for the collection—covering 40 years from May 1958 to June 1998 and Video Archive Journey and Trust Everitt were found thanks preserving more than 20,000 newspaper clippings. 35 pioneer interviews, to the recovery efforts of the 2011 Fireball Florida Tech Pioneer Series Video Archive ranging from 30 minutes to an hour each Run Adventurally, a destination-based rally Free-Falling 35 pioneer interviews, ranging from 30 minutes to an hour each, have been competition recorded with moderator Robert Taylor, dean, humanities and communication. “For Dean of the College of Psychology and and awareness the past 50 years, we’ve been so busy making history, we haven’t had time to record it Liberal Arts Mary Beth Kenkel joined the campaign for or think about it, these videos will help us get to that,” said Taylor. Army’s Golden Knights for a day when she The Evans Library continues to catalogue information, scan important documents missing and participated in a tandem parachute jump, and photos, and apply keywords so people can search the historical archives. “We provide abducted with instructor Jared Zell, from 13,500 expertise to do these things—to build, preserve and display collections,” said Celine children. Team feet over the Homestead Air Force Base Lang, dean of libraries. Florida Tech of in Florida. She plummeted at 120 mph in “An institution’s past is important to help us understand the current status of the Winston Scott, a freefall until the major chute opened at university,” said Gordon Patterson, university historian. “We can measure ourselves by dean, College our own accomplishments, and we have to preserve the past for the future.” 5,000 feet. of Aeronautics, If you are interested in making a donation toward the preservation of Florida Tech’s and Jennifer Neuhard, assistant vice “It was fantastic,” enthused Kenkel. “This history via the Harry Weber Archives, or have important campus documents or artifacts president of marketing, was one of 35 teams was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.” to donate, please contact the Office of Development at (321) 674-8962 or [email protected]. that participated in the rally. Florida Tech’s ROTC Panther Battalion Read more about the work of the History Committee at http://today.fit.edu. arranged the jump. Year of the Rabbit upcoming arts events William Bloxsom-Carter, air commerce alumnus from Traditional Textiles of India A Gala the early-90s, is the executive chef/director of food Jan. 21–April 28, 2012 Reopening for and beverage at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles, co-curators Asian Cultural Association Foosaner Art Calif. As an Florida Tech student, Carter was a volunteer Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts http://textiles.fit.edu Museum firefighter who once answered a call at the home of About 300 people attended founding president Jerome P.