A Dialogue on Equity and Inclusion will be the theme during Daytona State College’s 9th annual Academic Excellence Symposium slated for Friday, March 3, in the Hosseini Center on the college’s Daytona Beach Campus, 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd.
The free, public symposium, geared toward giving educators strategies for best practices in teaching and learning, will focus on equity and inclusion through three specific lenses: poverty and affluence in the 21st century; LGBTQ issues and perspectives; and supporting students with disabilities and special needs.
Gary Paul Wright, founder and executive director of the African American Office of Gay Concerns and a national authority on HIV/AIDS prevention, will present on LGBTQ issues and perspectives during one of a variety of sessions and panel discussions that also will include student views on many of the topics.
Carol Tonge Mack, assistant dean in the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Cincinnati, will join DSC English Prof. Frank Gunshanan in heading up a conversation about affluence and poverty in the 21st century. McMicken is an expert on social justice and diversity in the workplace, while Gunshanan is a leader in Daytona State’s initiative to fight hunger and homelessness among students.
Participants also will have the opportunity to attend a variety of sessions hosted by Daytona State faculty and staff that will further explore the symposium’s theme of equity and inclusion. Attendees are encouraged to come prepared to engage in the conversation by sharing observations, concerns, successes and challenges related to the three areas of focus.
Space is limited. Additional details, including a link to the registration page, are available at DaytonaState.edu/ProfessionalDevelopment/Symposium.html.
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Polk County Declares March 14, 2017 “Women in STEM Day”
Provost Terry Parker with gathering of Florida Poly faculty and staff inside the Polk County Neil Combee Administration Building in Bartow, Florida for the proclamation signing.
Florida Polytechnic University has received a proclamation from the Polk County Board of County Commissioners designating March 14, 2017 as “Florida Polytechnic University Women in STEM Day.” On that date, the university will host its second annual Women in STEM Summit, which aims to foster alignment, partnership and collaboration among university scholars and industry leaders. 
The proclamation was read during the Polk County Commission meeting in Bartow on Tuesday. Florida Poly Provost Dr. Terry Parker accepted the proclamation on behalf of the university, along with more than a dozen other Florida Poly faculty and staff.
“Diversity in all forms – demographic, cultural, philosophical – is important to building a strong academic community,” said Dr. Parker. “Nationwide, it seems especially hard to find diversity in STEM, but through programs like the Women in STEM Summit, Florida Poly hopes to inspire more students of all backgrounds to consider opportunities in these innovative fields.”
STEM stands for “science, technology, engineering and mathematics.” In 2015, women earned approximately 20 percent of all bachelor’s degrees conferred in engineering, and 16 percent of those in computer science, according to federal data. Florida Poly’s current degree programs focus exclusively on the core STEM subjects of technology and engineering.
Florida Poly’s Women in STEM Summit will give students, faculty and industry leaders the chance to network, develop mentorship opportunities and learn from the experience of several accomplished speakers. The event’s keynote is Karen Catlin, former Vice-President at Adobe Systems, who now advocates for women in technology. The event will also include a panel conversation with men and women who have overcome barriers to find success in STEM industries.
For more information about Florida Poly’s second annual Women in STEM Summit, click here.
FDLE Agents arrest St. Lucie corrections deputy sheriff on contraband charge
Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Ingrid Yearby, a corrections deputy sheriff with the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, on introduction of contraband into a correctional institution.
Yearby is the wife of James Yearby, who was arrested last week on a contraband charge at Martin Correctional Institution (MCI).
An investigation revealed that Ingrid Yearby tried to arrange a bank scam that would deposit $875,000 into her bank account. She had communicated with an inmate via text and voice at MCI. The inmate told Ingrid Yearby that he had access to an overseas dead person’s account. The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office assisted FDLE in the case.
Ingrid Yearby was booked into the Martin County jail and bond was set at $5,000. The Office of the State Attorney, 19thCircuit, will prosecute.
Florida's rubber stamps for Trump's anti-environmental agenda
Rubber Stamps: The 10 Florida Members of Congress Who Have Voted
100% of the Time for President Trump’s Anti-Environmental Agenda
In the four weeks since President Donald J. Trump was confirmed as the 45th President of the United States, the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives have held a combined 26 roll call votes on nominees or issues that pertain to energy or environmental policy.
Of Florida’s 29 senators and representatives in the U.S. Congress, 10 have voted 100% of the time for President Trump’s anti-environmental agenda, putting each of them squarely out of synch with public opinion in a state where a majority of residents say they are worried about global warming.
“The question is, what will it take for our elected representatives to stand up to President Trump and to vote independently, on behalf of all Floridians?” said Progress Florida Executive Director Mark Ferrulo.
This disconnect between their early voting records in the 115th Congress and their constituents’ views may be one reason why only three of them are currently scheduled to hold in-person town halls or public meetings in this first week back home since President Trump was sworn in.
In 2017, Sen. Marco Rubio has voted four out of four times for President Trump’s anti-environmental agenda. Specifically, he voted to:
- Overturn the Stream Protection Rule, which protected U.S. drinking water from toxic mine waste;
- Enable oil companies to engage in bribery and corruption overseas;
- Confirm Exxon Mobil’s CEO Rex Tillerson to serve as Secretary of State; and
- Confirm Oklahoma’s Attorney General, Scott Pruitt, to serve as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Meanwhile, Rubio has no in-person town halls scheduled and his overall “Trump Score” across all policy areas is 100%, according to Nate Silver’s FiveThirtyEight.com.
Of 22 environment-related roll call votes in the House of Representatives in 2017, Florida Congressmen Matt Gaetz, Neal Dunn, Ted Yoho, Bill Posey, Gus Bilirakis, Dennis Ross, Vern Buchanan, Thomas Rooney, and Francis Rooney have not cast a single vote against President Trump’s anti-environmental agenda. They have voted to:
- Overturn the Stream Protection Rule, which protects U.S. drinking water from toxic mine waste;
- Enable oil companies to engage in bribery and corruption overseas;
- Eliminate methane pollution limits for oil and gas companies operating on public lands;
- Restrict public input on public land management decisions; and
- Legalize the killing of hibernating bear clubs in Alaska’s national wildlife refuges.
“Like Sen. Rubio, these nine Florida congressional Republicans have turned their back on their constituents – not just through their extreme anti-environmental voting record, but in most cases ducking voters in their home districts by avoiding town hall meetings,” added Ferrulo.
According TownHallProject.com, only Reps. Yoho, Gaetz and Bilirakis have in-person town hall meetings scheduled during the congressional recess. Reps. Gaetz, Dunn, Yoho, Posey, Bilirakis, Ross, Buchanan, T. Rooney, and F. Rooney all have an overall “Trump Score” of 100% according to Nate Silver’s FiveThirtyEight.com.
FDLE Agents arrest Orlando man on 12 counts of child pornography
Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement today arrested Adalberto Delgado-Martinez, 40, of 5846 Dolphin Drive, Orlando, on 12 counts of child pornography.
FDLE Agents with the Cyber Crimes Task Force conducted an investigation and found that Delgado-Martinez used a computer device to download and collect digital files depicting children under the age of 18 engaged in sexual acts. A search warrant yielded an external hard drive, which was located in the top dresser drawer in Delgado-Martinez’s bedroom. During a forensic preview, several digital videos, some including children as young as 7, were found.
Delgado-Martinez was booked into the Orange County jail with no bond. The case will be prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office, 9th Judicial Circuit.
MyCareerShines surpasses another major milestone
More than 300,000 Florida students are taking steps toward a bright future
More than 300,000 Sunshine State students and adults are planning their future on MyCareerShines, Florida’s comprehensive education and career planning system. The system is powered by a suite of age-appropriate online tools that allow students to develop a personalized education plan that connects interests and skills to careers and jobs. MyCareerShines is administered by the University of West Florida Innovation Institute and is free for all Florida students from middle school through college and beyond.
“MyCareerShines is helping students plan for the future,” said Dr. Karen Rasmussen, associate vice president of academic strategies. “Whether it is college, training or straight into the workforce, MyCareerShines gives students all the information and tools to succeed.”
MyCareerShines currently offers two online tools developed by Kuder, Inc., an internationally recognized career guidance services provider specializing in research-based career assessments. Students in middle and high school use Navigator® to develop an education plan that prepares them for college and a rewarding career after graduation. College students use Journey® to develop a plan to pursue and land their dream job.
“When students have a plan, they are more likely to stay on track, on time and on budget for earning their degree,” said Dr. Rasmussen. “MyCareerShines helps them make that plan, starting as early as seventh grade.”
Students build a plan by going through the step-by-step process or they access features in the system that meet their immediate needs. The system allows students to assess their interests and skills, explore the extensive catalog of careers, learn about the education requirements for their top job choices, make a plan for school, create resumes, prepare for interviews and find jobs.
MyCareerShines is fully funded by the Florida Legislature, which has made it a priority to prepare Floridians with the knowledge, skills and tools to succeed in school and the increasingly competitive global economy. The system is being implemented and managed by the UWF Innovation Institute, which also manages Florida’s Student Hub of Innovative Educational Services – FloridaShines, for short.
MyCareerShines
MyCareerShines is Florida’s comprehensive education and career planning system. The system is powered by a suite of age-appropriate FREE online tools that allow students and job seekers to develop a personalized plan that connects interests, skills and education to careers and jobs.
MyCareerShines is Florida’s comprehensive education and career planning system. The system is powered by a suite of age-appropriate FREE online tools that allow students and job seekers to develop a personalized plan that connects interests, skills and education to careers and jobs.
UWF Innovation Institute
The Innovation Institute is a collaborative makerspace for building innovative solutions. The Innovation team, founded around the principles of extreme collaboration, high energy, deep research and innovative thinking are focused on solving significant educational challenges. One of the cornerstones of the Institute is it focus on being a “Thought Leader” in education – creating and implementing innovative tools, programs and resources to the advancement of education and learning.
The Innovation Institute is a collaborative makerspace for building innovative solutions. The Innovation team, founded around the principles of extreme collaboration, high energy, deep research and innovative thinking are focused on solving significant educational challenges. One of the cornerstones of the Institute is it focus on being a “Thought Leader” in education – creating and implementing innovative tools, programs and resources to the advancement of education and learning.
Kuder, Inc.
More than 165 million people have used Kuder’s research-based career assessment, education planning, and guidance resources to help visualize which industry or career, field of study, or school to pursue next in life. Kuder helps ensure that people of all ages can unlock the power of their own potential, and create a bright future. For more information, visit www.kuder.com or call (800) 314-8972.
More than 165 million people have used Kuder’s research-based career assessment, education planning, and guidance resources to help visualize which industry or career, field of study, or school to pursue next in life. Kuder helps ensure that people of all ages can unlock the power of their own potential, and create a bright future. For more information, visit www.kuder.com or call (800) 314-8972.
Seminole State celebrates milestone in construction of new $25 million Student Services Center
Construction of Seminole State College of Florida’s new Student Services Center on the Sanford/Lake Mary Campus has reached a milestone. On Wednesday, Feb. 22, students, faculty and staff gathered at the construction site as crews from Charles Perry Partners, Inc. (CPPI), raised the final beam into place as part of a Topping Out ceremony marking the highest point of the building’s construction.
Signatures of students, faculty and staff covered the beam, providing the Seminole State community a unique way to be part of the building’s history.
The Student Services Center will open in January 2018 and will support Seminole State’s vision of being a student-centered college by serving as a one-stop facility for student services and student life.
“This new building will be a one-stop welcoming place for new and current students that will enhance every facet of their student experience at Seminole State – from first-time information through graduation,” said Dr. Joe Sarnovsky, executive vice president at Seminole State.
During the ceremony, the signed beam was hoisted 34 feet into the air by a crane and attached to the building, which is well on its way to become an energy-efficient, two-story, 77,000-square-foot structure.
“We are very excited to be here today flying the final beam,” said CPPI Vice President and Regional Manager Jason Morgan. “A Topping Out ceremony represents the time when you fly the highest point or the last structural piece of a building, and we are all going to be a part of that today.…We do it to thank the design team and the construction workers – all who made the project possible.”
Interesting facts about the construction project to date:
- 368 tons of steel used to construct the frame
- 28 tons of reinforcing bars (rebar) installed
- 2,250 cubic yards of concrete poured
- 38,000 concrete masonry units (CMU) utilized
- 5,000 man hours dedicated to this project
Seminole State students provided their input in the building’s design. Caleb Hylton, president of the Student Government Association at Seminole State College’s Sanford Lake Mary Campus, spoke about how the Student Services Center is a combination of efforts, inputs and opinions from both students and administration.
“As construction on this building continues, remember that it stands as a symbol of what can be accomplished when you have a college that supports and puts its students first,” said Hylton. “And a student body that is eager and willing to make the difference in not only their school but in their community.”
About Seminole State College of Florida
Seminole State College of Florida, established in 1965, serves nearly 30,000 students across six sites in Central Florida. A comprehensive college, Seminole State has awarded nearly 100,000 credentials, from bachelor’s degrees to high school diplomas, and offers more than 200 degrees, certificates and programs designed for success. For more about the college, visit seminolestate.edu, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/seminolestate and follow us on Twitter: @seminolestate.
Flagler College professor’s book takes Silver Medal in Florida Book Awards competition
A Flagler College professor’s in-depth study of the civil rights movement in northwest Florida has earned him a prestigious 2016 Florida Book Award for his book, titled “Beyond Integration: The Black Freedom Struggle in Escambia County, Florida, 1960-1980.” Dr. J. Michael Butler won the Silver Medal in the awards’ “General Non-Fiction” category.
“I am thrilled and honored,” the associate professor of History said. “It indicates that the topic of race relations in Escambia County extends beyond state borders and has regional, and even national, lessons and implications. It is also quite nice to know that my work is having an impact beyond the so-called ‘ivory tower’ in an area that is as important as the continuous struggle for racial justice in America.”
“Beyond Integration” examines how institutional forms of cultural racism persisted well beyond the visible signs of racial integration in the 1960s. According to Butler, the civil rights movement did not end in 1968. The movement in the 1960s targeted segregation by legal statutes, such as overturning voting restrictions. ‘De facto’ forms of segregation still existed.
The Flagler professor was one of more than 200 writers to compete for the awards, which is an annual awards program that recognizes, honors and celebrates the best books about Florida published in the previous year. It is sponsored by Florida State University.
“Such prestigious recognition makes me very happy for my immediate family, Flagler College and the University of North Carolina Press, all of whom supported me at various points in different ways during the project’s completion,” he said. “The fact that I can share the Florida Book Award with all of them makes it even more meaningful to me.”
Butler received both his master’s and doctorate degrees in History from the University of Mississippi, where he specialized in 20th century Southern History with an emphasis on the civil rights movement. He teaches, among others, courses in American History, African-American History, Slavery in the United States and The Civil Rights Movement. He will attend the banquet for Florida Book Awards on April 12 in Tallahassee.
For more information on the full list of winners, visit here. To learn more about “Beyond Integration”, visit here.
Flagler College is a private, nationally-ranked college located in St. Augustine, Fla. The college offers 31 majors, 36 minors, two pre-professional programs and a master’s degree in Education of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing. Flagler College has an enrollment of about 2,500 students, as well as a satellite campus in Tallahassee, Fla. U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review regularly feature Flagler as a college that offers quality education at a relatively low cost. A Flagler education is less than half the cost of similar private colleges, and competitive with many state universities. A relatively young institution (founded in 1968), Flagler College is also noted for its historic beauty. The centerpiece of the campus is the former Hotel Ponce de Leon, a National Historic Landmark built in 1888 by railroad pioneer and Standard Oil co-founder Henry M. Flagler. For more on Flagler College, visit www.flagler.edu.
Gov. Scott Announces 2016-2017 Florida Defense Support Task Force Grant Awards
Governor Rick Scott announced today that $765,000 has been awarded through the Florida Defense Support Task Force Grant Program to three projects that serve to protect military installations across the state. This year, awards were given to the Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce, South Florida Progress Foundation of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, and the Clay County Development Authority. Florida’s military installations contribute more than $79.8 billion in economic impact, and the defense industry supports more than 774,000 jobs in Florida.
Governor Scott said, “I am proud to announce $765,000 in Florida Defense Support Task Force Grants to help protect, preserve and enhance Florida’s military installations. We are proud to be the most military-friendly state in the nation and this funding not only supports our military members but the thousands of families that have jobs across the state thanks to our military installations. We will continue to do all we can to recognize the many brave military men and women, and their families, whose service and sacrifice keeps our country safe.”
Grant funding will support community projects at Florida military installations that will diversify the local economy, provide support for local infrastructure projects and strengthen Florida’s bases ahead of any potential Department of Defense realignment or closure actions. For more information on the individual grant award for projects throughout the state, see below:
Escambia County: $250,000 in Defense Grants
$250,000 was awarded to the Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce through the Florida Defense Support Task Force Grant Program for fiscal year 2016-17 to reroute traffic to the Naval Aviation Museum from the main gate to a more direct access point in an effort to enhance protection and base security. Additionally, the project protects the positive economic impact the museum has on the base and the community.
Rear Admiral Don Quinn, USN (ret), Vice Chairman, Armed Service, Greater Pensacola Chamber said, “Pensacola is proud to host the world’s largest Naval Aviation Museum, the historic Pensacola Lighthouse and Museum, and Ft. Barrancas, all located on board the Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola and open to the public. Consolidating civilian visitors to the west gate for those venues allows NAS Pensacola to provide a more efficient flow of traffic while ensuring the security of operational areas of the installation. This grant from the Florida Defense Support Task Force will allow the Pensacola community to educate visitors of the changes to base access while reducing the demands on NAS Pensacola security personnel.
Miami-Dade County: $115,000 in Defense Grants
$115,000 was awarded to the South Florida Progress Foundation of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce through the Florida Defense Support Task Force Grant Program for fiscal year 2016-17 to establish the South Florida Defense Alliance. The alliance’s mission will be to unite, champion and represent the local defense community.
Col. Steve Williamson, USA (Ret), Military Affairs Committee, Greater Miami Chamber said, “Our communities are better when we work together. We are honored at the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce to be a recipient of this generous grant that reinforces the importance of the military’s presence in our state. We know that the military in South Florida is one of our great treasures and this funding gives us the opportunity to create a South Florida Defense Alliance to strengthen and lead a united coalition to champion our local defense community.”
Clay County: $400,000 in Defense Grants
$400,000 was awarded to the Clay County Development Authority through the Florida Defense Support Task Force Grant Program for fiscal year 2016-17. The funding continues the Clay County Development Authority’s commitment to preserving and protecting the Camp Blanding Joint Training Center (CBJTC) from incompatible land development and encroachment. The funding, in addition to a federal match, will purchase land valued at over a million dollars.
Josh Cockrell of the Clay County Development Authority said, “In accordance with our principal purpose of promoting sound economic development of Clay County, the Clay County Development Authority is pleased to receive this grant that will strengthen the strategic partnership with Camp Blanding Joint Training Center to improve the quality of life for our citizens by securing a buffer from future development and encroachment thus protecting the installation that comprises almost one fifth of the county and is tied to its economic viability. We are pleased to work with Governor Rick Scott and the Florida Defense Support Task Force to support Camp Blanding as a premier regional training center. This is a remarkable opportunity not only to strengthen our part in national security, but promote jobs and economic development at both the local and state levels.”
The Florida Defense Support Task Force was created in 2011 with the mission to make recommendations to preserve and protect military installations, support the state’s position in research and development related to military missions and contracting, and improve the state’s military-friendly environment for service members, military families, veterans and businesses that bring military and defense-related jobs to the state. The Florida Defense Support Task Force Grant Program is administered by Enterprise Florida, and grants are awarded annually, on a project priority basis. For more information on the Florida Defense Support Task Force, visit www.eflorida.com/floridadefense.
