USFSP celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2015-2016 with over 100 events. The year's highlights included rising in college rankings, gaining new program accreditations, establishing a distinctive identity through branding and community partnerships, opening a new Veterans Success Center, and hosting a student research symposium. Female philanthropists also donated over $16 million to establish the new Kate Tiedemann College of Business building. The anniversary celebrations demonstrated accomplishments while projecting future growth plans.

1. 140 Seventh Avenue S., St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 • Proud member of the USF Systemusfsp.edu

2. 01 USFSPYear-in-Review 2015-2016 usfsp.edu
03.Regional Chancellor’s Vision
06.Meet USFSP’s New Leaders
07.Distinctive Identity
11.USFSP By the Numbers
13.USFSP Celebrates 50 Years
15.Student Success
19.Faculty Excellence
CREDITS:
Writer and Editor: Jessica Blais
Writer: Casey Crane
Designer: Wendy Christenson
Photography: Amy Blogett,
Branaman Photography, Chris Campbell,
Casey Crane, Jean-Pierre Durousseau,
Adam Flanery, Erica Forehand, Leadership
Florida, Tyler Lewis, Matt May
Cover Photo: James Branaman
Heather Judkins, assistant professor,
Biological Oceanography, leads a
discussion on the uses of refractometers.
USFSP celebrated 50 years of academic excellence and community service with more than a hundred events
over the course of the year. The festivities began in September with a Community Block Party and a new
street called University Way. Following dozens of new, faculty-led events, the celebration culminated in April
with a waterfront gala complete with fireworks. “This anniversary provided a wonderful opportunity for us to
look back and celebrate our accomplishments,” said Regional Chancellor Sophia Wisniewska. “It was also an
opportunity to project our future – to imagine how much more we can become.”
01. USFSPYear-in-Review 2015-2016 usfsp.edu usfsp.edu USFSPYear-in-Review 2015-2016 02.

3. usfsp.edu USFSPYear-in-Review 2015-2016 04.
As I begin my fourth academic year as Regional Chancellor of
USF St. Petersburg, I am proud. I am proud of our students,
faculty and staff—of our collective efforts to lift this university
to all new heights. We’ve accomplished so much, and in doing so
have been able to frame our future.
In our first full year of implemention of the Vision 20/20 Strategic
Plan, we achieved many of the goals we had set for ourselves.
We rose in the rankings: USF St. Petersburg is ranked by
U.S. News & World Report at 23 among Southern Regional
Public Universities. We landed on new lists of the nation’s
smartest and most affordable schools.
In working toward our goal to create a distinctive identity for
USFSP, we celebrated our 50th Anniversary with more than a
hundred special events, drawing new audiences to our beautiful
campus via University Way. We engaged a well-recognized
branding firm to help us articulate our distinctiveness, and we
formalized our lead role in the City’s new Innovation District.
All arrows are pointing in the right direction in terms of student
success, to include a number of goals set by the Florida Board of
Governors. We’re up in retention rates and the number of students
who are employed within a year of graduation or will head to
graduate school. We’re up in the number of Bachelor’s degrees
awarded without excess hours. Last fall, we opened a new Military
and Veterans Center and new Living Learning Communities. This
fall, we head into the second year of COMPASS, a comprehensive,
first-year experience for freshmen. We already are seeing increases
in the numbers of students we’re retaining between the critical
second and third semesters.
Our faculty continue to do amazing work. We’ve increased our
number of research applications substantially, more than doubling
the number of submissions over the last three years. We’ve
increased the dollars awarded by more than 15 percent and
currently are working with grants from major agencies, including
the National Institutes of Health and the National Science
Foundation. We established the Center for Innovation in Teaching
and Learning with new legislative funding, and created the Minority
Post-Doctoral Program.
Physically, our campus continues to evolve. We’re nearing
completion of Lynn Pippenger Hall, the new home for our Kate
Tiedemann College of Business. We’ve renovated Harbor Hall,
begun construction of new science labs and launched a new
housing demand study. And we’ve hired the human capital—19
faculty and staff positions last year—to help keep operations
running smoothly during this period of planned growth.
All of this good work brings me to where we go from here.
We head into this next year with new academic goals and an
approved Master Plan in hand. Here’s a sneak peak of what
lies on our horizon:
New Curricula
We’ll continue to explore new programs, particularly in the
areas of healthcare—programs designed to prepare students for
high-demand fields and strengthen linkages with the health and
STEM business communities across the broader Tampa Bay region.
Among these programs is a B.S. degree in Nursing, which we
hope to offer through a unique partnership with USF Tampa. This
could be an exciting opportunity for our students to enroll in an
accelerated course sequence, while fulfilling clinical requirements
in St. Petersburg. Other programs will support emerging fields in
healthcare administration and big data.
A new M.S. in Conservation Biology will address the regional
demand for biologists with expertise in conservation, organismal
biology and taxonomy to protect Florida’s natural resources,
particularly along the Gulf Coast. Additionally, we’ll continue to
support the development of programs within our new Center for
Innovation in Teaching and Learning.
REGIONAL CHANCELLOR’S VISION
Celebrating achievements and
shining a light on the future

4. Globalization Initiatives
As we consider strategic enrollment initiatives, we have an opportunity to expand our education abroad programs. New
opportunities include developing articulation agreements with partner universities, creating two-way global teaching and learning
opportunities for faculty and students. We’ll take a close look at “visiting scholars” programs, through which international
faculty are invited to join us to learn about higher education in America, and in turn, we from them. And, we’ll explore creating
an “affordable semester abroad,” wherein students spend not only a week or two abroad, but a full semester away. Ultimately,
perhaps in partnership with USF World, we’ll introduce more international students to St. Petersburg.
A New Residence Hall
Research shows a direct link between the numbers of students who live on campus and higher numbers of on-time graduation.
Our updated Master Plan calls for a new residence hall to be constructed adjacent to the recreation field at Third Street South
and Fifth Avenue South. The new residence hall would feature single- and double-occupancy units, providing financially
accessible options for many students who currently must live off campus. The proposed building also would include a dining
facility. Working closely with our demand study consultants, we’ll begin the formal approval processes this fall, and hope to
complete the project in 2019.
As we welcome the Class of 2020, I hope you’ll recognize in these students our successes. This class is smart; we’re welcoming
three Tampa Bay valedictorians. It’s diverse; students are coming to us from all over the state and with wide-ranging talents.
Perhaps most importantly, for many of these students, USF St. Petersburg is their first choice. They chose us because they
want to be here. And it shows.
This “Year in Review” showcases many of our recent accomplishments. I hope you’ll be as proud as I am, and inspired and
energized to continue the good work you’ve begun. Enjoy!
Sophia Wisniewska
Regional Chancellor
USF SYSTEM
PRESIDENT
Judy Genshaft
USF SYSTEM BOARD
OFTRUSTEES
Brian D.Lamb,Chair
Jordan B.Zimmerman,
Vice Chair
Mike Carrere (new)
James Garey (new)
Stephanie E.Goforth
Christopher Griffin
Scott L.Hopes
Stanley I.Levy
HaroldW.Mullis
John B.Ramil
Byron E.Shinn
James Stikeleather (new)
Gregory B.Teague
Nancy H.Watkins
USFSP
CAMPUS BOARD
Stephanie Goforth,Chair
Roy Binger
Bob Churuti
John Connelly
Judy Mitchell
MEET USFSP’S NEW LEADERS
REGIONAL CHANCELLOR’S VISION
Martin Tadlock
Regional Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs
Prior to joining USFSP, Martin Tadlock served as provost and vice president
for Academic and Student Affairs at Bemidji State University and Northwest
Technical College in northern Minnesota. Previously he was assistant
vice chancellor at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and provost at
Northeastern State University in Oklahoma. While at Bemidji State, Tadlock
engaged faculty and staff to create BSU’s first master academic plan, co-chaired
the university’s strategic planning council to draft a new university strategic
plan, and secured new international partner universities as part of a university
internationalization initiative.
Patricia Helton
Regional Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs
Patti Helton comes to USFSP from the University of Denver, where she was
associate vice chancellor for Student Life. She joined DU in 2003 as associate
provost for Campus Life while teaching in the University’s Morgridge College
of Education. During her tenure, she led or co-led several strategic planning
initiatives, including the creation of an Office for Student Outreach and a
division-wide Inclusion Change Team and the Task Force on Inclusive Hiring
and Recruiting. Previously, Helton served as vice president for Student Life at
Eastern Mennonite University.
Sridhar Sundaram
Dean, KateTiedemann College of Business
Most recently, Sri Sundaram was with the Seidman College of Business at Grand
Valley State University in Grand Rapids, MI, where he served as associate dean for
Graduate Programs and Centers, and academic director of the Executive MBA
and Full-Time Integrated MBA program. Additionally, he served as chair of the
Finance Department for seven years. Sundaram’s research has been published in
a number of scholarly and industry journals, including the Journal of Banking and
Finance, Journal of Quantitative and Financial Analysis, and The Financial Review.
Catherine Cardwell
Dean, Nelson Poynter Memorial Library
Cathi Cardwell served as director of Libraries at Ohio Wesleyan University
for more than four years. Prior to that, she was a librarian and administrator at
Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Throughout her career, Cardwell has
been active in OhioLINK, the statewide library consortium, and was one of
three independent college representatives elected from a selection of 50 library
directors to serve on OhioLINK’s Library Advisory Board with voting privileges.
Fromleft:Classof2020freshmenSirrennaPetty,SamanthaIllesandLauraHaan
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“One of the things I truly enjoyed this year was
participating in Leadership Florida.This was a
diverse group representing many skill sets,and I
look forward to sharing ideas and insights with
our own faculty and staff.” — S.W.
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5. USFSP, Online MBA Rank Among Nation’s Best
USF St. Petersburg was recognized by U.S. News & World Report in
several categories, including a ranking of No. 23 among the nation’s
Southern Regional Public Universities. Criteria for the rankings
included undergraduate academic reputation, retention, faculty
resources, student selectivity, financial resources, and graduate
rate performance.
The publication ranked USFSP’s Online MBA Program among
the nation’s top 10 percent in its 2016 survey of Best Online
MBA Programs: No. 15 in the U.S. and No. 2 in Florida. USFSP’s
program scored especially well in Faculty Credentials and Training,
in which it tied at No. 3 nationally.
The magazine also ranked the program among the top 20 percent
of Best Online MBA Programs for Veterans at No. 27 in the nation
and No. 1 in Florida.
Additionally, this year USFSP earned a position among the
country’s “Top 105 Smartest Colleges” in Yahoo Finance rankings.
And, AffordableSchools.net ranked USFSP among its “25 Most
Exclusive Public Bachelor’s Colleges by Admission Rate.”
USFSP Earns New Accreditations
The Department of Journalism and Media Studies earned re-
accreditation through the Accrediting Council for Education
in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC) for its
undergraduate and graduate programs. And for a first time, it also
received accreditation for its Digital Journalism and Design M.A.
program, which launched in 2012.
In another first, the USFSP Police Department received full
accreditation from the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement
Accreditation (CFA). Following an extensive application process
and site visits, the Department was found to have met the highest
professional standards—more than 200 in all.
Last year, the College of Education earned re-accreditation for
seven years under the National Council for Accreditation of
Teacher Education (NCATE) standards through the Council
for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
Accreditation System. NCATE standards are rigorous; they are
research-based national standards developed by all sectors of the
teaching profession.
07. USFSPYear-in-Review 2015-2016 usfsp.edu usfsp.edu USFSPYear-in-Review 2015-2016 08.
Showcasing our unique
contributions, core values
and a world of voices
and views
DISTINCTIVE IDENTITY
PUBLIC
REGIONAL UNIVERSITIES
COLLEGES
BEST
TopRight:EllenCotton;USFTrusteeandCampusBoardChair
StephanieGoforth;RegionalChancellorSophiaWisniewska;Lynn
Pippenger;KateTiedemann;andUSFSystemPresidentJudyGenshaft.
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Female Philanthropists Lay Strong Foundation for New College of Business
It’s been a remarkable few years for the Kate Tiedemann College of Business (KTCOB). USFSP received more than
$6 million in 2016 from local women philanthropists—bringing the total amount given to the college to $16 million since
Fall 2014. Construction of Lynn Pippenger Hall, which will house the college, is expected to be completed this fall.
In January, the university announced a $1 million gift to the KTCOB by businesswoman Ellen Cotton. The gift was announced
during the “topping out” ceremony for the new four-story building.
In March, USF System alumna Lynn Pippenger contributed $5 million to support programming and scholarships at the College.
A former Raymond James executive, Pippenger attended both USF St. Petersburg and USF Tampa, and has been a longtime
supporter, giving more than $21 million to USF’s Muma College of Business.
“I spent a lot of time at USFSP over a period of years while I was working full time,” said Pippenger. “Scholarships can ease the
financial struggle for some students, or provide the funding needed for students to travel abroad or participate in civic learning.
In this way, they learn to give back themselves, usually in time or talent.”
The college is named after Kate Tiedemann, a philanthropist and former CEO of Katena Products, Inc., one of the most
successful precision eye instrument companies in the world. In Fall 2014, she gave a $10 million gift—USFSP’s largest to date.
Center:KateTiedemann signs a beam from the construction site of the Kate
Tiedemann College of Business building with partner and philanthropist Ellen
Cotton and Gary Patterson,KTCOB interim dean.
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6. 09. USFSPYear-in-Review 2015-2016 usfsp.edu usfsp.edu USFSPYear-in-Review 2015-2016 10.
DISTINCTIVE IDENTITY
Veterans Success Center Opens at USFSP
Last fall, USF St. Petersburg celebrated the grand opening of its new Military and Veterans Success Center, which now serves more
than 300 student veterans, active military and dependents. The Center provides assistance with benefits and tuition, and navigating
VA applications and programs, as well as promoting wellness and disabilities services.
“This center fills a definitive need on our campus,” said Milton White, assistant director of Veterans Services. “We now have a place
where veterans can come together and find a sense of camaraderie with others like themselves—whether they are Vietnam veterans,
post-9/11 vets, or those who’ve recently returned from the battlefield.”
Students Showcase Research at
Annual Symposium
In April, 125 students participated in USFSP’s
13th Annual Research Symposium. While
research topics included Criminology, Art and
Anthropology, among others, the majority of
projects detailed the findings from Biology or
Bio-Physics studies.
Students had the option to participate
individually, as part of a group, or both.
Eleven faculty sponsors were involved with
this year’s symposium.
“There was nothing like this when I was in college,” said Thomas Smith, director of the USFSP
Honors Program and a coordinator of the symposium. “The research being presented is well
thought-out and features both sophisticated and diverse topics.”
“These are hands-on research skills,” added Smith. “This is different than a passive experience;
the students are truly part of the process of discovery.”
The Environmental Science and
Sustainability Club hosted the
FloridaWildlife Corridor’s showing
of“The Forgotten Coast:Return
toWild Florida.”Hundreds
attended the event at the
Unviersity Student Center.
Librarian Deborah Henry spent
her 28th year at USFSP serving as
interim dean of the Nelson
Poynter Memorial Library.
In 2015,Henry and her colleague
Tina Neville received the
Library ResearchAward from
the Florida LibraryAssociation.
Distance Learning Symposium Features Sir Ken Robinson
Keynote speaker Sir Ken Robinson wowed the crowd at USFSP’s inaugural Bay-to-Bay Distance
Learning Symposium. Robinson, a renowned TED speaker and an internationally recognized
authority in creativity and innovation in education and business, addressed the importance of
instilling creativity in curricula at all grade levels.
“It’s not often that we get to welcome a knight to our campus,” said Regional Chancellor Sophia
Wisniewska, “not to mention one of TED’s most celebrated speakers and a best-selling author
who has made The New York Times list, not once, but a couple of times.”
The Bay-to-Bay Distance Learning Symposium was the first event to be hosted by the new Center
for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, for which USFSP has received legislative funding.
The inaugural“Science of
Parenting”conference,a free
one-day conference that
highlighted cutting-edge
research in parenting,featured
five internationally recognized
speakers on topics that included
stress exposure,the parent brain,
relationship quality,co-parenting,
and autonomy.
Fourth World Affairs Conference Draws Thousands
USFSP hosted the fourth annual St. Petersburg Conference on World
Affairs in February. The three-day event brought together diplomats,
military, media representatives, academics and other experts to engage
in discussions about today’s most critical foreign affairs issues.
This year’s speaker highlights included Nigerian filmmaker Nosarieme
Garrick, who spoke to stability in Africa; David Fidler, who tackled
the complexities that are China today; and St. Petersburg Mayor Rick
Kriseman, who led a session on St. Petersburg as an international city.
Panel discussion topics included the Syrian refugee crisis, U.S. relations
with Cuba and Venezuela, gun control and gun rights, and health care.
The St. Petersburg Conference on World Affairs is a 501(c)(3)
organization led by Ambassador (Ret.) Douglas McElhaney and
“a group of civic-minded citizens.” The event is co-hosted by the
USFSP Honors College.
CanadianattorneyBolaOgunmefunwasapanelist
atthe2016conference.
Biology major Patricia Protopapadakis was among this year’s
exhibitors at the Research Symposium.
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The student chapter ofTampa
BayTechnology Forum hosted the
Suncoast Oracle Users Group for
Tech Day,showcasing speakers
from within the Oracle software
community and the enterprise
and open source arenas.

7. 11. USFSPYear-in-Review 2015-2016 usfsp.edu usfsp.edu USFSPYear-in-Review 2015-2016 12.
Raising the
bar and measuring
progress against Key
Performance Indicators
USFSP BY THE NUMBERS
23 $35,400
$260,413
USFSP’s rank among Southern Regional Public
Universities by U.S. News & World Report
The percentage of USFSP graduates who are employed full
time or will attend graduate school within a year of graduation
The percentage of USFSP
Bachelor’s degrees awarded
without excess hours
The average full-time wages of
USFSP graduates
The amount of legislative funding received
to establish the USFSP Center for Innovation
in Teaching and Learning
The increase by which the
number of students enrolled
in Master’s programs
$7.4MillionThe total funds raised during FY 2016
5%The percentage by which retention
rates improved in 2014-2015 over
the previous year
1MillionThe number of square feet of new construction
projected in USFSP’s updated Master Plan
23USFSP’s position among the 25 Most
Exclusive Public Bachelor’s Colleges by
Admission Rate per AffordableSchools.net
$743,150The value of donations received to support
50th Anniversary programs and initiatives
106Special events hosted during
USFSP’s 50th Anniversary year
In crafting the Vision 20/20 Plan, stakeholders knew that its goals must be measurable, that success would
be defined by meeting or exceeding new benchmarks or Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). From national
rankings and retention, to fundraising and events, USFSP excelled this year. The bar just got higher.
94USFSP’s position among the
“Smartest Colleges in America”
ranking by Yahoo Finance
15U.S. News & World Report’s national ranking
of USFSP’s Online MBA

8. Clockwise from top left: Congressman David Jolly and his wife, Laura; Campus Board Chair
Stephanie Goforth, 50th Anniversary co-chair Melissa Sexias and Regional Vice Chancellor for
Advancement Helen Levine; USF Foundation CEO Joel Momberg, Sembler Company Executive
Chairman Craig Sher and Regional Chancellor Sophia Wisniewska; College of Education Dean
Bill Heller; 50th Gala co-chairs Debbie Nye Sembler and Mary Anne Reilly; Senior Director of
Enrollment and Marketing Holly Kickliter; Kate Tiedemann and Ellen Cotton; Dean of Students
Jacob Diaz, student Juan Salazar and interim Regional Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Gardiner
Tucker; Campus Board member Bob Churuti, Regional Chancellor Sophia Wisniewska and AARP
State Director Jeff Johnson; USF Trustee Hal Mullis, USF System Provost Ralph Wilcox, USF
System President Judy Genshaft and Campus Board member Judy Mitchell.

9. Progressing toward
graduation through
world-class academics,
transformative teaching
and campus traditions
STUDENT SUCCESS
Student Success Center Named for Debbie Nye Sembler
Student success is among USFSP’s most important strategic planning goals. It is a sizable factor in the university’s ability to
continue to attract and retain smart students from across the country. Over the last two years, USFSP has implemented a
number of new initiatives aimed at helping students progress toward graduation. Among the most impactful of these recent
initiatives is the Student Success Center, the goal of which is to help students learn to study—to develop strong, lifelong
learning strategies and skills in a safe, positive environment.
In March, USFSP hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its newly-named Debbie Nye Sembler Student Success Center.
The naming of the center, announced last fall, recognizes the accomplishments of USF Trustee and former USFSP Campus
Board Chair Debbie Nye Sembler, and those who have supported her passion for student success.
“I have never experienced a more beautiful surprise and meaningful gesture in my life,” said Sembler, who served as Campus
Board Chair for a decade. “The Student Success Center helps so many students to realize their full potential.”
“The level of excellence coming from this institution is significant to our students, but also to the USF System and this
community,” said Stephanie Goforth, USF Trustee and USFSP’s Campus Board Chair. “As a graduate of USF St. Petersburg,
I am incredibly proud to have a role on this campus, to be able to pick up where my friend and colleague Debbie Sembler
leaves off, and help facilitate its continued growth.”
CynthiaEdwards,right,
directstheDebbie
NyeSemblerStudent
SuccessCenter.
Cutting the ribbon on the newly-named
Student Success Center are,from left,
USF Foundation CEO Joel Momberg,
Regional Chancellor SophiaWisniewska,
USF System President Judy Genshaft,
Debbie Nye Sembler,Campus Board
Chair Stephanie Goforth and Senior
Director of Enrollment and Marketing
Holly Kickliter.
Following the Convocation ceremony,new freshmen gather at the
Bull on Harborwalk for a class photo.
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This summer, USFSP’s First-Year Experience program,
COMPASS, marked its first anniversary. Launched last year
after its re-imagining, COMPASS helps students transition to
college, anchoring them at USFSP with the aim to increase their
persistence. Hallmarks of the program are faculty-led Learning
Journeys, peer mentoring, study strategy workshops and social
activities. And it’s working.
“When new students connect with their Peer Coach, it gives
them a go-to person for learning the ropes at USFSP,” said
Holly Kickliter, director of Enrollment and Marketing Services.
“Among other roles, Coaches are busy making memories:
taking students to Rowdies games, movies, and fireworks on
July Fourth, for example.”
COMPASS pairs incoming first-years with resources particularly
useful to new students in the USFSP campus community.
“Our COMPASS team, Peer Coaches and campus partners
help students during their first year away from home, including
workshops for trickier tasks like managing scholarships or time
management,” Kickliter said. “While the program is especially
helpful to first-year students, we’re finding that parents also really
appreciate the support COMPASS provides.”
A new Summer Convocation was among the first new traditions
launched by COMPASS last year. In June, 150 new freshmen were
welcomed into the academic community, leaving the ceremony
with a Commencement tassel and a new sense of belonging.
New Tradition Celebrates Second Year
15. USFSPYear-in-Review 2015-2016 usfsp.edu usfsp.edu USFSPYear-in-Review 2015-2016 16.
PeerCoachesarepairedwitheachfirst-yearstudent.
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10. STUDENT SUCCESS Commencement Recognizes Outstanding Graduates
Julia Strauss, who received a Bachelor of Arts in
Psychology in May, will pursue a Master of Education in
Special Education at Vanderbilt University. She was named
the Outstanding Graduate and one of two King O’Neal
scholars, an award bestowed upon graduates who have
maintained a GPA of 4.0 or higher.
In her Commencement remarks, Regional Chancellor
Wisniewska recognized Strauss for her accomplishments,
along with those of a number of her classmates who are
headed to graduate school at universities like Penn State or
Cornell, or who have already landed jobs in their fields as
one Journalism graduate did at Voice of America.
This year, to accommodate larger numbers of graduates
and their families, a second ceremony was held for the
Kate Tiedemann College of Business and the College of
Education. Chancellor Wisniewska congratulated more
than 100 new teacher candidates and called out KTCOB
students who’ve been hired by IBM, Johnson Controls,
and Deloitte.
The Living Learning Communities (LLCs)
at USFSP are gaining traction with nearly 50
students electing to live in residential learning
groups with a special emphasis on an academic
major or area of interest. Since its inception
in Fall 2014, the on-campus communities have
expanded from a 12-student, biology-focused
LLC called “BioLife” to include two others:
Living Green and Leadership.
These on-campus communities allow students
to live, engage and study with others who share
the same interests. Norine Noonan, professor
of Biology and faculty advisor of BioLife,
said research supports the idea that residential
learning communities enhance both year-to-
year retention and graduation rates.
“A residential environment built around a
specific major promotes study groups and
shared academic experiences,” she said.
“Students in well-functioning LLCs report
feeling more connected to their institution and
more invested in their own education.”
Noonan, who was instrumental in helping the
Living Learning Communities get started at
USFSP, said her own group has expanded to
include 19 freshmen.
“BioLife began as—and still is—a partnership
between the Department of Biological
Sciences and the Office of Housing and
Residential Life,” she added. “There is now
a group of folks who meet regularly to talk
about the current LLCs and to plan for
the future.”
More than 225 students,alumni,
and prospective employers
attended the USFSP Career
Center’s third annual Job &
Internship Fair.
Students participated in“USFSP
Day at City Hall,”interacting with
city leaders to learn about what
goes on behind the scenes to make
St.Petersburg a great city.
USFSP hosted its firstTEDxUSFSP
event in November.Topics
ranged from sustainability and
philanthropy,to music and sex.
Students Accept Coveted Internships at White House, Smithsonian
In the past year, USFSP students Tyler Lewis and Amy Anderson received prestigious
internships—one at the White House and the other at the Smithsonian Institution.
Lewis, a Political Science senior, served in two consecutive internships at the
White House in Spring 2015 and Spring 2016.
“Going to work every day at the White House complex was a dream come true,”
he said. “I could not be more ready to take on the challenges and experiences
that await me.”
Anderson, who interned at the Smithsonian, graduated in December 2015 with a
bachelor’s degree in History and a minor in Art History. Her internship provided an
opportunity to sort and catalog textile samples that were sent by U.S. consular officers
from around the world between 1895 and 1913.
“I think it’s just further affirmation and confirmation that our top students are as
good as the best students anywhere,” said J. Michael Francis, professor of History and
Hough Family Chair of Florida Studies. “I’m confident that having completed a lengthy
internship at this museum will open doors for her at museums all over the country.”
USFSP Expands On-Campus Learning Communities
Research on the impact of climate
change led graduate student
Adam Flanery and Richard
Mbatu,assistant professor of
Environmental Science,Policy
and Geography,to Cameroon on a
20-day trip to collect thesis data
on the forest communities in the
country’s southwest region.
Among many other campus activities,Psychology
student Julia Strauss interned with Professor
V.Mark Durand,who also served this year as interim
regional vice chancellor ofAcademicAffairs.
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17 USFSPYear-in-Review 2015-2016 usfsp.edu usfsp.edu USFSPYear-in-Review 2015-2016 18
Several students and their
professor,biologist Deby Cassill,
recently published an article on the
social behavioral interpretation of
abdominal wagging in fire ants
in the Journal of Bioeconomics.

11. 19 USFSPYear-in-Review 2015-2016 usfsp.edu usfsp.edu USFSPYear-in-Review 2015-2016 20
When USFSP’s anthropology team of Kathryn and John Arthur
discovered an ancient skeleton in the highlands of Ethiopia
three years ago, they couldn’t have known that their discovery
would make national headlines, that their work would impact
scientists all over the world. But in the fall, following extensive
DNA sequencing by research partners at Cambridge University,
they learned that the male skeleton contained a complete African
genome, and that their work will change the way archaeologists and
geneticists understand population migrations in and out of Africa
over the last 4,000 years.
“This is remarkable as scientists believed that retrieval of a
complete genome was unlikely given Africa’s hot, humid climate,”
said John Arthur. “This genome provides a new baseline for
understanding later population interactions between Africa,
Asia and Europe. His genetic sequence supports the idea that
more recent population movements are responsible for Eurasian
admixture into modern East African populations.”
The Arthurs named the skeleton Bayira meaning “first born” in
the Gamo language. After completing excavation, they drove the
remains to the National Museum of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa,
where Bayira now rests, along with some of the other great finds
from Ethiopia, including the hominid “Lucy,” one of humankind’s
earliest ancestors.
“The significance of what John and Kathryn Arthur have
discovered cannot be overstated,” said V. Mark Durand, interim
Regional Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs. “Research findings
like theirs may come along just once in a lifetime.”
The Arthurs have been studying the populations of Ethiopian
highlands since 1995. Since then, they’ve received six external
and internal research grants—three from the National Science
Foundation, one from the National Endowment for Humanities,
and two from USF St. Petersburg and the USF System. News
of their discovery of Bayira was published in 2015 by more
than 200 organizations, including Science, the National Science
Foundation, The Christian Science Monitor, the Tampa Bay Times
and The New York Times.
Valuing faculty research,
scholarship and the
collaborative teaching
that lead to graduating
true scholars
FACULTY EXCELLENCE
USFSP Family Study Center Awarded $2.9 Million Grant
In the fall, James McHale, director of the USFSP Family Study
Center, and his team were awarded a $2.9 million grant by the
National Institutes of Health (NIH). McHale’s research program
examines the role of coparenting and family group dynamics in
diverse families of infant, toddler, and preschool-aged children.
The NIH grant, to be paid over five years, “addresses the
importance of safe, healthy families for early infant development,
the impact a cooperative and sustained coparenting alliance
can have in promoting positive infant development, challenges
unmarried parents face cultivating a coparenting alliance together
when their commitment to one another as romantic or married
partners is in doubt, and ways to surmount these obstacles,
maintain rapport, and sustain a strong alliance.”
Professor Continues Pediatric HIV Research in Kenya
Tiffany Chenneville, associate professor in the Department of
Psychology, spent three weeks in Africa in July. She presented at
the International AIDS Society conference in Durban and then
traveled to Kenya to complete a trainers workshop for youth-led
teams. The training is part of a larger community-based research
project regarding pediatric Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
The research study, designed to address HIV-related stigma among
youth in Kenya, is part of Chenneville’s long-term goal to establish
an HIV youth ambassador program, which would allow youths
with HIV to travel to different parts of the world to conduct
peer-led HIV initiatives. In Summer 2015, she spent more than two
weeks in Kenya completing psychosocial HIV needs assessment
research with input from community members and other
stakeholders. The results revealed low levels of HIV education
and high levels of HIV-related stigma, which serves as a significant
barrier to HIV testing, treatment, and retention in care.
“HIV has become associated with groups that are marginalized
in our society: homosexuals, drug users, and sex workers,” said
Chenneville, who has worked for 20 years with youth in the U.S.
who were born with HIV or contracted it through sex or drug use.
“Stigma is a huge thing, even in this country.”
The 2015 trip was an opportunity for Chenneville to serve as a
representative of the university and to begin developing a long-
term collaboration with Springs of Hope Kenya, an orphanage
located near the town of Nakuru. Her research has been
supported by two $50,000 grants from an anonymous donor.
“It’s very rare to have someone fund an opportunity to
grow a project like this,” she said. “It’s really exciting and
I’m very grateful.”
James McHale directs the
USFSP Family Study Center.
Kathryn and JohnArthur,far left and far right,have been studying the
Highlands populations of Ethiopia for more than 20 years.
Tiffany Chenneville,associate
professor of Psychology,huddles
with children from Springs of
Hope Kenya during her trip to
Africa last summer.
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Anthropology Team Makes Groundbreaking Discovery

12. FACULTY EXCELLENCE
New Hampshire Primaries Become Classroom for
“Road to the White House” Course
Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan, associate professor of
Political Science, is focused on immersive, experiential learning.
And this year, she gave 23 students the experience of a lifetime
by enabling them to intern for presidential campaigns in
New Hampshire as part of her “Road to the White House”
quadrennial course.
Before embarking on their journey, students selected the
Democratic and Republican politicians they wanted to
represent: Jeb Bush, Hillary Clinton, Ted Cruz, Martin
O’Malley, Marco Rubio, Bernie Sanders or Donald Trump.
Education Abroad Programs Expand Horizons, Enhance Learning
USFSP faculty-led Education Abroad programs in the spring and summer allowed students
to learn while immersed in foreign cultures.
Graduate students in the Kate Tiedemann College of Business (KTCOB) traveled to the
Heilbronn-Franken region of southern Germany with Hemant Merchant, professor of
Global Business, to meet with senior executives from several companies. As part of the
program, students participated in the Summer Institute at German Graduate School of
Management and Law, a USFSP partner institution.
As part of a graduate course in social entrepreneurship, eight KTCOB students traveled to
Guatemala during spring break with Karin Braunsberger, professor of Entrepreneurship. The
MBA students spent a week in San Juan La Laguna helping local women’s cooperatives develop
their business plans. Although the class ended, several of the students are still working with the
women to help market their handwoven items in the U.S.
Building on USFSP’s popular Certificate Program, 10 undergraduate and graduate journalism
students traveled overseas with Janet Keeler, visiting assistant professor, to study food and travel
writing. Based in Paris and Strasbourg, France, the class took daytrips into Germany. Keeler, who
recently retired as the food and travel editor of the Tampa Bay Times, designed the multi-country
course to introduce students to popular genres of writing for publication. In addition to visiting
iconic sites such as the Eiffel Tower, students took a cooking class at Le Cordon Bleu and met
with editors from two Parisian food magazines.
Stephen Diasio,Olivia Hodges
andVikki Gaskins-Butler were
among those recognized by
Quality Matters for meeting
the highest quality standards in
online course design.
V.Mark Durand,professor
of Psychology,will serve as
President-Elect Designate of
Division 33 in theAmerican
PsychologicalAssociation starting
January 2017.The division
is focused on Intellectual and
Developmental Disabilities/Autism
Spectrum Disorder.
Jill McCracken,associate professor
of Rhetoric andWriting Studies,
received a 2016 Faculty Research
Award from USFWomen in
Leadership and Philanthropy.The
award supports her work with
women residing in and released
from Pinellas County Jail.
“We want them to be enthusiastic about their candidate,” said McLauchlan, who has taught the course four times since 2004.
“It’s really difficult to feel motivated and to campaign in the snow for a candidate you don’t believe should be president.”
In New Hampshire, the robust daily itinerary for the class began early in the morning and continued until early the next morning.
After only a few hours of sleep each day, students engaged in seminars and meetings with journalists and academics. They went
on several field trips, including a visit to the state capitol to meet with lawmakers. However, the majority of their days involved
canvassing for their candidates. When they weren’t campaigning door-to-door or logging hours making phone calls to promote
their presidential hopeful, the students attended town hall meetings and got to speak with their candidates face-to-face, and talk
to national and international media.
“There’s really nothing like being up there, in the snow, meeting the candidates and being a part of the process firsthand.
It’s extraordinary,” McLauchlan said.
McLauchlan, a Fulbright scholar to Moldova in 2010 and 2012, has been awarded a Fulbright to Macedonia in Spring 2017.
JanetKeelerintroducedstudentstoLeCordonBleuChef
OlivierGuyonduringastopatthefamedcookingschool.
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Olivia Hodges,associate dean
and instructor,led the launch of
the College of Education’s first
fully-online degree program.The
Master in Educational Leadership
offers tracks for students with or
without Master’s degrees.More
than 80 students are enrolled in
the program.21 USFSPYear-in-Review 2015-2016 usfsp.edu usfsp.edu USFSPYear-in-Review 2015-2016 22
JudithanneScourfieldMcLauchlan,frontrow,center,traveledwithstudentsto
NewHampshireforher2016“RoadtotheWhiteHouse”course.
USFSPstudentRandiDeansnapsaquickphotowithPresidentialcandidate
HillaryClinton,whileclassmatesEmilyHughes(inset,left)andSarahAdams
(right)posewithRepublicanpresidentialcandidateJebBush.
Hemant Merchant, far right, visits southern Germany with graduate students to meet
with corporate leaders from the region.
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