News from USF St. Petersburg

The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) reaffirmed the accreditation of the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. No follow up is required. The action was taken at the annual meeting held in Orlando Dec. 3-6.

"The faculty, staff and students of the University of South Florida St. Petersburg should be congratulated for their outstanding work," said Margaret Sullivan, regional chancellor of USFSP. "We are grateful for the thorough review by the external committee of distinguished peers."

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Commencement Ceremony Honors Graduates

Sember Family Fountain at USF St. Petersburg Harborwalk

More than 260 students participated in the university's Fall Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, Dec. 11. Congratulations to the newest group of USFSP alumni!

The St. Petersburg Times featured a news story on the ceremony. Read the story.

College of Business Offers Executive Education

The next executive education session from the USFSP College of Business will focus on how to transform your leadership effectiveness. Author and leadership consultant Rebecca Bales will lead this session on January 27 from 8 a.m. to noon.

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Students Attend West Point Ethics Conference

Two USF St. Petersburg sophomores and Army ROTC Cadets, Jesse Kronk and Kelsey McDonald, attended the annual National Conference on Ethics in America at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.

Their participation was sponsored by the Bishop Center for Ethical Leadership at USFSP.

Conference speakers met with students from around the country to discuss ethics related to medicine, the military, international relations, education and business.

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Student Boards Award Community Grants

Nine community organizations each received $5,000 grants in a ceremony held at USFSP on Wednesday, Dec. 7. Members of the Student Philanthropy Boards presented the awards to organization representatives.

The student boards research community needs, create requests for proposals and review the award applicants. The award funding is made possible through a federal grant.

The organizations that received awards included: Bay Area Greyhound Adoptions (pictured above), Tampa Bay Job Link, Science Center of Pinellas, Infants and Young Children, Solita's House, Edible Peace, Great Explorations, St. Petersburg Free Clinic, and Kiwanis Horses for Handicapped Foundation.

Decision Sciences Institute Honors Ebrahimpour

Maling Ebrahimpour, dean of the College of Business, has been selected as a Decision Sciences Institute Fellow and as editor of the organization's Decision Line Newsletter beginning with the January 2012 issue.

Fellows of the institute are selected for their outstanding contributions in the field of decision sciences.

Entrepreneurship Grad Wins Pitch Competition

Reuben Pressmen, the first USFSP student to earn a bachelor's degree in entrepreneurship, was one of three students to win the Student Pitch Competition at the Gazelle Lab Demo Day on Nov. 17.

Pressmen pitched CheckImHere, an event management software for university groups. The panel of judges awarded Pressman $2,000 to help him launch his business.

Part of the national Tech Stars Network, the Gazelle Lab is an initiative of the Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Innovation (SEI) Alliance in the College of Business at USFSP.

Spring Open House Offers Info Sessions, Tours

The Spring Open House is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 22 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in Harbor Hall.

Prospective students and their families can attend to learn about acadmic programs, admissions, student housing, financial aid and more.

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Visit From African Journalists Featured on WUSF

The WUSF University Beat program featured a story about the African journalists that visited USFSP through the Department of State's Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists.

Listen to the story.

Only eleven journalism programs throughout the country are selected to host a group of international journalists through the Edward R. Murrow Program.

This was the third year the Department of Journalism and Media Studies at USFSP served as a host. Events during the visit included lectures with USFSP journalism professors; a welcoming reception hosted by USFSP's community newsroom, the Neighborhood News Bureau; a session led by students; and a session led by the African journalists.

Heller Receives Two Community Awards

Bill Heller was honored this month by the Bayfront Hospital Foundation as the recipient of the Robert T. Sheen Award for Volunteer Leadership.

In November he received an Individual Impact Award from the Tampa Bay Businesses for Culture and the Arts. Great Explorations Children's Museum nominated him for his long history of community involvement with multiple nonprofit arts organizations.

Heller is a member of the USFSP faculty, directs the Wally and Louise Bishop Center for Ethical Leadership at USFSP, and will serve as the dean of the College of Education as of Jan. 3, 2012.