Potent Pens Fuel Florida Studies:

Authors abound in Florida Studies (FSP), a graduate-level Program of Distinction at USF St. Petersburg.During the past year alone, seven books were published by its faculty, students, and Fellows. Regarding this bonanza of books from FSP scholars, most striking is the breadth of the scholarship and writing that reflects the interdisciplinary nature of Florida Studies,” says Gary Mormino. “This cross-fertilization is not an accident – it is what we hope for in the liberal arts.  Disciplines and scholarship interact and influence each other,” he adds.

Dr. Mormino opened the proverbial floodgates last May with the publication of Land of Sunshine, State of Dreams:  A Social History of Modern Florida. Dr. Ray Arsenault and former student Dr. Jack E. Davis followed in June with Paradise Lost?:  An Environmental History of Florida.  And in January, Arsenault’s landmark Freedom Riders:  1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice was published.

Recent books by Florida Studies graduate students include:  Images of America – New Port Richey by Adam J. Carozza; St. Petersburg’s Historic 22nd Street South by Jon Wilson (and Rosalie Peck); and St. Petersburg’s Maritime Service Training Station by Michelle Hoffman. Lee Irby, a former student and FSP Fellow, will follow up his current best-selling novel 7,000 Clams with The Up and Up, due out in June. The former is set in St. Petersburg; the latter in Miami.

Based at the historic Snell House, the USFSP Florida Studies Program offers graduate students the opportunities

to explore the regional history, culture, politics, and ecology of Florida.

Michelle Hoffman:

Being married to a Tampa native means one will eventually return to the Bay area.  So in the summer of 1999, Michelle and husband left Atlanta to a make significant career changes. For her, the change meant going from corporate director to high school teacher. While working toward her state certification, she realized that graduate school needed to be a part of her development as a teacher.  

So in 2003, she was awarded a James Madison Memorial Foundation Senior Fellowship that opened doors never imagined.  As part of her Madison requirement, Michelle studied last summer at Georgetown University focusing on constitutional theory and development. Next to the academic rigor, the highlight of the experience was the afternoon she spent with retiring US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. 

Earlier in 2005, Michelle received a Florida Studies Research Stipend to document oral histories of merchant marines who trained in St. Petersburg.  This project led to the publication of a book in May 2006 titled "St. Petersburg's Maritime Service Training Base."  When not studying, researching, or playing with her two children, Michelle teaches at Gibbs High School and will be celebrating her tenth wedding anniversary in September.

Monica Rowland:

I’m a native Floridian, born in Fernandina Beach and raised in Jacksonville. 

After receiving my BS in Communication degree from Florida State, I moved to Europe where I worked in a youth hostel in Switzerland and for a tour guide company in Germany.  

Upon my return to the States I worked as a Tour Director, taking groups on tours around the U.S., and as a tour guide in St. Augustine, Fl.  I entered the Florida Studies Program to explore avenues for heritage tourism in Florida.  I now work full time for the Florida Humanities Council.  mrowlan3@mail.usf.edu 

Albert W. Vogt III:

Albert did not know why he had joined the Florida Studies program.  His earlier college career, which included an Associate of Arts from St. Petersburg College(December 2000) and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of South Florida in history (December 2002).  A course in American Slavery during his senior year as an undergrad instilled interest in him of Southern History, but at that point he was still interested in Military History more than any other subject.  However, after a brief sojourn in Chicago, he came back in the summer of 2003 and entered the Florida Studies program in August of the same year, part of the inaugural class. 

Over the course of his studies, he has helped edit the Rivers of the Green Swamp anthology. Under the guidance of Dr. Thomas Hallock, he began to study Franciscans in Florida during the early Spanish colonial period.  He hopes to turn this into a PhD in Catholic History some time in the near future. awvogt@mail.usf.edu

Hope Black:

Hope Black graduated as an Interior Design major with an Associate in Applied Science degree from Rochester Institute of Technology in 1955.   Throughout the next four decades, as life intervened, she pursued a B.A. in History at Nazareth College in Rochester, New York, taking one course a semester.   Upon establishing residency in Florida in 2001, she enrolled in USF-Sarasota to complete the degree in History in 2004. An abiding interest in her adopted state, its history, political issues and environmental concerns led her to the Florida Studies program. 

Hope is the wife of Robert Black, the mother of four children, and the grandmother of five.   She was employed for twenty-three years in the field of Advertising Research until her retirement.  She currently works at the History Center of Sarasota County and enjoys reading and every aspect of music.

Don Falls: 

Although born in Pontiac, Michigan, I have been a resident of Manatee County, Florida since 1973.  I graduated from Manatee High School, received an AA degree from Manatee Community College, and attended New College for two years before transferring to the University of South Florida where I earned my BA in Social Science Education.  I later earned a Masters in Social Science Education from USF. I am currently working on my second graduate degree in the Florida Studies Program with a goal of eventually earning a Doctorate in history or a related discipline.  I have taught social studies in Manatee County for 21 years at Palmetto High and currently at Southeast High.  Although I have taught almost every course in the social studies curriculum, my focus for the last few years has been Advanced Placement American History, AP Macroeconomics, AP American Government and Psychology. 

Presently I am teaching in Southeast High’s International Baccalaureate program. Throughout my years in education, I have also been active in a variety of extracurricular and athletic programs including: varsity boys & girls soccer coach, assistant tennis coach, freshman baseball coach, academic team coach, social studies department chairman, sponsor of the student ACLU, and National Honor Society sponsor. I have also been involved in numerous state and local education committees as well as continuing education programs.  I am a member of the National Council for the Social Studies, the Organization of American Historians, the American Historical Association, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the National Education Association/American Federation of Teachers.

Outside of education, I am a board member and coach for Manatee West Little League, former board member and coach for Manatee County Girls Softball Association, and former coach for the Manatee Magic soccer club.  I am also a member of the Amateur Softball Association and the head umpire for the Manatee County Softball Officials Association in charge of umpire training and evaluation.  My lovely wife Liz and I have been married for 26 years and have four wonderful children: Heather [25], Jimmy [20], Brianna [18], and Christopher [12].  My hobbies are my family, reading, cooking and almost any outdoor activity.

Adam  Carozza:

Adam is a retired U.S. Postal Service, published author (Images of America: New Port Richey, Florida. Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2004) and is currently teaching at a local high school (Pasco County).

Adam is currently a member in the following: Phi Theta Kappa Society;
Golden Key International Honor Society; College of Arts & Sciences Honor Society; Honor Society for the Social Sciences. He is active in his community as a

Trumpet player, Richey Concert Band, New Port Richey for 8 years; Board of Trustees: West Pasco African-American Club after school program; West Pasco Historical Society (Vice President);Florida Historical Society (member); Historic Preservation Board, City of New Port Richey.

"It’s never too late to learn."

Sharon Clawson:

I moved to Florida in 1982 and still love living here.  I received my BA degree from Eckerd College with a major in human development.  While there,I took four courses on Native American culture, history, and film and found them extremely interesting.  When I lived in Michigan, I read about the state's history and people on my own.  Therefore, when I heard about the Florida Studies Program, I realized I could do a more in depth study of Florida and thoroughly enjoy the classes.  My main interest includes the cultural history of the people who have made Florida home, both past and present.

Terry Tomalin:

Terry Tomalin, 45, is the Outdoors Editor for the St. Petersburg Times. During his 25-year journalism career, Tomalin has written about everything from the Ku Klux Klan to the Summer Olympics. An avid traveler, Tomalin has backpacked through the mountains of New Zealand and the Outback of Australia. During his time in jungles of Suriname and Brazil, he became interested in indigenous peoples.

An avid waterman, Tomalin hopes to combine his love of paddling ocean-going outrigger canoes with his Florida Studies curriculum. In 2003, Tomalin was part of an expedition that paddled an outrigger from Florida to the Bahamas. He hopes to continue his study of the pre-Columbian maritime tradition by paddling to Cuba and Mexico in coming years. He lives in St. Petersburg with his wife Kanika and two young children.

Judy Redfern Koch:

Judith Redfern Koch is a second-year  graduate student in the Florida Studies Program. She has lived in Florida for  fifty-two years, making her a proud “near native.” She edited and wrote for The  Tampa Tribune for two decades, and has also served as a Staff Attorney for the  Sixth Judicial Circuit.

She holds  Bachelor of Arts  and  Master of Business Administration  degrees from USF and a Juris Doctor degree from Stetson University College of  Law.  She joined the Florida Studies Program with the goal of finding a way  to contribute to this long-overdue academic focus on our fascinating and fragile state. jrkoch@mail.usf.edu

Edward Woodward:

Edward Woodward is a former reporter for several daily and weekly 

newspapers, ranging from the Gadsden County Times to The Tampa  Tribune.

He also worked for the Florida Park Service as a member of  AmeriCorps.

A native of Quincy, Florida, he now lives in Tampa with his family, which includes a cat that comes calling to the theme  song of Sandford and Son.

ecwoodwa@mail.usf.edu

Jon Kile:

Born in Southern California, I have lived in Florida since I was 15,with

the exception of 3 years in the Midwest.  After earning my Bachelor's Degree in Economics from Florida State University, with a minor in Political Science, I began a career in fundraising for higher education.  I have now worked in Development for FSU, Indiana State University, USF Tampa, and USF St. Petersburg. 

After living in several parts of the country I have come to appreciate the lifestyle, history, politics and peculiarities of Florida.  The knowledge I am gaining in the Florida Studies Program is invaluable in facilitating relationships between private individuals, industry and the public sector.

Nick Hansen:

Nick Hansen is a 23 year old native Floridian who was born and raised in the city of St. Petersburg.  After graduation from St. Petersburg High School (where he served as student body President, Editor of the school newspaper, National Honor Society, Thespian Honor Society, and Interact Service Club), Nick went on to attend the University of Florida where he received his B. A. with Honors in both Political Science and Criminology.

At UF, he was a founding father for the Florida Delta Chapter of Pi Lambda Phi fraternity where he served in numerous leadership positions, including Vice-president.  Nick then worked as a teacher in the Pinellas County public school system teaching social studies/history at both the high school and middle school grade level. (Nick is proud to be not only a 3rd generation resident of St. Petersburg, but a 3rd generation educator as well.)  In the summer, Nick serves as Program and C.I.T. Director for Camp Frontier, Inc., a local overnight camp. He is actively involved in local politics, currently serving as campaign manager for Angelo Cappelli, running for a local state House seat). 

The Florida Studies Program has been a truly enlightening experience for Nick, exposing him to a myriad of topics and ideas he had not previously discovered.  Outside of the program, Nick enjoys fishing, being outdoors, and spending time with his family.  Nick hopes to work in politics and continue his education in Law School upon completion of the Florida Studies Program.

Joe Murphy:

Joe Murphy is a native and life-long Floridian.  Joe and his wife Becky live in eastern Hernando County with their three dogs.  Over the last ten years, Joe has worked for conservation groups in Florida including the Sierra Club and the Endangered Species Coalition. 

He remains active in conservation issues as a volunteer with the Wild Florida Project and the Gulf Restoration Network.  Currently Joe is the Redevelopment Coordinator for the City of Brooksville, working to enhance and promote the historical, cultural, and natural resources of Brooksville and its historic downtown region.  He received his B.A. in American Studies from Eckerd College in 2004.

Nevin Sitler:

GI Bill in hand and adventure in his blood, Nevin Sitler - kayaker, student, and former Air Force firefighter, became a Floridian in 1995. The Sunshine State's complex and colorful history has captivated and educated him since.

Nevin received his B.A in Political Science from USF-St. Petersburg in early 2004. Since enrolling in the Florida Studies Program later the same year, Nevin has provided historical review and consultation for several Florida themed books. He recently had an article, "Passages From Ft. Brooke," published in Cigar City Magazine.

Graduating among the top 10% of his class in December 2006, Nevin provides historical writings, review and editing, both in print and electronically. In addition to webmastering for the St. Petersburg Museum of History, Nevin is currently working with several authors on a forthcoming Florida historical guidebook. Nevin can be reached at NSitler@gmail.com.

"Support your Community: Volunteer"

Jennifer Aldrich:

Jennifer Aldrich grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin and moved to the Tampa Bay area in 2002.   She graduated from Eckerd College in 2005 with a BA in Visual Arts in the PEL program.  As a professional photographer she has taught photography to children at several local institutions such as the Arts Center and Melrose Elementary. Jennifer lives in the Old Southeast neighborhood of St. Petersburg and enjoys the cultural diversity and history it has to offer.  When she is not hitting the books for the Florida Studies program she can be found biking or kayaking on the waterfront. Jennifer is involved with the arts community and an environmental activist.  Her appreciation for Florida led her to pursue her graduate degree in Florida Studies with the intention of creating a photo documentary and creating a career in the arts.

For further information on the Florida Studies Program please utilize the FSP menu, to the left, or contact:

Florida Studies Program
USF St. Petersburg SNL 200

140 Seventh Avenue South
St. Petersburg, Florida 33701

(727) 873-4872