January 2023
Honors and Awards
Lucy Rodriguez
Student Affairs Panama City Campus
Graduated with honors, Master of Science in Corporate & Public Communication from FSU Panama City
Brittany Devies
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
Was inducted to the American Association of Colleges and Universities’ Future Leaders Society.
Kelly Clark, M.A. and M.B.A.
Presented at the Florida Housing Officers State Conference and won "Best of Florida" for her program: "I got skills, they're multiplying: How to create a competency-based employment model for student staff". Kelly will represent FSU and the state of Florida with the presentation at the regional Southeastern Association of Housing Officers Conference in February. This is the third time in the past four years Kelly has won this award.
February 2023
Presentations
Alice Maxwell, Alycia Malicz and Emma Massaglia
Division of Student Affairs Marketing and Communications Office
Selected to present "A Welcomed Approach to a Collaborative Marketing Campaign: Hello FSU!" at the CASE District III Annual Conference in Atlanta.
Dylan Fields
Student Conduct and Community Standards
Represented Florida State University as a Graduate Intern for the Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values (AFLV) 2023 Central Conference.
Service
Brittany Mueller
Served as the Assistant Director for the Unified Tournament for NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Recreation.
Grants
Makenna Campbell-Hutts
Student Conduct and Community Standards
Awarded the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Foundation Access Scholarship.
March 2023
Presentations, Conferences and Exhibits
Zabe Thompson, MPH, CHES
University Health Services, Center for Health Advocacy and Wellness
Presented "LGBTQ+ Sex Ed 101 – Increasing LGBTQ+ Inclusivity in Programming & Clinics", "Queer Sex Ed 201: Beyond the Basics (Programming & Clinical)" and co-presented with Jacob Cryderman "Alcohol and Other Drugs Bingo: Gamifying Health Education" at the Southern College Health Association Conference in Greenville, NC.
Jennifer Russell, DNP, APRN-BC; Latricia Simmons, BSN; Mari Kay Avant
Presented "Meet Students Where They Are with Mobile Flu Clinics" at the Southern College Health Association Conference in Greenville, NC.
Hannah Stone, B.S.
Presented "Where are we going and how will we get there? A strategic planning journey in one college health center" at the Southern College Health Association Conference in Greenville, NC.
Mari Kay Avant
Presented in partnership with University of Central Florida "Marketing Essentials: Simplifying the Complex Campus Communications Environment" at the Southern College Health Association Conference in Greenville, NC.
Ben Wicker
Presented two peer-selected sessions at the Southeastern Association of Housing Officers Annual Conference in Richmond, VA. Wicker facilitated a men’s networking roundtable discussion, and presented “Managing Up Using Personality Types”.
Sarah Butler
Was elected to serve as the Director of Communications for the Southeastern Association of Housing Officers. Sarah also presented "Effectively Adapting in a World of Change" at the Southeastern Association of Housing Officers Annual Conference.
Features
Kari Scott DiDonato and Lynn Grasso
Campus Recreation, along with the Center for Health Advocacy and Wellness (CHAW), Seminole Dining, and Counseling & Psychological Services, were highlighted in Campus Rec Magazine in an article featuring Stress Busters Day, which focuses on collaborative events that enhance student mental health programming.
Service
Ben Wicker
Was elected as the President-Elect for the Southeast Association of Housing Officers and will serve a three-year cycle as President-Elect, President, and Past President.
April 2023
Awards
Mandy Shields
Won the Florida State University Jeffrey A. Gabor Superior Accomplishment Award.
"Mandy Shields exemplifies the essence of excellence and student-centered service.
As the Associate Director for University Housing’s HOME team, Mandy oversees occupancy management, student recruitment, and marketing for the department. In this role, she continuously works with many campus partners to consider and meet the residential needs that will help our students be successful. This year, Mandy collaborated with campus partners to provide safe living environments for students who identify as homeless and do not have the resources to pay for housing. She led the efforts to create an application and assignment process sensitive of students who identify as LGBTQ+, and worked with CARE to establish the first-gen living learning community.
Beyond her regular duties in University Housing, Mandy agreed to serve as the Interim director of Residential Student Experience. In this role, she led the team to continue providing a quality living environment for students in the halls, helped them continue their strategic initiatives, and served as the chair of the selection committee for the new director. She served with the senior leadership team in Housing providing assistance to students and families in crisis, responding to requests from families and the campus environment as needed. With her leadership, the department continues excellent support for students and student leaders who lived on campus.
Beyond the housing department work, Mandy served on several staff selection committees for campus partners, and began building educational resources and support for students who choose to live off campus. Mandy makes a difference for our program and for the division."
Brittany Devies, Ph.D.
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
Awarded the FSU Fraternity and Sorority Life Outstanding Faculty/Staff Member of the Year Award.
Presentations, Conferences and Exhibits
Jabreon Jackson
The Center for Leadership and Social Change
Presented “Toxic Resiliency: The Weaponization of Resilience Against Black Women” at the 2023 National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Annual Conference.
Brittany Devies, Ph.D.
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
Presented "The Space for Leadership Education in Institutional Priorities: Analyzing Institutional Mission Statements" at the 2023 National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Annual Conference
DeOnte Brown, Ph.D.
Center for Academic Retention and Enhancement
Presented “Just Another Day: Reflections, Perspectives, and Experiences from Black/Brown Deans in the field” at the 2023 National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Annual Conference.
Service
Zduy Chu, Ed.D
Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs
Was named board chair for the NASPA Undergraduate Fellows Program (NUFP).
Shannon D. Staten, Ph.D.
Served as a faculty member for the Global Housing Training Institute held in Melbourne, Australia. In addition to mentoring a cohort of participants, she presented two program sessions for the Institute: "Human Resources: Workforce Excellence" and "Managing Operations".
May 2023
Awards
Cheyenne Belanger
Department of Student Support and Transitions
May 2023: winner of the Growth Category in the FSU College of Social Work Color the College Art Competition for her painting “Fairytale Wonderland”.
Tracey Dowling, Ed.D.
May 2023: The Society for Experiential Education (SEE) has selected Tracey Dowling as recipient of the 2023 SEE Dissertation of the Year Award for her dissertation "Facilitating Student Engagement in Experiential Learning: An Implementation Evaluation of a Centralized, Interdisciplinary Program".
This implementation study reviewed Experience Recognition Program (ERP) components in regards to criteria for effective high-impact practice implementation as well as industry principles for supervising students engaged in experiential learning activities and career readiness education to offer insight into programs successes and suggested areas of improvement.
Cynthia Green
May 2023: Cynthia Green, Director of the Center for Global Engagement, has won the 2023 International Education Award for Leadership and Collaboration from NAFSA: Association of International Educators.
Green has spent her career working tirelessly to promote the benefits of international education at FSU and abroad. She has initiated university-wide efforts to internationalize the campus and to create a globally rich learning environment where all students can increase their global awareness and interact with people from around the world. Learn more about Green’s prestigious award and the impact of her work.
Brittany Mueller
May 2023: represented on the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) website as a Rising Star in the field. Read the full article.
Terri Brown
May 2023: received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Heroes in Public Safety at a recent banquet at Tallahassee Community College. Since starting her career as a patrol officer with the FSU Police Department in 1991, Terri has served as Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Deputy Chief and retired as Chief and then returning to FSU to work in the Title IX Office.
Madison Drummond
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
May 2023: received the William Leftwich Award for Outstanding New Professional from NASPA Region III.
Zduy Chu, Ed.D.
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
May 2023: received the NUFP Champion Award from NASPA Region III. The NUFP Champion Award is presented to an individual or institution that has made a significant contribution to the NASPA Undergraduate Fellows Program, and has served as a champion for students from traditionally underrepresented and historically disenfranchised populations, by hosting programs, providing professional development opportunities, and/or supporting other activities that advance campus, regional, or national NUFP initiatives.
Amy Hecht, Ed.D.
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
May 2023: received the John Jones Award for Outstanding Performance as a Senior Student Affairs Officer from NASPA Region III. The award honors individuals who have made significant contributions to the field through publications or involvement in professional associations.
Brandon Bowden, Ph.D.
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
May 2023: received the AVP/Senior Level Student Affairs Professional Award from NASPA Region III. The award honors individuals who have a record of innovative programming that has had an impact on the home campus environment in more than one functional area of student affairs.
Features
Rachel Blakesley
May 2023: Rachel Blakesley's article, "The Last of Us: Saving Middle Managers from a Mass Exodus" was published in the Spring 2023 edition of The Southeastern Association of Housing Officers (SEAHO) Report.
June 2023
Awards
Deanna C. Hughes
NASPA WISA (Womxn in Student Affairs) Phenomenal Friday honoree
Deanna's nominator, Krystal Allen, says "Deanna is working on her doctorate and is doing research on the underrepresentation of Black and Latinx Women Senior Housing Officers at 4-year public research one and research two colleges and universities in the southeastern region of the United States. Deanna is also a part of the ACUHO-I's Womxn in Housing Network and is just so phenomenal! She is and will continue to be a force in the profession! She is all-star and I admire her so much!"
Asia Henry
Selected for the Student of the Year Award by the Florida Association of Colleges and Employers. This award recognizes outstanding experiential education students who demonstrate excellence in their on-campus employment.
Shannon D. Staten, Ph.D.
Received the James C. Grimm Leadership and Service Award, a major award from the Association of College and University Housing Officers - International (ACUHO-I). The award honors individuals who have made significant contributions to ACUHO-I and the campus housing profession.
Presentations, Conferences and Exhibits
Shannon Staten
June 2023: presented multiple sessions at Campus Home LIVE! (formerly known as ACUHO-I) in Portland, OR. Shannon presented as part of a preconference panel on “Business Skills for Success in Housing & Residence Life”, was part of a roundtable panel discussion titled “The impact of State Legislation on Housing & Residence Life”, led a speed mentoring session called “20 New connections in less than an hour: Speed-mentoring for mid managers”, and presented an educational session called “Planting the Seeds of Mentorship: Growing professionals in housing & residence life”.
Ben Wicker
June 2023: presented at Campus Home LIVE! (formerly known as ACUHO-I) an educational session called “Managing Up Utilizing Personality Types" for the Association of College & University Housing Officers - International in Portland, OR.
Deanna C. Hughes
June 2023: co-presented at Campus Home LIVE! (formerly known as ACUHO-I) a session for aspiring and current Women in Mid-level management and the Supervisors and colleagues who support them. The session was titled: "Big Wheels Keep on Turning: How Women Mid-Level Managers Find Support and Build Resiliency".
Cameron Hatcher
June 2023: presented "Transitions as a Professional: Accepting and Embracing New Roles" at the Florida Association of Colleges & Employers Annual Conference in Sarasota, FL.
Jamie Butler
June 2023: facilitated a roundtable session on "Retaining Internal Talent: Strategies for Recruiting Student Workers into the Next Generation of Career Services" at the Florida Association of Colleges & Employers Annual Conference in Sarasota, FL.
Abbey Hale, M.S.
June 2023: presented "The 3-Legged Stool Approach: Developing and Utilizing Relationships to Elevate Your Events" at the Florida Association of Colleges & Employers Annual Conference in Sarasota, FL.
Anissa Ford and Christy Mantzanas
June 2023: presented "Dress for Success While Being Your Authentic Self" at the National Association of Colleges & Employers Annual Conference in Orlando, FL.
Leslie Mille
June 2023: facilitated a roundtable session on “Taking Your Clothing Closet to the Next Level!” at the Florida Association of Colleges & Employers Annual Conference in Sarasota, FL.
Leslie Mille
June 2023: presented “Career Services Staff: Where did you come from, where did you go?” at the National Association of Colleges & Employers Annual Conference in Orlando, FL.
Brittany Devies, Ph.D.
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
June 2023: Dr. Brittany Devies was a featured speaker at the annual Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Florida-West Seminar (HOBY) at Eckerd College.
Brittany Devies, Ph.D.
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
June 2023: presented "The Space for Leadership Education in Institutional Priorities: Analyzing Institutional Mission Statements" at the 2023 NASPA Region III Summer Symposium.
Amy Hecht, Ed.D, Angela Chong, J.D. , Brittany Devies, Ph.D.
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
June 2023: presented their research titled "168 Hours: Time Management of Women in Senior Student Affairs Roles" at the 2023 NASPA Region III Summer Symposium.
Features
Zduy Chu, Ed.D.
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
June 2023: wrote an article featured in NASPA's digital magazine Leadership Exchange titled “Building The Student Affairs Network”.
Brittany Devies, Ph.D.
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
June 2023: Dr. Brittany Devies co-authored an article, titled "Troubling LID: Exploring the Utility, Limitations, and Possibilities of the Leadership Identity Development (LID) Model" in the most recent issue of New Directions for Student Leadership.
Service
Brandon Bowden, Ph.D.
Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs
June 2023: selected to participate in Leadership Florida’s Education Class 8.
Grants
Christy Mantzanas
June 2023: Awarded a competitive $2000 Professional Development Scholarship from the Southern Association of Colleges and Employers.
July 2023
Presentations, Conferences and Exhibits
Sabrina Quiroga and Jacob Stamm
July 2023: led a roundtable discussion on "Social Identity and Career Decision-Making Through the Lens of CIP Theory" at the National Career Development (NCDA) Global Conference in Chicago, IL.
James Sampson, Ph.D. and Janet Lenz, Ph.D.
July 2023: presented "Strategies for Effective Implementation of Career Interventions" at the National Career Development (NCDA) Global Conference in Chicago, IL.
John Scanlon and Tristen Hyatt, Ph.D.
July 2023: led a roundtable discussion on "Career Counselors Role with Veterans' Career Transitions: Thank You for Your Service! What's Next?" at the National Career Development (NCDA) Global Conference in Chicago, IL.
Qualandria Brookens and Kelechi Nnaji
July 2023: led a roundtable discussion on "Emerging Adults' Perceived Quality of Social Media Based Career Information/Career Intentions" at the National Career Development (NCDA) Global Conference in Chicago, IL.
Erin Bennett, Casey Dozier, Ph.D. and Danny Chiarodit
July 2023: presented "Hiring, Training, and Managing a Graduate Student Staffed Career Advisor Team" at the National Career Development (NCDA) Global Conference in Chicago, IL.
Professional Courses
Ben Wicker
July 2023: Completed the Mental Health & Wellness in the Workplace Certificate through the USF Office of Corporate Training and Professional Education. This module sets the context for the course and introduces the business case for addressing mental health and wellness in the workplace. This course is available for free through USF CTPE, but is also available for credentialing. Ben HIGHLY recommends this course for all supervisors and managers!
August 2023
Features
Shelley Ducatt, Ph.D.
Department of Student Support and Transitions
August 2023: contributed to the book "Engaging Families in Higher Education: Lessons Learned and Best Practices" edited by Christine Self, Elizabeth Massengale, Amy Murphy.
Service
Tracey Dowling, Ed.D.
August 2023: is serving as the Vice President for Professional Development for the Cooperative Education & Internship Association Academy. In this role, Dowling helped pilot taking the academy for new professionals on the road to Massachusetts as well as served as faculty for the academy.
September 2023
Presentations, Conferences and Exhibits
Rana Sedeeq
September 2023: presented International Students' Resilience in U.S. Higher Education Institutions during the Florida Counseling Association (FCA) Annual Conference September 28 - 30. Rana also received the CEHHS Research Showcase Award for her presentation at this conference.
Alice Maxwell, Alycia Malicz, Jaden Austin and Emma Massaglia
DSA Office of Marketing and Communications
September 2023: presented "Hello FSU!: An Integrated Marketing Communications Student Success Campaign" for the College News Association of the Carolinas. This presentation showcased how the FSU Division of Student Affairs and university departments are collaborating to enhance the undergraduate student experience.
Service
Jeff Bates
Student Conduct and Community Standards
September 2023: was selected as one of the six individuals across the country to serve as a faculty member for the Student Conduct 101 program offered through the Association for Student Conduct Administration (ASCA). Along with a co-faculty member, Jeff Bates will lead a module focused on the effective use and development of multiple pathways for resolving matters within student conduct processes. More information about the SC 101 module here.
October 2023
Awards, Fellowships and Scholarships
Vice President for Student Affairs Amy Hecht, Ed. D.
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
October 2023: recognized with the Pillar of the Profession Award for her outstanding work by the Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA), the leading association for the advancement, health and sustainability of the student affairs profession. The Pillar of the Profession Award honorees demonstrate distinction in the higher education field, have served in leadership roles in NASPA and be recognized by colleagues and contribute significantly to the field of higher education. This award shines a light on leaders who have created a lasting impact on their institution, leaving a legacy of extraordinary service For more on this prestigious award, visit news.fsu.edu.
Amy Haggard
Student Conduct and Community Standards
October 2023: awarded the Hardee Center for Leadership and Ethics in Higher Education Fellowship - Hardee Fellows are graduate students who achieve a 3.8 overall GPA and have completed 18 credit hours at Florida State University.
Dylan Fields
Student Conduct and Community Standards
October 2023: awarded the Hardee Center for Leadership and Ethics in Higher Education Fellowship - Hardee Fellows are graduate students who achieve a 3.8 overall GPA and have completed 18 credit hours at Florida State University.
Dylan is also the recipient of the NASPA Foundation Member Scholarship. The NASPA Foundation, in partnership with NASPA, is excited to offer a scholarship opportunity designed to keep NASPA members connected to the field and the Association.
Lexie McGarvey and Granvill Adkins
October 2023: congratulations to Lexie McGarvey and Granvill Adkins for putting on a phenomenal state conference for the Florida Housing Officers (FHO) organization in October. In their roles as the State of Florida Representative/President (Lexie) and State Treasurer (Granvill), Lexie and Granvill hosted 100 attendees for a 3-day conference in Orlando!
Taylor George and Rachel Blakesley
October 2023: presented an interactive session on supervision for all of the participants at this year's Florida Housing Officers (FHO) Conference. Many props to Taylor for presenting at her first state conference!
Rachel Blakesley and Karlin Chung
October 2023: at the Florida Housing Officers (FHO) Conference, doctoral candidate Rachel Blakesley and Higher Ed master's student Karlin Chung won "Best of Florida" for their program, "From Great Resignation to Great Reimagination: Addressing the Pro Staff Recruitment & Retention Needs in Housing."
Winning "Best of Florida" means the presentation will also have a highlighted presentation spot in the upcoming regional conference, Southeastern Association of Housing Officers (SEAHO).
Christy Mantzanas
October 2023: served as an expert panelist on IT recruiting trends at the TalTech Alliance Annual Conference where technology employers, workforce partners, and students convened.
Service
Ben Wicker
October 2023: served on the Faculty for STARS College, a three-day virtual institute hosted by the Association of College and Housing Officers - International. The institute's aim is to provide undergraduate students from across the world the opportunity to learn more about what a career in University Housing and Residence Life entails. Institute participants attend a variety of informational sessions presented by the STARS College faculty, pair the students with a faculty member, and establish a mentoring relationship as the participants explore the various facets of housing and graduate school and career options. Ben presented sessions on "Contextualizing Higher Education & Housing" and "Identity & Leadership Development".
November 2023
Awards, Fellowships and Scholarships
Heather Lazar
November 2023: was recognized with the NASPA Program of Distinction award for the ProfessioNOLE Clothing Closet. The NASPA Program of Distinction Award highlights innovative initiatives that relate to the programs, policies, procedures, best practices, or services.
Liz Iaconis, Jesmel Moreno, Erin Sylvester Philpot and Paige Rentz
Center for Leadership and Service
November 2023: were recognized with the NASPA Program of Distinction award for FSU Votes. The NASPA Program of Distinction Award highlights innovative initiatives that relate to the programs, policies, procedures, best practices, or services.
Kaitlyn Ganner, Danny Chiarodit, Jacob Stamm, Maria Zareen, Asia Henry, Rana Emad Sedeeq, Jillian Schiller, Qiong Li, Kelechi Nnaji
November 2023: awarded various Career Center Scholarships and Fellowships. For a complete list of awards, please view Fall 2023's Career Advisor Scholarship News.
Presentations, Conferences, and Exhibits
Zduy Chu, Ed. D., Freddy Juarez and Jarred Pernier
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, Fraternity and Sorority Life
November 2023: had their program Building Community Together: Florida State's Innovative and Sustainable Model for Fraternity and Sorority Life Engagement and Success accepted for NASPA 2024.
Zduy Chu, Ed. D.
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
November 2023: along with Madison Drummond (University of Georgia), presented "Doing" NUFP: Creating NUFP Programs For Your Institution during the SACSA Annual Conference on November 6.
Kelechi Nnaji
November 2023: presented Navigating Unique Challenges: Career Development for Individuals with Disabilities during the International Conference of Community, Innovation, and Educational Research (ICERI) on November 3.
Jake Bucher and Jacob Stamm
November 2023: presented Empowering Vulnerable Youth: Evidence-Based Strategies for Addressing Underemployment and Career Development in American and Korean Societies during the International Conference of Community, Innovation, and Educational Research (ICCIER) on November 3.
Certificates
Lakesha Brown
Center for Academic Retention and Enhancement
November 2023: completed the Women in Leadership Certificate Program at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.
The 100% online, four-week program focused on teaching women practical strategies to address obstacles that impact them in leadership positions and help them excel at managing, engaging and motivating high-performing teams.
Moreover, the curriculum prepares women to market themselves as a professional and negotiate workplace advancement, pursue new professional opportunities or continue to grow as an entrepreneur.
Featured
James P. Sampson, Jr., Janet G. Lenz, Emily Bullock-Yowell, Debra S. Osborn and Seth C. W. Hayden
November 2023: edited a book titled Cognitive Information Processing: Career theory, research, and practice. Available through Florida State Open Publishing.
Vice President for Student Affairs Amy Hecht, Ed. D. and Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Angela Chong, J.D.
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
November 2023: along with Brittany Devies (University of Maryland), Tina Tormey (The College of New Jersey) and Kelly Hennessy (The College of New Jersey), had a book titled Telling Time: An Analysis of High Performing Women Leaders and Their Use of Time accepted for publication in 2026 through NASPA.
December 2023
Presentations, Conferences and Exhibits
Christy Mantzanas, Tori Andrews, Abbey Hale, Jamie Butler
December 2023: presented "The Business of Employer Relations" at the 2023 Southern Association of Colleges and Employers (SoACE) Annual Conference in New Orleans on December 4th.
