Best of Florida Schools 2002

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The FAU Fighting Owls averaged 13,000 fans at each of their home games in their first season, topping out at nearly 26,000 for the inaugural game against Slippery Rock College. “It was a fun season,” McCormack says. “It was good to see the fans come out and support the team and enjoy the games.”

The Owls will certainly improve on a 4-6 record next season and are looking at the future possibility of becoming a Division I program. FAU has a team that’s primed to become a perennial national title contender. With a year of experience under their wings, the Owls are sure to be a fighting force next season. RG

Contact McCormack at kmccormi@fau.edu or visit www.fausports.com.

Best Seasonal Celebrity
Every December, Florida Southern College students keep their eyes peeled for a new administrator who watches their every move. But he’s not out to get them. Rather, he’s a “jolly happy soul with a corncob pipe, a button nose, and two eyes made out of coal.” “Dean Holiday,” as he is affectionately known, is a 30-foot tall “snowman” covered in white awning material and wearing a mortarboard. His six-foot wide smile, attached with velcro, beams out at the Lakeland community. As part of the college’s tradition, the character also makes a guest appearances at local events such as the Lakeland Christmas parade, says Dr. William Hatten, associate vice president for development.

Best Ambassadors
Most student ambassadors share their knowledge of a school by offering tours to campus visitors and reciting historical facts. But at Florida Community College at Jacksonville-North Campus, The Campus of Choice Dancers carry their message into the community through the performing arts. Founded in 2000 as a seven-member club, the group has grown to a dozen dancers who perform at schools, weddings, civic functions, time-capsule ceremonies, and retirement homes. “The costumes are all made by the members and the advisor and are designed to complement the mood of the dances,” says B.J. Hausman, director of cocurricular programs and leadership development. “Bright orange and red colors are used in keeping with the sun-and-fun of the Caribbean, and short skirts of moving fabric enhance the sensuous movements so characteristic of African dances.”

Contact Hausman at bhausman@fccj.org.

Best Culinary Exchange Program
Want to go from Chef Boyardee to master chef in a French restaurant? Gulf Coast Community College has a culinary arts program that can help you sauté and flambé your way to a promising career in the food industry. Working with the Lycee Hotelier de Biarritz, a well-respected hospitality and culinary school in Biarritz, France, students get to work with on-site chefs via Pic-Tel interactive video classes. The chefs explain exactly how they season sauces and succulent morsels.

The interactive exchange program feeds students’ minds with more than just food preparation techniques. Chef Gil Galasso teaches Advanced Foods and Dining Room Operations and focuses on every aspect of running a restaurant, including table arts, organization, serving techniques, and beverage service. RG

Visit culinary.gc.cc.fl.us.

Best Paint Job
Ever get tired of the same old red brick college buildings? Students don't have that problem at Florida Keys Community College. When the campus was unveiled in December 1997, there was no municipal beige in sight. Instead, local architect Bert Bender chose the colorful campus paint job, which includes a terra cotta, green, and red administration building and red, blue, khaki, and yellow classroom building. "The students really like it because it's so bold. It's been very well received," says Lydia Estenoz, director of marketing and community relations. SRR

Follow the "LEADers"
Many students learn to be effective leaders through trial and error, but at University of Central Florida, the LEAD Scholars program focuses on the academic study of leadership. This program, which is unique to the state, is open to first- and second- year students who want to be excellent college leaders and more connected on campus both academically and through clubs and organizations. The application process is rigorous, with both essays and an interview, and about 45 percent of the students who apply get in. They begin with a Foundations of Leadership course and move on into volunteer and service projects. Associate Director Jan Lloyd says she is very proud of LEAD S.T.A.R.T. (Students Teaching And Role-modeling Teamwork) and LEAD F.L.I.G.H.T. (Facilitating Leadership In Guiding High school Teams.) Participants work with elementary and high school students to help build leadership skills by mentoring and helping identify projects with the younger kids. In addition, the program's Leadership Week collaborates with the Student Government Association, human resources, sports marketing, Greek affairs, and housing and residence life groups to put on a huge campus-wide program. But the focus is not just on outreach; the program calls the participants scholars for a reason. "Our members' average G.P.A is 3.35, whereas the general undergraduate population is 2.79," Lloyd says. SRR

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