Best of Florida Schools 1999 Issue

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Most Psyched-Up Class. "Can you see what I’m thinking"? That’s the message that students in the "Intuitive Thinking for Professionals" class at Santa Fe Community College are sending to each other. Instructor Noreen Renier, a self-proclaimed psychic, says the focus of the course is to make people aware of their own hunches. "I’m basically teaching people to better themselves in a business sense and listen to those feelings," she says. As student Linda Lewis says,"We practiced mental imaging, where half the class looked at a photo and tried to project to the other half what they were seeing. None of us could describe the pictures accurately, but we could say what colors or shapes we saw. It was amazing."

Classiest College Tradition. Flagler College is ringing in a new tradition this year. Students and alumni are uniting to don the college’s first-ever all-campus class ring. Donna Webb, director of alumni and college relations, initiated the idea with student input when she realized the school’s class rings had no consistent design. Proudly displaying the school name and bearing a gold Flagler Lion, the new ring debuted at the first annual ceremony this year, where 83 students were presented with the keepsake bands.

Best (Relatively) Free Ride. Free stuff is good—just ask University of Florida students. Anyone with a school I.D.—or Gator-One card—can ride the city buses for free. Well, almost. The funding for the program comes from A & S fees paid by students. Brent Gordon, 97-98 treasurer, says SG allocated the funding to alleviate campus parking problems and to encourage students to catch the bus to campus right outside of their apartments. Transit Supervisor Gerald Fleming says the buses in the system gave more than one million rides last fall.

Best European Campus. St. Leo College may be the only Florida-based higher-education institution that owns an overseas campus. St. Leo recently bought the College for International Studies in Madrid, a two-year school for Spanish students who are preparing to finish their bachelors’ degrees in the states. "We’ve been looking for study-abroad opportunities for our students," says Gary Bracken, director of admissions. "Our president heard the school was up for sale and brought us together."
Bracken says St. Leo students can study at their new sister campus in Spain for the same tuition costs as a term at the Florida school. "They stay with Spanish families there," he says, "and the only extra expense is a plane ticket."

Best Pilot Programs. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University students are on their way to work thanks to direct-hire agreements with Atlantic Coast Airlines, East Coast Flight Services, and Atlantic Southeast Airlines. After ERAU students fulfill a prescribed career track that's monitored by the school, the hiring bridges guarantee students the opportunity to gain employment immediately following graduation. ERAU and the corporate partners jointly screen candidates for selection who have completed their sophomore year of the aeronautical science degree program, and the airlines make curriculum suggestions to incorporate company-specific procedural requirements.
The program also gives participants preference for internships with the industry leaders and gets ERAU grads in the pilot’s seat faster—most have to wait years before earning serious frequent flyer miles. And getting airborne is what Embry-Riddle students are all about. "They have jet fuel in their blood," says Bob Ross, publications manager.

Most Notable Namesake. Former University of North Florida director of career development Kate Ray has made an interesting contribution to the developing music careers of three UNF students…her name. The Kate Rays is a three-member band including UNF students Kim Loach, Brad Stripling, and Richard Gowen. Loach, a literature major, works in the UNF admissions office and says she came across a document with Ray’s name on it. "I liked the way is sounded. It rhymed." Together for less than a year, the band since has been playing venues along the East Coast and has recorded a demo tape. Thanks to Kate Ray and her rhyming moniker, the band has already made a name for itself.

Best Catch of the Day. Christian Faith College in Largo offers students an innovative way to learn an old trade. Hans Geissler, founder of independent ministry Morning Star Fishermen, teaches a hands-on course on how to maintain a fish farm, with a living aquaculture on-site. Designed to feed the poor and help them become more self-sufficient, the course teaches students how to set up a fish hatchery, which becomes a farm with wastewater used to grow vegetables and herbs. "We are teaching people how to help themselves, and at the same time tell them about Jesus," he says.

Best Whine and Dine. Student Government members at the University of West Florida collected 476 signatures in a petition to give the campus grill its old name back. Originally named The Rathskellar, "The Rat" became The Argos Grill and Gameroom after a student contest to rename the it. But according to Auburn Thompson, an SG member who helped start the petition, an unknown administrator vetoed the winning name. "We don’t like the fact that tradition is being changed," Auburn says. No decisions have been made though. Auburn says he thinks the administration is just stalling.

Best Streak. 24 years and counting! The Indian River Community College swim team is certainly living up its name. The Pioneers claim the nation’s longest winning streak. For 24 years in a row, the swimming and diving teams have taken the NJCAA title. IRCC also will celebrate 25 years of swimming and diving in March, when the school hosts the NJCAA Swimming and Diving Championships, says Michelle Abaldo, institutional advancement officer. The men’s and women’s teams boast swimmers from 14 states and seven countries, she says. The men will be striving for their 25th consecutive championship and the women for their 21st.

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