Florida Leader magazine publisher Butch Oxendine with Education Commissioner Tom Gallagher, 1999 Florida College Student of the Year Award winner Taryn Fielder of Eckerd College, and Lt. Governor Frank Brogan.

Overall Winner
Taryn Fielder
Eckerd College
     In Taryn Fielder’s case, someone must have told her she could never be active in 25 groups at once, gain acceptance to Duke, Berkeley, and NYU law schools, or earn the most number-one votes of any Florida College Student of the Year winner. "I enjoy people telling me something’s not possible and proving them wrong," says Fielder, the first-ever finalist from Eckerd. "Not so much to say, ‘I told you so,’ but to know that I overcame obstacles."
     Florida Leader magazine, First Union National Bank of Florida, Publix Super Markets, and a national panel of judges are proud to recognize Taryn Fielder, a senior in political science and international relations at Eckerd College, as the 1999 Florida College Student of the Year.
     One of 32 residential advisors, Fielder plans programs for 30 on-campus students. "Out of all the activities I’ve done this year, being an RA is the most exciting," says Fielder, 21, who has organized museum trips, a barbecue, and croquet matches for residents. "There’s a lot of camaraderie among our staff. It really has to be a shared ideology for us to be effective."
     On the Student Court, Fielder is one of two senior advocates who helps student defendants understand their rights. She also is a student representative on the Tampa Bay Committee on Foreign Relations, chairperson for Model United Nations, and a staff member of the Triton campus newspaper and Hullabaloo yearbook. For two years, Fielder has coordinated a weekend Leadership Conference, which she created. In 1998, she also served as interim coordinator of Eckerd’s new student orientation, which spans three weeks. As special student assistant to the college president, Fielder organizes research, long-term planning, and events such as a student-faculty trip to Adventure Island. In addition, as director of communications for Student Government, Fielder oversees all student media, including the radio station, literary magazine, and television station, plus all external advertising and publicity. Rounding out her list of activities, Fielder plays three intramural sports and has been a varsity cheerleader for four years, serving as squad captain in 1998.
     As regional student representative for the National Association for Campus Activities, Fielder has a chance to bring the best ideas home to Eckerd, where she’s planned a casino night and a Spring Swing as activities coordinator for the Hough Campus Center. "The theory behind NACA is that so much learning goes on outside of the classroom," Fielder says. "That’s something Eckerd really supports. I’ve seen it so much myself, through international study abroad, finding those to be the experiences where I’ve definitely learned the most."
     Since coming to Eckerd, Fielder has studied in Italy and China, completed service-learning in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, and performed in the French Theatre Festival in Avignon. "Despite the fact that A Midsummer Night’s Dream was in French, the meaning came through for everyone," says Fielder, a theatre minor. "We all shared this common bond that made language unnecessary."
     In South America, Fielder and 20 other students worked in a refugee camp and on a plantation to build and clean homes for orphans. "I don’t speak a word of Spanish. You could just share through gestures and hugs. You didn’t have to know their language to express concern for the people," says Fielder, who kept a journal during the trip. "We worked hard, but it was so much fun bonding with the people—their expressions of gratitude were what made it all worthwhile."
     Along with the Costa Rica trip, a 1998 summer study in Geneva with the United Nations led Fielder to broaden her focus from domestic law to international policy and to set a goal of becoming a UN special rapporteur for women’s rights in Africa. On campus, Fielder presented a section on women’s issues in a human rights course and reinstated an Amnesty International chapter. "I’m really interested in cross-cultural comparisons and why those differences exist," she says.
     To keep track of her full-speed schedule, Fielder jots reminders on her mirrors with inkboard markers. "Everything is laid-back at Eckerd—things start 10 minutes late, and I always get there 10 minutes early, so I carry notes on little projects to work on in those 15-minute segments," says Fielder, who takes power naps, writes poetry, and goes out with friends in her "spare" time.
     Because Fielder sees leadership potential in everyone, she refuses to recognize apathy. "I hear students and faculty say there’s a great deal of apathy, and I’ve never really seen that, mostly because I try to focus on each individual person’s strengths. And I see them exhibit their strengths in a multitude of ways—not just through ‘traditional’ leadership roles."
     Watching a staffer run with an assignment delights Fielder. "I’m a delegator of responsibility, and I like to see people take on tasks that they’re motivated to do and interested in pursuing, because that’s the way I was trained," says Fielder, who credits Eckerd for providing a training ground for student leaders.
     Much like her, Fielder’s response to the frequently asked, "What motivates you?" isn’t stock. "I really think it comes from personal strength that I don’t know if I was blessed with or raised with," she says. "I have a lot of heroes. It’s usually people you’ve never heard of—people who’ve made a difference, and they’ve never given up. I try to emulate their strength and focus on what can be done, even if a lot of other people think it can’t be accomplished."

First Runner-Up
Dana Hill
Florida State University
     Although Dana Hill is one of many campus volunteers at Florida State, her drive to serve is singular. "For others, it’s writing or art—my passion is helping other people. That’s when I’m happiest," she says. From tutoring migrant children to working in a Washington, D.C. soup kitchen, Hill often steps out of the spotlight to give others a helping hand. Florida Leader magazine, First Union National Bank of Florida, and Publix Super Markets proudly recognize Dana Hill of The Florida State University as first runner-up of the 1999 Florida College Student of the Year Award.
     When she’s not volunteering as a classroom teacher to incoming freshmen or joining her peers at Alternative Spring Break sites, the 21-year-old Ocala native works countless hours as overall director of Dance Marathon. In her role as chair of the campuswide fund raiser that has generated $80,000 in the past three years for the Children’s Miracle Network, Hill oversees 14 chairs, 500 committee members, and 400 dancers. "We’re also giving students a chance to see that what they’re doing really makes a difference," Hill says. "The dancers’ legs hurt after 32 hours, but it’s nothing compared to what these families have gone through." Because of the time-consuming nature of her position, Hill is relying on her savings and scholarships to pay for her final year of school.
     A member of five campus honor societies, Hill also was a finalist for last year’s Florida College Student of the Year Award and, along with fellow 1999 finalist Ian Lane of UF, is a member of Class II of College Leadership Florida. Hill has made the dean’s list every semester and has carried a 4.0 GPA for more than half of her collegiate career.
     To escape campus stress, Hill finds solace in the volunteering she does as a member of FSU’s Alternative Spring Break Corps. Trips to Washington, D.C. and Warm Springs, Georgia have helped Hill look beyond campus borders. Through her church, she spent five weeks in Benqueviejo, Belize in summer 1998, living with a missionary family, building a playground, and working with area children. "Where I lived was very beautiful but very primitive—we had one light in the house," she says. " I’ve become more giving as a result of seeing how the people are down there—they are so generous." Closer to home, Hill has worked as a tutor at Carolyn Brevard Elementary School and with migrant children through Project Amistades.
     Hill’s talents take her easily from remote locales to campus boardrooms. As a member of Burning Spear, an organization that upholds and develops FSU traditions, Hill has helped start a "Spirit Vigil." The event raises money for the Native American Scholarship Fund by inviting campus groups and local businesses to sponsor by the hour a designated torch that’s lit 72 hours before the FSU-UF football game. Other Burning Spear projects Hill has helped organize include the Spirit Drum tour and the homecoming Clock and Seal dinner for students, alumni, and Seminole boosters.
     As a four-year member of Phi Mu sorority, Hill founded the chapter’s two designated-driver programs and has served as corresponding secretary, historian, and as the group’s representative to FSU’s Panhellenic Council. "It’s always been my home on campus," Hill says of Phi Mu. "When I came to Florida State, I knew two people, who I never saw. My sorority gave me a step to spring off of—building up my self-confidence and learning to lead." Hill was one of the first students invited to be on a committee to revise the university’s honor code. "College is such a time of growth that the development of your morals and values should be an important part of that. The academic honor system should play a major role," she says. "By having students take it seriously, they’ll be more ethical when they are in the business world."
     Behind the scenes, Hill currently interns for Florida State’s Victim Advocate Program, helping victims of sexual battery, assault, stalking, and robbery cope with stress. "If they’re having a hard time concentrating, we’ll send a letter to their professor. When you’re a victim, everything seems so overwhelming." As part of her internship, Hill also works with campus groups to plan fund raisers and awareness events for the office, and accompanies victims to the police station or to the campus health center.
     As a former orientation staffer, Hill has planned hands-on activities and also helped teach the semester-long First Year Experience class. Hill also is a member of Lady Spirithunters, a group that promotes Seminole spirit, and also reaches out to the community through the Student Alumni Association. In the latter group, Hill helped plan the 50-Year Reunion for FSU alumni, and most recently served as the group’s vice president. In any leadership role, she says, "I lead by example and encouragement—trying to make the group close-knit, so they’re dedicated to each other as well as what we’re working toward."
     Throughout her campus career, Hill has had plenty of opportunities to sharpen her leadership skills. "All the organizations I’ve been a part of help students learn invaluable skills and make their experience more memorable." Although she has grown personally as she’s climbed the leadership ladder, Hill’s focus has been on those around her. "I took on positions to make sure the groups carried on and that other students had the same opportunities," she says. "I just want to give back and help other people have as good a life."

Finalist
Anna Berger
University of Central Florida
     No one could accuse Anna Berger of not following her heart. "I went to a leadership conference in high school and met a woman from Disney World," says the Virginia native. "I was so inspired by her that I got a crazy idea that I wanted to work for Disney one day, so I looked for schools in Orlando. I didn’t know a single person, and I hadn’t seen the campus."
     Being alone and far from home led Berger to throw herself into campus life. "I wanted to get the whole college experience," says the 19-year-old, who is active in UCF’s Student Government, Delta Delta Delta sorority, and the Student Alumni Association. This year, Berger added to her many commitments the role of conference director for Leaders Involved For Tomorrow (LIFT), a four-day gathering of high school students from around the state. As the executive team leader in the elite LEAD Scholars program, Berger oversees 10 facilitators. "I feel it’s important to encourage other people to become leaders, because the more you get involved, the more people you’ll meet and the better your college experience will be."
     Berger’s varied leadership roles make her a natural standout from other underclassmen. Besides stepping up as an SG senator and serving on two committees, she is secretary of the Student Alumni Ambassador Council, rush counselor for Rho Chi, and recently sat on the Student Interview Committee for the selection of a campus life administrator. Berger, who pays for school with jobs and scholarships, also pitches in around Orlando with Give Kids the World, an outreach program for terminally ill youth, and Greek benefits including a Watermelon Bust, Anchor Splash, and Rock the Arrow. Berger also serves as Rules and Regulations director for UCF’s Dance Marathon.
     Although she admits her tendency to procrastinate at times, Berger says she works better under pressure. "Deadlines help me keep on track." To stay focused, Berger constantly refers to her calendar for possible schedule conflicts. "My planner is like a friend," she says. "I try to remember to fit in a little time for myself, so that I don’t go crazy."
     When she’s at the helm, Berger takes time to step back and get input from others. "I know when to be the chief and when to sit back and be the Indian," she says. "If it seems that a person hasn’t said anything in a while, I’ll ask them how they’re feeling and what they think we should do."
     Even as she’s encouraging members to contribute, Berger keeps on pushing her staff. "Sometimes, with a large group of people, it’s hard to make sure each and every person is motivated to obtain the same goal as you are," says Berger, who finds inspiration in her daily readings from Chicken Soup for the Soul. "I try to give them incentive throughout the project and show my appreciation for the work they’re doing by giving them a little letter or a word of encouragement." Though she seems naturally self-confident, Berger credits her family for instilling in her the drive to achieve any goal. "My parents are my greatest influences," she says. "They’ve taught me that you need to work hard and made sure I know they’re behind me all the way."

Finalist
Deborah Goss
Florida Institute of Technology
     Becoming a policy-maker in college seemed natural to Debbie Goss. "I was in Student Government in high school. Immediately, when I went to college, that was one of the first things I wanted to check out," says Goss, who became SG secretary as a freshman. "At that time, there were only 12 senators, and they weren’t very active at all. Now, we have 35 senators, the ratio of males to females has improved, and internationals are well-represented," says Goss, who currently serves as SG president.
     To revamp SG’s image, Goss, 21, created a committee to recruit members and founded a monthly newsletter. Every Wednesday, Goss staffs a table covered with paper for students to write questions and ideas. She also networked with leaders statewide as 1997-98 president of the Florida Independent Student Association.
     SG’s increased visibility led to Goss’ invitation to become a voting member on FIT’s Information Technology Executive Committee. Also, after investigating what other schools require students to contribute to campus activity budgets, Goss successfully lobbied Florida Tech to increase fees from $20 each semester to $100 annually to enhance programming.
     Goss gets to know her constituents as a resident assistant and has planned activities such as a "Julia Child Party," in which RAs prepare their favorite recipes. As vice president of the American Chemical Society, Goss helps organize glass-blowing workshops, a liquid nitrogen ice cream social, and Laser Day, in which event-goers "blow stuff up, make slime, and create a gummy bear inferno." Goss, who finances her expenses with jobs, scholarships, and financial aid, was named Florida Tech’s Outstanding Junior of the Year in 1998. Beyond campus, she has tutored, worked for Easter Seals, and served as president of the Exchange Club, an organization dedicated to reducing child abuse.
     When it comes to leadership, Goss is open to new solutions. "I think the most important thing to strive for is creativity," says the Colorado native. "It’s important for leaders to think about why they’re doing what they’re doing. A lot of people get stuck performing a task or doing it a specific way, because that’s the way it’s been done before."
     A lifelong athlete, Goss carries lessons from sports into all realms of her life. "With running, it’s even more relevant to your everyday life, because it’s such an individual sport." Goss joined Tech’s cross country team as a junior and runs almost 50 miles a week. "You have the team there supporting you, but when you’re out there on the course, it’s all about you exerting every single day. That teaches you a lot about what you can do."
     So her legacy will survive, Goss plans to spend the last month of her SG presidency with new leaders, working just as hard as she did in the beginning—a lesson she learned from cross country. "It all comes down to that last 10 percent, and that’s the hardest part, but it can be the most important," she says. "When you’re exhausted, it’s so easy to give up, but then all the hard work throughout the season wouldn’t mean anything. That’s what kind of pushed me through to the end."

Finalist
Ian Lane
University of Florida
     For Ian Lane, 21, one of the toughest parts of leading is saying "no." As student body treasurer, Lane oversees the allocation of $8 million to hundreds of campus groups and projects. "There’s only a certain amount of money to go around," he says. "I try and give people options and other ways to make their programs happen."
     Even though Lane’s current SG role is a dollar-and-cents job, he also uses his people skills to talk with students each day. "I try to turn conflict into consensus. Students come into my office all emotional. I just listen and ask them questions. By the time they leave, they’ve almost solved their problems themselves."
     Poring over budgets is only a small part of Lane’s daily schedule. In addition to graduate classes and involvements ranging from SG to the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity to serving on a city commission committee, Lane owns a martial-arts company, Japan Karate-Do. "Teaching karate was one thing, but having other people do it for you and being the person responsible for four different locations is a challenge." A world-champion karate competitor, Lane exercises his physical and communication prowess to run his business successfully. "It all comes back to dealing with people—there’s not enough time in the day to do it by yourself." Through Team Katsu, a non-profit division of his business, Lane has helped disadvantaged youths gain greater self-esteem in and out of the classroom. "My responsibility as a karate instructor is not only to teach my students how to protect themselves, but also to instill in them the virtues of courage, courtesy, humility, integrity, and self-control."
     Lane is a role model when it comes to discipline, juggling his many commitments with regular volunteering. Along with other Florida Blue Key members, Lane brings local children to campus once a semester for Orange and Blue Kids Day where they enjoy outdoor activities, snacks, and a Gator sporting event. He has helped build Habitat for Humanity houses in the community and lends a hand at the St. Francis House with carpentry tasks and preparing holiday meals for shelter residents.
     As a mentor and a volunteer wrestling coach for an at-risk high school student, Lane relearned the simple value of friendship. "It really touched me and changed my perspective—just seeing how showing up or spending time with someone can affect their life," he says. "I tried to get through to him the importance of college and being a well-rounded, good person. You have a lot of temptations that bring you astray when you’re in high school."
     One of five children, Lane credits his parents with his firm belief in the responsibility of serving those around him. "My parents always instilled that you should use your talents to help others—I haven’t seen it any other way." Although Lane believes in motivating by example, he also knows when to encourage others to take the lead. "My first approach when I come across a good idea is to get other people excited. Then I try and steer it in the right direction and get the wheels turning. The best successes I’ve seen is when you have a good idea and get others on board."

Finalist
Jennifer Salinas
Central Florida Community College
     For Jennifer Salinas, managing many responsibilities is invigorating. "I try to choose things that push me—I’m in PTK, and I like having that GPA and service requirement to stay in the club." Salinas gives credit for her drive to her mother, who raised two daughters largely as a single parent. "She’s gone back to school, and she showed me determination and motivation," Salinas says.
     As president of CFCC’s Student Activity Board, Salinas, 19, has been in charge of a major transition when students and administrators this year decided to dissolve Student Government and empower the SAB to head-up programming and campus outreach. "People weren’t getting involved—they stayed away from SG," she says. Salinas now supervises three exec-board members and nine chairs who coordinate areas including service, recreation, and diversity. "We try to reach out to the clubs and advisors to let them know we’re there or to help with funding."
     Like many community college leaders, Salinas must address the needs of a variety of constituents. "You have mothers who are working two jobs—you have to appeal to their children and get them involved," she says. In response to student input, Salinas’ team booked a comedian, organized a pudding fling with the baseball team, and hosted an Acoustics Café with a coffee shop for homecoming week.
     As one of her school’s delegates to district and regional events of the Florida Junior Community College Student Government Association, Salinas works to bring key concerns to administrators’ attention. "You get people who want to lead—they’re serious about the issues we take to the legislature." Through her local involvement with PTK and at the group’s state and international conventions, Salinas brings home ideas to help other CFCC students move forward. "Each of us has an enormous impact on the lives of others, and how we use this power reflects our character."
     Outside the classroom, Salinas stays equally active. With her stepfather, she coordinated the first Toys for Dunnellon Tots in December, collecting four boxes of toys and $200 cash for needy families. Salinas and other SAB members adopted a family through United Way, raised $300, and donated $200 worth of food. "We showed them that there are people out there willing to help."
     Salinas also participates in the school’s Dance Marathon to benefit United Way and the March of Dimes Walk America, and she volunteers as a notetaker for disabled students. In addition, Salinas works the twice-yearly High School Preview Day, welcoming high schoolers to learn more about CFCC.
     To support herself through school, Salinas works 15 hours weekly in the Office of Student Leadership Development, gets a stipend as a peer educator, and has two scholarships. Recognized as one of three "Women of Promise" by the Ocala Women’s Network, Salinas channels the support she’s received back to those around her. "I see people every day that don’t believe in themselves and they don’t reach their goals—they’re scared of failure," she says. "They settle for average when they could be so much more—they just have to realize their potential."

Finalist
Melissa Zelniker
University of Central Florida
     "I’m on a crusade to fight apathy," says Melissa Zelniker, 21, of her number-one goal of motivating students to realize their volunteering can change society. As director of Volunteer UCF, the campuswide service center that houses 10 separate initiatives, Zelniker says, "Once you get a student involved, 80 percent of the time they’ll continue. Getting them to see the problems is the challenge."
     Zelniker’s personal epiphany came in 1996 when she began volunteering as a victim advocate for Spouse Abuse, Inc., a local United Way agency she discovered through UCF. "They always tell you one person can make a difference, but that was the first time I felt it. It was a springboard to make me want to change the world," she says. For years, the North Miami Beach native has been encouraged to serve others by her mother, a nurse and AIDS instructor. "The people that push me and give me my drive are the victims and the offenders—real-life people who have stories."
     In summer 1998, Zelniker helped create Suddenly Service to match as many as 30 students weekly with on-campus volunteer needs. She also started SPARK—monthly volunteer events for which students simply sign up and show up. Launching a literacy program, increasing campus blood-drive donations by 200 percent with the "Are You MY Type?" campaign, and revamping her agency’s look with the slogan "Igniting Volunteerism" are just a few of the projects Zelniker manages.
     All of Volunteer UCF’s initiatives are guided by the agency’s three-part goal of starting new programs, increasing student awareness about the importance of service, and strengthening relations between the college and area agencies. To combine resources, she has matched 30 UCF organizations with local agencies since fall 1998 for joint service projects. Recently, Zelniker and her team organized a Volunteer Expo with 60 community service groups and started the "Get Carded" organ- and tissue-donation partnership with Translife of Florida Hospital, signing up 5,000 new student donors last year.
     Service isn’t Zelniker’s only strength—she also has held numerous offices for Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, served on the campuswide Panhellenic Council, and helped organize fall rush for more than 1,000 newcomers. "We pulled 18-hour days—getting the lists out, meeting with advisors, and working with women in different chapters," she says. " My view has changed—I couldn’t see limiting myself to my chapter anymore." In addition to her Greek involvement, Zelniker also is a member of UCF’s President’s Leadership Council and has been active in Student Government since last fall. As a senator, Zelniker makes getting students’ direct input a priority. "I talk to people around campus, and lots of organizations come to me for advice. They know I’ll do what’s right and that I’ll voice their concerns."
     Among her commitments, service is Zelniker’s passion. "I see Volunteer UCF as a plat-form for being proactive—that’s what we were lacking," she says. "When I want to do some-thing, I never think it won’t happen. I always see the light at the end of the tunnel."

Honorable Mention Winners
Sara Cotner—Stetson University
Alyson Dion—Nova Southeastern University
Jeneé Fernandes-Jones—Miami-Dade C.C.
Jennifer Gurchak—Valencia Community College
Melissa Llera—Barry University
Beverly Mas—Palm Beach Community College
Daniel McCabe—Florida State University
Megan Miller—Florida State University
Joseph Papa—Pasco-Hernando Community College
Gary Slossberg—University of Florida
Natalie Smith—Lynn University
Kristin Tucker—Florida A&M University
Richard Viens—Florida Atlantic University