Lauren O’Hara May (M.Ed ’09, Early Childhood Ed.) teaches Kindergarten at St. Pius Catholic School in Jacksonville, FL. She is also the Vice President of Athletics for the Gator Club of Jacksonville. Her class recently participated in “College T-shirt Day” and photographed her students as “Future Gators”.
Christos Skaloumbakas (BAE ’91 & MED ’92, Special Ed) tells us about his career after graduation. For two years, Mr. Skaloumbakas taught at a special school to educate and help emotionally disordered students, before accepting a position in the Department of Child Psychiatry at Panagiotis & Aglaia Kyriakou Children’s Hospital in Athens, Greece.
After several years of working for the Department of Child Psychiatry, he assisted in the staffing of their new ADHD/LD Unit in the hospital. This new unit was the first of its kind in the public sector in Greece. Mr. Skaloumbakas later became a founding member and the Vice President of the Hellenic Society for Research in ADHD. In addition to his current positions, he is also a member of the Scientific Advisory Board in ADHD Hellas – The Hellenic Association of Individuals with ADHD, a consultant to the Ministry of Education, and co-authored a widely used computer-based assessment instrument for Dyslexia.
Christos says, “I would like to send my greetings to all the members of the teaching staff who were around when I was graduating; particularly Dr. Paul Sindelar and Dr. Mary Brownell. I would also like to thank Dr. Stephen Smith whose influence defined my academic interests and whose scholarly work I’ve been following all these years.”
Anne M. Kress (PhD ’07, Higher Ed Administration) recently won the 2013 Athena Award presented by the Women’s Council of the Rochester (N.Y.) Business Alliance for her community service, professional achievements and leadership in the advancement of other professional women. Kress has served as president of Monroe Community College in Rochester since 2009 and has more than 20 years of experience as an educator and administrator in higher education.
She previously was provost and vice president of academic affairs at Santa Fe College in Gainesville. Kress earned a doctorate in higher education administration, master’s and bachelor’s degrees in English, and a bachelor’s degree with honors in finance, all from the University of Florida. She is a 2012 recipient of UF’s Higher Education Administration Outstanding Graduate Award.
Click here to read the article in the Rochester newspaper.
Dr. Mueen A. Zafar (PHD ’11, Higher Ed Admin) has recently been hired as the Dean of Faculty Administrative Services at Air University in Islamabad. Dr. Zafar, a native of Pakistan, previously served as the Associate Professor at Riphah International University and the Chair of Business Administration at the International Islamic University.
When Dr. Zafar and his family lived in Gainesville, he worked with the UF Department of Housing and Residence Education and received the Florida Excellence in Housing Award (2010), Outstanding Student Employee Award (2009), and IHLUAC Recognition for outstanding leadership and distinguished service (2008).
Our previous Alumni Update about Dr. Mueen Zafar is here.
University of Florida College of Education alumnus Jason Gallant was recently appointed the chief psychologist at Boys Town Central Florida’s new Behavioral Health Clinic.
Boys Town is a national nonprofit child-care agency that provides treatment through a continuum of services for children and families’ behavioral, emotional and physical problems. The Central Florida campus clinic in Oveido offers, among its services, outpatient counseling for at-risk children under the age of 18.
Inspired by his mother, an elementary school teacher with a “genuine passion and enthusiasm for giving children the gift of knowledge,” Gallant pursued a degree in psychology and child development at Florida State University.
He then earned his master’s degree in 2007 and doctoral degree in 2011, both in school psychology from UF. He completed his pre-doctoral fellowship in behavioral pediatrics at the Boys Town national headquarters in Omaha, Neb. between August 2010 and July 2011 as he completed his dissertation. After graduating with his Ph.D., Gallant continued work at the Boys Town headquarters for a yearlong post-doctoral fellowship before assuming his new position at Boys Town Central Florida.
“The thought of being back in Florida, working for a first-rate organization like Boys Town, and to continue living out my passion of healing children and families is a dream come true,” Gallant said. “I really cannot express to you how appreciative I am of the College of Education’s school psychology faculty, staff and my fellow peers for helping me become the person and professional I am today.”
Dr. Joseph Bondi (BS ’58, MED ’64, EDD ’68) passed away on Tuesday, January 8th. He is the former mayor of Temple Terrace and a longtime educator. His daughter, Pam Bondi, is the Florida Attorney General.
Joseph Bondi served two two-year terms as mayor from 1974 to 1978 following a stint on the Temple Terrace City Council from 1970 to 1974. He also served as the first chairman of the Hillsborough County Council of Governments.
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Gator Nation U is your connection with the University of Florida. Join us for an informative weekend filled with fun and fellowship. Experience our new UFAA Leadership Academy, connect with faculty and classmates and re-live your days as a student.
For more information, click here.
Ella Mae (Beasley) Schenck, a long time resident of Alachua County, Florida passed away on December 27, 2012 at the age of 95. Mrs. Schenck earned her degree in education from the University of Florida in 1950. She was the first principal at Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Elementary School in Gainesville, Florida.
Ella Mae Schenck taught for many years at Waldo Elementary School in Waldo, FL. During her educational career, Mrs. Schenck was a teacher, reading supervisor, elementary supervisor, and eventually, a principal.
Mary Hausch (BAE, ‘71) is the winner of The Gainesville Sun’s 2012 Spirit of Gainesville Award for her contribution to the arts. Hausch is the producing director and co-founder of the Hippodrome Theatre in Gainesville. The award recognizes talented individuals for their significant contribution to the city. Since graduating from UF, Hausch helped found the Hippodrome and continues to lead the theatre’s educational and art programs. She also produces, directs, or acts in many of the theater performances.
“I feel that through my role as an artist and administrator, I can help integrate arts into the lives of so many people, I can help assure the survival of theatre as a vital art form and help create the audiences of tomorrow,” Hausch says.
UF math education professor Tim Jacobbe also was nominated for the Spirit of Gainesville Award for his leadership and volunteering with Caleb’s Pitch, which he founded. The group arranges memorable experiences for children and families confronting serious childhood diseases.
Gator Nation Education: UF & Duval County Schools Partnership Reception was held at Timmy’s Playroom at the Dreams Come True Foundation in Jacksonville, FL. Timmy’s Playroom is part of the Tim Tebow Foundation, which partners with Dreams Come True to fulfill the dreams of children with life-threatening conditions.
Check out our photos from this past Wednesday’s alumni outreach event.
