UF President praises Lastinger Center founders at portrait unveiling

Posted December 3, 2010

UF Lastinger Center Director Don Pemberton
and UF President Bernie Machen unveil a
portrait of Allen and Delores Lastinger.
(Photo by Jason Henry)

University of Florida President Bernie Machen praised the contributions of Allen and Delores Lastinger during a recent unveiling of their portrait at the UF Lastinger Center for Learning.

The Lastingers founded the center in 2002 to boost student achievement through improved instruction in public schools around the country.

“For the Lastingers to come forward at that time in their lives and say ‘Can we help kids learn? Can we help the public schools in this state?’ was a huge idea that has caught on,” Machen told the more than 50 people who attended the event.

Attendees included the Lastingers and their family, UF College of Education Dean Catherine Emihovich, former UF Provost David Colburn, and Paul Robell, assistant to the UF president for philanthropy and donor relations, as well as public school teachers who have participated in the center’s Florida Master Teacher Initiative and Lastinger faculty and staff members.

Since its formation, the Lastingers’ namesake center has been taking UF’s research-tested methods to the frontlines of public education.

“Close to 10 years ago, Allen and Delores, who’ve worked hard in life, found themselves in a position to give something back,” Lastinger Director Don Pemberton said. “They invested in education and planted a seed here in the College of Education. That seed has grown and grown and grown.”