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Totally Devoted To U

USF Alumni are among the university’s most committed partners

By Kim Franke-Folstad

KIM HERMELYN, ’92, WOULD DO just about anything for her beloved alma mater.

An active, longtime member of the USF Alumni Broward Chapter, she has filled her home with USF paraphernalia. And she’s pretty sure she could wear a USF T-shirt every day for a year without a repeat.

So, of course she always hoped her children would follow in her Bullish footsteps.

But when it came time for daughter Kyla to choose where she would go to school, she told her mom she was (gasp) leaning toward the University of Central Florida.

That deliberation was short-lived, thank goodness. And after Kyla landed at USF, she told her mom it was the best decision she’d ever made. She expects to graduate this year.

Then came son Kody’s turn. UCF played an even more serious role in the conversation, even though USF offered Kody a larger academic scholarship. The aspiring civil engineer had his eye on attending UCF with his buddies.

“You’re going to have to take the Kim tour of USF,” Hermelyn told Kody and his friends, and off they went.

She showed them all the “cool spots” and then gave them an up close and personal look, thanks to her alumni chapter connections. Chapter co-chair Alan Steinberg, ’78, Life Member, arranged for Kody to meet with Eva Fernandez, director of recruitment at the College of Engineering. She, in turn, set up a special meet-and-greet for the boys at the Judy Genshaft Honors College, among other tour stops.

Kody and three of his friends liked what they saw and learned. They started at USF, as roommates, last fall.

It’s just one example of how alumni working together can make an impact – on the success of students, fellow alumni, and USF, Steinberg says. Kody and his friends got specialized information about the opportunities USF offered them; Kody’s mother got another Bull in the family; and the university gained four top-notch new students.

The Broward chapter is among more than 40 alumni groups sponsored by the USF Alumni Association. About half are chapters, composed of Bulls who live in the same general area. Alumni societies are groups of Bulls with shared academic, social, cultural or other interests.

There also are less formally organized networks of alumni all over the world.

The chapters and societies help alumni stay in touch with old friends, make new friends, and network with other Bulls for fun and for business. Their primary goal, however, is to support USF’s continued success through various means, such as raising money for student scholarships, speaking to legislators on behalf of USF, and elevating the university’s stature and visibility by sharing their Bull pride around the world.

Here are three alumni groups that have made a positive impact on countless lives while helping USF reach the goals necessary to be designated a Florida Preeminent State Research University.

Broward County Alumni Chapter

Imagine you’re a rising college freshman from Broward County who’s about to become a Bull, and you’re feeling apprehensive.

Maybe you’re nervous about moving into a dorm. Or you don’t really know the Tampa Bay area. Or you just aren’t sure what to expect.

Now imagine someone brings a pep rally practically to your door to spread school spirit and boost your confidence.

That’s the idea behind the Broward County alumni chapter’s New Student Party, a summer event that’s part party, part orientation, part networking event – and all about putting soon-to-be USF students and their parents at ease.

For incoming freshmen, it’s a chance to meet other first-year students from their area, perhaps find a new friend or future roommate, or form a carpool to and from Broward, says Steinberg. Held at the home of Kerry Cerra, ’94, and Shawn Cerra, ’93, for more than 10 years, it’s a casual setting with plenty of alumni on hand to answer questions and offer suggestions.

Many become a go-to resource for the students long after the party’s over.

Such support can make the difference between a homesick student staying in school or dropping out. A first-year student retention rate of 90 percent is one of the benchmarks required in Florida’s preeminence statute.

Broward alumni truly enjoy getting together, whether it’s for a community service project or a Bulls watch party at Buffalo Wild Wings, Steinberg says. And with more than 15,000 USF alumni living in Broward and two neighboring counties, it’s a safe bet they’ll draw a good crowd.

“Yeah you could sit at home on the couch,” Steinberg says, “but it’s so much more fun with the group, cheering together.”

Geology Alumni Society

If you’re ever at a World of Beer when USF’s Geology Alumni Society (GAS) is holding one of its Rockbreaker socials, you’d find that this exuberant group of scientists knows how to have fun and stay connected. Geology students, professors and alumni all turn out – about 70 at the most recent event.

They’re a tight-knit group, says chair Matt Wissler, MS ’03. Geology classes at USF are small, so students tend to bond. Graduates who stay in the Tampa area, where the geology community is also small, see each other fairly regularly. The group’s frequent contact with USF students ensures a steady influx of youthful passion and energy.

Many members get involved with the society to network and maybe land a job – or to find outstanding recruits for openings at their own companies. But for most, it’s first and foremost a way to give back, Wissler says, by helping students identify scholarship and internship opportunities, and boosting the geology program to greater heights.

“A lot of us had an awesome career thanks to going to USF,” says Wissler, a principal hydrogeologist with Geosyntec Consultants who received a Richard A. Davis Endowed Fellowship during his student years. “I always felt I owed the group a debt, because I was awarded that money back when it really meant a lot.”

The Davis fellowship is one of several financial awards presented during the society’s annual banquet, a fundraiser that generates more than $10,000 a year. The society plows that money into scholarships and other support for students. For the past three years, Wissler says, the big push has been fundraising for USF’s own geology field school in rich terrain near Mackay, Idaho. So far, the alumni society has donated about $15,000.

“As a geologist, the capstone course is going to field camp,” Wissler says. “You put all the skills you’ve learned in your four years of education toward a single class. But field camp can be very expensive, and by doing this, we’re helping to defray the cost for future students.”

The USF School of Geosciences Field Station, which will include a bunkhouse for students, will be one of very few owned by U.S. public universities and the first out-of-state field school for a Florida public university. That’s expected to attract even more high-caliber students and faculty to the College of Arts and Sciences program.

Engineering Alumni Society

USF’s engineers mix their natural talents for collaboration, creativity and problem-solving with a healthy amount of Bull pride, which makes for one very active alumni group.

They’re often seen tailgating before Bulls games, or rolling by in a big antique “deuce and a half” troop transport vehicle at the Homecoming Parade. But their biggest fete by far is the group’s Bullarney Extravaganza, held around St. Patrick’s Day each year. That’s fun with a purpose: The 24-year-old event has raised more than $500,000 for scholarships and to fund grants that help students pay for travel and other expenses when they attend leadership training, conferences and competitions, says society and Bullarney chair Robert Andrew, ’89 and ’92, Life Member.

What kinds of games can you expect to find at Bullarney – a carnival/casino-style party designed by and for engineers? Past favorites included a giant, custom-built Jenga-type tower and Challenge the Master, a chess speed match against engineering instructor Ajit Mujumdar.

The music also has a USF Engineering connection: The Bryan James Band includes alumni, and for the past couple of years, chemical engineering professors Scott Campbell and Bill Lee have performed a set early in the evening.

It’s a big switch from the group’s old sit-down dinner format and draws a more diverse crowd, Andrew says. Students often volunteer to work at Bullarney, and when they see the party, Andrew says, it piques their interest in the alumni group.

The society also helps out other groups with their events, such as the Society of Women Engineers’ Mocktails networking social, which offers seniors an opportunity to mingle with local professionals, get advice and maybe find a mentor. The society’s Corporate Ambassador Program helps connect the College of Engineering to the community.

The group finds ways to make things entertaining, Andrew says, but the goal is always to ensure the college gets the full support of its grads so that tomorrow’s engineers get the best educational opportunities at USF.