Journalist may come here
If you read the August issue of the Florida State Times, you may remember a story about two impressive young men LeAlan Jones, and his friend and co-worker Lloyd Newman.
The two won the Peabody and Robert Francis Kennedy awards for documentaries they did for National Public Radio and a book that followed.
Both grew up on the south side of Chicago, but Jones made it out of the ghetto first by getting a scholarship to Florida State this year. We should have told more about Newman's prospects. He will be a junior this year at Future Commons High School in Chicago, a school designed to help struggling inner-city youth.
And Jones said he hopes to help him follow to Florida State as soon as possible.
FSU most efficient again
For the second year in a row, FSU has been named the nation's "most efficient" university in the 1998 U.S. News & World Report quality rankings.
"This year's rankings bring further confirmation of the hard work and commitment of our faculty and staff to provide our students with the best possible education for the available dollars," said FSU Provost Lawrence G. Abele. "It's nice to be in the company of such distinguished institutions as William and Mary, the University of Texas and the University of Illinois."
The efficiency rankings were based on a survey of academic quality and expenditures per student.
And less party prone, at last
After two years of winning the Princeton Review's unfortunate ranking as the nation's No. 1 party school, FSU dropped to sixth, showing up as staider, more studious, commendable and sober than West Virginia University (1), University of Wisconsin (2), State University of New York-Albany (3), University of Colorado (4) and Trinity College (5). May we continue this descent.
Lifeguard team a winner
They dove. They swam. They rescued. They won. On Aug. 8, FSU's lifeguard team beat out seven other teams, getting first place in the Ellis & Associates National Pool and Waterpark Lifeguard Championships in Branson, Mo.
Before entering the national competition, the team placed first in the regional contest in Orlando.
"Our skill levels rose to an all-time high," said Kris Achhamer, FSU's lifeguard coach. "I've never seen the team members compete the way they did in the national tournament."
Keeping world record
FSU alumna Kim Batten, who took home a gold medal in the 400-meter hurdles from the World Championships last year, still keeps the record time for the event after this year's International Competition.
Though she placed third Aug. 8 at the International Competition in the 400-meter hurdles in Athens, Greece, Batten still has dreams to fly by her unbeaten record in the 2000 Olympics.
In the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Batten grabbed the silver medal in the 400-meter hurdles.
Attention grads
Historians need help from alumni who graduated between 1947 and 1972.
Dr. Robin Sellers, FSU professor of history and author of Femina Perfecta, a history of Florida State College for Women, plans to interview alumni for a follow-up book about the campus between 1947 and 1972.
Sellers says she is looking for all types of grads from sorority sisters to "run-of-the-mill."
She wants to hear about student unrest during the Vietnam War, integration and every-day life. To help, write to the Oral History Program, Florida State University, 447 Bellamy Building, Tallahassee, Fla. 32306-2200 or call (904) 644-4966.
Dance has new leader
Another builder of dance departments - but this one in South Carolina - has agreed to come to FSU to fill the position just vacated by Nancy Smith Fichter.
Fichter, chairwoman of the department, has retired after 33 years of developing one of the nation's best dance departments.
Elizabeth "Libby" Patenaude, recently chair of the dance department at Columbia College in South Carolina, is not naive about FSU.
"I feel tremendously honored and somewhat awed in terms of the size of the shoes I have to fill," Patenaude said. "... I will fill her shoes in my own way."
With enormous energy, she has built the dance program at Columbia College.
As chair there from 1977, Patenaude developed the flagship dance department in South Carolina today. She was also a major force in dance classes for elementary, middle school and high school students.
Patenaude's goals for the department depend on the faculty, she said. "The vision needs to be a collective act."
Fichter hasn't completely left FSU, much to the joy of Patenaude, who considers her a mentor. Fichter will teach a class this semester and will be marshal at the 1997 Seminole Homecoming Parade.
Ph.D.s may want to know
Michael Wayne Rowley was the first to wear the new FSU doctoral robe in August, when he received a Ph.D. in communication. Details available at 800-255-FSU1.
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