Fall 2003

Note from Hardee Center Staff

The Hardee Center Staff would like to extend an enthusiastic greeting! We have started another new academic year with many of the Centers favorite traditions. This year we have enjoyed continuing the Hardee Center Legacy by supporting graduate students and providing opportunities to network. This fall we have enjoyed our Fall Orientation at the FSU reservation, our Pasta Talk at Italian Pie, and our Fall Symposium at Chez Pierre. In addition, the Center is proud to announce that it will be presenting a session at the National Association for Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) annual conference in Denver, CO in March of 2004. The title of the program is "The Hardee Center for Women in Higher Education: A Testimony to Her Life, Legacy, and Vision." This provides another opportunity for the Center to share its work as well as reconnect with former graduates of the program.

We are also proud that we have 12 new scholars this year. As a result we have a total of 23 scholars for 2003-2004 academic year. Scholar's assistantships are located in University Housing, Office of Student Affairs, Development Office, Oglesby Union, Department of Education, MGT of America, TCC, and Office of Multicultural Affairs. The Center looks forward to continuing to expand our assistantship locations as well as raise money to sustain its operations and programs.

Dr. Beverly Bower
Executive Director

Margo McClinton
Associate Director

Tracey Dowling
Graduate Assistant

Committee Updates

Professional Development Committee Highlights

Current Hardee Scholar Reflections on Professional Development Programs

Fall Orientation

On September 12th, I was able to get first hand information of what it means to be a Hardee Scholar. New scholars were greeted by returning scholars, faculty members, and mentors. We received a warm welcome by Dr. Bower and everyone was given a chance to introduce him or herself. Mrs. Sherill Ragans spoke to the group about Dr. Hardee. She addressed the group the way that she thought Dr. Hardee would have done if she were present. She also shared personal stories about Dr. Hardee, which made me wish that I had the opportunity to meet such an influential woman who would serve as a mentor.

Returning scholars presented what it meant to be a Hardee Scholar and the expectations of the scholars. It is expected that Hardee Scholars make the most out of their assistantships and to use their mentors/sponsors as a resource. The goals of the center were explained to us, which will aid in our personal and professional development. Serving on committees, attending programs, and receiving funding to attend conferences has proven to be beneficial in our development.

After the presentations, we were able to partake in a delicious array of Chinese food from Canton. At this time, scholars had the opportunity to mingle and talk to current mentors. This provided scholars with the ability to get to know current professionals and the responsibilities associated with their positions.

Through the orientation, I was able to fully understand what role I play in the success of the program and upholding the legacy of Dr. Melvene Hardee. I hope that the new Hardee Scholars take advantage of this special opportunity of being part of the Life Net and continuing to promote the integrity of the Higher Education program at Florida State University.

Click here to review pictures: http://www.fsu.edu/~elps/hardee/orientation2003/

Submitted by Emmanuela Pierre is a first year Master's student in Higher Education. She received her undergraduate degree in Public Administration at Florida International University in Miami. Her graduate assistantship is in Housing, where she is the Assistant Coordinator in the New Hall. Being accepted into the Higher Education program was a great honor for me especially, since she heard so much about the Dr. Hardee and the program from past Hardee Scholars.

Pasta Talk

October 24th marked the kick off of the Hardee Center Pasta Talk series this fall. The Hardee faithful gathered at Italian Pie on Capital Circle for good food, great fellowship, and an amazing dinner with members of the FSU faculty. Our speaker for the evening was Dr. Nancy Marcus of the Oceanography Department. Dr. Marcus relayed to us her story of hard work and achievement to excel in the sciences as researcher, professor, and departmental leader. Her passion for women in the math and sciences fields was inspiring and led to an excellent question and answer session.

It was very interesting to see the perspective of a faculty member who has sponsored and endorsed the student affairs topic of a residential learning community here at FSU. As universities reach out to include co-curricular learning the partnership of faculty and student affairs professionals becomes essential to the growth and development of our students. This talk provided an excellent viewpoint from the faculty perspective and is a much-needed step to begin to build bridges between faculty and student affairs staff. Of course, as with any Pasta Talk, the food must be evaluated! The food was excellent and provided variety, large portion sizes, and very reasonable rates. All things considered, there was learning, fun, and excellent food; a Friday evening well spent would certainly be an understatement.

Submitted by Mike Adams attended Central Michigan University where he double majored in Political Science and History with a minor in Philosophy. He originally is from St. Joseph, Michigan. His assistantship is with University Housing and he serves as the Assistant Coordinator for the Landis/Gilchrist Honors Complex. His future goals are to finish my Master's and serve students in hopefully a Dean of Students or VPSA type role.

Fall Symposium

Going for a "Joy Ride" with Dr. Ann McGee

Dr. Ann McGee, president of Seminole Community College, began her recent speech with a slightly off-color joke and ended with a series of lessons learned from a dog's perspective, including the idea that one should never pass up the opportunity for a joy ride. In between, she shared the story of her path to leadership in higher education with the students, mentors, and guests who gathered for the 2003 Fall Symposium sponsored by the Hardee Center and FAWE.

Engaging and energetic, Dr. McGee shared her thoughts about being prepared to take on new opportunities as well as some of the personal trade-offs inherent in leading a focused professional life. Her insights about leadership inspired many in the audience to believe more strongly in their own potential. One Hardee scholar expressed it well; as she left, she commented: "I know now that I can do it. I don't know what "it" is yet, but I know that I can do it."

Many thanks to Dr. Ann McGee for giving us an example of how leadership can be a truly joyful ride!

Submitted by Jennifer Buchanan, Program Chair
Associate Dean for Student Affairs for College of Communications

Spring Upcoming Professional Development Events

Movie Night:

"Mona Lisa Smile" with Julia Roberts
January, Date: TBA
Time: TBA

Professional Development Workshop/FAWE Conference

February 2-3, 2004
Ramada Inn on N. Monroe

Speakers: Dr. Patricia Whitely, Vice-President of Student Affairs for University of Miami, Mrs. Sherrill Ragans, Former Associate Vice-President for Student Affairs, Florida State University, Dr. Janet Lenz, Associate Director of Career Center, Florida State University

Institute on College Student Values

February 5-7, 2004
Turnbull Center

Pasta Talk: Student-Faculty Dialogue

March, Date: TBA
5-7 pm at Location TBA
Guest Speaker: TBA

End of the Year Celebration

April, Date: TBA

Fundraising Committee Highlights

Chair, Dr. Jon C. Dalton, Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

The fundraising committee has been working closely with our new Director of Development for the College of Education Mr. Andrew Watkins who has worked closely with the Center in assisting with Fundraising phone solicitations and letters. The Center has been proud of the past support it has received from its alum and friends, especially after the 25th Anniversary Celebration. The Center was able to fundraise as much as $39,000. In addition, the Center secured a $35,000 grant, which will provide the Center with $5000 for the next five years in order to maintain an annual lecture series where the Center could invite major speakers. Lastly, a $500 gift was given for a second year in a row to support the Sherrill Ragans Leadership Award to be given to scholars to recognize their leadership skills. With many of these benchmarks, the Center is proud of its fundraising efforts, but still looks to seek funding to support its operations and programs.

Research Committee

Chair, Dr. Chanta Haywood Dean of the College of Arts and Science at Florida A&M

The Research committee has been brainstorming to think of research topics that interest many of the scholars on the committee. One possible research project is to evaluate the impact of FCAT on students and how it may affect college attendance. The purpose of the study was to link K-20 policy issues with higher education policy issues. In addition, the committee is working to encourage its scholars to participate in the FAWE annual conference. Scholars are asked to present at the conference and doctoral students are encouraged to set up poster presentations of their current research to review.

Alumni Spotlights

Juan Guardia

After completing a master's degree in higher education at Florida State University in 2001, Juan Guardia worked as the Assistant Director for Hispanic Student Affairs at George Mason University. In 2002, he was recognized at the American College Personnel Association's (ACPA) national convention in Minneapolis for Outstanding Contribution to the Standing Committee for Multicultural Affairs. He also received the George Mason Student Organization Advisor of the Year Award in 2003. In August 2003, Juan and wife Leah Ewing Ross, also a Hardee Center alumnus began the doctoral program in educational leadership & policy studies - higher education at Iowa State University. Juan is a research assistant to Dr. Nancy Evans and serves as co-chair of the ACPA Latino/a Network.

Nancy Whittenberg

She received both her undergraduate and masters degree from FSU. After graduating from Dr. Hardee's care at FSU, Nancy has done a number of different things in State government. She worked on the staff of Governor Askew first as the Director of the Commission on the Status of Women and later as Legislative Lobbyist. Governor Askew appointed her Secretary of the Department of Professional Regulation and then was reappointed by Governor Graham. After serving as Secretary of that agency for four years she then went to Governor's Graham's office to be his Executive Staff Director.

Nancy stayed with Governor Graham for another four years and then went to the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services (HRS). At HRS, she was the State's Refugee Coordinator for seven years and spent two years as the Legislative Director. Then she went to the Department of Corrections for almost five years where she was the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration for several years and then the Assistant Secretary for Administration.

Currently, she serves for the Department of Revenue. She has served for the past five years as the management sponsor for the reengineering and Recruitment and Selection process, as well as Employee Evaluation and Development process and our Agency Recognition process.

She has two grown sons who are both graduates of Florida High and FSU.
Owen, 28, is a graphic artist with Tri Eagle Sales in Tallahassee and
Byron, 22, is a graduate student in accounting at Notre Dame.

Hardee Trivia

Which major research institution bestowed a doctorate degree to Dr. Hardee?

For Our Alumni and Friends

Your Support

We have numerous ways for you to support the efforts of the Hardee Center in preparing professionals for careers in Higher Education. The Center is in need of operational funds and other funds to increase the endowment. Contributions can be sent directly to the Hardee Center or processed online by pointing your browser to the FSU Foundation website http://www.foundation.fsu.edu/giving.cfm. Please specify the Hardee Center for Women in Higher Education. We appreciate your support and look forward to advancing the professional development and research of women administrators in Higher Education.