Short takes on big subjects
The Gossip Pages
George Christy, a columnist for the Hollywood Reporter, was impressed with FSU's film school after he saw a screening of student films in Sarasota in May. Film school Dean Ray Fielding says Christy's is the column Los Angeles movie makers read with their morning coffee, and the subjects are usually "super stars and corporate movers and shakers."
Here's part of what Christy wrote about FSU students and faculty:
"Three impressive short films from Florida State University students ... "Radioman," "Trinity" and "Bathing Beauty" ... were shot in 12 days as graduate theses, and, judging from the exciting young talent, the university's film and TV conservatory is doing something right... Our hats are off to student directors Sean Gannon, Eric Fleming, Bob Clark and their actors, producers, designers and crews, also to casting professor Janet McLean."
The Kuralt-thing to do
You don't have to live in Tallahassee to keep up with what the faculty are doing . If you're part of an alumni group, they'll come to you.
The Alumni Lecture Series on the Road brings distinguished faculty members to speak to alumni chapters across the nation. Two recent examples: Jack E. Crow, director of the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, spoke to the Volusia County Seminole Club in January, and history professor James P. Jones discussed the final days of World War II, "the last good war," at the Atlanta Seminole Club in February.
If you'd like to hear from a member of FSU's faculty, talk to your Seminole Club president or call Dr. Betty Lou Joanos in Alumni Affairs at 904-644-2761.
The series is sponsored by USAir.
When in Maryland...
Loranne Ausley Ellis, executive director of the White House Conference on Travel and Tourism -- whose real home isn't Washington but Tallahassee -- was trying to make a point.
Go forth, she told her audience at Maryland's state conference, and make recommendations to benefit the entire travel and tourism industry rather than competing against each other.
Keep in mind that FSU-Maryland game last year, she said. The Marching Chiefs couldn't make the trip to College Park. Remember? Three-fourths of the way through the game, with FSU winning, the University of Maryland band graciously marched over to the Seminole fans and played the FSU Fight Song. Now, that's true sportsmanship!
Well, yes. But one fan just couldn't resist.
When Ellis sat down at the dais after presenting a summary of the day's events, she fell victim to a Glendening-rooskie.
"You all may think you are at Maryland's White House Conference on Travel and Tourism," said the emcee who introduced Maryland's governor, "but in reality, this is an FSU alumni meeting." Whereupon, Gov. Parris Glendening approached the podium -- doing "The Chop."
"Little did I know," Ellis said, "that my brief story would create an even larger story in Maryland, a state whose governor is a proud FSU alumnus (B.A. `64, M.A. `65, Ph.D. `67)."
Progress on diversity
Florida State University is one of the nation's 100 best colleges for Hispanics, according to The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education.
In its survey, the publication listed universities according to the number of bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees awarded to Hispanic students in 1991-92.
Florida International University was first in bachelor's degrees granted to Hispanics, with 1,461. Rankings of other Florida colleges: 20th, University of Miami, with 354; 24th, University of Florida, with 303; 32nd, FSU, with 252; 36th, University of South Florida; 49th, Barry University; 71st, Nova University; 74th, St. Thomas University; 81st, Florida Atlantic University.
FSU was not among the 46 universities that awarded 20 or more master's degrees to Hispanic students. The University of Miami was sixth, with 63; FIU and Nova eighth, with 58; UF was 29th; and Florida Institute of Technology was 33rd. No. 1 on that list was Columbia University in New York with 103.
FSU ranked ninth in the nation in the number of doctoral degrees granted to Hispanics -- 16. The University of New Mexico, main campus, was first with 26; the University of Miami eighth, with 18; and the University of Florida, 18th, with 11.
Most of the schools on all three lists were in the Southwestern United States, West Coast, Florida and New York, where the largest concentrations of Latinos are found in the population. But the managing editor of the magazine, Amalia Duarte, said aggressive recruiting has also made a difference in the schools' success at graduating Hispanic students.
Fast-moving banker
Just 12 years ago, Alexander van den Berg was a brand-new graduate of FSU with a bachelor's degree in finance and business administration. A native of Winter Park, he had gone to school on a scholarship from the Florida Bankers Association.
The bankers probably think their investment in van den Berg was a good one. He's already a senior vice president with Barnett Banks Trust.
Van den Berg started with Barnett Bank of Central Florida as soon as he graduated, and proceeded to race through positions as a commercial banker, real estate banker, mortgage banker, retail banker and several kinds of manager. This spring, he joined Barnett Banks Trust Co. as senior vice president and trust financial advisor.