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Tony DiBenedetto recently gifted the college $1 million to create the Think Big Endowment Fund, which supports first-generation students, including those who, like him, entered college with little money and direction. DiBenedetto rose from the depths of a turbulent childhood, including homelessness before he reached his teens, to become the first person in his family to graduate from high school and earn a college degree: a bachelor’s in management information systems from the College of Business in 1987. Now a Tampa-based technology executive, entrepreneur, philanthropist and college Alumni Hall of Fame member, he continues to make FSU a beneficiary of his giving and his emphasis on students who need a lift. |
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The College of Business this fall will welcome three new inductees into its Alumni Hall of Fame: James “Chef” Barlow (BS Marketing ’95), Kevin S. Little (BS Accounting ’92) and Bethany Schenk (BS RMI ’92). Barlow, a former Air Force fighter pilot and officer, is founder and CEO of Blue Air Training Corp., an industry-leading close air support, or CAS, training provider; Little is co-founder and CEO of Health Advocates Network Inc., an industry-leading provider of healthcare workforce solutions; and Schenk is CEO of Art Originals, a full-service art design, production and installation company in Orlando. They’ll be inducted during the Alumni Hall of Fame Gala on Oct. 3. |
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Patrick Maroney and Donald Nast joined 18 previous inductees in the college’s Charles A. Rovetta Faculty Hall of Fame during a March ceremony that also recognized 19 current faculty and staff members for their work to help the college fulfill its mission of producing the next generation of business leaders. Maroney joined the faculty as an assistant professor of business law in 1981, eventually serving as a department chair and associate dean of graduate programs for a number of years before retiring in 2013 as the Kathryn Magee Kip Professor in Risk Management and Insurance. Nast joined the Department of Finance faculty as an assistant professor in 1973 and retired as SunTrust Associate Professor in 2005 – serving his last 26 years as chair of the Finance Department. |
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A large group of faculty and staff members in April toured the Legacy Hall construction site as part of an informal “topping out” observance of the last beam – yes, already! – placed across the top of the world-class facility. At the invitation of builder Culpepper Construction, employees visited all five floors, including the locations of their future offices. They gazed at the Tallahassee landscape and horizon and found themselves counting down the days to when they could move in. The building remains scheduled to open in fall 2025. Dean Michael Hartline expressed elation about “this beautiful building that Culpepper and the university have built for us.” He added: “I want to thank our donors and our faculty and staff for all their time and dedication to this project.” Photos and a video from the visit illustrate the reasons for the excitement. And the college is relieved to say that the devastating severe weather from last week caused relatively little damage to its future home. |
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Alumni Hall of Fame members James Seneff and Christopher Iansiti gave inspiring commencement addresses this month during the spring ceremonies at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center. Seneff, executive chairman of CNL Financial Group and benefactor of the James M. Seneff Honors Program, shared with College of Business graduates his experience with adversity and encouraged students to pursue “a lifelong plan, lifelong learning and lifelong relationships.” Iansiti, chair of the FSU Foundation Board of Trustees and benefactor of the Christopher E. Iansiti Director of the Center for Professional Success, shared with graduates of seven other colleges insights on how to start a new beginning and navigate the next transition in life. |
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First, the mustache. You can’t write about brand-new alumnus Ibrahim Gillani without writing about his mustache, which turns heads, amazes professors and inspires comparisons to William Howard Taft, Rollie Fingers and the guy on the Pringles can. “It’s been useful in the job-searching process,” says Gillani, who graduated this month with a Master of Science in Finance degree from the college. “When you do an interview or you’re at a networking event, they remember you.” Now, for his family: Gillani attended FSU with his mother, Ph.D. student Amber Noor Mustafa, and his younger brother, undergraduate student Shahmeer Mustafa Gillani. |
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RMI faculty members Chuck Nyce and Patricia Born participated last month in a college-based panel discussion with Florida Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky on the state’s property-insurance crisis. Nyce, the Dr. William T. Hold Associate Professor of Risk Management and Insurance and chair of the Department of Risk Management/Insurance, Real Estate and Legal Studies, emphasized insurance companies’ need for a return on investment to participate in Florida’s market, while Born, the Payne H. and Charlotte Hodges Midyette Eminent Scholar in Risk Management and Insurance, called for industry innovation and agility as storms increase in size and frequency. Gabriel Carrillo, executive director of FSU’s Center for Risk Management Education and Research, moderated.
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Colleen Harmeling, the Dr. Persis E. Rockwood Associate Professor of Marketing, says consumers who rely on blog posts, online reviews and other user-generated content to inform their purchase decisions require digital platforms that minimize suspicion of missing or misrepresented content. She points to photo filters and other distortions of user-generated content as impediments to consumer trust. Harmeling’s study with Rachel Hochstein, an assistant professor in Missouri, and Taylor Perko, who served as an FSU research assistant while earning her MBA from the college, appears in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. Harmeling credits the study largely to Hochstein, who studied under Harmeling as a marketing Ph.D. student at FSU. |
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ESPN football analyst Anthony "Booger" McFarland encouraged an auditorium full of business students, faculty and staff members to maintain a strong work ethic, to pursue careers that spark passion and especially to embrace their originality. “I’m a country boy from Winnsboro, Louisiana, and I‘m very comfortable in that,” he said. “As you venture into whatever career you’re in, make sure you’re comfortable in that and know who you are.” McFarland, a two-time Super Bowl champion who played nine NFL seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts, spoke as featured guest during the spring 2024 Charles A. Bruning Distinguished Speaker Series, a signature event of the college. |
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College mourns loss of C.F. Sirmans, Gary Zenz
The college expresses heartfelt sorrow from the loss in recent weeks of two distinguished former faculty members: C.F. Sirmans, an icon and a giant in the field of real estate, and Gary Zenz, an internationally recognized leader in the field of procurement and materials management. Sirmans passed away on March 25 and Zenz on April 20. Sirmans made contributions to research, the classroom, the academy and the industry that loom large, and Zenz lectured at leading universities throughout the U.S. and Canada and was a frequent speaker domestically and internationally. |
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Big sponsorship opportunities on the horizon
The college offers sponsorships of various events that help companies increase their visibility on campus and connect with a wellspring of outstanding future employees. Consider the Business Career Expo on Sept. 17 or the Alumni Hall of Fame Gala on Oct. 3. The Business Career Expo features more than 1,000 students who seek full-time, part-time or internship positions, while the Alumni Hall of Fame Gala hosts 250 top industry and university leaders each year. The college also hosts Employer of the Day events, plus tabling and customized sponsorships that enhance brand awareness and reputation among students, faculty members and alumni and contribute to the success and excellence of the college’s nationally ranked programs. Contact Sarah M. Collins, director of strategic engagement, for more information at scollins@business.fsu.edu. |
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Elevate your career with a graduate degree
Find the business master’s degree that is right for you. Whether you prefer an immersive, on-campus environment or a flexible online format, the college offers choices that will cater to your professional needs and preferred schedule:
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Accelerate your studies: Dive deep into full-time master’s programs in Accounting (MAcc), Business Administration (MBA), Business Analytics (MS-BA) or Finance (MSF)
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Access from anywhere: Pursue an online master’s degree at your own pace in Business Administration (MBA), Management Information Systems (BS-MIS) or Risk Management and Insurance (MS-RMI)
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Choose an evening MBA: Select full-time or part-time studies tailored for working professionals in the Tallahassee area
Apply by June 1 for fall entry into the college’s online and evening degree programs. All master’s programs are now GMAT optional too. Visit graduatebusiness.fsu.edu to learn more about all graduate business options and request more information. |
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