History

Engaged learning is one of Florida Southern’s promises to incoming students each year. The school gives students opportunities such as internships, study abroad trips, performances, collaborative research, and service learning.

The communication department at FSC attempts its own engaged learning through student-led organizations such as AdFed, Interlachen, The Southern, The Southern News Network, and FPRA. Most recently, Dr. Alex Ortiz, Associate Professor of Advertising and Department Chair, took six AdFed students on a three-day trip to New York City to tour advertising agencies.

Ortiz and his students departed from Tampa International Airport on Thursday, March 19th and landed three hours later at LaGuardia Airport in chilly New York. After a quick taxi ride to a La Quinta hotel in Queens, students were given the freedom to explore the city and were provided with a MetroCard for the duration of the trip. Friday afternoon the group had two agency tours at Jay Walter Thompson (JWT) and TBWA.

Ortiz and his students were warmly welcomed by Vanessa, a Human Resources representative, at JWT. JWT has worked internationally with clients such as Canon, Nestle, Macy’s, Salvation Army, Corona, UNICEF, Google and many more.

The second agency was equally as welcoming and gave a presentation of “7 Tips to Success” by the Chief Diversity Officer at TBWA, Doug Melville. Melville entertained students with his rags to riches story of being a college cheerleader, then a driver for the Oscar Meyer Weiner truck, to working with Brittany Spears and Magic Johnson, and eventually starting his own company called Red Carpet Runway.

Melville went on to suggest that students embrace their LinkedIn pages and spoke on TBWA’s applicant selection based on LinkedIn. The group also had the opportunity to meet TBWA’S new CEO Rob Schwartz. TBWA has worked with large companies including Michelin, Apple, and Gatorade, just to name a few.

Both companies emphasized the importance of being a global thinker.

Free time in New York City

Prior to the agency tours, Juniors Samantha Circelli and Daniel Comer ventured onto the subway and attempted to find their way to the American Museum of Natural History. Following this, the pair also visited The New York Public Library and Grand Central Station to view the beautiful architecture and design of the building. They also had the opportunity to visit China Town and Little Italy, as well as walking through Bryant Park.

“Going anywhere new is a little intimidating, but New York City was something else entirely. You have to be very strategic and it really gets you thinking,” Circelli said.

Other students on the trip including McKenzie McMullen, Nicole Jackson, and Claire Frost decided to visit the Museum of Modern Art, where they further developed their existing appreciation of art.

“MoMA left me in awe with every corner I turned. Being face to face with the artwork I have admired in books my whole life felt like falling in love over and over; the admiration I felt left me with a dropped jaw and a sense of gratitude that is hard to come by,” Frost said.

Frost is the President of AdFed and contacted over 30 advertising agencies for tours. Although only two of those agencies were available, it still gave students a realistic view of what the advertising world is truly like.

“This trip has filled me with passion for the future, and with each agency I visited, I only felt more inspired to break my way into the industry by proving that my ambitions and abilities will make my way for me. If I had to describe it, I would say it was a confidence builder, wrapped in a fun adventure with close friends,” said Frost.

On the last day of the trip, all six of the students walked through Central Park together, marveling at the New York skyline and the snow that had fallen the day before. After a three hour delay at LaGuardia Airport, the group made it back to Tampa and eventually back to the familiar grounds of Florida Southern.

“I think the trip gave the students a great chance to meet some of the leading industry professionals in NYC,” Ortiz said.

Ortiz hopes to establish long-term relationships with both agencies so students may obtain internships or even full-time positions in the future.

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Florida Southern College is showcasing the premier of its latest piece of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture on Nov. 1. The college welcomes faculty, students and the general public to celebrate the grand opening of the Sharp Family Tourism and Education Center. The building is located across the library at the Corner of McDonald Street and College Avenue and the ceremony starts at 7.30 P.M.

There will be a soft opening that is taking place on October 31 for sponsors, Board of Trustees members and friends of Florida Southern. President Anne Kerr and Frank Lloyd Wright expert and restoration architect M. Jeffrey Barker will deliver short speeches at the reception. A first viewing will be held for media the Tuesday of that same week.

“As of right now the building is still in process,” Bridget Wagner, Campaign Coordinator of FSC, said. “Doors were just put in today and windows are still waiting to be completed.”

The opening of the building was pushed back before, when some of the funding did not come through last year.

Due to the opening events on Thursday and Friday some streets will be closed from 7 P.M. through 10 P.M. Johnson Ave. will be closed from Charles Str. to McDonald Str. McDonald Str. will be closed from Johnson Ave. to Park Hill Ave. and College Ave. will be shut down from McDonald Str. to Lexington Ave.

The new tourism and education center will feature the Geico Gift Shop, the Ruthven Family Plaza, the Dr. Sarah D. McKay Family Entry Way, the Kathy and Bill Pou Theatre Screening Room and the Dr. Marcene H. Christoverson Gathering Room.

“The new gift shop is where the public will start their visit,” Mark Tlachac, director of the Child of the Child of the Sun Visitor Center said. “From there, visitors will head off through campus on our selection of different tours.”

When Florida Southern College hired Frank Lloyd Wright in 1938, he designed many buildings that were never built. The Sharp Family Tourism and Education Center is one of the original 20 faculty accommodations he designed. The college being his original client built twelve of Wright’s structures in 20 years, but this one is the first in a period of 50 years.

“When FSC commissioned Wright in the late 1930’s they wanted to expand campus and make a statement,” said Tlachac. “ He designed a lot of buildings including a swimming pool and an outdoor amphitheater.”

Wright’s architecture is in Usonian style, a form of architecture that he introduced during the depression to bring affordable housing to the average American.

“Some of his designs are 70 years old and still look contemporary,” said Tlachac.

The new visitor center is being built exactly as Wright designed it in the 1930’s, but using 21^st century materials. Pieces of steal were put in and air condition was added.

“It is also the first of his designs on campus that is not commercial, but designed to be a family residence for faculty,” Tlachac said. “It just is a great example of his work.”

The college is not only offering expanded tours with the opening of this new building, but is also hoping for more visitors and tourists. After all Florida Southern is ranked as the number one most beautiful campus in the nation by the Princeton Review and already features the largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture worldwide.