A N O T E F R O M T H E D I R E C T O R

The Student Support Services Pro-

gram (SSS) has experienced anoth-

er outstanding year. We are

pleased to present you with our

2011-2012 newsletter. In this

edition we highlight our student

success at the University of South

Florida and beyond, including our

current program participants and

SSS alumni. Our partnership with

various university, local, state, and

national associations afforded

leadership experiences for our

students. Currently, 93% of our

program participants are in good

academic standing. I hope you

enjoy reading the newsletter. We

are “BULL-ISH” about student suc-

cess!

2 0 1 1 - 2 0 1 2

“ T O G E T H E R W E A C H I E V E T H E E X T R A O R D I N A R Y ! ”

S T U D E N T S U P P O R T S E R V I C E S

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

M E E T T H E S S S S T A F F :

Reba Garth, Director

LaSaundria Glenn-Bass,

Administrative Specialist

Marcus Glover, Counselor

Shawn Moore, Counselor

LaTosha Thomas, Counselor

Kehsi Wilson, Counselor

Kendra Bryant, English Tutor

Eduardo Feliz, Summer Program

Coordinator

Jerilys Fernandez, Student Asst.

Jonathan Geneus, Student Asst.

Myles Johnson, Student Asst. & Peer

Counselor

Francia Luke, Peer Counselor

Kymoye Samuel, Peer Counselor

Jarah Tobler, Peer Counselor Reba Garth, Director

S S S S T U D E N T

S P O T L I G H T 2

C A M P U S Q U O T E S 3

S S S H I G H

A C H I E V E R S 3

S P E C I A L U P D A T E 5

A W A R D S C E R E M O N Y 7

A L U M N I U P D A T E 9

S S S G R A D U A T E S 8

S S S C O N T A C T

I N F O R M A T I O N 9

S U C C E S S S T O R Y 8

S E M I N A R S F O R

S U C C E S S 7

M I C R O S O F T

C O M P E T I T I O N 6

S S S S C H O L A R S H I P

W I N N E R S 4

SSS is a federally funded program that

provides effective academic and per-

sonal support for a diverse population.

The program is intended for first-time-in

-college students who have been identi-

fied either as first-generation college

students, as having low-income family

status, or both. SSS is designed to

significantly increase the retention and

graduation rates of its participants. The

program is committed to providing

proactive, comprehensive, and innova-

tive services to enhance our students’

success at USF. SSS provides a pletho-

ra of services, including: academic

advising and monitoring, personalized

individual and group counseling, com-

puterized tutorial assistance program,

computer lab, course registration, resi-

dential summer program, tutoring

services, financial aid assistance,

SSS scholarship, social and cultural

enrichment programs, and seminars

that broaden career perspectives,

improve academic skills, and pro-

mote self-confidence.

While SSS has many outstanding

students, Eduardo Feliz was chosen

for this spotlight feature because of

the consistent excellence he has

demonstrated while at USF. Born in

the Dominican Republic, Eduardo —

or “Ed” as his friends call him —

moved to Miami at the age of 4. Ed

notes his biggest obstacle while

growing up was dealing with his

little sister constantly being in and

out of the hospital, due to complica-

tions from sickle cell anemia. This

experience led him to seek a career

in the health field so he could help

other families dealing with health

crises.

When admitted into USF through

SSS, Ed was grateful for the oppor-

tunity to begin his college career

with so much support. At the SSS

summer orientation, Ed still remem-

bers the best advice he received

from SSS: “To this day, I can recall

Mrs. Garth saying, ‘When the eleva-

tor to success fails, take the stairs.’

That advice always reminds me to

never give up and keep working

harder and harder every day.” Fast

forward a few years and Ed is now a

senior at USF majoring in Public

Health, with a minor in Leadership

Studies.

In addition to his minor, Ed’s leader-

ship skills have been further culti-

vated through his participation in a

variety of campus and community

organizations. On campus, Ed

served as Secretary (2008-09) and

President (2009-10) of Phi Beta

Sigma Fraternity, Inc. In 2008, he

also earned the National Pan-

Hellenic Council’s (NPHC) New

Member Highest GPA award, which

is evidence of Ed’s commitment to

excellence in his academic pursuits.

Notably, beginning in 2010 Ed was

also selected to serve on the Circle

of Student Advisors panel for the

USF Vice President of Student Af-

fairs, Dr. Jennifer Meningall. The

purpose of this group is to share

the student perspective of campus

life with Dr. Meningall so that stu-

dent voices are included in the

administration’s decision-making

process. Ed feels honored to have

been selected for this important

role, and he takes seriously his

responsibility to ensure student

voices are heard by USF adminis-

trators.

In addition to these on-campus

activities, Ed also makes positive

contributions to the local commu-

nity. From 2008-10, Ed volun-

teered as the Assistant Head

Coach of the Sulphur Springs Cow-

boys Football Team. Time con-

straints caused Ed to give up this

volunteer position, but he enjoyed

mentoring the young boys and

using football as a way to teach

them important life lessons about

hard work, commitment, and per-

severance. In 2010, Ed also volun-

teered with a Headstart Program

called, “A Brighter Community”

which again allowed him to offer

mentoring to young people who

look up to him as a successful

college student.

Ed was also selected by SSS as

one of four students to represent

USF in the Florida College Access

Network (FCAN) Florida Student

Educational Policy (FSEP) Confer-

ence. The delegation from USF

focused on reforms to the financial

aid system for their presentation.

After presenting their recommen-

dations, the USF delegation was

then selected to present their ide-

as in front of Florida lawmakers

and education leaders in Tallahas-

see (see page 5 for more details

on the FCAN FSEP conference). Ed

cites this conference as one of the

most unique and rewarding experi-

ences during his time at USF.

(Continued on page 3)

S S S S T U D E N T S P O T L I G H T : E D U A R D O F E L I Z

Page 2 S T U D E N T S U P P O R T S E R V I C E S

SSS senior student Eduardo Feliz is being spotlighted

for his outstanding achievement as a USF student. Ed

has overcome many life obstacles to achieve college

success, and we salute him for representing the SSS

mission so well!

C A M P U S Q U O T E S : H O W H A S S S S H E L P E D Y O U T R A N S I T I O N I N T O U S F ? W H A T I S T H E M O S T

I M P O R T A N T / U S E F U L P I E C E O F A D V I C E Y O U H A V E G O T T E N F R O M S S S ?

advisors, computer labs, and

great people.”

Knakeera Bason, Sophomore,

Finance: “SSS has given me a

great sense of guidance

throughout my initial years of

attending USF. They inspired me

to keep progress in my grades

and kept me on track with my

strengths and academic neces-

sities. SSS is a program where

students can find the power to

succeed in his or her academic

goals.”

Peyton McCoy, Sophomore, Pre-

Athletic Training: “SSS has

helped push me to better my-

self. I would not be this confi-

dent about applying to such a

hard major without the support

from SSS.”

Wendy Malagon, Freshman,

Pre-Nursing: “SSS has been so

inspiring and motivational.

After every seminar I was re-

minded of all the hard work

that our counselors put forth in

order for us to succeed and it

reminds me how lucky I am to

be in such a great program.”

Matthew Ogla, Freshman,

Biomedical Sciences: “SSS

has deeply affected my life.

This program has altered me

from a young irresponsible

high schooler to a young re-

sponsible, active man. My

counselor has been a bless-

ing in my life. And I thank God

that He placed me with this

group of people. I hope my

younger brother will be placed

into this program, too.”

Jennifer Fielder, Freshman,

Psychology: “SSS has been

the greatest experience for

me while attending USF. Be-

tween the seminars, help with

writing, and providing us re-

sources to make sure we

succeed, I believe that I got

the most out of these two

semesters so far. Thank you

for your hard work!”

Anthony Morales, Freshman,

Pre-Engineering: “SSS has

everything that an incoming

freshman needs. They have

Page 3 S T U D E N T S U P P O R T S E R V I C E S

Bernite Lorimaire, Fresh-

man, Biology: “SSS has

helped me to stay focused

and also motivated me to

become a more well-

rounded person.”

Traicia Constant, Freshman,

Accounting: “The SSS pro-

gram has helped me by

providing me with a group of

supportive adults that I can

turn to, whether it is to talk

about my academics, my

personal life, or just to

brighten my day. They also

provide us with a computer

lab that we can use to com-

plete our class work.”

Katie Garcia, Sophomore,

International Studies: “SSS

has helped me make a

smooth transition into col-

lege, and has provided me

valuable advice and infor-

mation. They have helped

me begin on my road to suc-

cess. Thank you!”

SSS students at seminar...getting tips for success at USF!

...continued from page 2 During the Fall 2011 semester, Ed was honored to receive the USF Successful Latina/o Student Award. He

enjoyed attending the award ceremony where he was able to connect and network with other successful students. As Ed looks for-

ward to graduating this semester from USF, he reflects back on his time here: “SSS has made my college experience much less

stressful. Not only has the program given me money, but they have also provided me with positive role models that have shown me

the right way to do things. My definition of success is fulfilling the goals you’ve set while con-

stantly striving to become a better person. Success is a combination of short and long term

goals and always evolving as one goes through life. Therefore, SSS has certainly helped me

find success.”

SSS strongly encourages its students to give back to the program, the USF campus, and the

local community. Toward that end, Ed offers the following piece of advice to other USF stu-

dents: “Do not take your college years for granted; they will be over in the blink of an eye. Use

them as tools for growth; strive to get better everyday! Even if it is something as simple as

organizing belongings or doing tasks in a timely fashion, strive to get better! One of the things

that keeps me going everyday is my insatiable drive to become better as a person. Be it in the

classroom, office, or personal relationships, I want to get better everyday. If you’re not growing as a person, then what are you really

doing?” Good advice from a successful student. SSS salutes outstanding senior Eduardo Feliz for his academic and personal

achievements!

Alysha Alston

Fransheska Andaluz

Marjorie Arias

Esther Auzirus

Knakeera Bason

Stephanie Bayly

Maritza Bernard

Windell Blair II

Stephane Blanc

Nadia Boyd

Crystal Broedel

Kelley Caldwell

Shilah Carroll

Luziana Celne

Cameron Chambers

Christopher Chin

Taylor Collier

Clinton Coutain

Devane Daley

Sagar Dhila

Tyler Dingman

Keishla Dones

Zachary Dugowson

Ego Ekenta

Melissa Espinal

Kimiya Fakhar

Steven Fan

Lovia Feliscar

Jerilys Fernandez

Satchel Fils Aime

Sabrina Frederique

Taylor Frye

Kaitlyn Garcia

Valene Gifford

Kevin Gillespie

Yuri Godinez

Mayra Gomez

Amanda Gonzalez

Onterio Graham

Alessandra Haynes

Warren Henry

Shaneese Hernan-

dez

Quantina Hogan

Kanika Jack

Vonika Jack

Radim Jacob

Herby Jean

Maritza Bernard

Stephane Blanc

Traicia Constant

Lovia Feliscar

Jennifer Fiedler

Amanda Hall

Dana Jackson

Zoe Jenkins

S S S S T U D E N T S A R E H A R D W O R K E R S . . . W H O F I N D S U C C E S S !

C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S T O T H E S S S S C H O L A R S H I P W I N N E R S !

“SSS has

taught me

how to be a

young

professional

and has

provided me

with the

resources for

a great

foundation at

USF.”

~Eric Pillock,

Freshman,

Pre-

Engineering

Page 4 “ T O G E T H E R W E A C H I E V E T H E E X T R A O R D I N A R Y ! ”

Titie Jean Philippe

Zoe Jenkins

Ahsley Jones

Rosa Leath

Boyoung Lee

Bernite Lorimaire

Diana Louis

Francia Luke

Anthony Macedo

Wendy Malagon

Peyton McCoy

Alicia McLean

Jeremy McLymont

Elizabeth Miller

Fernanda Montes

Matthew Montevecchi

Anthony Morales

Dylan Myers

Kelvin Nguyen

Matthew Ogla

Sarah Parsi

Banel Paulinis

Olivia Pierre

Eric Pillock

Joanne Joseph

Shernide Joseph

Caitlyn Kelleher

Rosa Leath

Congratulations to the following freshmen and sophomore SSS students with a USF GPA of 3.0 or above

Florida College Access Network (FCAN) partnership provides opportunity for students to engage in local community activities.

Shown (from left): U.S. Vice President Joe Biden with Jacob Jackson; U.S. Senator Bill Nelson with Antonio Morales and Mu-

hammad Shakir; Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn with Micheal Roxton.

Destinee Pinkney

Javon Pringley

Leon Riley

Tiffany Rivers

Chantell Robinson

Micheal Roxton

Ruth Sanon

Muhammad Shakir

Tiffany Shouder

Elizabeth Sigler

Cherlie Sterling

Nicole Sutherland

Tanisha Thermidor

Melissa Torres

Chrisitian Torres

Melissa Tremblay

Fiyori Tsegaye

Elianna Valcimond

Yamily Vargas

Shao-Hua Wang

Alexandria Westcarr

Melissa Tremblay

Yamily Vargas

Jesse Wallace

James Warmington

Ethan Wilson

SSS partnered with Florida

College Access Network

(FCAN) and it’s Executive

Director, Mr. Braulio Colon.

As a result, a group of SSS

students were selected to

represent USF in the Flori-

da Student Education Poli-

cy (FSEP) conference. The

FSEP conference was facil-

itated by FCAN and held in

Orlando in February

2011. The FSEP confer-

ence involved sixty-five

students representing

nine universities and two

state colleges. The stu-

dents studied and debat-

ed education reforms in

the state of Florida. A

group of four SSS stu-

dents were chosen for the

conference: Eduardo

Feliz, Jacob Jackson,

S P E C I A L U P D A T E : S S S S T U D E N T S P R O P O S E D F I N A N C I A L A I D R E F O R M S I N T A L L A H A S S E E

Page 5 “ T O G E T H E R W E A C H I E V E T H E E X T R A O R D I N A R Y ! ”

Antonio Morales, and

Muhammad Shakir. The

delegation from USF fo-

cused on reforms to the

financial aid system.

Utilizing support from the

FCAN office and the SSS

staff, the students pre-

pared a presentation with

specific policy recommen-

dations for improving

financial aid for college —

especially for middle-income

and low-income students.

After presenting their recom-

mendations, State Senator

Gary Siplin was so im-

pressed by their research

and proposals he invited

them to speak in the Higher

Education Appropriations

Subcommittee in Tallahas-

see during the March 2011

Legislative Session. While in

Tallahassee, the USF delega-

tion also got the chance to

meet State Senator Arthenia

Joyner, Representative Clay

Ingram, Representative Ja-

net Adkins (not pictured),

Representative Charles

Chestnut IV (not pictured),

and Representative Keith

Perry (not pictured). Congrat-

ulations on your successful

presentation!

Aneika Stephenson is a senior USF stu-

dent who participated in SSS during her

freshman and sophomore years. Accord-

ing to Aneika, “SSS has been very im-

portant on a personal and academic

level. During my first summer I remem-

ber being told the friends you make in

SSS are the ones you'll most likely stick

with throughout your time at USF. That

has been the case for me, the people I

met during the summer of 2008 are the

friends I still have today. My Counselor

Ms. Thomas has been particularly key.

She's always been there with advice or

guidance as needed. I can't tell you how

valuable her opinions have been when I

have a million things bouncing around

in my head. I hope all SSS students take

advantage of the Counselors, outside of

mandatory appointments, because

they're excellent resources and genuine-

ly want to see us progress and do well

at USF and beyond.”

Until last semester, Aneika, an Electrical

Engineering major, had never coded an

app for a smartphone. However, Mr.

Reggie Lucien, from the Honors College,

shared information about the Microsoft

Competition with SSS. And when

Aneika’s SSS Counselor told her about

the competition that included a series of

free classes being held on campus to

teach application development, she

decided to check it out.

“I went and was a bit skeptical at first

because I'd never done any kind of cod-

ing before but I realized you didn't have

to have any kind of coding experience,”

Stephenson said. “They teach you.”

The students had a variety of coding

experience. Some, like Stephenson, had

never coded an app and others had

coded apps for Android and iPhones.

Once she learned basic coding, she

conceptualized an app called “Nifty

Shopper” to help shoppers organize a

grocery list and find coupons. In the future,

she hopes to further develop it to integrate

coupons into the shopping list and expand

options for vegans and vegetarians.

“I hope to make shopping and saving money

easier for people,” Stephenson said.

“Especially for mothers, students, and people

who don't have the time to spend hours clip-

ping coupons. In college, it's really important

for college students to save money.”

Stephenson ended up being one of four stu-

dents to win a campus contest for Windows

smartphone app development. In February,

she and the others met with Microsoft repre-

sentatives at the Loews Don Cesar Hotel on

St. Pete Beach to show off the apps they de-

veloped from scratch.

At this meeting, Aneika also had the wonder-

ful pleasure of meeting with Mr. Robert

Youngjohns, president of Microsoft for North

America. From all reports, Mr. Youngjohns

seemed very interested in Aneika’s app and

how it could be evolved to support real time

coupon scenarios.

After this positive experience, Aneika now

looks forward to participating in other app

development competitions, such as the Imag-

ine Cup, a world-wide student technology con-

test for Windows software and game design.

Aneika is grateful to SSS for informing

her about the Microsoft competition

and for offering her support while she

worked on developing the app. SSS is

also encouraging other students to

participate in these competitions as

well, since no prior experience is

needed and the competitions are

open to all majors. And Aneika offers

advice for students who are consider-

ing entering these types of competi-

tions: “Never shoot down an idea be-

cause it seems crazy or complex.

Many feasible concepts arise from

ideas that appear to be far-fetched in

the beginning. At the same time, don't

over think it. Think of a problem you

have in your everyday life and look for

ways to solve it. If its something you

find problematic on a consistent ba-

sis, chances are others are having the

same issue.”

When asked about her thoughts on

success, Aneika responded, “Success

is defined by so many different things

that I can't pinpoint an exact definition

for it. I do know there are certain goals

I hope to achieve. I would love to at-

tain stability and balance in all as-

pects of life, though it seems impossi-

ble at times. Ultimately, whatever level

of ‘success’ I'm able to reach, I want

to make sure I always remain humble

and grateful and never take anything

for granted.

Congratulations to Aneika Stephenson

for representing SSS and USF so well

in the Microsoft competition. You are

a shining example of the positive con-

tributions that SSS students make to

our community!

* Portions of article copied from USF

News at http://news.usf.edu/article/

t e m p l a t e s / d e f a u l t . a s p x ?

a=4151&template=print-article.htm.

S S S S T U D E N T W I N S P R I Z E I N M I C R O S O F T C O M P E T I T I O N

Page 6 S T U D E N T S U P P O R T S E R V I C E S

Aneika Stephenson shows Mr. Youngjohns of

Microsoft how to create shopping lists and find

coupons using her app called Nifty Shopper.

* Photo & portion of article by Daylina Miller.

In November 2011, SSS held a special awards ceremony to honor students with outstanding academic achievement. Fresh-

man and sophomore students with the highest GPAs were given awards to highlight their achievements. Students with the

highest GPAs were given Xbox 360 video game systems as a way to reward their hard work in college. Students with the next

highest GPAs received SSS scholarships to help reduce their loan debt from financial aid. And then the remaining students

with high GPAs were given beautiful Certificates of Achievement to proudly display and share with their families. Two special

awards were also given at the awards ceremony: Most Improved and Perseverance. For Most Improved, the SSS Counselors

chose a student who had shown tremendous improvement in her academics and had increased her motivation level for suc-

cess. For the Perseverance Award, the SSS Counselors chose a student who has overcome significant personal hardships in

order to achieve success in college. The recipients of these two special awards were given unique glass trophies that they can

display as a reminder of the adversity they have successfully overcome. Congratulations to the outstanding students of SSS at

USF...we are proud of your ability to stay focused and motivated, even in the face of challenging life circumstances!

S S S S P E C I A L A W A R D S C E R E M O N Y

SSS seminars are designed to give students important information and announcements to

help them be successful at USF and in life beyond. These seminars cover topics such as:

How to register for classes using OASIS

College major exploration and career decision

Embracing diverse perspectives in a global world

Preparing for graduate or professional school after college

The benefits of living on-campus and joining campus organizations

How to read a DegreeWorks report and calculate a college GPA

Tips for college success, including navigating the library, time management, stress man-agement, study skills, and test-taking skills

Financial aid and scholarship information, including how and when to complete a FAFSA and Bright Futures renewal criteria

During the Spring 2012 semester the seminars will be held in BEH 104 from 4-5pm on

the following dates (all Wednesdays):

Freshmen: January 18 — February 1, 15, 29 — March 28 — April 4

Sophomores: February 22

S E M I N A R S F O R S U C C E S S !

Page 7 “ T O G E T H E R W E A C H I E V E T H E E X T R A O R D I N A R Y ! ”

C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S T O T H E 2 0 1 1 S S S G R A D U A T E S O F U S F !

Roberto Gomez, B.A., Theatre

Karey-Jean Gordon-Somers, B.A., Interdisciplinary

Social Sciences

Courtney Hadley, B.S., Elementary Education

Roxie Hayes, B.A., Communication

Geoffrey Higgins, B.S., Accounting

Erika Hinestroza, B.A., Psychology

Adam Hymowitz, B.A., Economics

Alexandra Imperio, B.A., Communication

Angela Isaacs, B.S., Health Sciences

Jerry Joseph, B.S., Public Health

Rachel Kaylor, B.A., Mass Communications

Ebony Kennerly, B.A., Criminology

Oscar Levy, B.S.M.E., Mechanical Engineering

Destini Lewis, B.A., Criminology

Terrance Manuel, B.A., Criminology

Antonio Martin, B.A., Psychology

Daniel Martinez, B.A., Criminology

Mario Meulener, B.S., Biomedical Sciences

Anaira Munoz, B.A., Gerontology

Lucy Ngo, B.A., Mass Communications

Kieara Nunez, B.A., English

Edgar Ochoa, B.A., Finance

Aisat Olarinde, B.A., Psychology

Chad Ortega-Foster, B.A., Communication

Virginia Pena, B.A., Criminology

Jarvis Pickett, B.A., Criminology

Angel Augustin, B.S., Biomedical Sciences

Michael Berta, B.A., Criminology

Chelsey Bevel, B.A., Mass Communications

Joanna Borris, B.A., Mass Communications

Laphilshad Bowles, B.S., Accounting

Sheera Brandon, B.A., Psychology

Maria Buckle, B.S., Public Health

Ariel Burke, B.A., Mass Communications

Katori Butler, B.A., Psychology

Mikki Byer, B.S., Elementary Education

Chelsea Crawford, B.A., Political Science

Latoya Crittenden, B.A., Interdisciplinary

Social Sciences

Krystal Cunigan, B.A., English

Lorrie Cyril, B.S., Public Health

Marcus De Souza, B.S., Information Studies

Kristi Degraw-Higgins, B.S., General Business

Administration

Naomi Desir, B.S., Information Studies

Javaris Edgecombe, B.S., Public Health

Ammar El-Jabali, B.S., Biomedical Sciences

Jennifer Faluade, B.S., Health Sciences

Randi Figures, B.A., Communication

Nicole Garcia, B.A., Political Science

Zasha Garcia, B.A., Sociology

Faithna Geffrard, B.A., Anthropology

Jocelyn Gilbert, B.A., Psychology

Anita Pittman, B.A., Psychology

Amber Powers, B.A., Communication

Joseph Ramos, B.A., Criminology

Tyronza Rentz, B.A., Sociology

Anthony Rodriguez, B.A., International Studies

Oscar Rojas, B.S., Biomedical Sciences

Elizabeth Saint Marc, B.S., Psychology

Yohena Sandoval, B.A., Sociology

Angela Self, B.F.A., Art

Lee Smith, B.A., Political Science

Brandi Spencer, B.A., Communication

Kimi Stevenson, B.A., Criminology

Wilna Tanis, B.A., International Studies

Joanne Thimot, B.A., Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Lawana Thomas, B.A., Mass Communications

Renell Tonge, B.A., Gerontology

Stephano Vargas, B.S., Biomedical Sciences

Brandy Washington, B.A., Interdisciplinary Social

Sciences

Kelly Waters, B.A., International Studies

Melvena Williams, B.S., Public Health

Dorcas Wilson, B.S., Elementary Education

Darius Wynn, B.S., Chemistry

Cindy Yeh, B.S., Marketing

Michael Young, B.A., Communication

Gabriel Zavala, B.S., Biomedical Sciences

Aiying Zhen, B.S., Accounting

Page 8

A N S S S S U C C E S S S T O R Y : O V E R C O M I N G T H E O D D S

Dear Ms. Garth,

I am currently a senior at the University of South Florida majoring in journalism. When I applied to USF in 2008, I was rejected and referred to Student Support Services. At the time I felt less than worthy of attending a university. After my experiences in SSS, I gained confidence, an understanding of the university and a strong support system. I would like to personally commend Mr. Shawn Moore for his outstanding performance as my counselor for two years. He was con-sistently happy, caring and interested in me as a person and a student. He held me to high standards that I had never been held to before and was concerned when I did not meet them. I attribute my time with the program to my success at the university. I was in the Herd of Thunder marching band for three years, Student Government Senate and BullServe. I am currently in the Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society, Phi Kappa Pi Honor Society, Phi Theta Sigma Honor Socie-ty, College of Arts and Sciences National Honor Society, the National Society of Leadership and Success and next se-mester I will be the president of the Society of Professional Journalists USF Chapter. I believe that my experiences, ex-tended orientation, support and friends from SSS in 2008 was the building block to my successful college career. I just wanted to let you know how important SSS was to me. This summer I will be interning at two locations locally, if there is a need or an opportunity I would love to speak to the next generation of SSS students about how important and use-ful this experience is for them.

Thank you for your time and support, Rachel Kaylor University of South Florida, Mass Communications Journalism (August 2011 Graduate)

S T U D E N T S U P P O R T S E R V I C E S

Dear Mr. Moore, How are you? Its Axel Angeles, I am emailing you to say hello, and give you an update. I apologize for not keeping in touch sooner, its has been a roller coaster ride last year after my Mom passed away. Currently, I am getting a Master's Degree in Security and Diplomacy in Israel. I attend Tel Aviv University. The other pro-gram I applied for was cancelled, but I am very happy to be in the program. It’s only for a year, and it's really interesting to be here in the Middle East. Although I have been here various times, its different when you live here. Thank you for the letters of recommendations, I wouldn't be here without your help. It is getting intense here though, with the Protests in Egypt. Hopefully it doesn't escalate to something really bad. After I graduated from USF, I interned for Senator Bill Nelson in the Ft. Lauderdale office, and I worked full time at a telemarketing job for AT&T. It was a crazy experience, but it gave me a reality check. Then, I traveled to South America for the summer, and it was awesome. I was able to go to the Inca Ruins in Peru (Machu Pichu) and visit Venezuela. Eve-rything is going well so far. As for Law School, I decided it was not the right path for me. Anyway, I hope that you’re doing well and that everything is going great for you. Again, I am sorry for not keeping in touch sooner. Say hello to Mrs. Garth and Mr. Glover for me! I am happy USF is getting better and better as time goes by. Go Bulls! I will keep in touch. I am attaching some photos so you can see where I've been. Best regards, Axel Angeles Class of 2006

S S S A L U M N I U P D A T E

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S S S A L U M N I : M A K I N G A P O S I T I V E D I F F E R E N C E I N T H E W O R L D

Phone: 813-974-4301 Fax: 813-974-8208

Website: http://www.ugs.usf.edu/sss/sss.htm

SSS Award: 5yr. Federal $1,587,468 (74%); State $563,269 (26%).

University of South Florida Division of Undergraduate Studies

4202 E. Fowler Avenue, SVC 2011 Tampa, FL 33620

S T U D E N T S U P P O R T S E R V I C E S

Shereffa Clarke:

Doctor of Chiro-

practic Medicine;

owns practice in

Broward County

Watson Ducatel:

Medical Intern,

Internal Medi-

cine

Percival Gallo-

way: Life Coach,

Certified Juvenile

Sexual Offender

Counselor &

Certified Anger

Management

Specialist

Angela Gibson:

Attorney, Tampa,

FL

Hanif Andrews:

Vice President,

Bank of America,

Tampa

Marquisha Wil-

son: Enrollment

Services Team

Administrator of

the Registrar’s

Office Client

Services Area,

USF

Ovett O. Wilson,

M.Ed.: Asst. Prin-

cipal for Student

Affairs, Chamber-

lain High School

“ T O G E T H E R W E A C H I E V E T H E E X T R A O R D I N A R Y ! ”