There are a lot of reasons to be thankful this Holiday Season! I am thankful that that Sara DuCuennois has just joined our team as the new Associate Director of Alumni Relations. Her primary responsibility is to oversee the Annual Fund, the operating funds pledged by NSU Alumni, which supports the ongoing work and programs of the university.  She will also assist me in the development and implementation of efforts that enhance the relationship between our alumni and the university.

Sara comes to NSU from the Children’s Home Society of Florida, where she worked in the areas of fundraising, development and community education. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Florida, where she majored in Mass Communications/Public Relations. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Association of Fundraising Professionals-Broward County Chapter and is a provisional member of the Junior League of Greater Fort Lauderdale.

Sara is a wonderful asset to the university and we are so happy to have her assist us in our efforts to ensure that you are thankful that you are a member of the NSU Alumni Association. 

From all of us here in the Office of Alumni Relations we wish you a Happy Holiday. As always, we look forward to seeing you at future alumni events!

Kim Stone
Director of Alumni Relations

Celebration of Excellence- Thursday, January 26, 2005
Nova Southeastern University President Ray Ferrero, Jr.; Board of Trustees; Alumni Association; Gold Circle; and President’s Associates proudly present Nova Southeastern University’s 8th Annual Celebration of Excellence featuring the presentation of the President’s Community Award to Alvin Sherman and Augie Urbanek and the Distinguished Alumni Achievement Awards will be presented to an outstanding alumnus from each school and center for their achievement in their field. The event will be held at the Signature Grand in Davie, FL. The reception begins at 6:00 p.m. Dinner and program will start promptly at 7:00 p.m.

Seating is limited. RSVP no later than January 16th, 2006 by calling (954) 262-2123. The price for all reservations is $75 per person.

Blues and Bubbly at the Bonaventure- November 12th, 2005
More than 100 alumni and friends boogied the night away to the tunes of The Bobby Nathan Band at this year’s premier event – Blues and Bubbly at the Bonaventure. The event held on November 12th was great fun for all who attended. Everyone enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and champagne inside the newly remodeled Zen Bar at the Bonaventure Resort and Spa. Many alumni even walked away with fantastic raffle prizes including 2 tickets on BahamasAir. The band kept everyone out of their seats and on the dance floor the whole night. Stay tuned for more fun South Florida alumni events coming in 2006!

See the Blues and Bubbly photo gallery here.

Greater Chicago Alumni Chapter Holiday Dinner Party- December 2, 2005
The Greater Chicago Alumni Chapter hosted their annual Holiday Dinner Party at the Harambee House on December 2. Nearly 50 Alumni and Guests attended the event and enjoyed reconnecting with fellow NSU Alumni while sharing a little holiday cheer. Dr. Anthony DeNapoli, Executive Dean for External and International Affairs from the Fischler School of Education gave a wonderful presentation on what the future holds for Nova Southeastern University. Mrs. Angie Nelson from the Office of Alumni Relations also spoke on all the new benefits now available to our alumni. The night also honored all recent graduates and many attendees went home with a raffle prize. The night concluded with a dance with music provided by Floyd Manning. For more information about the Greater Chicago Alumni Chapter, please contact Dr. Curtis Smith at Curtis1934@aol.com.

Dr. Benedict Tantillo Named Superintendent of the Year
NSU graduate, Dr. Benedict Tantillo has been named Superintendent of the Year during the New Jersey School Boards Association meeting in Atlantic City last week. Dr. Tantillo was a member of the Bucks County Ed. Leaders Program in Cohort III. He graduated in 1999 and shortly thereafter, became the Superintendent of Pascack Valley Regional School District in Montvale, Bergen County, NJ.

Dr. Tantillo led an initiative that resulted in all 2,000 students and 200 teachers having access to a laptop computer 24/7 as of September 2004. His two high schools were the first in NJ to have wireless access available to all students and staff while on campus.

Dr. Khawla Abu-Baker, DCAR, will Begin a Lecture Series on her New Book
Dr. Khawla Abu-Baker, will begin a lecture series in the United States on her book, Coffins on Our Shoulders: The Experience of the Palestinian Citizens of Israel starting with a lecture at Yale University, then two lectures at Colgate University Hamilton, a lecture in Harvard University and a lecture at Colombia University. She will also be giving several radio interviews during her lecture series.

Gary Ruskowski MBA / MS ’99 Named Senior Vice President of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer
Gary Ruskowski was recently named Senior Vice President of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer for the Kentucky Lottery Corporation. He will be involved in overseeing all aspects of the company’s IT functions, including management of the front end gaming systems, sales tracking, back office systems, and all of the desk top office and mobile technology used by the lottery. He received a Masters degree in Business Administration and a Masters in Management Information Systems from NSU.

Did you know that the University has unveiled a new mascot?
After a year-long search, more than 83 percent of the NSU community voted for “Sharks” over “Stingrays.”

• Master's of Science in Nursing Launched at NSU
• Champions for Children Honored at Snowflake Ball Luncheon
• Institute for Learning in Retirement Announces 2006 Field Trip Schedule
• HR Certification Program Offered at Hudson Institute
• CPS Students, Faculty Volunteer to Assist Victims of Hurricane Wilma

• NSU Welcomes Journalist Dan Abrams for Life 101...Personally Speaking