It's that time of year again!  NSU commencement ceremonies are just around the corner.  The celebrations will begin on May 7 with the Shepard Broad Law Center followed by a graduation for all undergraduate degree recipients. The Health Professions Division will be recognizing their graduates at a ceremony that will be taking place on May 28.  The remaining colleges, schools and centers will hold additional graduation ceremonies in the months of June and August.  These graduates will join more than 86,000 NSU alumni who reside in all 50 states and more than 55 foreign countries. 

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all of our graduates. You are successful educators, administrators, corporate executives, and entrepreneurs who continue to make a difference in your fields and communities as lawyers, judges, medical doctors, nurses, psychologists, computer specialists, and researchers.  Congratulations on all of your personal and professional accomplishments and thank you for being such wonderful ambassadors for NSU!

As always I look forward to seeing you at future alumni events!

Kim Stone
Director of Alumni Relations

Eastern New York Alumni Chapter Luncheon – Saturday, May 6, 2006
Attention all NSU Alumni in the Eastern New York Area! We are having our third event on May 6 at the Wyndham Garden Hotel – LaGuardia Airport. Please plan to attend to meet old classmates and make new NSU alumni friends. Special guest Dr. Anthony DeNapoli, Executive Dean Fischler School of Education, will join us to speak about NSU – past, present and future. We will also introduce the new chapter officers and discuss future plans for the chapter. The luncheon is from 12:00-3:00 p.m. and the cost is $15 per person. Alumni and friends from all degrees and programs are welcome. Call (954) 262-2132 for more information and to reserve your spot. Please RSVP by April 28.  See you there!

“Fore the Kids: Saving Lives” Charity Golf Classic- Monday, May 15, 2006
NSU hosts the “Fore the Kids: Saving Lives” Golf Classic at the Fort Lauderdale Country Club in Plantation on May 15. This event, spearheaded by NSU’s Dr. Deborah Mulligan, will not only raise funds for children’s healthcare, but will also raise awareness. ICHP at NSU works with community and national leaders from diverse organizations to improve areas of children’s healthcare that formerly did not receive great attention.
Tickets for this event cost $175 per person or $700 per four-some. All golfers will receive: Green fees and cart, golfer’s gift bag, golf shirt, beverages on the course and a day of event contests.

College of Optometry Annual Alumni Reunion Weekend- May 19-21, 2006
The College of Optometry would like to announce their Annual Alumni Reunion Weekend May 19-21, 2006.  This is the third year that they will be hosting their alumni for a weekend of continuing education and fun.  This conference is an opportunity for them to honor their graduates for their 10 year reunion.  The continuing education topics covered will include practice management, Florida licensure requirements and women’s issues.  The women’s issues addressed will range from domestic violence, pregnancy, chronic disease, and ocular surface disease. 

Tampa Graduation Celebration and Alumni Reception- Friday, June 2, 2006
Please join fellow Tampa alumni and recent graduates for a graduation celebration and alumni reception at the Tampa Palms Country Club from 7:00-10:00 p.m.  This will be an opportunity to welcome our recent graduates into the Alumni Association and reconnect with fellow grads.  The cost of the event is $10.00, which includes dinner.  To RSVP contact Angie Nelson at (954) 262-2132.

Los Angeles Alumni Chapter First Dinner Party Event– Friday, June 30, 2006
The newly reorganized NSU Los Angeles Alumni Chapter invites you to its first dinner party event! Come and get acquainted with fellow NSU alumni and enjoy our keynote speaker Dr. Dyhan Lal, Superintendent, Lynwood Unified School District, along with his wife, Dr. Shirley Lal. The event will be held on Friday, June 30 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Taix French Restaurant. The restaurant is located at 1911 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, 90026. The cost of the event is $30 per person which includes salad, entrée, dessert and coffee/tea.  Please RSVP by June 23 to Dr. Marvin Brown, by calling (310) 558-7013.  Send check, payable to NSU, to 4163 Vinton Avenue, Culver City, CA 90232. See you there!
Please indicate your choice of entrée:
Sole Meuniere (Fillet of Sole lightly sautéed, served with beurre blanc) or
Chicken Marsala (breast served w/marsala wine, mushroom and shallots)

Fischler School Alumna Honored for Teaching Excellence
Sherri Knight Taylor, Ed.D., a graduate of the Fischler School of Education and Human Services, was recently awarded the John H. Woodall, Jr. Award for excellence in teaching at Andrew College in Cuthbert, GA. John Woodall, Jr. was a successful entrepreneur and Atlanta businessman. He was a devout Methodist who served on the Andrew College Board of Trustees. Upon his death, he left an endowment to the college to be used to recognize an outstanding faculty member each year. Taylor's portrait will hang in a place of honor in the college library.

Law Alumnus is Running for Circuit Court Judge
Nova Southeastern University law alumnus, Charlie Kaplan (J.D. 88) is running a vigorous campaign for Circuit Court Judge. Election Day will be Tuesday, September 5, 2006.  Kaplan has an eclectic and diverse legal background which includes extensive public and private practice work. He is a former Broward Assistant State Attorney who prosecuted more then 50 sex offenders. He has been declared an expert witness in criminal law and is a partner in an AV rated criminal law firm.

Did you Know that GHRI Scientists Discovered a New Hammerhead Shark Species?
In a recent paper published in the scientific journal Conservation Genetics, a team led by Dr. Mahmood Shivji, director of the Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI) at NSU's Oceanographic Center, has reported the presence of a new, as yet unnamed species of hammerhead shark that occurs off the southeastern United States. This new species is so similar in appearance to the large scalloped hammerhead that its existence was only detected after examining its DNA.

• Winners of the 2006 Stuey Awards Announced
  
• Huizenga Schools Hosts 17th Annual Entrepreneur Hall of Fame
  
• College of Osteopathic Medicine Receives $700,000 in Federal Funds for New Program
  
• Fischler School of Education and Human Services Appoints Associate Dean of Master’s and Educational Specialist Programs
• NSU Cheerleader Selected Ms. Sarasota
• Author Salman Rushdie to be Keynote Speaker for Undergraduate Commencement

• NSU Women’s Rowing Team Finishes Strong at Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association Spring Championships
• NSU Softball Team Wins Second Consecutive Sunshine State Conference Series