Today, the 24-year-old is on the cusp of earning two graduate degrees simultaneously, having elevated 鲍颁贵鈥檚 reputation as a community and society changemaker along the way with the AI for Nonprofits course she helped develop. These milestones aren鈥檛 just personal. They鈥檙e also serving her biggest passion: helping others.

That鈥檚 the thing about opportunity. Sometimes all you need is a chance, a dash of inspiration and someone who believes in you.

Charting Her Own Path

Dones, who was born in Cuba, was just 2 years old when her family immigrated to Miami. Growing up, she viewed attending college as a somewhat unattainable goal.

鈥淚 remember discussions with my parents where they would say that college is for the wealthy, or that we’d cross that bridge when we get there,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 didn’t have anyone to rely on for mentorship because my parents didn’t know anyone that had been to college before, and all of our family was in Cuba.鈥�

In high school, she joined the International Baccalaureate program and learned about financial aid opportunities such as Bright Futures scholarships. A teacher encouraged her to seek out more scholarship opportunities from Miami-based nonprofits and foundations. That鈥檚 when she realized college was within her reach.

鈥淚 thought, 鈥業f everyone around me is doing this, what’s stopping me?鈥欌�� she says.

Dones connected with the Key Biscayne Community Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps students achieve their educational goals like the ones of her own. With assistance from the foundation and other nonprofits, Dones ended up receiving $20,000 in scholarships to attend 麻豆原创.

The support not only sparked her academic career; it also inspired a calling to give back to others.

She pulled up others with her along the way as an undergrad, serving as a mentor for local high school students and impressed upon them the importance of internships. She realized how much she loved positively impacting them.

That鈥檚 when her own mentor, Josefina Rosario 鈥� assistant director for access and student support at 鈥� suggested enrolling in the public administration and nonprofit management dual-degree graduate program next. It was a decision that would further fuel her passion for helping others.

Through the program, housed in , Dones has engaged in real-world experiences that simulate what it鈥檚 like to work in the nonprofit and public sectors. Through service-learning, she evaluated and helped develop a strategic fundraising plan for a local nonprofit. She鈥檚 also created budgets for the City of Orlando and analyzed how both the city and Orange County Sheriff鈥檚 Office use social media. She attended her first professional conference.

Perhaps some of the most invaluable experience she has gained involves the industry鈥檚 intersection with artificial intelligence.

Leveraging AI for Community Impact

Through the 麻豆原创 Applied AI Innovation Initiative, Dones has been working with associate lecturer and initiative lead 鈥�11笔丑顿 in using generative AI tools to find innovative solutions for challenges in educational and behavioral interventions. During her time as a student fellow for the initiative, Dones has learned to harness the power of AI to create apps, websites, data dashboards, chat bots, online courses and even a board game that enhances financial management skills 鈥� all without having a technical background.

鈥淚 never thought I would be able to build an app, but now we can with the help of AI,鈥� she says. 鈥淲hen I saw that I can do something like that or create a website with the help of AI, I wanted to continue doing it. Nonprofit organizations tend to get left behind when there’s new technology out there. I imagined how AI can help a nonprofit with time or resource constraints, and that鈥檚 how my passion for learning about it started.鈥�

鈥淚 imagined how AI can help a nonprofit with time or resource constraints, and that鈥檚 how my passion for learning about it started.鈥� 鈥� Ketty Dones 鈥�23

Dones has played a significant role for the Applied AI Innovation Initiative in helping local nonprofits leverage AI to boost creativity and efficiency in advancing their missions. She contributed to creating an AI Impact Hub, an app that serves as a one-stop shop to connect nonprofits with resources and engage with other nonprofit leaders through a discussion forum. She鈥檚 also assisted in hosting workshops that explore how AI can be used as a tool to assist nonprofits with social media, fundraising, compliance and evaluation.

Most notably, Dones helped the team develop an in partnership with that covers topics ranging from grant writing, evaluation, storytelling and prompting with AI to ethical guardrails, accountability and security when using the technology, as well as best practices for integrating AI tools in day-to-day operations. The course is also used in the Innovation and Technical Assistance Program, which provides hands-on assistance to local nonprofits engaging with AI-powered tools to help strengthen their organizational capacity.

In fact, 26 Orange County nonprofits graduated from the program last month with an AI for Nonprofits certificate.

Full Circle and Ever Upward

If it helps bridge the gap between AI and nonprofit organizations, count Dones in.

鈥淚 always like to think of AI as a thought partner and ask how it can help elevate ideas, not create them,鈥� Dones says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I think it’s so important for the public and nonprofit sectors to leverage this technology. Continuing education in the nonprofit and public administration sectors is always important, but especially now with learning how to integrate AI tools.鈥�

Although AI has served as her assistant in creating innovative solutions for others, it鈥檚 the combination of her grit and determination to succeed along with a passion for serving others that assists her in unlocking the potential not just within herself but also in the community.

“Ketty has impressed me since day one,鈥� Concha says. 鈥淏etween her contributions to the AI for Nonprofits course and developing impactful resources using AI and advanced prompting techniques, she is a prime example of a student without a technical background using AI for social good.”

For now, Dones will continue working with Concha and the Applied AI Innovation Initiative to further develop AI tools and solutions, working toward certifications and mentoring nonprofit partners along the way. Although she is considering pursuing a career in AI product management or sales down the road, it鈥檚 using her knowledge to set up nonprofits for success that she finds most rewarding.

After all, her accomplishments thus far and her bright future wouldn鈥檛 have been possible without some help from nonprofit organizations along the way.

鈥淚 always think about the Key Biscayne Community Foundation and other nonprofit organizations that helped me receive funding to go to school,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of full circle for me now. I feel that I can give back to my local community in understanding not just the challenges nonprofits face but also how I can help them in the future.鈥�

NAPA fellows are tapped to provide insight and experience to address current and emerging issues in government, from overseeing academy projects and lending expertise to providing guidance and contribution to discourse on government.

鈥淭he 2024 class of academy fellows reflects a wide range of professional experience, including dedicated civil servants and accomplished academics,鈥� says Terry Gerton, president and CEO of NAPA. 鈥淭hese 42 leaders will be an enormous asset to the academy in the years ahead, and we look forward to working with all of them to help create a bright future for our country.鈥�

Fellows are selected based on a rigorous review of an individual鈥檚 contributions to the field of public administration and policy. The Fellows Nominating Committee makes its recommendations to nearly 1,000 existing fellows, who then vote on which candidates to induct. Those currently serving in the academy include former cabinet officers, members of Congress, governors, mayors, state legislators, prominent scholars, executives, nonprofit leaders and more. A new cohort of academy fellows is inducted annually during NAPA鈥檚 fall meeting.

Knox is one of only 24 NAPA fellows in Florida 鈥� a distinction she says she finds both rewarding and humbling. As a first-generation college student hailing from coastal Louisiana, Knox says she doesn鈥檛 take any of her educational or research-based accomplishments for granted. Knox, who also serves as the academic program coordinator for 鲍颁贵鈥檚 emergency and crisis management master鈥檚 program, is the fifth professor in the to be named a NAPA fellow. Her induction to the academy follows those of in 2015, 聽in 2020, Pegasus Professor聽聽in 2021 and in 2023.

鈥淭o have this amazing honor is extremely humbling, and I could not have done this without the support of friends, family, mentors and colleagues who have guided me on the path that got me to where I am now,鈥� she says. 鈥淪o much of my research and mentorship approach has been focused on lifting up the next generation. … This academy allows us the opportunity to work with the elite of public administration 鈥� from all levels of government and academia 鈥� to tackle wicked problems by pushing for good governance through the study and practice of public administration.鈥�

Knox says that one of the greatest responsibilities that comes with being a fellow is providing recommendations for consideration by federal government.

Grant Hayes, dean of the 麻豆原创 College of Community Innovation and Education, says Knox鈥檚 expertise in emergency management will be a valuable contribution to the NAPA fellowship.

鈥淚 am pleased that Dr. Knox has been invited to join an elite group of academy and industry professionals in public administration, reflecting her dedication to conducting impactful research and informed advocacy,鈥� Hayes says. 鈥淭his strong commitment to engaging in transformative research aligns well with our college鈥檚 central mission of collaborating with community stakeholders to create innovative solutions to complex … issues.鈥�

Longman, a social worker by trade, also serves on the executive board of the David Posnack Jewish Community Center (JCC) in Davie, Florida. Through her work with the organization, she learned that federal funds were available for projects aimed at providing opportunities for individuals with cognitive impairment. Having just completed White-Jones鈥� grant writing class, she decided to take a chance.

鈥淚 knew that I had already created a grant application for the course, so the timing was perfect,鈥� Longman says. 鈥淭he window on the application was pretty short, so there wouldn鈥檛 have been time to write an application from scratch.鈥�

Utilizing her professional experience and her professor鈥檚 expert guidance, Longman drafted a grant proposal for HireAbility, an initiative through the David Posnack JCC that would use a food truck as a vehicle 鈥� literally and figuratively 鈥� to provide adults with cognitive impairment an opportunity to learn marketable work skills in a community-facing environment.

鈥淭he beautiful thing about the food truck is that it鈥檚 mobile,鈥� Longman says. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e not tied to a fixed location, so you can get these wonderful men and women out to locations where they can really feel like they鈥檙e a part of the community.鈥�

Longman says the food truck would also serve as a recruiting tool for the participants, as people can see them practicing in-demand food service skills that might lead to long-term employment.

鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 personal,鈥� Longman says. 鈥淚 have a teenage daughter who is quickly approaching the age where she would benefit from a program like this. I鈥檝e done the research, and I know that demand for a program like this exists from the community, these adults and their families.鈥�

Longman鈥檚 hard work paid off, as she submitted her application through the David Posnack JCC and received $1.5 million in federal funding for the project.

鈥淢issy鈥檚 passion and incredible work ethic helped secure funding our HireAbility program that will provide a work-life experience for so many adults with developmental challenges,鈥� says Scott Ehrlich, CEO of the David Posnack JCC. 鈥淢issy continues to make incredible impact in the community through her desire to help others. We are so proud to have her as an executive board member.鈥�

White-Jones says the success of Longman鈥檚 project is not only a success story but a reinforcement of the School of Public Administration鈥檚 experience-based learning philosophy.

“I’m so happy for Melissa,鈥� White-Jones says. 鈥淭o see her take an idea in this course and turn it into not only a fully formed and submitted grant proposal, but then to see it be funded in this capacity is why our experiential learning programs are second to none. It is nothing short of a privilege for me to assist our students with the opportunity to engage in real-world learning 鈥� assignments that not only strengthen them professionally but make a positive impact in communities.”

鈥淓mergency management is essential in the aviation world,鈥� says Keila Walker-Denis 鈥�07, assistant director of airport operations in emergency management for the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, which oversees Orlando International Airport and Orlando Executive Airport. 鈥淲e demonstrated that we have a sound foundation for an emergency-management program.鈥�

Walker-Denis, whose background is in emergency management, says the process was an opportunity to take the airport where it needed to be, especially now in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. 鈥淭his event has further highlighted the importance of communication, cooperation, coordination and collaboration,鈥� she says. The accreditation program used 64 industry standards to determine the top rating.

Her industry contacts 鈥� such as Osceola County Emergency Management, Orlando Health, Florida鈥檚 State Medical Response Team, the Central Florida Intelligence Exchange, and the Incident Management Team for Central Florida 鈥� have proven valuable in her current role.

‘We may not be the experts in any one area, but we know a lot about everything and where to get resources.’ 鈥� Keila Walker-Denis

鈥淲e may not be the experts in any one area, but we know a lot about everything and where to get resources,鈥� Walker-Denis says.

The airport authority鈥檚 emergency management team has been assigned with tasks such as collecting and analyzing information related to COVID-19; ensuring personal protective equipment is provided to necessary employees; supporting local, state and federal executive orders; and a host of other responsibilities to maintain the safety, health and wellbeing of employees and passengers, Walker-Denis says.

Beyond the coronavirus, her role always includes a lot of planning and preparing, ensuring all teams and decision-makers at the airports work together effectively and communicate the same message.

鈥淥nce we identify what hazards we are prone to, the goal first is to try and prevent them. And if we can鈥檛 prevent them, the next step is to identify how to mitigate or lessen the impact to our operations,鈥� Walker-Denis says. 鈥淥f course, our ultimate goal is to keep flying.鈥�

Before her career in emergency management, Walker-Denis started at 麻豆原创 in the business program but switched to major in public administration because she was intrigued by the process that went into decision making during emergencies, such as for hurricanes when she was a child in Miami.

During an internship with the Osceola County Emergency Management Department, she participated in emergency operations during tropical storm Ernesto in 2006. Witnessing the controlled chaos of agencies, community stakeholders and departments coming together 鈥渋gnited that passion, that flame,鈥� she says.

鈥淚t all opened my eyes and ignited the fire I had back then to do what I do today. It鈥檚 truly a passion. It鈥檚 the best thing. It鈥檚 a very rewarding career field, mentally and emotionally, knowing that you鈥檙e able to make a change.鈥�

Walker-Denis also serves on 鲍颁贵鈥檚 emergency-management advisory board, which helps ensure 麻豆原创 courses teach up-to-date content and expose students to the realities of the emergency management world beyond the classroom.

鈥淪omeone did it for me when I was in college, as far as that internship,鈥� says Walker-Denis. 鈥淚t opened my eyes, and I want to do the same. It feels right to do the same, to pay that forward.鈥�

On Aug. 3 she鈥檒l end her undergraduate career at commencement and two days later she鈥檒l take the next step in her professional life as an emergency management preparedness specialist for Orlando Health.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 going to be an extremely great opportunity to learn, especially in a hospital because that is such a fast-pace environment. So I鈥檓 excited to see where my future goes with Orlando Health,鈥� Reid says.

Community Involvement

Reid has always had a strong desire to help those in her community. Starting in high school she became a lifeguard for her home city of Winter Garden. In September 2017 she was called into work one day but told she wouldn鈥檛 need her swimsuit and whistle. Instead, she鈥檇 be making sandbags and distributing them to residents who would need them to prepare for Hurricane Irma鈥檚 impact.

鈥淚t was exhausting but extremely rewarding,鈥� Reid says. 鈥淭here was so much organization, everyone knew their role and it was great to see the community coming together. I immediately became interested in how processes like this worked and wanted to learn more.鈥�

聽鈥淚t was really helpful to do things at work and come into class and learn about them.鈥�

Shortly thereafter, she added an emergency-management minor to her studies and began looking for internships through 鲍颁贵鈥檚 advising offices. She received a few offers but reached out for guidance from Claire Connolly Knox, an associate professor and director for 鲍颁贵鈥檚 emergency management and homeland security program. Reid ultimately accepted a position with Seminole County at the start of 2018.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what I would have done if I did another internship instead because I was able to gain so much experience with Seminole County,鈥� Reid says. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 treat you like an intern whatsoever.鈥�

Within her first month she met with department heads and fire chiefs, organized emergency exercises and updated major operations plans. As she completed her six-month internship, her studies in the classroom reinforced her experiential learning.

鈥淚t was really helpful to do things at work and come into class and learn about it, like 鈥極h, this is why I鈥檓 doing that,鈥欌�� Reid says. 鈥淚t also allowed me to help a lot of my peers who didn鈥檛 have my experience. 麻豆原创 really helped me tie all of the ends and figure out this is what I want to do.鈥�

Assisting with Hurricane Michael

Since she鈥檚 completed her internship, Reid has worked as a paid employee with Seminole County and has continued to add to her background. One of her biggest learning experiences took place in Tallahassee, where she spent three weeks working in the capital鈥檚 emergency management center and with displaced citizens affected by Hurricane Michael in October 2018. She and team members spoke with people in critical need at every nearby shelter to determine how they could help the storm victims find permanent housing.

鈥淚t was then I realized emergency management specialists are the people that have to fix these major issues, and if you鈥檙e freaking out nothing is going to get fixed,鈥� Reid says. 鈥淪o you have to take a deep breath and realize that what you do here matters.鈥�

鈥淵ou have to take a deep breath and realize that what you do here matters.鈥�

But before she was even deployed to Tallahassee, Reid had to manage a smaller, personal issue in Orlando 鈥� getting extensions on her schoolwork while she was gone. Once again she reached out to Knox, this time to see if the professor could make some adjustments for her. Knox offered her support and acknowledged this opportunity would be more influential than any classroom assignment. She even contacted Reid鈥檚 other professors and insisted they provide her extra time as well.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I would have been able to do it without Dr. Knox supporting me on my educational side,鈥� Reid says.

Soon she will take her state and local government experiences to the medical field as she works with Orlando Health鈥檚 hospitals and regulatory agencies, like the Department of Health, to develop emergency plans and system-wide solutions.

鈥淭o me, emergency management is filling in those missing puzzle pieces,鈥� Reid says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 figuring out how everyone can work together in a time of crisis 鈥� when it really matters.

鈥淭he new rankings reflect our focus on student success and faculty excellence and puts us one step closer to reaching our goal of becoming a 21st-century university committed to fueling the talent, ideas and innovation that will drive our community and state forward.鈥�

The list shows the university鈥檚 upward trajectory in the number of programs on the top 100 list; there were 18 programs ranked in 2017. The rankings measure the quality of 800 schools鈥� faculty, research and students, and are based on peer and expert opinions.

鈥淔rom our growing academic reputation to our successful athletic programs, the 麻豆原创 has made impressive gains over the last decade,鈥� says Elizabeth A. Dooley, provost and vice president for academic affairs. 鈥淭he new rankings reflect our focus on student success and faculty excellence and puts us one step closer to reaching our goal of becoming a 21st-century university committed to fueling the talent, ideas and innovation that will drive our community and state forward.鈥�

鲍颁贵鈥檚 top-ranked program this year, Emergency and Crisis聽Management, tied for No. 7, above programs at Texas A&M University, American University and George Washington University. The program is under the direction of Associate Professor Claire Connolly Knox, who says the course builds on the strength of the faculty, advisory board and alumni who mentor students.

鈥淓ffective emergency and crisis management is vital for every community,鈥� Knox says. 鈥淪ince 2016, four聽hurricanes 鈥� Matthew, Irma, Maria聽and Michael 鈥� and three聽mass casualty events聽鈥� Pulse nightclub,聽Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School and Fort Lauderdale Airport 鈥斅爃ave greatly impacted Florida communities. There is an聽increasing need for聽emergency management specialists聽to expand聽their knowledge, skills and abilities through an advanced degree so they can聽more ethically manage emergencies and crises.鈥�

The next highest 麻豆原创 rankings are the Nonprofit Management at No. 8 (moving up from 12) and聽Counselor Education at No. 9 (moving up from 10).

Other programs ranked in the top 50 are:聽Optics and Photonics (No. 12), Elementary Education (No. 22), Public Administration (No. 23), Criminal Justice (No. 26), Industrial Engineering (No. 36) and Health Administration (No. 46).

麻豆原创 programs with the biggest point-gain improvements this year were in nursing. 鲍颁贵鈥檚 master鈥檚 nursing school ranked No. 61 overall, moving up 26 points, and the Doctor of Nursing Practice ranked No. 72, improving by 29 points.

Other programs in the top 100 are:
Computer Engineering (No. 52)
Communication Sciences and Disorders (No. 53)
Electrical Engineering (No. 53)
Overall best public administration graduate school (No. 53)
Materials Science and Engineering (No. 57)
Physics (No. 61)
Environmental Engineering (No. 63)
Civil Engineering (No. 65)
Mechanical Engineering (No. 65)
Social Work (No. 70)
Overall best graduate engineering school (No. 75)
Overall best graduate education school (No. 78)
Computer Science (No. 82)
Overall medical research school (No. 88)
Part-time MBA (No. 89)

This was the first time in the top 100 for the part-time MBA, which includes both the 麻豆原创 Evening MBA and the 麻豆原创 Part-time Professional MBA.

Repeating from last year, the Counselor Education program earned 鲍颁贵鈥檚 highest ranking, moving up a notch to No. 9 nationally. The program prepares students for careers as counselors and practitioners in schools, community mental health agencies, hospitals, institutions and private practice.

鈥淭his ranking exemplifies the hard work of our Counselor Education faculty and staff and the progress we have achieved,鈥� said Pamela S. Carroll, dean of the College of Education and Human Performance. 鈥淲hat an honor to be listed in the top 10 in the nation in this field.鈥�

The next highest 麻豆原创 rankings were No. 14 for the atomic, molecular and optical sciences programs in the College of Optics & Photonics, and No. 17 for the Nonprofit Management program in the College of Health and Public Affairs, a jump of eight places.

Two more programs in the College of Health and Public Affairs were ranked in the top 50 鈥� Criminal Justice (26) and Healthcare Management (38) 鈥撀燼nd Industrial Engineering聽was ranked at No. 39.

Others in the top 100 were: Communication Sciences and Disorders (53), Public Administration (63), Computer Engineering (64), Materials Science and Engineering (65), Electrical Engineering (66), Civil Engineering (75), Environmental Engineering (75), Social Work (78), College of Engineering & Computer Science (82), Physics (85), Medical Research (88), Computer Science (90), College of Education & Human Performance (91), and Doctor of Nursing Practice (100).

The Best Graduate Schools 2017 edition will be available on newsstands April 5.

The U.S. News rankings were announced one day after The Princeton Review and PC Gamer magazine named 鲍颁贵鈥檚 Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy the best video game graduate school in North America.

The Counselor Education program earned 鲍颁贵鈥檚 highest 2016 ranking at No. 10. The program prepares for careers as counselors and practitioners in schools, community mental health agencies, institutions, hospitals and private practice.

鈥淲e are extremely proud of the work being done by our faculty and staff in the area of Counselor Education, and pleased to acknowledge the recognition the program continues to receive on a national level,” said Grant Hayes, interim dean of the College of Education and Human Performance.

鲍颁贵鈥檚 College of Optics and Photonics ranked No. 14 in the top atomic, molecular and optical sciences programs, and the Nonprofit Management program in the College of Health and Public Affairs was listed at No. 25.

Two other programs in the College of Health and Public Affairs made the top 50 鈥� Criminal Justice (26) and Healthcare Management (39)聽鈥撀燼nd Industrial Engineering聽was ranked at 45th.

Others in the top 100 are: Electrical Engineering (52), Computer Engineering (58), Public Administration (59), ), Environmental Engineering (70), Communication Sciences and Disorders (73), Civil Engineering (74), College of Nursing (83), College of Education & Human Performance (83), College of Engineering & Computer Science (85), Physics (85), Social Work (89), Computer Science (90), Physical Therapy (99) and Mechanical Engineering (100).

The Best Graduate Schools 2016 edition will be available on newsstands April 7.

The program placed ninth in the nation in rankings released today, up two spots from last year. A second College of Education program 鈥� Special Education 鈥� ranked No. 16.

鈥淚t is gratifying to see our programs in Counselor Education and Special Education receive this recognition on a national stage,鈥� said Dean Sandra L. Robinson of the College of Education. 鈥淥ur faculty and staff bring passion and excellence to their work and that is reflected in the success of our students as well as our programs.鈥�

Twenty-one 麻豆原创 programs were ranked in U.S. News & World Report鈥榮 top-100 list of Best Graduate Schools for 2014. Today鈥檚 rankings are available online at usnews.com/best-graduate-schools, and the Best Graduate Schools 2014 guidebook will be available on newsstands beginning April 9.

鲍颁贵鈥檚 College of Optics and Photonics ranked No. 13 among the nation鈥檚 atomic, molecular and optical sciences programs. The Nonprofit Management program in the College of Health and Public Affairs ranked No. 25.

Two other programs in the College of Health and Public Affairs also made the top 50 鈥� Criminal Justice (26) and Healthcare Management (46) 鈥� along with the College of Engineering and Computer Science鈥檚 Industrial Engineering program, which moved up 13 places to No.35.

Others from 麻豆原创 in the top 100 of their specific fields are: Electrical Engineering (55), Computer Engineering (58), Public Administration (59), Environmental Engineering (64), Materials Engineering (70), College of Engineering & Computer Science (72), Communication Sciences and Disorders (73), College of Nursing (79), Social Work (89), Civil Engineering (90), Computer Science (91), College of Education (91), Mechanical Engineering (93) and Physical Therapy (99).

More than 1,200 programs are reviewed nationwide for the magazine鈥檚 annual graduate-school guide. Scores are based on expert opinions about programs and statistical indicators that reflect the quality of faculty, researchers and students at each institution.

The ninth-ranked 麻豆原创 Counselor Education program is designed to educate and prepare individuals interested in working as counselors and practitioners in schools, community mental health settings, institutions, hospitals, and private practice.

鈥淭his was a pretty fast progression, especially since many of the other programs in the top 10 have been there a long time,鈥� said program director Bryce Hagedorn. 鈥淥ur curriculum is designed with a heavy emphasis on experiential and clinical work for master鈥檚 students, and teaching research and supervision for doctoral students.鈥�

麻豆原创’s medal winners represent ten sports programs. The women’s rowing team led the way with six student-athletes, followed closely by the women’s soccer and softball teams with five each.

At least 32 Knights have earned medals during three of the last four years.

“Achieving a GPA of 3.75 or higher is a tremendous accomplishment for our student-athletes, who work hard in their classes while balancing the rigorous demands of their sports,” said Vice President and Director of Athletics Todd Stansbury. “The fact that so many of our student-athletes have earned academic recognitions from Conference USA is a testament to their determination and the support of our dedicated faculty members, coaches and academic advisors.”

C-USA announced its academic honor roll (3.0 GPA or better) Tuesday, and 221 Knights were on the list. That total ranked second among all C-USA schools and first among the league’s public institutions.

麻豆原创’s student-athletes have collectively achieved a GPA of at least 3.0 for each of the last eight semesters.

In October, 麻豆原创 posted a program-best 83 percent Graduation Success Rate, which tied with the University of Florida for the top rating among Florida’s public universities.

麻豆原创’s academic medal winners are listed below in alphabetical order by sport:

Football: Jacob Bundy (Business Economics) and聽聽(Social Science Education master’s program)

Men’s Golf: 听(叠耻蝉颈苍别蝉蝉-辫别苍诲颈苍驳)

Women’s Rowing: Jesse Baldwin (Communication Science and Disorders), (Finance), (Elementary Education with a Coaching minor), Kelsey McCreary (Cinema Studies), Beatriz Merino (Pre-Clinical Allied Health with a Spanish minor) and聽聽(Sport and Exercise Science/Psychology)

Men’s Soccer: Augusto Braccialli (Civil Engineering), (Psychology), (Molecular and Microbiology) and 听(笔蝉测肠丑辞濒辞驳测)

Women’s Soccer: (Biomedical Sciences), (Public Administration/Nonprofit Management), (Psychology), (Biology) and聽聽(Communication Sciences and Disorders)

Softball: (Early Childhood Education), (Hospitality Management), (Elementary Education), (叠颈辞濒辞驳测)听补苍诲 聽(Mathematics Education)

Men’s Tennis: (Finance-pending) and 聽(Interdisciplinary Studies with a Math minor)

Women’s Tennis: 聽(Communication Sciences and Disorders)

Track and Field: (Undeclared), (Athletic Training), (Elementary Education)聽and 听(笔丑颈濒辞蝉辞辫丑测)

Volleyball: (Marketing) and聽 (Molecular Biology and Microbology)