A Champion for Veterans

Kimberly Durham, Psy.D., considers herself blessed to be part of the NSU family. In the span of 32 years, she has gone from an undergraduate student at the university to the dean at NSU’s Abraham S. Fischler College of Education. Prior to her role at the Fischler College, she served…

Giving and Taking Chances

Imagine leaving your home of more than 30 years and moving your family to a place you’ve never been before. That’s what Lacey Craddock and her husband did when they decided to pursue new experiences in South Florida. The Craddocks are from a small town in Oklahoma— the kind where…

Uncovering Opportunities at NSU

  If you ever find yourself in an office decorated with pictures of galaxies, ocean life, and a signed Jane Goodall print, you might just be in the office of Melissa L. Dore, Ed.D., at the Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography. Self-described as the “quintessential science nerd,” Dore…

A Path Through Post-War Times, Finance, and Academia

Some people discover their calling early on. Marcella M. Rutherford, M.B.A., M.S.N., Ph.D., spent her teenage years working in her father’s drug store and volunteering as a Candy Striper at the hospital. She realized that she was suited for the hospital environment and for helping others the day that she…

A Champion for Student Scholarships

Candice Leaty spent her junior and senior years of high school writing one scholarship essay after another. Her mother worked three jobs to maintain their family. While Leaty qualified for financial aid, it was not enough to cover the full cost of the school she dreamed of attending – Nova…

Two Years of Increasing Staff Giving

NSU’s Office of Innovation and Information Technology (OIIT) has something to boast about. In the last fiscal year, the department nearly doubled their staff giving from the previous year. In fact, they were close to 50 percent participation, a statistic that Jaime Gentile, B.A., director of employee services, is really…

From NSU Student to NSU University School Mom

When Jessica Rodriguez, M.P.A., first came to NSU, she had no idea she would be staying for a while. Back in 2000, her goal was to earn a bachelor’s degree from the university, so she could go on to pursue a career in sports administration. However, life took her on…

How NSU Helped Her Save a Friend

Marcia Tippenhauer, B.S., is a self-described “Shark person.” She actively participates in many of NSU’s campus and community events and encourages others to do so, too. When NSU introduced vanity license plates, she was among the first to get one. As an employee, alumna, and mother of one NSU student,…

Realizing Philanthropic Dreams

The path for Andrea Darlow, M.B.A., to encourage philanthropy began with her father, a Miami-based attorney, whose practice was focused on estate and tax planning. Darlow remembers that many of his clients became his lifelong friends and confidantes. A philanthropic man himself, he instilled those values in his daughter and,…

Chain of Love

Robert Speth, Ph.D., is a professor of pharmaceutical sciences at NSU who is internationally recognized for his work as biomedical researcher. He and his wife, Janet, are supporters of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) research. Their son, Tim, who was diagnosed with DMD at 18 months, passed away from the disease…

Never Too Early to Start Giving

Twenty-four. That’s the age of Raphael Walters, M.Ed., the youngest member of NSU’s 1964 Society. In order to become a member of the society, Walters made a legacy gift that will provide future support for the university. When asked what prompted him to give, he kept his answer short, “If…

Empowering Change through Legal Education

When talking to Jon Garon, J.D., dean of NSU’s Shepard Broad College of Law, a listener will quickly learn how changes in technology, trade, and demographic trends are impacting access to legal services and economic opportunities. “Technology has the power to unleash people’s potential, but it also has the danger…

Helping Students “See the World Differently”

Students of the arts, humanities, and social sciences are often troubled by the talk of those who don’t understand the value of their degrees and the career opportunities they open up. Andrea Shaw Nevins, Ph.D., who chairs the Department of History and Political Science at NSU’s College of Arts, Humanities,…

Giving Back While Still Paying Back

Tamara Baker, M.A. is one of more than 40 million Americans with student loan debt. As a college student, she was denied financial aid because of her father’s middle class income. However, with six other children to care for, her family could not afford to pay her tuition. Instead of…

When Giving Becomes a Team Effort

When Giving Becomes a Team Effort A dose of competition can foster participation, as NSU’s Financial Operations office can attest. Three years ago, when Alyson Silva was looking for ways to raise her team’s participation in the annual staff giving campaign, an idea was born. Silva, vice president of finance…

CEC Distinguished Alumnus Makes Good on a Debt of Gratitude

For some people, education is one thing. For others, education is everything. Wayne Brown, Ph.D., is in the latter group. For nearly 20 years, Brown has worked in higher education at schools in San Francisco, Kansas, and New York. He is also the founder of the Center for Higher Education…

The Greater Value of Education

When Kelly Henson-Evertz, D.N.P., first became a nursing student an instructor told her that she would need to quit her job if she wanted to succeed in the program. Although her initial reaction was panic, Henson-Evertz persisted; she continued working and going to school. The reality was, she had no…

Lessons in Leadership

When it comes to business, Robert Preziosi, D.P.A., isn’t one to follow the line. In fact, he doesn’t encourage anyone else to do so, either. He believes that the secret to success lies in unlocking creativity. And for nearly 40 years, that’s exactly what he’s been helping students do at…

Faculty Memorialize One of Their Own

When Nick Fisher was growing into adulthood, it wasn’t certain if he would someday find a job. While being employed is a fact of life for most people, those on the autism spectrum recognize it as a rare opportunity. Fortunately for Fisher, he was given a chance at Nova Southeastern…

Reflections from a Christmas Gift

A few years ago, Aarika Camp, Ph.D., was on a mission to find the perfect Christmas gift for her brother. She knew that it needed to be something special. After all, at 24, this man had sacrificed so much to raise her after their mother died when Camp was only…