By Our Correspondent /Sanford/
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Seminole State College of Florida Alumni Association has been formed. It was inaugurated 16 December 2015 as the College ended a yearlong celebration of 50 years of higher education.
According to Harry Ellis, chair of the Association’s executive leadership, “Seminole State College formed the Alumni Association to create and bring together a community that has thrived in Seminole County for 50 years.” Speaking further on the significance of the forum, he said that the mission of the association “is to build connections, support excellence and grow leadership within our community, college and surrounding areas.”
Additionally, Ellis said: “With Seminole State growing through various name changes, expansions and future visions, it is our hope to unite the 70,000 graduates through this association.” He revealed that members of the alumni association include former students from 86 countries around the globe.
Key in the creation of the Alumni Association was a leadership team that included Eden Donahou, 1980, Professor of Mathematics at Seminole State, David Moradian, 1985, Professor in the Center for Business, Legal and Entrepreneurship at Seminole State, Shannon Conner, 2015, Baccalaureate Student at Rollins College, Bert Fonseca, 1998, Project Executive for Skanska USA Building Inc., Travis Delk, 1995, Account Manager at Stryker Medical, Andrew Grindle, 2010, Grandson of community and business leader Art Grindle and Josh Murdock, 1999, Instructional Designer and Adjunct Professor at Valencia College.
However, the members of the Alumni Association’s executive leadership are Chair Harry Ellis, 2001, CIO & Vice President at Next Horizon, Vice Chair Larry Campbell, 1993, Vice President Commercial Relationship Manager at BB&T, Outreach Chair Amber Clore, 2004, Interior Designer and Owner of A. Clore Interiors and Marketing Chair Billy B. Williamson, 2014, Graduate Student at Rollins College
The December commencement ceremony where the Alumni Association was introduced featured an address from keynote speaker and Seminole State alumnus Seminole County Sheriff Don Eslinger. Seminole State’s Alma Mater also made its musical debut at the commencement.