This year marks the 500th commemoration of the Protestant Reformation, the 16th-century upheaval that redefined the Roman Catholic Church. This summer, Flagler College students enjoyed the unique opportunity to study the transformative period at the University of Dresden in Germany, as part of an interdisciplinary-transatlantic program titled “Faces of Faith: Late Medieval and Reformation Germany.”

Six Flagler College students recently returned from a 10-day adventure in Belize, where they worked on research to help save the critically-endangered Hicatee turtle, experienced first-hand living sustainably deep in a tropical rainforest, witnessed wildlife thrive in its native habitat and snorkeled the country’s barrier reef.

Two Flagler College professors, four alumni and two current students recently attended a symposium commemorating the 800th anniversary celebration of the 13th-century Franciscan leader Saint Bonaventure. The conference, held at The Franciscan Institute at St. Bonaventure University in New York in mid-July, was dedicated to the cultural and religious dynamics that shaped the scholar’s theology and spirituality.

Flagler College has joined the international arena of historic preservation. Dr. Leslee F. Keys, the college’s assistant professor of History and director of Historic Preservation and Special Initiatives, has been elected to the 21-member Board of Trustees of the United States chapter of the International Commission on Monuments and Sites (US/ICOMOS).  She is the member representing Florida, and one of four newly-elected trustees.

For Flagler students in the college’s Natural Sciences department, the classroom is as much the marsh, wetlands or any other coastal habitat surrounding St. Augustine as it is the lab on campus. Their studies in the field often yield valuable research and play a significant role in better understanding the area’s ecosystems.

This week officially marked the start of Dr. Joseph G. Joyner’s tenure as the fourth president of Flagler College. He succeeds Dr. William T. Abare, Jr., who served in the role for 16 years before retiring this June.

Brian Thompson, who has written an award-winning, weekly column for The St. Augustine Record since 1998, has been named to the board of directors for the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. Thompson, who is also News and Information Director for Flagler College, will serve as the chair of the organization’s national awards contest.

Flagler College received two awards from the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation at its 39th annual conference in St. Petersburg on May 19.

Veteran police chief Creig Doyle was recently named Flagler College’s director of Safety & Security, after serving in an interim director capacity at the college since January.

Flagler College President Dr. William T. Abare, Jr., was inducted as the lone member of the 14th class of its Athletics Hall of Fame Thursday, May 4 at a banquet sponsored by Carrabba's Italian Grill at Flagler's elegant dining hall. The event is part of the College's annual Alumni Weekend (May 4-7).  

The “Spotlight” series offers a glimpse into the lives of those who work behind the scenes to provide an enriching experience for Flagler College students. Faculty and staff featured in the series will be included in the bi-weekly faculty and staff newsletter.

For the first time ever, Flagler College is hosting a Fulbright scholar. Dr. Maraisa Lopes, from the Federal University of Piaui Teresina, Brazil, is working with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program in the Education Department to study differences between Brazilian and American higher education experiences in the field.

The founding director of Flagler College’s Law program, Professor Richard Poland, is retiring this year after serving the college for 25 years. Judge Poland, as he is often referred to on campus, has taught nearly 30 courses, fulfilled various leadership roles — including Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs — and has twice received the Faculty of the Year Award (2007-2008 and 2009-2010).

The “Spotlight” series offers a glimpse into the lives of those who work behind the scenes to provide an enriching experience for Flagler College students. Faculty and staff featured in the series will be included in the bi-weekly faculty and staff newsletter.

Dr. John N. O’Brien, an instructor in Flagler College’s Public Administration Department (PAD), provided a presentation to members of the Cato Institute — a public policy research organization in Washington, D.C. — on ways to increase employment opportunities for displaced and unemployed workers. During his visit, he also met on Capitol Hill with staff members of seven legislative offices to discuss strategies for developing legislation that embodied his presentation’s concepts. The proposal itself was developed in large part after class discussions while teaching a PAD course titled “The Public Economy,” which illuminates how U.S. government develops and executes economic policy.

The “Spotlight” series offers a glimpse into the lives of those who work behind the scenes to provide an enriching experience for Flagler College students. Faculty and staff featured in the series will be included in the bi-weekly faculty and staff newsletter.

Flagler College Associate Professor of Art History Dr. Chris Balaschak was recently selected to attend a seminar at the Yale Center for British Art focused on “Landscape and Identity in Britain and the United States, 1770-1914.”

Dr. James Pickett, associate professor of Communication at Flagler College, will be giving the college’s final Community Lectures Series talk this year titled “The Hidden Curriculum: The Decorum of Space, Time and Consumption in the Digital Age.” His lecture will be held on Tuesday, April 11 in the historic Solarium in Ponce Hall at 10 a.m.

The Florida Department of Education honored incoming Flagler College President and former St. Johns County Schools Superintendent Dr. Joseph G. Joyner with the 2016 Lavan Dukes District Data Leader of the Year award on March 23, at a meeting of the State Board of Education. During Joyner’s tenure, St. Johns has been one of only two districts to achieve an “A” grade every year since district grades were implemented in 2004, and in 2016, St. Johns was the highest performing school district in Florida.  

Flagler College’s Joseph Provenza was recently promoted to the position of Vice President of Technology Services and Chief Information Officer. He was formerly the Director of Technology Services.