Reunion Weekend 2017: PEL alumna honored by Women's Resource Center; Event photos, and more!

(L-r) Eckerd College President Dr. Donald R. Eastman III,
Maureen Donovan-Dobiesz '02, and Professor Catherine Griggs at the
Awards Breakfast during Alumni Weekend in March 2017.
Photo courtesy of Eckerd College

Reunion Weekend 2017 was filled with activities, and PEL people participated in many of them. To view photos from each of the events, click on the link above, choose an event album, and scroll through the images. Click here for PEL Alumni Reception photos.

PEL Alumna Honored

Maureen Donovan-Dobiesz '02 was presented with a Women's Resource Center Professional Achievement Award at the Awards Breakfast during Alumni Weekend last month.  Donovan-Dobiesz graduated with a B.A. in American Studies from Eckerd College’s Program for Experienced Learners.  After graduation, she began working at Healthcare IQ, a data analytics company empowering hospitals across the country by providing advanced analytics to create efficiencies and innovative solutions. As the EVP of administration, her critical thinking, management skills and leadership have guided the company through a period of exponential growth.

Donovan-Dobiesz also is the director of Phoenix Venture Philanthropy Foundation, which invests in and supports nonprofit organizations that deliver significant social impact, environmental awareness and education. Phoenix provides business mentoring and leadership insights.

In awarding Maureen Donovan-Dobiesz the Women’s Resource Center Professional Achievement Award, the College recognizes her commitment to women’s professional advancement by hiring qualified women. She is an early supporter of Emily’s List, which works to elect women to positions in local and federal government. Donovan-Dobiesz also supports Eckerd’s Environmental Film Festival, an annual week-long program that has greatly enhanced environmental awareness within the community.

PEL Alumni Reception  

 

(l-r) Donna Littell '75 and Dana Cozad '69

PEL people filled the Lewis House atrium and porch on Saturday, March 10, at the PEL Alumni Reception. Organizers Angie Jones '12 and Donna Littell '75 greeted guests as the sounds of live piano and guitar background music drifted through the area and a slide show played pictures culled from recent and not-so-recent PEL events.

After a time of catching up with friends and colleagues -- and of enjoying the plentiful hors d'oeuvres -- PEL Executive Director Amanda Hagood welcomed the group and thanked the alumni gathered for the many ways they enrich the campus community, the local Tampa Bay area, and the world at large. Hagood recognized a number of PEL people people present for their years of service to the program: Dana Cozad '69, who worked in PEL in many administrative and teaching positions from PEL's beginning in 1978 and continuing to teach until just recently; Margret Skaftadottir, PEL's associate dean of faculty, who has been with PEL since 1992; Patti Cooksey '97, who has worked in various positions in PEL since 1997; Alaina Tackitt '08; and long-time faculty members Professors Catherine Griggs, Naveen Malhotra, and Tom Krzesinski.

Connie Murphy '08 shared how PEL reshaped her life.

"Everyone has a PEL story to share," Hagood noted before inviting Margret Skaftadottir to introduce the evening's speaker, Connie Murphy '08, who currently works as a program manager for the Veterans Health Administration.

Murphy shared how her PEL experience radically reshaped her life, causing her to consider a career in government rather than the private sector where she had been working. Murphy went on to earn a Master of Public Health degree from Emory University in Atlanta and worked for the Center for Disease Control for a time until returning to the St. Petersburg area.

PEL people filled the tables in the atrium at Lewis House
and in the porch area.

 Following a short time of remembering, many in the gathering moved over to the James Center for dinner.

To see images from the 2017 PEL Alumni Reception, click HERE:

To see the slide show of archive images, click HERE.

Other Events

Jake Halterman '09 attended the Dean's Luncheon on the Arts
on Saturday afternoon . . .

. . . and the PEL reception and evening dinner, with his wife, Paula.

Donna and Clint Day '07 enjoyed both the PEL reception
and the dinner . . .

. . . as did Diahan and Bernard "Roc" LiLavois '10.

Professors Naveen Malhotra and Patti Cooksey '97
with Bernard "Roc" LiLavois '10

Alumni Weekend photos are courtesy of the College and were taken by local freelance photographer Lisa Presnail.

Cheers -- and see you all next year!

Food, Music, and Fun Coming to the PEL Alumni Reception

Waterfront, patio, and inside gatherings with friends / Cal Brown 2015

Join us for the 2017 PEL Alumni Reception!

Saturday, March 11
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.  

in Lewis House

Reconnect, reminisce, and network with PEL classmates and professors at the PEL Alumni Reception on Saturday, March 11, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Lewis House on the main campus (see map ).

Organizers have planned an evening of food, music, and conversation. PEL Alumni Coordinator Donna Littell '75 and Angie Jones '12 (P '14), a PEL alumna and Eckerd College's associate director of communications and the College editor, have worked with Megan McCoy '16, assistant director of alumni engagement, and Tish Burke, assistant director of major gifts, to prepare this PEL event. 

"Lewis House, with its waterfront patio and balmy setting, is the perfect place to reminisce about PEL and share stories about where you are now," Jones said. 

Classmates, colleagues, and professors reconnect / Anne Anderson, 2016

Littell noted that other PEL alumni have been working to get the word out about the PEL Alumni Reception.

"We are very grateful to PEL alumni Bob Albury '09, Patricia Brown '94, Deb Piner '03, and Steve Powell '16 who have helped us promote the event," Littell said.

Following the PEL gathering, PEL people are welcome to join other Eckerd alumni and guests at the James Center for Molecular and Life Sciences from 7:30 to 11 p.m. for dinner, dancing, lawn games, a photo booth, and more.

Register here for the PEL Alumni Reception (cost is $10 per person) and for other Reunion Weekend events.

Art shows, receptions, free waterfront picnic, boat rides, and more!

The PEL reception is only one of many exciting events planned as part of  Eckerd's Reunion Weekend 2017 (March 10th-11th).

The Alumni Art Show Reception on Friday evening (7-8 p.m.) in Cobb Gallery features work from alumni as well as from Eckerd professor Brian Ransom.  Saturday events include the Alumni Awards Breakfast, the Women's Resources Center Alumnae Awards Reception, various talks, and the culminating event, Saturday night's Reunion Celebration Dinner and Party. Sunday events include a snorkeling/sampling study trip on the Rainbow River, a worship service in Wireman Chapel, and farewell brunch.

Live music adds ambience / Anne Anderson, 2016

Free events include guided campus walking tours throughout the day on Saturday and a picnic/cookout and free waterfront boat tours from 12 to 3 p.m. Family members are welcome.

Special note to members of the Classes of 1987, 1992, and 1997

If you are a member of the Class of 1987, celebrating the 30th anniversary of your graduation (yes, really!), or of the Classes of 1992 (25th anniversary) or 1997 (20th anniversary), you might also be interested in attending one of these off-campus, cash-bar gatherings for both PEL and residential alumni on Saturday FRIDAY [corrected 03/10/17] evening:

• Class of 1987 Reunion Group Party / 6 to 7:30 p.m., private cabana on the beach at Caddy’s On The Beach, 9000 W Gulf Blvd, Treasure Island, FL 33706.   
• Class of 1992 Reunion Group Party / 6 to 7:30 p.m., reserved area on third floor at The Hurricane, 809 Gulf Way, St Pete Beach, FL 33706. 
• Class of 1997 Reunion Group Party / 6 to 7:30 p.m., reserved table and area at Queens Head Bar and Restaurant, 2501 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg, FL 33713.

To read more about the weekend’s events or to register / RSVP for the PEL Alumni Reception and other events, visit Eckerd's Reunion Weekend website. Never been to Lewis House? Use this handy campus map for reference, or just ask at the front gate. Please call (727)-864-8222 or email alumni@eckerd.edu for more information or assistance.

Good food, good friends, good times -- what could be better?! / Cal Brown, 2015

PEL Alumni Ambassadors: The Year in Review

From attending a Rays game in September 2015 to catching some rays at the PEL Porch Party in June 2016, Alumni Ambassadors spread the good news of Eckerd College's PEL in a number of ways this year:

 
PEL Alumni Social & Tampa Bay Rays Game: In September, 2015, a group of PEL Alumni Ambassadors gathered first at Ferg's Sports Bar and Grill then moved to the Trop to watch the Tampa Bay Rays play the Baltimore Orioles. A portion of the proceeds benefited the PEL Annual Scholarship Fund.

Sallie House Fun Day volunteers gather for a group photo.

Sallie House Fun Day: In November 2015, PEL Alumni Ambassadors organized a fun day for 48 children and eight staff members from the St. Petersburg Salvation Army's Sallie House and Children’s Village, two crisis shelters serving local children.

A group of 30 volunteers, including PEL and residential students, alumni, staff, and faculty, hosted an array of activities for the young visitors, who played field games, read stories, created brightly colored sand pictures, learned about marine animals in touch tanks provided by the Galbraith Marine Science Lab, and ate lunch in the dining hall. Many of the children saw what a college is for the first time, and volunteers commented on the joy of working in an inter-generational and cross-campus event.

Writers in Paradise Pre-Party: In January 2016, PEL Alumni Ambassadors sponsored an event for about 30 PEL alumni who had majored, minored, or completed a concentration in creative writing or literature.

The group gathered before the opening night of Writers in Paradise, an internationally recognized writing conference hosted by Eckerd College, to share writing news and accomplishments and to hear St. Petersburg Poet Laureate and Eckerd PEL Professor Helen Wallace speak.

PEL Alumni Reception at Eckerd College Reunion Weekend:  In March 2016, PEL Alumni Ambassadors helped organize the PEL Alumni Reception held at Lewis House as part of the Eckerd College Reunion Weekend.




 

Quest for Meaning Classes: In May 2016, Alumni Ambassadors spoke to PEL students in  the Quest for Meaning courses, most of whom would be graduating that month or in August, about life after PEL and about becoming an Alumni Ambassador themselves.




Throughout the year, PEL Alumni Ambassadors have:

Akin-tunde Akintewe '15 (Visual Arts) shares his PEL story.

• Spoken on panels and in classes about their work and life experiences

• Shared their PEL stories on video and in print to help Eckerd PEL publicize the program 

• Worked with ASPEC and other committees at Eckerd on community projects and initiatives

• Met to consider ways to provide Eckerd PEL alumni with networking opportunities and other resources

PEL Porch Party: June 2016, PEL Alumni Ambassadors helped organize a gathering at Lewis House on the main campus to welcome newly graduated students from the Class of 2016 into the ranks of PEL Alumni.

PEL Porch Party in June 2016

Want to become involved as a PEL Alumni Ambassador? Contact Donna Littell at litteldj@eckerd edu or visit the alumni page at https://www.eckerd.edu/pel/alumni/

Alumni College: Ready to get back to class? Our Alumni College program offers PEL courses to Eckerd College alumni at a reduced rate of $300 per class (for most classes).

Alumni College is a great way to add a major or a minor to your degree, pursue professional development credits at a reasonable cost, or take individual classes just for fun. You will also be helping others because when you enroll, a portion of your tuition is a scholarship donation (and a charitable tax deduction).
Learn more about this great opportunity for professional development or personal fulfillment.

2016 PEL Alumni Reception Photos