It is the fourth Startup Weekend Tampa Bay event and the first to be held at USF St. Petersburg, hosted by the USFSP Entrepreneurship Club.

Throughout the course of this 54-hour event, attendees will share ideas, form teams, and launch startups.

Attendees arrive at the University Center Ballroom on Friday, June 7, to kick off the event with idea pitches, voting and team building. Startup veterans and mentors will be on hand throughout the weekend to provide expertise and give talks on their experiences while teams build their business ideas. On Sunday evening the teams pitch their ideas to a panel of judges comprised of some of the Tampa Bay area’s most knowledgeable business leaders.

USF St. Petersburg is an appropriate location for Startup Weekend, said William Jackson, Ph.D., director of the USFSP Entrepreneurship Program.

The Entrepreneurship Program was named the Outstanding Emerging Entrepreneurship Program in the United States in January by the U.S. Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, the world’s largest independent organization dedicated to advancing entrepreneurship.

Members of the USF St. Petersburg Entrepreneurship Club, meanwhile, recently won the prestigious Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) Startup Simulation Challenge for the second year in a row. The national competition requires a team of students to take a new business and make the right decisions to out-perform teams from across the country.

At the last Startup Weekend in Tampa in November, a team of USFSP students won the People’s Choice Award and third place overall.

“We are pleased that Startup Tampa Bay will be held at USF St. Petersburg, where the spirit of entrepreneurship is alive and well,” said Jackson “It’s always exciting to feel the energy created when young entrepreneurs get together.”

Reuben Pressman, the first graduate of the USFSP Entrepreneurship Program, is one of the organizers of Startup Weekend Tampa Bay.

“As a graduate of program I am super-excited to help bring the next Startup Weekend to the new Student Center at USFSP,” said Pressman, founder and CEO of his own startup,  called Check I’m Here. “The people, knowledge, experience, and opportunities are invaluable – and you get them all in just one weekend.”

Registration is $99, with discounts for students. More information here.

Startup Weekend Tampa Bay is part of the national Startup Weekend organization, which supports the development and expansion of entrepreneurship through events worldwide that educate aspiring entrepreneurs by immersing them in the process of moving an idea to market. It has built a network of more than 55,000 alumni, thousands of volunteer organizers and 100 trained facilitators in more than 300 and 100 countries.

Schnur was recognized “for years of dedication to the archival profession in Florida and outstanding contribution to the preservation of Florida’s documentary heritage.”

Schnur, an association member since 1992 and a USFSP faculty member since February 2002, was recognized for his work as a librarian at USFSP, his teaching and mentoring as an adjunct member of the faculty in the School of Information at USF Tampa, and his efforts to promote and preserve local and Florida history. Often, these categories overlapped.

Schnur manages Special Collections and University Archives at the Poynter Library, including signature collections in local history, rare books and the print and digital archives of USFSP. Since the fall 2003 semester, Schnur has supervised more than 25 fieldwork and independent student experiences for graduate students in the USF School of Information as well as USFSP’s Florida Studies Program. He appreciates Dean Carol Hixson’s support for his initiatives and her leadership in establishing the USFSP Digital Archive.

Schnur has taught a graduate-level course in Archival Management in the School of Information since the fall 2008 semester. The course teaches practical methods for preserving and managing archival collections in cultural heritage institutions. Four students have co-presented with him at regional conferences since early 2012, and three of the six poster sessions offered at the Society of Florida Archivists conferences in 2012 and 2013 were presented by students based on projects completed in Schnur’s class.

The official historian for Pinellas County’s centennial (1912-2012), Schnur is actively involved in many local and state cultural organizations, including the Pinellas County Historical Society.  One of his former students, Sandra Varry, is vice president of the Society of Florida Archivists.

The USF Women’s Sailing Team, which is based at USF St. Petersburg, is among 27 teams from across the country that will compete May 21-24 for the national Gerald C. Miller Trophy.

Other races include team competitions for the Walter C. Wood Trophy, 25-27, and co-ed competitions May 28-30 for the Henry A. Morss Trophy.

USF St. Petersburg is honored to host the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association spring nationals along with Eckerd College and the St. Petersburg Yacht Club, said Zac Oppenheim, USFSP assistant director of Student Life and Engagement.

“This is a big deal,’’ Oppenheim said. “In the college sailing community, it’s the biggest deal.”

All the events start about 9 a.m. and will take place in Tampa Bay near the Magnuson Hotel Marina Cove at the southern tip of Pinellas County. Spectators can watch from the beach at the cove.

The event is co-sponsored by USF St. Petersburg and YellowJacket Press, a non-profit, independent press that supports Florida poets and is the only statewide publisher of poetry chapbook manuscripts. Friday’s event is billed as the after-party for National Poetry Month, which was in April.

Meryl Statford, will read from The Magician’s Daughter, the 2013 YellowJacket Press Poetry Contest winning selection. She will be joined by poets Peter Meinke, Michael Bates, Thèrese Tappouni, Melanie Hubbard and Gloria Muñoz.

The evening will also feature music, a raffle of literary oddities and keepsakes, and refreshments for a small donation. The event is free and open to the public, with a suggested donation of $5 to benefit YellowJacket Press. The Williams-Snell Courtyard is on 2^nd Street S between 5^th and 6^th avenues S in downtown St. Petersburg.

For here for more information or or call USF St. Petersburg Associate Professor of English Thomas Hallock at (727) 873-4954.

The undergraduate selected topics course, “Field Experiential Methods,” combined time in the classroom with hands-on field research in Tampa Bay. It was designed by David Fries, director of the Ecosystems Technology Group at the College of Marine Science.

“This is a terrific example of recent collaborations and expanding opportunities that exist between USF St. Petersburg and the USF College of Marine Science,” said Frank Biafora, Ph.D., dean of the USFSP College of Arts and Sciences.

Students used an underwater sensing device to gather data about water in parts of Tampa Bay. The device, created by Fries originally to gather data about red tide, is “like having a human in a can,” Fries said. The data gathered by the students can be fed into computer models used to predict tides and storm surge, said Fries, who hopes the student work will be published in a research journal.

“This is what we should be doing given recent advances in technology,” said graduating senior Mason Jeffers, one of seven students in the class. “It would be ridiculous to try and learn environmental science only inside the classroom.” He thinks taking the course will help to better position him for graduate school.

“It’s an amazingly good idea,” said Ben Prueitt, a graduating senior who plans to attend the College of Marine Science in the fall. “I think it sets up a balanced teaching model for the future.”

“Applied environmental field sciences is growing in importance, especially for our geographic area and an increasingly important learning objective put forth by the faculty within the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Geography,” said Biafora. Future collaborations between USFSP and the College of Marine Science are already being considered, Biafora said.

Bill

Before I began my application process for grad school I asked myself a few questions:

• What kind of program am I looking for?
• How many years do I want to spend pursuing a M.A.?
• Where do I desire to live during/post graduate school?
• How much money am I willing to  invest in a Masters degree?

These questions were completely different than the questions I asked myself as an eighteen year old high school senior preparing for my first year of college. The stakes are higher and the dreams are bigger, graduate school is the real deal and making sure that you know what you want in your personal and professional life is paramount.

After doing extensive research I was able to narrow down my choices to three schools and USFSP was a perfect match. I have enjoyed my experience at USFSP and the Journalism and Media Studies program has been everything I hoped it would be.

What are the specifics of the Journalism and Media Studies Program?

The M.A. in Journalism and Media Studies program provides career preparation in journalism while providing a foundation for those students who elect to continue their studies on the Ph.D. level, or plan to use the M.A. as a qualification to teach at the college level. Students are allowed to take classes part time or full time, the program also lets students sample the program by taking up to 12 hours of graduate credit as a non-degree-seeking student before being formally admitted. The full program is offered on the St. Petersburg campus, although students may choose electives at any USF campus with permission of their faculty adviser.

The Journalism and Media Studies Department offers two Master of Arts degrees: the traditional program in Journalism and Media Studies and the fully on-line Master of Arts in Digital Journalism and Design.

USFSP sign in front of Nelson Poynter Memorial Library

I’m enrolled in the traditional program which prepares students for careers in print, electronic and digital media or for college-level teaching. The traditional program has allowed me the flexibility to take online and face-to-face classes. The program normally takes two years to complete with a requirement of 36 hours. There are also several opportunities to work in the community, the Neighborhood News Bureau is a working newsroom that provides Journalism training for undergrad and graduate students.

Students also have the opportunity to study and work at the Poynter Institute. The Poynter Institute is a school for journalists, future journalists, and teachers of journalism dedicated to teaching and inspiring journalists and media leaders. It is across the street from the USF St. Petersburg’s campus.

The Digital Journalism and Design program (DJD) is a fairly new addition. The program was launched in the Fall of 2012, and is a 30-credit program that is typically completed in a year and a half.

Working as a Graduate Assistant

Although a rewarding experience grad school is tough to say the least, the rigors of coursework, and trying to maintain a healthy social life can be a daunting task. Most graduate students work in addition to maintaining a half or full-time course-load, and depending on a graduate students course load and time constraints, the schedule can be grueling. I have had the pleasure of working for the Journalism department as a graduate/teaching assistant.  As a graduate assistant I work 10 hours per week as an assistant to one of the faculty members in the department and as a friendly face for visitors and students who come into the office on a daily basis.

The experience’s that I’ve had in this program thus far have been amazing and I can’t wait to see what else is in store as I prepare to take on another year as a graduate student at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg.

The chair was created in 1989 to provide support for both academic and outreach missions and is awarded to a nationally recognized scholar with outstanding credentials in the arts or humanities.

During his semester at Auburn, Hallock will collaborate with faculty and students on projects that combine scholarly and creative research. He will teach, hold public lectures, and be a guest speaker and workshop leader for Auburn’s Annual Writers Conference.

Hallock said he follows the dictum “teach where you are,” adopting a local model to his work. His ongoing projects at USF St. Petersburg include a web-based anthology of early Florida literature and a series of environmental literature courses exploring historic and relic waterways in lower Pinellas County. He is part of the highly regarded Florida Studies Program.

“I am honored to have been named to this distinguished post and look forward to working with students and faculty at Auburn’s Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities,” Hallock said.

Hallock is the author of From the Fallen Tree: Frontier Narratives, Environmental Politics and the Roots of a National Pastoral (2003, UNC Press) and co-editor of William Bartram, the Search for Nature’s Design: Selected Art, Letters and Unpublished Writings (2010, UGa Press). He is a graduate of Dickinson College  and holds a Ph.D. in English and American Literature from New York University.

“This is truly a once in a life time achievement and a testament to Dr. Hallock’s scholarship and commitment to student success,” said Frank Biafora, dean of the USFSP College of Arts and Sciences.

Neighborhood News Bureau is a class dedicated to beat reporting.  The beat students cover at NNB is the Midtown area of St. Petersburg.  Midtown is a 5.5 square-mile area between Fourth Street South and 34^th Street South and Second Avenue North to 30^th Avenue South.  The demographic of this area is mostly African-American, with most residents living at or below the poverty level.

Map – Midtown St. Petersburg

Located off the main USFSP campus, students report and write from the Neighborhood News Bureau at the James B. Sanderlin Family Service Center located at 2335 22^nd Ave. S.

“Working as a reporter in Midtown was a good experience.  It helped me become familiar with an area of St. Pete I probably wouldn’t have ventured into on my own,” senior Meaghan Habuda said.

This is one of the main purposes of NNB – to get students out of their comfort zone.

Students can fall into a pattern of writing stories about topics that interest them, interview people that look like them, and report about communities that they live in or are familiar with.  In the professional world, these circumstances are hardly the reality for a journalist or reporter.

Students have to get out and “walk their beat,” meet and interview Midtown residents, identify sources, and delve into public records for stories about people, issues, and trends relevant to the area.

Personally, I had a fear of approaching members of the community – I felt that they wouldn’t be receptive to me.  I quickly found that I was wrong.  Every person I interviewed was courteous and open, willing to answer any question I had for them.  All of the people I had the chance to speak to were excited that their voice was heard and impressed that NNB was dedicated to the Midtown area.

Stories will be pitched to The Weekly Challenger, the Neighborhood Times and the Crow’s Nest.  Stories will also appear on the NNB website, nnbnews.com.

The Midtown neighborhood received local news coverage earlier this year when the Midtown Sweetbay closed its doors.  I decided to cover this story, and an interview with St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster was necessary.  Politicians can be intimidating, and interviewing one was terrifying to me.  Just like before, I found that I had nothing to be afraid of, and it took NNB for me to realize this.  My story turned out great, and it was published in The Weekly Challenger.  I was finally a published journalist!

“It was one of the best hands-on experiences I’ve had in the entire program,” senior and journalism major Larry Pugliese said.  “We had to go out in the community and meet the people we were writing about, which made our writing better…it just made it real.”

Neighborhood News Bureau provides real-life experience for journalists, and the tools that are learned are vital to the journalist reporting professionally in the real world.

One of my favorite things about living in St Petersburg is the fun events available for free or inexpensive.

Let’s start with some cool things on campus.

We have a 100 foot pool on campus located at what is known as the Waterfront that is free to use.

Students can play volleyball in the pool, layout or swim laps and hang out with friends. And some of us prefer to spend study time by the pool.

Kayaks and canoes are available for free to students and can be rented from the Waterfront office.  The fun doesn’t stop there.  Paddleboard lessons, sailing and other watersports are located on our watercraft side.

Fun places near campus

Have you ever flown in a helicopter or thought to yourself, “I’d like to fly in one but it probably costs a lot”?

The Albert Whitted Airport is located across the street from USF St. Pete and they offer helicopter rides through Safari Choppers.

I recommend the experience because the view is gorgeous and you can take pictures with your camera or cell phone and show all your friends. And of course you’ll want to Facebook or Tweet them!

Starting cost is $39 per person for a fun flight. Watching the helicopters and airplanes take off is a lot of fun and we don’t have to leave campus for that.

American Stage Theatre, located in downtown St. Pete has a “Pay What You Can” night offered for one show during each show’s run.

And, if you like comedy at an inexpensive price, check out “News of the Weird” featuring two of Tampa Bay’s local actors, Ricky Wayne and Gavin Hawk, who perform on the first Sunday of every month at American Stage’s Cabaret, and it’s “Pay What You Can”.  Check out the theatre’s website for scheduled shows, prices and “Pay What You Can” nights.

Totally free

The Salvador Dali Museum is in walking distance from our campus and best of all, it’s free to students with a USF St. Pete ID.

Every Friday night from 7-11 p.m., play shuffleboard for free at St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club located at 559 Mirror Lake Dr. North in St. Pete and a short distance from the USF St. Pete campus. For more details visit their website at www.stpeteshuffle.com .

During October to May, the Saturday Morning Market is every Saturday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Al Lang Field parking lot on the corner of 1st St S and 1st Ave S in downtown St. Pete.

Check out live music with around 200 vendors that provide a multicultural experience of food, crafts and music.

The 600 Block of Central Ave located in downtown St. Pete, known as The 600 Block has a diverse collection of shops and businesses such as fine art and craft galleries, boutiques, body art shops, music shops, graphic design and branding centers as well as performance venues, eateries and a world class audio and visual recording studio.