Erich is from Louisville, Kentucky, where he graduated from Trinity High School and starred as a student and baseball player. At Stetson, he continues a passion for learning complemented with a love for helping others. Just as he donated his time in high school helping physically disabled children and working in the Junior Special Olympics with the blind, Erich has served as Stetson’s recruitment chairperson for Relay for Life and tutored students at the Boys and Girls Club, and local high school students in algebra and biology. He also played for the Stetson baseball team his first year, and was named a Division I Academic All-American and Academic Atlantic Sun Conference player. After a chronic injury, Erich decided to terminate his baseball career and devote more of his time to campus life and academics. He is an Accounting and Finance major with minors in Information Systems and Business Law. He has been elected into Beta Alpha Psi (Business) and won the George Putnam Accounting Award. He also was named to work in the Roland George Investment Program. He is fundraising chair for Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, and will study in Innsbruck, Austria during summer, 2009. In 2010 he recieved the Business School Foundation Leadership Award and was name Outstanding Senior in Finance.
Kiryssa graduated as valedictorian from Seminole Senior High School in Seminole, Florida. There she was inducted into the National Honor Society, the Spanish National Honor Society, and received the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education (CORE) Internship Award. Kiryssa’s double major in Environmental Science and Political Science at Stetson has generated her passion to intersect academic learning and service. She has worked as an intern with the Alliance for International Reforestation (AIR) implementing sustainable agriculture techniques in Guatemala, as well as working with families in Ecuador. Locally, Kiryssa teaches English to Mexican immigrants. On campus, she helped start Youth Empowerment through Sports Activities (YESA), which extends her contacts with immigrant children. Elected to the Student Government Association, she has helped lead Adopt-An-Angel, Miles Against Malaria, Relay for Life, as well as conduct a campus-wide Greenhouse Gas Audit for the University. Also a FOCUS leader, Kiryssa helps introduce new Stetson Hatters to campus. She is an officer in Pi Beta Phi Sorority and serves on the Panhellenic Council as Vice President of Social Service. During spring, 2009, she studied abroad in Madrid, Spain, and was elected into Phi Beta Kappa. In 200 she was names Outstanding Senior in Environmental Science and Outstanding Senior in Politcal Science. She also recieved the University Honors Program Award for Outstanding Senior.
After an exciting four years at Stetson Peter graduated summa cum laude, May, 2009. A member of the tennis team, he was named an NCAA Division I National Student Athlete. Peter also used his talent beyond the court, teaching tennis to children at the local Boys and Girls Club and serving on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. Peter’s academic achievements were recognized by his induction into Phi Eta Sigma (Freshman Scholarship), Omicron Delta Kappa (National Leadership), Beta Gamma Sigma (Business) and Omicron Delta Epsilon (Economics) Honor Societies. He won the J. D. Bond and Charles E. Bradley Award for excellence in Business, as well as the Eugene M. Lynn Merit Award for Finance. As a senior, he was named an Outstanding Senior in both Economics and Finance, and was named a Roland George Investments Scholar. Peter studied abroad at Oxford University and is headed to law school in fall 2009.
Graduating cum laude, May, 2009, Andres’ years at Stetson represented a deep commitment to learning and service. Chosen an Outstanding Senior in Finance, he was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa (National Leadership) and was named a Roland George Investments Scholar. Andres made significant contributions to Rock the Earth Day, Read Across America, Relay for Life and the American Cancer Foundation. He also served as a FOCUS staff member, introducing entering freshmen to Stetson University. Andres has been accepted to the Medical School of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina.
During his time at Stetson, Jim was active on campus and worked as a marketing intern for Central Florida Cultural Endeavors and the Florida International Festival in Daytona Beach. He helped establish the Class of 2008 Scholarship and leaves Stetson with the legacy of a significant community service charity event, “Beardtoberfest.” After graduating cum laude, Jim is currently pursuing a career in marketing.
Christina was a senior speaker at Commencement and also received the prestigious Etter McTeer Turner Award. Her work at West Volusia Pediatrics and a medical mission trip to Honduras during her time at Stetson helped prepare her for medical school, which she began in fall 2008 at the University of Miami School of Medicine.
Building on her award-winning Stetson senior research on Colombian college students, Alison has continued to work on conflict resolution and international development in Colombia. She founded her own organization, Global Opportunity Garden, through which she helps bring aid to those in need in Latin America.
After winning numerous awards at Stetson for both her academic and artistic work, Patrycja is attending St. Antony’s College at Oxford University for a Master of Philosophy in Comparative Government followed by a Doctorate of Philosophy in Developmental Studies.
Katie graduated with a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Sport Business Management from the DeVos Sport Business Management Program at the University of Central Florida. She has continued as a J.V./Varsity softball coach at DeLand High School and helps to coach a travel softball team called the Florida Wildfire. She works in Partnership Marketing at the International Speedway Corporation in Daytona Beach, Fla.
After winning the nationally competitive Truman Scholarship, Greg worked with volunteer organizations in Bogota, Colombia, and created a Political Action Committee called Vote From Home with a group of Truman, Rhodes, Marshall, and Fulbright Scholars supporting Barack Obama for President. In the spring of 2009, he was in India working for a social enterprise called d.light design (dlightdesign.com) that focuses on providing clean, healthy, and cheap sources of lighting to the quarter of the world that lives with little to no access to electricity. Greg will attend Stanford University Law School in the fall of 2009.
Following her international experience from her Stetson studyabroad in Spain and internship at the World Trade Center in Miami, Maureen is attending the University of Miami School of Medicine.
Dan graduated from the Divinity School at the University of Chicago with his Master of Divinity in 2008 and is currently working for the District office of the United Methodist Church in Chicago.
Amy graduated summa cum laude from the Stetson University College of Law, where she received the Anthony S. Battaglia Excellence in Leadership Award. She also served as the editor-in-chief of the Stetson Law Review. She currently works for Holland & Knight law firm in Orlando, Fla. on mergers and acquisitions.
Following her passions for art and volunteerism, Rebecca is a docent at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota and plans to enter a graduate program in non-profit management and administration.
Maya received her Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. She has made numerous presentations of her work at professional conferences and has worked as a research assistant and human resources intern. She will be moving to Washington, D.C. to start a new job in August.
Gennifer graduated from the Florida State University College of Law, where she won numerous awards, was a volunteer at Teen Court of Leon County, and served as president of FSU’s awardwinning Mock Trial Team. She is married to Stetson alumnus Ben Powell ’04 and will join the Central Florida Litigation Department of the law firm of Holland & Knight this fall.
After interning with Passion Conferences as a Stetson student, Eddie has continued working for the outreach group. He organized two major collegiate conferences in Nashville, Tenn., and the group’s first international conference in Toronto, Canada. Eddie also is active in the North Point Community Church with his wife Danielle in Atlanta, Ga.
In May 2008, Kara graduated fifth in her class from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine and is now in Arlington, Va., working in a small animal emergency practice.
After spending time in China following graduation, Hamish is working on his Ph.D. in Ecology at the University of California in San Diego. He is married to Stetson alumna Joy Dixon ’04.
Christy is the Vice President of Business Development with Surgery Partners in Tampa, Fla. She has received numerous awards for sales performance and is an active volunteer with Big Brothers, Big Sisters and the United Way.f
Nicole is a consultant for Mercer Human Resources Consulting Firm in Birmingham, Ala. She specializes in pension plan funding and benefits administration. She and her husband, Stetson alumnus Chris Girata’02, live in Trussville, a suburb of Birmingham, and have two children.
After interning at the Tulane University School of Medicine under the supervision of Dr. J. Ollie Edmunds, Jr., Kasia received her M.D. from the University of Florida College of Medicine. She is currently pursuing a career in anesthesiology. She participates in many community service activities in the Gainesville area and is married to Stetson alumnus Matthew Soto ’03.
Jeff received his Ph.D. in Mathematical Finance from Boston University and is now an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at Rhodes College. He started an investment company, Bulwark Capital Management, LLC, with fellow Stetson alumnus Bryan Hinmon ’03. Jeff’s philanthropic focus is The Hamrick Home, a notfor- profit facility run by Hospice of Okeechobee, Fla.
Katie graduated from the Stetson University College of Law, where she received the Edward D. Foreman Most Distinguished Student Award. She is a member of the law firm Carlton Fields in its Business Litigation, Trade Regulation, and Real Property Litigation Practice Groups in Tampa, Fla. She is an active volunteer, leading teams for the American Heart Association Heart Walk and the Susan G. Komen Foundation Race for the Cure. Katie and her attorney husband Stetson alumnus Brandon Christian ’02 are expecting in June 2009.
Monica graduated from the Vanderbilt University School of Law, where she was articles editor of the Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment Law and Practice. She is now an attorney in the Business Transactions section of Jackson Walker LLP in Dallas, Texas.
Maryalice teaches English and Drama and is the Drama Troupe Director at Trinity Catholic High School. She is also a licensed financial advisor and a representative for Primerica Financial Services. She is married to Stetson alumnus David Ralston ’02.
Wesley is the creative manager for Macy's Parade & Entertainment Group in New York City which puts him in charge of the nationally televised events "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade" and the City of New York's "Fourth of July Fireworks". In addition to special talent management and casting for these projects, Wesley spearheads all music production and direction, such as a musical version of "Miracle on 34th Street" running in Macy's flagship store in NYC. He ran in the recent NYC Marathon and made his debut on national television with his "I Believe" song sung by Kermit the Frog which was recently nominated for a Daytime Emmy award.
Trinity graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law and heads the domestic relations division at Andersen, Tate & Carr, and serves as a Guardian ad Litem. She is an active volunteer in Atlanta, Ga., where she lives with her husband, Stetson alumnus Joe Fitzpatrick ’01.