Florida-Georgia Line singer to star at Sept. 13 fundraiser
The Daytona State College Foundation will celebrate a homegrown Falcon who has soared to mega-stardom when it hosts its annual gala on Tuesday, Sept. 13. Brian Kelley of the award-winning country music duo Florida Georgia Line, and a 2007 DSC alumnus from Ormond Beach, will highlight the 2016 gala.
Festivities will be from 6 to 9 p.m. in the college’s Mori Hosseini Center on DSC’s Daytona Beach Campus.
DSC President Tom LoBasso and Foundation administrators expressed appreciation for Kelley’s gift of time and generosity to his alma mater.
“We are thrilled to have Brian as our honored guest,” said Foundation Executive Director Kay Burniston. “While there are many who have contributed to Brian’s confidence and success along the way, we hope that his time at Daytona State contributed to his growth. We are very proud of him and all he has accomplished.”
While attending Daytona State, Kelley was a member of the Falcon baseball team under Coach Tim Touma. He later transferred to Florida State University and then to Belmont University in Nashville, where he met and collaborated with Tyler Hubbard to form Florida-Georgia Line. The duo soon rocketed to the top of the country music charts, most recently earning Duo of the Year honors during April’s Academy of Country Music Awards.
The annual Foundation gala is among the area’s premier charity events. Guests will be treated to a festive international cuisine prepared by Daytona State culinary students under the guidance of their award-winning chef instructors. Limited sponsorship opportunities for the September event start at $750 per couple. Proceeds will support the Brian Kelley Endowment Scholarship Fund, which will be dedicated to defraying the cost of tuition, fees and books for students with financial need. For information, or to purchase a sponsorship, visit Foundation.DaytonaState.edu or call 506-3407.
$3.7 million grant goes to skills training
Daytona State College is the lead institution in a regional consortium that has been awarded a four-year, $3.7 million TechHire Partnership grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to provide short-term skills training in manufacturing and information technology-related fields.
“Through this grant, we are proud to lead an initiative that can have a real impact on the economic vitality of our entire region, raising earning potential and quality of life for residents,” said DSC President Dr. Tom LoBasso. “Our state colleges have long had a unique ability to quickly respond to industry needs with employer-driven training programs leading to industry-prized credentials that enhance worker skills and productivity.”
Each Florida East Coast TechHire member institution will offer training for jobs listed on the Regional Demand Occupations List published by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, according to Dr. Mary Bruno, associate vice president for DSC’s College of Workforce, Continuing and Adult Education and the grant’s principal investigator.
Bruno said Daytona State will provide short-term “TechHire Boot Camps” in advanced manufacturing and IT through the college’s Center for Business & Industry. Along with Industrial Machinery Maintenance credentialing offered through the grant, programs include:
Recent DSC grad gets prestigious grant
Newly degreed Daytona State College alumnus Andrew Adie has been selected to receive a prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, one of 75 awarded to outstanding community college graduates who intend to pursue bachelor’s degrees.
The scholarship offers up to $40,000 per year and aims to cover a significant share of Adie’s educational expenses when the spring 2016 associate of arts graduate transfers to the University of Washington to pursue a bachelor’s degree in engineering.
The Cooke Foundation scholarship award is the culmination of Adie’s exceptional dedication to his studies and the college community during his time at DSC. He graduated this spring with high honors and was selected to the 2016 All-Florida Academic Team, which recognizes outstanding students for academic achievement, leadership and service to their communities. He served as president of Phi Theta Kappa’s Mu Rho Chapter during summer and fall 2015 semesters, leading it to becoming a five-star chapter for the second consecutive year.
College names Harvard grad new center director
George Tewari has been named director of the Florida Small Business Development Center at Daytona State College. He succeeds Ned Harper, who recently retired after holding the position for more than a decade.
Prior to joining the FSBDC, Tewari was a group CEO at Z Living Network, a New York-based media company dedicated to health and wellness. He has more than 18 years of global and domestic experience driving growth and innovation for start-up and high-performing companies across multiple industries, including Ford, Reliance, IBM and Mahindra. Currently, Tewari is part of the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Daytona class.
He holds a master’s degree in business administration and management from Harvard University and a master’s degree in environmental policy and management from the University of Denver.
Tewari also will conduct the CEO Exchange, a group of business leaders who share best practices to mutually benefit their organizations and the community overall. Daytona State’s FSBDC is one of a network of 40 that exist throughout Florida.
As a non-profit organization funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, it offers area entrepreneurs and business owners everything from no-cost, one-on-one consulting and small group workshops to large group meetings on important business topics. Training topics cover many areas of business operations, including business start-up, financial and cash flow analysis, accounting and recordkeeping, marketing and sales, and business planning. Call 506-4723 for information or email George.Tewari@DaytonaState.edu.