On Monday evening, June 22, the historic Tampa Theatre – across the street from TECO Energy’s downtown Tampa headquarters – became the setting for the 2015 USF Cohort Program graduation celebration. The first graduating class of the TECO-USF educational partnership was recognized by TECO Energy President and CEO John Ramil and USF President Judy Genshaft before an audience of proud TECO officers, performance coaches, program coordinators and loved ones.
Balance, support and commitment were the themes of the evening. To each student’s credit, carefully balancing work, family and education made the night possible, as did the support of loved ones and performance coaches.
The foundation of this educational and career milestone achieved by each graduating student began with TECO Energy’s long commitment to learning, its tuition assistance program and the dedication of TECO cohort program administrator Bruce Napier, senior administrator, Assessment & Organizational Development.
“With so many finishing their Hillsborough Community College associate degree through our evening cohort program, it just made sense to partner with USF in bringing a similar-format bachelor’s degree program on-site to TECO facilities,” said Napier. “This is a specifically tailored degree that combines leadership, public administration and elements of change management—a great fit for our team members and our company.”
The Tampa Theatre auditorium was full of a range of emotions on June 22 – smiling faces, even laughter and some tears in full appreciation of the culmination of long months, late nights, and sacrificed weekends and time with families and friends. The pay-off had arrived. They were graduating.
One of those individuals that shed a few tears of joy was Amy Hackney, planner estimator with Tampa Electric’s Engineering & Project Management team. She and Tracy McLellan, generation supervisor with Big Bend Administration Services, each gave the student address. Reflecting on her accomplishment, Hackney said, “I have been able to advance my career here at TECO and that has made me extremely proud.”
To the graduates, Ramil said, “You worked hard to earn your degrees while you worked hard at your jobs. The strength of your character helped propel you through your studies. You believed in your potential. Your friends and families believed in you and so does TECO.”
Genshaft echoed Ramil’s praise of the students and their vital support systems. She reminded them that they had earned something very important that could never be taken away—a degree.
“It will serve you well for the rest of your life,” she said. “Graduation is the result of a great collaboration between a student and a professor and the institution – and in this very special case, also your employer.”
TECO USF Class of 2015
Kim Ashburn
Mary Kay Bates
Dana Braden
Michael Brown
Mary Elizabeth Casares
Melanie Ganas
Amy Hackney
Harold Hobbs
Misael Irizarry
Candace Jordan
Mary Knight
Jasell Lugo
Tracy McLellan
Shannon Preston
Nadia Salcedo
Bethany Samanka
Stacey Stromsnes
Tom Tyson
Ruth Weintraub
Oscar Williams
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