President Brogan and the FAU National Alumni Association kicked off FAU Days in Tallahassee on March 5 with the annual Alumni/Legislative Reception. Held in the 22nd floor observatory of the Florida State Capitol and offering a 360-degree view of the city, the two-hour event attracted more than 150 guests visited during the two-hour event, including Sen. Nan Rich (District 34 – Broward/Miami-Dade Counties) and Rep. Adam Hasner (District 87 – Broward/Palm Beach Counties) and other members of the Legislature. During the reception President Brogan formally recognized 91-year-old Ruth Findling, who received her master’s degree from FAU in 1969. An energetic Ms. Findling stated that she hopes to come back to FAU to see all the exciting changes she has been hearing about. The FAU Vocal Troupe performed at the event.
The following morning, the Florida Senate opened its 2007 session with a resolution recognizing the accomplishments of FAU. It was presented to President Brogan. Sen. Jeff Atwater (District 25 – Broward/Palm Beach Counties), sponsor of the resolution, recognized the members of FAU’s Board of Trustees in the gallery. The University’s Vocal Troupe performed “God Bless America” and the FAU alma mater. The Vocal Troupe served FAU proudly and made a lasting impression with Senate members. Following the State of the State Address, members of the FAU delegation, including Trustees, University administrators, University alumni and Student Government officers, had an opportunity to meet with members of the Senate and House of Representatives. The meetings gave the delegationan opportunity to make legislators aware of the University's funding priorities.
Wednesday morning began with President Brogan giving an inspiring speech at the Palm Beach County Days Breakfast. Following the breakfast, another day of meetings with legislators and state officials got under way. Meanwhile, on the second floor rotunda, “Experience FAU” was attracting a lot of attention. The colleges, campuses and divisions offered interactive displays, and staff members were available to talk with visitors. The Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, for example, gave a series of science demonstrations throughout the day. Eric Vandernoot, coordinator of the astronomy and physics labs, demonstrated Newton’s Law, magnetic forces and quantum communications. And Dr. Maria Jose Garcia-Quijano, associate professor of geosciences, offered a spectroradiometer demonstration showing the differences between healthy and decaying leaves. She also provided a PowerPoint presentation on applied research in subsidence risk at waste sites. Throughout the day, the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters’ Vocal Troupe performed. Their voices echoed through the capitol and left many wanting to hear more.
A highlight of this year’s FAU Days effort was the participation of members of the student body. From the Vocal Troupe to Student Government reprentatives to the display presenters, FAU students represented the University with dignity and pride. They helped remind legislators why it is so important to fully fund the University's legislative priorities.
This year, FAU signed on as the Premier Sponsor of Palm Beach County Days at the capitol. “The University is taking a very proactive role in leading economic growth in the area, particularly the high-tech sector,” said President Brogan. “Palm Beach County Days gives us a very effective means of defining the University’s most notable current contributions to the life of the community.”
As the event’s top sponsor, FAU led a partnership of the county’s public and private organizations and businesses in promoting the county to legislators and staff. The team’s efforts included a kick-off party for legislators, exhibits and legislative visits.
Perhaps the best summation of this year’s effort came from Sen. Jeremy Ring (District 32 – Broward County) as quoted in an article in the Palm Beach Post: "FAU has been in my office the last three days. FAU has corralled Tallahassee."
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