USF gifted $1M for risk, insurance program
TAMPA — The University of South Florida has received a $1 million gift from Florida Surplus Lines Service Office to benefit USF’s Baldwin Group School of Risk Management and Insurance (The Baldwin Group School) in the Muma College of Business. The funding will establish the Florida Surplus Lines Insurance Directorship within the college.
The endowment will support The Baldwin Group School’s growth by expanding educational and experiential learning opportunities in risk management and insurance, with a focus on excess and surplus lines insurance.
This investment builds on an established partnership between The Baldwin Group School and FSLSO. From internships and on-campus engagements to national and international experiential learning opportunities and mentorship programs, FSLSO provides USF students with educational experiences that enhance the school’s efforts to recruit and develop the next generation of risk professionals.
The surplus lines industry provides coverage for specialized and complex risks, ranging from hurricane-exposed coastal properties to emerging cybersecurity threats.
Great Strides expands to Riverview
RIVERVIEW — Great Strides Pediatric Rehabilitation has opened an office in Riverview. It is the second clinic opened by H2 Health in the Tampa Bay area.
The new Riverview clinic will improve access to comprehensive therapy services for children from birth through age 21. It offers a full range of specialized pediatric services, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). This integrated care model allows children to receive multiple prescribed therapies in one location, creating a seamless experience for families while supporting stronger developmental outcomes.
For more information about H2 Health and Great Strides Pediatric Rehabilitation, visit www.H2Health.com or email contactus@h2health.com.
County to unveil Buffalo Soldiers monument
TAMPA — A monument to all-Black segregated U.S. Army units known as the Buffalo Soldiers will be dedicated later this month at Veterans Memorial Park.
Veteran Community Services and Hillsborough County leaders will host the event at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug.. 29 at Veterans Memorial Park & Rear Admiral LeRoy Collins, Jr. Veterans Museum, 3602 N. U.S. Highway 301. A ceremony will be held at the outdoor amphitheater, followed by the official unveiling of the large bronze monument in the park.
Congress created the all-Black units in 1866, and were called “Buffalo Soldiers” by Native American tribes after the courageous creatures of the Plains. These battalions guarded mail, managed national parks, and built infrastructure after the Civil War. They also served in military actions and provided border security.
In 1898, Buffalo Soldiers camped on the fringes of Tampa Heights during deployment to Cuba in the Spanish-American War. The last Buffalo Soldier units disbanded in the 1950s under President Harry Truman, and in 1992, President George Bush proclaimed the first National Buffalo Soldiers Day.
Lady Hawk earns FCSAA Scholar-Athlete Award
Hillsborough College Lady Hawks tennis student-athlete Salomea Jasiczek has received the 2026 Vicki Schnurr Scholar-Athlete award from the Florida College System Activities Association.
The Vicki Schnurr Scholar-Athlete Award is presented annually to one student-athlete on an FCSAA-sanctioned tennis team. Eligible recipients must complete at least 48 credit hours, maintain a minimum of 3.30 grade point average and complete at least three full-time academic terms, including one at an FCSAA institution. Jasiczek exceeded those requirements, earning the award with a perfect 4.00 GPA.
Jasiczek played a pivotal role in leading the Lady Hawks to back-to-back National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and FCSAA championships. She is a three-time NJCAA All-American and earned the 2025 national singles title before winning both the singles and doubles national championships in 2026. She will continue her academic and athletic careers at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi this fall.
County schools to provide free meals for students
TAMPA — Hillsborough County Public Schools will continue offering meals to all students at no cost to families for the upcoming school years.
The program is made available through the Community Eligibility Provision of the federal Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, which allows eligible schools to offer meals to all students at no cost to families.
In Hillsborough County, free lunches will be provided to nearly 200 pre-K, elementary, middle, and high schools.
Shaw, Ybor rejuvenator, named Person of Vision
TAMPA — Darryl Shaw, who is credited as the driving force in the revitalization of the Ybor City historic district, has been selected to receive the 202 Person of Vision Award from Preserve Vision Florida.
Preserve Vision Florida is a nonprofit committed to vision screenings and eye health education.
“When considering who we might honor at this signature event, Darryl’s name was top of mind, given the vision he has created for Ybor City and the considerable work done, underway and forthcoming to fulfill that vision,” said PVF board chair Kevin Bakewell.
In announcing Shaw’s selection, PVF said, “Darryl has a passion for seeing the Ybor City historic district revitalize back into one of America’s great neighborhoods. He is the driving force behind Ybor City’s Gas Worx development – a five million square feet mixed-use project that will link downtown Tampa, the Channel District and the Latin Quarter.”
Born in South Africa, Shaw is a graduate of Brown University with a degree in international commerce. He also has an MBA in both finance and marketing from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management and is a retired Certified Public Accountant.
Summer baby boom continues at ZooTampa
ZooTampa at Lowry Park’s 2027 baby boom continues across the park with a new wave of arrivals. The latest birth is a female manatee calf, named Beatrix, born at the David A. Straz, Jr. Manatee Critical Care Center. The mother, PneumaThurman, a 1,230-pound manatee, was rescued on June 5 from the Manatee River in Manatee County after sustaining a watercraft injury. The calf, who weighed approximately 76 pounds at birth, marks the first manatee birth at the Zoo in more than a decade.
Despite the mother’s continued critical condition and need for specialized treatment, the pair are bonding successfully and are being closely monitored by the Soo’s expert animal care and veterinary teams.
An Eastern bongo calf was born on July 3 at ZooTampa. The female calf, named Liberty, weighed 38 pounds and stood about 2 feet tall at birth. Both mother and calf are reported to be healthy and bonding well. This marks the seventh Eastern bongo birth at the zoo since 2021, contributing to the conservation of a species with fewer than 100 individuals remaining in the wild due to habitat loss and poaching. The bongo joins 2 other bongo calves, two southern white rhinos, 2 impalas, and 2 nyalas, all born earlier this year.
Autism school holding supplies drive
TAMPA — The Florida Autism Center of Excellence, a tuition-free public charter school serving students with autism, is conducting its August-September School Supply Drive. The drive is underway and will continue through Sept. 30.
Donations of classroom and school supplies can be delivered to the school at 6310 E. Sligh Ave. Purchases also can be made at the school’s Amazon Wish List at https://a.co/08sy5EQE
For more information, contact the school’s new outreach coordinator, Laura Wilton, at 813-98j5-3223.
NJCAA picks 26 HC students for national All-Academic Recognition
TAMPA — Some 26 Hillsborough College student-athletes were selected to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) 2025-2026 Academic First, Second and Third Teams. These individuals earned the distinction by achieving a grade point average of 3.6 or higher during the academic year.
All-Academic First Team:
• Emilia Arvidson (Volleyball)
• Chase Conti (Baseball)
• Kaja Debelak (Volleyball)
• Salomea Jasiczek (Tennis)
• Manyaka Luma (Men’s Basketball)
• Eva Rovello (Volleyball)
• Maria Watroba (Volleyball)
All-Academic Second Team:
• Ida Almkvist (Volleyball)
• Mirthe De Bresser (Tennis)
• Aubree Hummel (Volleyball)
• Nick Palmi (Baseball)
• Crystaliz Peral (Volleyball)
• Noah Rojas (Tennis)
All-Academic Third Team:
• Carlee Anselmo (Softball)
• Nathan Aprile (Baseball)
• Oliver Bandy (Baseball)
• Niko Bavaro (Men’s Basketball)
• Younsoo Cho (Tennis)
• Nina Green (Women’s Basketball)
• Daniel Herrera (Baseball)
• Anthony Jacquez (Baseball)
• Zeynep Oturakci (Women’s Basketball)
• Skyler Porter (Softball)
• Kaylee Poster (Softball)
• Charles Stevens (Baseball)
• Aisulu Zholbolat (Tennis)
NJCAA All-Academic First Team honorees earned a perfect 4.00 GPA. Second Team recipients achieved a GPA between 3.80 and 3.99, while Third Team recipients earned a GPA between 3.60 and 3.79.
The NJCAA also honors teams who earn a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. Three HC athletics teams received this recognition this year:
• Women’s Tennis: 3.53 GPA
• Volleyball: 3.34 GPA
• Women’s Basketball: 3.00 GPA