High School Students Visit UF and FSU

By Emma Brown

GAINESVILLE AND Tallahassee, FL — The Seminole Tribe’s Higher Education Advisor and other Education staff took a road trip with students in grades 10–12. The destinations were the cities of Gainesville and Tallahassee to take a tour of the homes of the Seminoles and the Gators. Two of the biggest college football team rivals, but also two of the finest colleges in the state and nation.

The bus left Hollywood on Tuesday morning June 6 headed for Brighton where it picked up students from both Brighton and Ft. Pierce. Then it was on to Gainesville where the group met up with Tampa reservation students and stopped for the night.

On the morning of June 7 the group headed to Gainesville’s University of Florida (UF) campus for an extensive walking tour of the beautiful facilities and grounds that the university has to offer, while hearing about the wonderful programs and majors that students had to choose from.

After the UF campus tour, the group was taken to the Florida Museum of Natural History where they were given a personal tour. The most exciting room at the museum was the room that was full of artifacts, information, and pictures of the Florida Seminoles.

Many of the students learned things about their Tribe that they did not already know and saw pictures of their ancestors that made the visit to the museum extremely meaningful. After visiting the museum the group loaded up on the bus for the three hour trip to Tallahassee.

Upon arrival in Tallahassee the group was met by Terence Clark, training coordinator for the Florida Governor’s Council on Indian Affairs, Inc., who accompanied them to dinner. The first thing Thursday morning, June 8, the group met in the Westcott Building at The Florida State University to be welcomed by the University President T.K. Wetherell.

Wetherell greeted the students and expressed his desire to have them all attend the university. He also spoke about the special relationship that the university has with the Seminole Tribe of Florida and how much respect the staff and students at FSU have for the Seminole Tribe.

He invited all of the students back in October for the unveiling of a new statue that will be positioned at one of the stadium entrances. The statue will honor the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Seminole Tribal flag will permanently fly along side of the new statue. The Florida Seminoles will be forever remembered daily at the home of the ‘Noles.

After a few pictures with Wetherell the students were addressed by Liz Maryanski, student affairs, and Will Hudson from the CARE Program, who spoke with them about admissions into FSU and about the atmosphere around campus. Then it was off to the newly remodeled Suwannee Room for a wonderful buffet style lunch.

Following lunch the group met with John Lata from the FSU Athletic Department for a tour of the basketball facility. During the tour of the basketball facility, FSU Women’s Basketball Coach Sue Semaru stopped to speak to the students and expressed how much respect her and her team has for the Florida Seminoles.

Next it was back on the bus for a short ride to FSU’s “reservation.” The reservation is located on beautiful Lake Bradford. The reservation is a recreational facility that allows students to come enjoy activities such as canoeing, volleyball, and ropes courses.

After visiting the reservations the group was taken back to the Moore Athletic Center to meet with John Lata again and take a tour of the Florida State Seminoles locker rooms and football field. First stop on the tour was the office of FSU Football Coach Bobby Bowden. Coach Bowden’s office has a beautiful view overlooking the stadium and the field, with a door that opens up to an outside balcony that he uses during game days for many Hollywood celebrities and family to sit and watch the games.

The students were taken into a room with national championship trophies, rings and much more memorabilia, a room most public never gets to see.

Lata said, “Only new recruits and their families are allowed in this room.”

The students felt very fortunate to be shown such precious FSU memories. It is an understatement to say that the FSU staff rolled out the red carpet for these Seminole students, and the students were very appreciative for their day at FSU.

The entire trip was a chance for students to feel and experience “college life” and was an attempt by the Education department to motivate them to pursue higher education. I think each student came away from the college visits with a great deal of inspiration to purse not only college, but sports as well. Both universities have a great deal to offer in the area of sports and academics and being a part of the university world for a day really seemed to inspire many of the students on the trip.

Any Tribal citizens interested in visiting a college or would like more information on the Billy L. Cypress scholarship program, please contact your local reservation’s education advisor or the Higher Education Advisor Linda Iley.