In 1998, Saint Leo was one of the first universities in the United States to begin offering online degree programs. Now 25 years later, the university continues to offer a robust online learning program, with more than 30 degrees, and is top-ranked for its efforts to offer students schedule flexibility, course variety, and accomplished, accessible faculty.
Saint Leo University earned honors in four categories for providing the best online bachelor’s and master’s programs in the United States, according to the 2023 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Online Programs edition, released in January.
The university received honors in the Best Online Bachelor’s Programs in Psychology (ranked 36th); Best Online Bachelor’s Programs (124th); Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans (ranked 75th); and Best Online Bachelor’s Programs in Business (127th) categories.
“Saint Leo is celebrating 25 years of offering online education so it’s particularly fitting that the university is being honored for providing outstanding online degrees,” said Dr. Edward Dadez, Saint Leo University president. “In 1998, the university took a risk and entered the online field. Through online classes, students can study anywhere and anytime that is convenient for them. It was an investment that paid off for the university and especially for its students.”
This past year the university welcomed home four alumni to speak at its Mission-Driven Leaders: Conversations On Purpose series. The goal of the program is to engage the university community and the public about the significance of mission-driven leadership.
On April 12, Saint Leo University celebrated a successful day of giving, upholding an important university tradition. The Day for Saint Leo campaign surpassed its goal, raising more than $500,000 by receiving 655 donor gifts, marking the 10th annual giving day as one of the best in Saint Leo’s history. Special thanks to Saint Leo University Board of Trustees member John Picciano ’69, CEO of Oglethorpe Inc., for donating $127,735, to bring total dollars raised from $372,265 to $500,000.
Dr. Daniel DuBois, assistant professor of history, is serving as the 2022-2023 president of the Florida Conference of Historians. The organization is dedicated to promoting scholarship and collegiality among historians teaching history in Florida’s colleges and universities. In February, Saint Leo University hosted the group’s 2022 annual meeting at University Campus. The conference featured panel and individual presentations on a wide variety of topics from state, national, and international history. Additionally, DuBois was recently selected as one of only 20 participants from hundreds who applied nationally for a weeklong summer workshop on teaching American Civil War history, led by Dr. Gary W. Gallagher, author and professor emeritus at the University of Virginia.
Dr. Kathryn Duncan, professor of English, is the author of Jane Austen and the Buddha: Teachers of Enlightenment, a work of literary criticism recently released by McFarland Books. Duncan was inspired by a realization that the popular English novelist Jane Austen and the religious teacher and thinker had ideas in common about human nature and happiness. Duncan became a faculty member in the English Department in 2001.
Dr. Phillip Neely Jr., director of the Doctor of Criminal Justice program, recently published a book entitled, When the Watcher Becomes the Watched: The New Policing. Released by Paramount Publisher, the book delves into how technology, such as the cameras worn by police officers, has fared at law enforcement agencies and examines if its use has been effective. Prior to becoming a faculty member at Saint Leo, Neely worked in law enforcement for 21 years, serving in progressively responsible leadership and field positions at local agencies.
Dr. Matthew Tapie, associate professor of theology and director of the Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies, is co-editing a new series at The Catholic University of America Press, entitled Judaism and Catholic Theology. The Judaism and Catholic Theology series aims to further Catholic theological reflection on Judaism and the Jewish people for scholars, the lay faithful, and interreligious leaders. The first of several books in the new series was published in February 2022. Additionally, Tapie is co-editing a collection of 14 essays on the challenges of theological dialogue for the Catholic University of America Press. The essays were originally presented at the Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies’ online symposium in 2021.
Gianna Russo, assistant professor of English and creative writing, recently published a new book of poetry entitled, All I See is Your Glinting: 90 Days in the Pandemic. The book features poems and photographs that document each day of the last quarter of 2020 during the pandemic, capturing the small and meaningful moments of daily life. The book is available through Madville Publishing. Russo, who was named the inaugural Wordsmith of the city of Tampa in 2020, will wrap up her work in the role at the end of 2022.
Dr. Moneque Walker-Pickett, professor of criminal justice, was selected as one of 38 American Council on Education (ACE) Fellows for the 2020-2021 class. The ACE program is the longest-running leadership development program in the United States and offers participants interactive learning opportunities and visits to campuses and other higher education-related organizations. Walker-Pickett joins other ACE fellows from institutions such as Georgetown University, Purdue University, Ohio State University, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and more.
Saint Leo University and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office Florida Forensic Institute for Research, Security, and Tactics (F1RST) have joined forces to fight human trafficking regionally, with a concentration on three counties near University Campus.
HFOT builds single-level homes that are equipped with more than 40 special adaptations to assist injured veterans. These include widened doorways, lowered countertops, roll-under cooktops and sinks, and roll-in showers, all designed for wheelchair accessibility. The organization builds homes and provides assistance after delivery of the home to help rebuild the person’s life.
