Let's Pack the House for ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ men's basketball
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¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ students in the Sports Management Club traveled to Las Vegas earlier this month with Dr. Liz Gregg, professor of sport management, to partake in the festivities leading up to Super Bowl LVIII. While in Vegas, the students gained invaluable experiences working the NFL Gameday Experience, Super Bowl Gameday and other events, as well as visiting the Hoover Dam and attending a networking event at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas.
Information provided by Dr. Elizabeth Gregg, professor of sport management
Leon Davidson, groundskeeper for ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ Housing, enjoys doing his part to make sure the campus looks pristine. In his role, Davidson is responsible for maintaining the grounds around Osprey Hall and Osprey Landing. He says he loves his job, the beautiful campus and the close knit relationships he's developed with his colleagues in the three years he's worked at ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ. Outside of work, he enjoys cooking and spending time with his dogs — Baby, Sparrow, Diesel, Kaluha and Ozzie. A huge fan of hip-hop culture from rapping to graffiti and breakdancing, he is currently in the early stages of creating a podcast with a few friends about their mutual love of hip-hop.
Where are you originally from?
I am originally from Turks and Caicos and my family moved to Jacksonville when I was very young.
What makes your job enjoyable?
The people I work with. I’ve always enjoyed meeting people and ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ is a lovely place to work with beautiful scenery.
What other jobs have you held before working at ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ?
I used to be a bouncer. The craziest job I ever had was repossessing cars.
Do you have a favorite place on or off campus where you like to unwind?
Anywhere near a body of water. Coming from the islands, I’ve always been drawn to water.
If you could assume any job for one day, what job would that be?
President of the United States.
What are some memorable moments in your life that you cherish most?
Spending time with my paternal grandfather.
Who inspires you/who is you biggest influence?
My father. He's my hero. He taught me to always take care of people who can't take care of themselves.
What is one thing about you most people may not know?
The love I have for all my friends and family.
FACT BOX:
Favorite Foods: My mom makes a dish with fresh sliced zucchini, sliced sausage, onions and tomato sauce over rice. I also like lasagna.
Favorite Artists/Bands: Juice Crew, Boogie Down Productions, The Roots, Sade, ZZ Top, Frank Sinatra
Favorite Sports to Watch: Football, Boxing, Basketball
Favorite Movies: Goodfellas, Beat Street, Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo, Lady in Cement, Animal House
Desired Superpower: Invisibility
At age 19, Hunter Ford is mature beyond his young age.
The ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ junior majoring in computer science is a huge fan of watching YouTube videos to learn coding, likes to build things from scratch and is a self-professed multitasker who doesn’t like idle time.
A Jacksonville native, who graduated from Douglas Anderson School of the Arts High School in 2022, Ford enrolled at ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ as a sophomore in August 2022 after earning college credit in high school.
He has a myriad of interests ranging from tinkering with computers and coding to photography, building drones, tending to his antique truck and embroidering on his grandmother’s embroidery machine. He says blending his schoolwork with his hobbies is a natural fit for him and makes for an exciting life.
Last November, Ford was named winner of the 2023 AI For Good Hackathon — a 48-hour, weekend competition that challenges teams of students to find solutions that drive social and environmental changes — even though he missed a full-day of competition due to a conflict.
“I had a previous commitment to take photos at an event before I signed up for the Hackathon and was gone all day Saturday,” explained Ford. “But I felt confident I could still finish up the competition when I got back.”
Indeed, he did, winning the top prize of $500.
Working independently, Ford returned to his ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ dorm later on the second day of competition, worked through the night and into early Sunday morning and produced a PowerPoint presentation for the judges Sunday morning.
For the competition, participants were presented with case studies posed by organizations. Ford chose to take on Ponte Vedra-based nonprofit First Tee — a national youth development organization that promotes and builds life skills such as strength of character and confidence by offering free golf lessons to kids up to age 18 — who wanted to expand their reach around the U.S., including accessibility to underserved communities.
Ford used artificial intelligence to display optimized potential locations throughout the U.S., by gathering zip codes and focusing on residential areas with a median income of $30,000 or less. After locating several sites, he documented his research and offered recommendations on accessibility for families with kids as well as other logistical information.
“The [AI For Good] Hackathon competition was a good experience,” Ford said, who is interning at ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ’s Data Science department. “I made a few professional contacts that may lead to a job one day, and the Tutoring Center asked if I could tutor Data Science and Computer Science students.”
His favorite classes are the ones that involve hands-on learning like an English class he took last year.
“I would have never thought I needed to know how to sew for an English class,” Ford said. “The professor told us to sew a kite, attach a go-pro camera to take photographs and load it into a virtual reality game. Our assignment was to write a technical paper on our project — from start to finish and all the steps in between. It was one of my best classes.”
Looking ahead, Ford said he’s planning on continuing his education with a master's in computer science and says his dream job is to work for Boston Dynamics or the Department of Defense.
A Walk on the Wild Side
Exhibit on view now through July 7, MOCA Jacksonville
Comprised of nearly 700 objects in all media, The Norman Fisher Collection is one of MOCA's most significant holdings. It was donated to the museum in 1979 by the family of Jacksonville native Norman E. Fisher. Learn more . (RICHARD “DICKIE” LANDRY, Einstein on the beach, Knee II, 1976. Gelatin silver print. © Richard “Dickie” Landry. Used by permission.)
Astronomy Night: 3D Printing in Space and on the Moon
Friday, Feb. 23, 8 - 9:30 p.m., Science and Engineering Building (Lobby)
Alex Blanchard (NASA Huntsville), will present a short public talk about the possibilities enabled by 3D Printing in Space and on the Moon. The talk will be followed by an hour of stargazing with telescopes. Everyone is invited. Learn more about this Astronomy Nights event.
Lawson Ensemble with pianist Yukino Miyake
Sunday, Feb. 25, 3 p.m., Recital Hall of the Fine Arts Center
The first prize winner of the 2016 Los Angeles Liszt International Compeition, Yukino Miyake has performed as a collaborative pianist with musicians from several orchestras. Learn more about this upcoming performance.
One Page Marketing Plan for Small Business
Thursday, Feb. 29, 10 a.m. - noon, Jacksonville Public Library Main
In this hands-on session, you'll be guided through the key elements of creating a comprehensive marketing strategy that fits on a single page. This webinar is sponsored by the ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ Small Business Development Center. Learn more .
Project Atrium: Frank Stella Opening Celebration
Thursday, Feb. 29, 8 - 9 p.m., MOCA Jacksonville
One of America's foremost contemporary sculptors, Frank Stella, will unveil his brand new sculptural work, "Jacksonville Stacked Stars," created for MOCA's 100th anniversary! Be the first to see this larger-than-life installation. .
Shiitake Mushroom Log Inoculation
Friday, March 1, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., Ogier Gardens
Join Ogier Gardens staff for the annual shiitake mushroom log inoculation. Those attending this hands-on workshop will learn about edible mushroom production and assist in inoculating logs for the Ogier Gardens with shiitake mycelium. Learn more .
"Russia, Ukraine and U.S. National Security" with Matthew Rojansky
Monday, March 4, 7 p.m., Adam W. Herbert University Center
Matthew Rojansky serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of The U.S. Russia Foundation. He is among the most widely recognized and cited U.S. experts on Russia, and has published works on the history and practice of U.S.-Russia relations, bilateral exchanges and rule of law. He received his B.A. in history from Harvard College and his J.D. from Stanford Law School. Hosted in partnership with the World Affairs Council of Jacksonville. Learn more and register for this free event.
MOCA Jacksonville: Hyperlocal Art History
Wednesday, March 6, 4 - 5 p.m., MOCA Jacksonville
In the 100th anniversary year of MOCA Jacksonville, MOCA will host a series of talks by ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ Professor of Art History, Dr. Scott Brown, that rethinks the history of art from a standpoint here in North Florida. Learn more .
Ciné-Wednesdays - "Bob le flambeur" (1956)
Wednesday, March 6, 4 - 6 p.m., Founders Hall (Room 1001)
Join the ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures this semester to celebrate the film noir genre. This 1956 French heist gangster film directed by Jean-Pierre Melville is often considered both a film noir and a precursor to the French New Wave. Learn more .