Current Features

Geraldine McKinnon Twine didn’t set out to be a trailblazer.

She and her husband, John, just wanted to earn a good living, she says, so their three children could be safe and successful in school and life.

So, although she’s honored, Twine, a retired advanced registered nurse practitioner, says she’s also a little embarrassed by the attention she received for breaking down barriers at a time when much of the South was still segregated. In 2021, Twine received the League of Women Voters of Hillsborough County’s Lifetime Achievement Award for her efforts to provide proper health care to the disadvantaged and to foster opportunities for minorities. She received USF’s 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award and in 2017, she was inducted into Hillsborough County’s Women’s Hall of Fame.

“I wasn’t thinking about it,” she says of the years she spent working as a nurse, taking care of her kids, and going to college in the 1960s and ‘70s. (She holds three degrees from USF.) “I still don’t think about it. I thought everybody was doing the same thing to feed their children.”

Growing up in tiny Milton, a city in Florida’s western Panhandle, Twine knew early on that she was meant to take care of others. Her mom was a beautician, her dad a mechanic, but nursing was her calling, starting with tending to the babies born to poor and rural mothers in her community. In school, she joined the Red Cross club, the homemaking club, the health club and Girl Scouts.

She married young (“Which may not have been the best thing to do,” she says with a smile), and soon had three children of her own: Barbara, Dirk and baby Debra. Even so, she managed to take a licensed practical nursing course in Tallahassee to improve her skills. She was six weeks from graduating when John, a teacher, got a job in Tampa, and the family moved south.

Nursing classes were segregated in Tampa, as were the hospitals, and the closest LPN course was for whites only, Twine says. So she and three other women carpooled to Gibbs Junior College in St. Petersburg, which served African-American students.

Twine finished her coursework and in 1961 got a job at Clara Frye Memorial Hospital in Tampa — for many years the only hospital in Tampa that treated Black patients.

In 1967, Twine became the first black nurse to transfer from Clara Frye to Tampa General Hospital when it officially integrated. Of course she was tested, she says, mostly by patients who were “astonished” by some of things she could do.

“They didn’t know that when you’re trained and educated, you could do anything a white person could do. I was aiming to please, and it worked.”

She also noticed that when she walked into the hospital cafeteria and sat down for lunch, some Black workers – housekeepers and others – would follow. Before she came, they told her, they ate in the boiler room.

People today might not realize the indignities that were “hurting to the soul” for minorities back then, she says. “You just say ‘it is what it is’ to yourself and work to make things better. You support those things that can propel you forward.”

And so she did.

She found time to mentor other ambitious nurses, tutoring them for their board exams. And she continued to pursue her own education. After graduating from a three-year program at Hillsborough Community College and receiving her registered nurse’s license, she learned that new standards were being put in place requiring RNs to hold a bachelor’s degree. So when USF started its nursing program in 1973, she was among the first to enroll.

Twine received her bachelor’s degree in nursing in 1978 and just kept going, earning her master’s in technology education in 1981 and a master’s in nursing in 1988.

STUDENTS: Ryan Shargo

Ryan Shargo has taken advantage of many opportunities at USF. As a freshman, he started his academic journey through the summer Academic and Cultural Engagement Program, in which he traveled to Costa Rica. Shargo later travelled to the Dominican Republic thanks to his Genshaft Global Presidential Scholarship.

These trips led to an internship with the Kerolle Initiative for Community Health, run by Dr. Reginald Kerolle and based in the Dominican Republic. Kerolle and his team operate a free community outreach health program in rural towns, serving more than 1,500 people each year. Shargo’s internship experience expanded into his thesis research.

His experience in the Dominican Republic also inspired him to build a community garden at USF.

“We participated in planting a plantain garden to help make the communities more self-sufficient. I thought that would be kind of cool if we could have a little garden on campus to possibly support the food halls or the food pantry.”

Shargo’s experiences have enriched his worldview and inspired his goal of becoming a doctor. Once he takes his MCAT this spring, Shargo plans to apply to the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.

“I really never imagined that I would be doing the things that I’ve done. I really built connections along the way that I think are super-valuable.”

ALUMNI: Yasmeen Armoush

Yasmeen Armoush has always had a strong connection to her Colombian heritage. Born and raised in Tampa, her mother is originally from Barranquilla, Colombia, and has always tried to instill a sense of pride in where their family came from. It’s an identity that Armoush has celebrated; so much so that she was named Tampa Bay’s Carnaval Queen representing Barranquilla for 2022.

Since the announcement, Armoush has worked to promote Colombian folklore and diversity both on and off campus. As a USF senior, she participated in USF’s Latin Fest, performing cultural dances, and educating fellow Bulls on Colombian history. She has also met with USF President Rhea Law to discuss her outreach and education efforts and was a guest at the City of Tampa’s Hispanic Heritage event.

And while she’s enjoyed the opportunities it has presented, she says that to her the title is a daily reminder of her connection to Colombia. Armoush graduated in December with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and plans to pursue a master’s degree in the future.

STUDENTS: Meghana Nelluri

Meghana Nelluri had her pick of universities. She was accepted to the University of Florida, NYU and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, to name a few. She ended up enrolling at USF thanks, in part, to the university’s emphasis on interdisciplinary study, a focus that has allowed her to not only work toward an accounting degree through the Muma College of Business but add a second major and two minors.

As a first-generation American, Nelluri tried to take advantage of every opportunity. She has served in leadership roles within the Judy Genshaft Honors College Student Council, worked as a resident assistant and is on track to graduate in three years as part of USF’s Provost’s Scholar program. While juggling an intensive course load, Nelluri also completed a competitive internship with Deloitte, a position that will lead to a full-time job following her graduation this year.

“All of the Muma faculty have been so supportive and so genuinely interested in what they’re teaching as well as making sure that students understand the real-world application of the concepts that they teach. It’s really helped to have such a solid foundation of knowledge and I feel confident entering the workplace.”

FACULTY: Ruthmae Sears

As a mathematics educator, Ruthmae Sears has a true flair for problem solving. Her work extends far beyond using formulas and finding solutions to abstract mathematical problems. Using mathematical reasoning to examine social disparities such as poverty, literacy and structural racism, Sears develops community-centric solutions. Her work emphasizes inclusivity in all spaces, stemming from her belief that schools are microcosms of a community.

“I’ve always looked at education from a holistic viewpoint,” says Sears, associate professor of mathematics education in the USF College of Education and associate director of the Coalition for Science Literacy. “We have to be committed to the whole person because it’s the whole person we’re trying to develop so that way they can appreciate the beauty of mathematics but also be positive agents of change within their community.”

Sears’s collaborative projects are thriving. Her research has had such a profound impact that the American Association for the Advancement of Science has recognized Sears as an AAAS Fellow – one of the world’s most prestigious honors for academic research. She is co-chair of the Accelerating Systemic Change in STEM Higher Education working group focusing on equity, inclusion and social justice. Additionally, Sears works with the National Science Foundation-funded Systemic Transformation of Education through Evidence-Based Reforms leadership team, the Center for PAInT on the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus to support arts integration in STEM, and facilitates Mathematics Power Hour, a collaboration between USF, Hillsborough County Public Schools and Texas Instruments. Through her involvement in the community, Sears promotes hope and inspires her community to develop solutions together.

At USF, Sears works with colleagues to address disparities and has a knack for galvanizing the community across the three campuses. In 2020, she helped design various faculty and staff training opportunities, such as the Enlightenment Workshop Series, which fosters cultural competence with more than 700 members of the university community.

“It was so important that we had the voices of faculty and staff across this institution who were willing to engage in courageous conversations and participate. It highlighted that our community has people who have a zeal for knowledge and a strong desire to make USF better and promote inclusive excellence,” Sears says.

In 2021, Sears and her colleagues were commissioned by the city of St. Petersburg to develop recommendations on how it can address systemic racism. Sears also facilitated the NFL Huddle for Change, a six-part discussion series on racial inequalities in physical and mental health, which was hosted by a partnership between the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, NFL Inspire Change, Community Tampa Bay and USF. Sears also co-led the Muma College of Business’s I’m Speaking Series, which explored how anti-racism and gender equity intersect in the workplace.

“We need to find solutions that can really improve the quality of life within our communities, such that everyone can thrive,” Sears says.

FACULTY: Les Shaw

Hip surgery at the age of 13 gave Professor Lindsey (Les) Shaw his professional purpose in life.

During the procedure, surgeons unknowingly implanted two metal pins carrying Staphylococcus aureus, commonly known as “staph,” a unique bacterial pathogen that is among the tiniest and deadliest germs. It can cause infection in every part of the body and is responsible for medical conditions ranging from benign abscesses to systemic and life-threatening illnesses, such as pneumonia and septicemia.

The surgeons could not remove the pins.

“The problem with the infection on the pin is that it will never go away. You can take antibiotics, which will temper the infection, but the minute you take that away, it comes back,” says Shaw, professor and associate chair of USF’s Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology. “I’m trying to understand how something that is theoretically very simple – this tiny organism that we have to use microscopy to even see – can outsmart us and kill millions of people.”

For the past 20 years, it’s been Shaw’s mission to unravel its mysterious nature.

Shaw, who began his investigations as a patient, completed his undergraduate and graduate studies in England. He was later invited to the U.S. by a team of scientists he had worked with in Poland. Upon completing his fellowship, Shaw chose USF as his academic home.

“I just saw opportunities and collaborations being so organic here at USF. Even now, I talk to my colleagues at universities with more prestige. They can’t get their chemists or other colleagues to talk to them. I just walk across the street,” Shaw says.

Since Shaw joined USF as a researcher in 2007, he’s discovered several systems within bacteria cells that have led to significant therapeutic developments for treating drug-resistant bacteria. He attributes his success to USF’s interdisciplinary and collegial community of scientists.

Shaw’s collaborative work with chemistry researchers has led to significant findings. One example is discovering Darwinolide, a compound extracted from a sea sponge from Antarctica by Bill Baker, a professor in the department of chemistry. Shaw tested the compound in one of his biofilm assays and discovered it successfully attacked the biofilm, the microorganism’s protective coat.

Mentoring and training the next generation of scientists is essential for Shaw. He fosters a family-like environment to support students throughout their growth. Also, he gives them the freedom to pursue their individual interests. As they develop their ideas, Shaw either cheers his students on or challenges them to keep looking. In the 14 years since the opening of his lab, Shaw now has a “family tree of scientists” with graduates working as senior members of the CDC, the microbiology industry or in their own academic tenures.

FACULTY: Kemesha Gabbidon

As a young girl playing doctor in her hometown of Kingston, Jamaica, Kemesha Gabbidon’s patients only ever seemed to come down with two specific ailments: asthma, which Gabbidon herself suffered from as a child, and bronchitis.

“I used to call it brown-chitis,” Gabbidon says, laughing. “My mom bought me this fake stethoscope and I carried around a little notepad, diagnosing my friends with asthma and brown-chitis.”

Today, Gabbidon is a real doctor of a different variety. Rather than diagnose patients, she helps prevent the spread of infectious disease as a community health advocate and postdoctoral research fellow in the department of psychology at USF’s St. Petersburg campus. Gabbidon’s research focuses on such topics as reproductive health and health equity. Through a recent initiative, she works closely with local individuals and communities most affected by HIV in order to reduce the spread of the disease.

“My goal in public health is to help with prevention efforts,” Gabbidon says. She has a special interest in reaching at-risk youth, instilling in them the knowledge they need to lead safer and healthier lives.

Gabbidon’s passion for public health stems from her experiences growing up in two countries with distinct cultures. When Gabbidon was 10 years old, she moved to the United States, living with her father’s family in Miami until her maternal grandmother arrived from Jamaica. Although at the time Gabbidon thought the move was temporary, she remained in the States, where she encountered stark differences from her home country.

“Living in Jamaica, I never really realized I was Black,” she says. “But in America I was an immigrant and had an accent. I was clearly different.” The chasm between Americans who are financially secure and those who aren’t struck Gabbidon as particularly troubling.

Over the years, Gabbidon’s growing interest in social justice drew her towards addressing the structural root causes of health risks for disadvantaged Americans. After receiving her bachelor’s degree from Florida State University, she earned a master’s in public health from USF, focusing on communicable global diseases. She subsequently earned a doctoral degree in health promotion and disease prevention from Florida International University, where she studied the dynamics of sexuality conversations between Haitian and Jamaican parents and their adolescents.

As a postdoctoral research fellow at USF’s St. Petersburg campus, Gabbidon was honored with the University’s Outstanding Black Staff/Faculty Award in 2020 for her teaching and research excellence.

FACULTY: David Connelly

David Connelly credits his education with broadening his perspective and opening the door to a series of adventures. An adjunct instructor of humanities at USF’s St. Petersburg campus, he wanted USF students to have similar opportunities.

“In my own life, education has played such a huge role,” says Connelly, who spent more than 20 years as the public relations director at the Museum of Fine Arts in downtown St. Petersburg. “It transformed my life. That’s really where I want to give – to help students complete their education.”

Working with the USF Foundation, he created a planned gift to establish the David Connelly and Joe P. Pérez First Generation Scholarship, an endowed scholarship for students of any major on USF’s St. Petersburg campus.

Pérez was Connelly’s partner of 32 years and the person who introduced him to the St. Petersburg campus. Pérez worked as an office manager in the Academic Advising Center, a position he held until shortly before his death from lung cancer in 2010.

“He loved that job,” Connelly says. “He was right there on the front lines with students. He really liked helping students navigate the process.”

Connelly was a first-generation college student and grew up in a working-class family in the small town of Waynesburg, Ohio. His father never finished high school but was determined to send his son to college.

Connelly attended Mount Union College, now called the University of Mount Union. He majored in English but had the opportunity to study a variety of subjects, and he graduated summa cum laude.

Connelly enjoyed his college experience so much, he considered a career in higher education and earned a graduate degree in college student development from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. He later earned a master’s degree in Latin American studies at the University of Texas at Austin.

A series of twists and turns led him to Texas, where he met Pérez, and then to Shreveport, Louisiana, and a job as a reporter and editor for the Shreveport Journal. After the newspaper fell on hard times, Connelly applied to be a grants writer at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. And so, his career in the museum world began.

Connelly and Pérez moved to St. Petersburg in 1996, and Connelly retired from the museum in 2017 at age 65.

Now he teaches one course each semester at USF’s St. Petersburg campus. He says his job is to connect the humanities to his students’ personal lives. Connelly also hopes to impart his appreciation for higher education.

“I tell them, right now, you have career goals and that’s great,” Connelly says. “But you don’t know how those will change over time. Your education will give you more opportunities. It certainly did that for me.”