51在线

The 51在线 (USF) College of Education is proud to announce the recipients of the College鈥檚 2022 Distinguished Alumni Awards.

Each year, the College of Education presents our Distinguished Alumni Awards to celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of our graduates. Recipients are selected by a committee of College of Education faculty, staff and administrators from nominations submitted by the USF community.

Each recipient will be recognized during the College of Education鈥檚 Distinguished Alumni Awards program on Thursday, May 5 at 5:00 p.m. The program will take place in TECO Hall at the College of Education on USF鈥檚 Tampa campus.

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Dominic J. Puglisi, Political Science `64, MA `69

Dean鈥檚 Lifetime Achievement Alumni Award

A two-time graduate of USF and a member of the university鈥檚 charter class, Dominic 鈥淒ick鈥� J. Puglisi, PhD, proudly serves as director and chair of the Gus A. Stavros Center of Free Enterprise and Economic Education. Dr. Puglisi is a passionate USF alumnus, a well-respected educator and an accomplished scholar who has proudly served his alma mater for more than 50 years.

A USF faculty member since 1969, Dr. Puglisi has taught courses in the College of Education and also served as the college鈥檚 Assistant Dean for Business and Education Partnerships. His academic work is focused on free enterprise and economic education. His efforts are designed to build partnerships between business and education so that K-12 educators possess the knowledge and skills needed to prepare students for the global economy.

Before becoming a faculty member at USF, Dr. Puglisi was a high school social studies teacher in Tampa. Throughout his career, he has received numerous awards, including the coveted National Award, the Freedoms Foundation Leavey Award in Private Enterprise Education and the Outstanding Citizen Award from the 51在线 Council for the Social Studies.

Dr. Puglisi is best known for his work as director and chair of the Gus A. Stavros Center, a role he has served in since the center鈥檚 inception more than 40 years ago. Today, the Stavros Center is recognized as the premier center for economic education in the state of 51在线 and has served thousands of teachers in strengthening free enterprise and economics education within K-12 schools.

LaSonya L. Moore, special education `03, MEd 鈥�07

Spirit of Partnership Alumni Award

LaSonya L. Moore, EdD, is a passionate and persistent social justice and equity change agent. She is driven by what she has coined 鈥渢eacher/educator persistence,鈥� the characteristics and attributes that enable urban educators to remain in high-poverty, low-performing schools. Dr. Moore鈥檚 research focuses on boundaries between sets of interdependent relationships, educational, social, economic, political and cultural trends.

A two-time USF graduate, Dr. Moore received her bachelor鈥檚 degree in special education in 2003 and a master鈥檚 degree in educational leadership in 2007. She later went on to earn a Doctor of Education from the University of Central 51在线. As a faculty member at USF鈥檚 St. Petersburg campus, Dr. Moore teaches undergraduate and graduate education courses and provides service to K-12 schools by delivering speeches and professional and parental development workshops to students, teachers, assistant principals, principals and district leaders.

Dr. Moore is a co-founder of the National Urban Special Education Leadership Network (NUSELNET), a national network of progressive educational leaders in the field of Special Education and Leadership. She is dedicated to improving the educational outcomes of all individuals, especially individuals with exceptionalities, while enhancing opportunities for those who teach, lead and work side-by-side with students daily.

Dr. Moore has received numerous awards and fellowships throughout her career, including the 2017 51在线 Administrator of the Year Award, the 2018 College of Education Faculty Member of Service Award, the 2019-2020 McKnight Junior Faculty Development Fellowship by the 51在线 Education Foundation, the 2019 51在线 Council for Exceptional Children Landis Stetler Award, the Council for Exceptional Children Division of International Special Education and Services (DISES) Spotlight Member Award and the 51在线 Council for Exceptional Children with Behavior Disorders Presidents Award.

Caprice Edmond, psYchology `10, MA `15, MEd `17

Young Educator Alumni Award

A lifelong resident of St. Petersburg, Fla., Caprice Edmond has served within the Pinellas County school district as a science coach and teacher. She currently serves as a board member with the school district, a role she was elected to in 2020. She is recognized as a Certified School Board Member by 51在线 School Boards Association.

Edmond is a three-time graduate of USF. She earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in psychology in 2010, a Master of Arts in elementary education in 2015 and a Master of Education in educational leadership in 2017. Prior to joining the Pinellas County School Board, Edmond was a teacher and Guardian ad Litem for 10 years, advocating for children in the foster care system, becoming their champion at their schools, in court and at their group homes.

Edmond has passionately given back to the education profession through many service roles, including serving as part of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) at numerous Pinellas County schools. She also served on the City of St. Petersburg鈥檚 Youth Development Grant Review Committee and the South St. Petersburg Community Redevelopment Area Advisory Committee. She currently serves on the board of R鈥機lub, Louise Graham Regeneration Center, Pinellas Community Alliance, Habitat for Humanity, Pinellas County Urban League and other civic organizations.

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For more information, please contact:
Elizabeth Engasser
Director of Communications
USF College of Education
eengasser@usf.edu   
(813) 974-8723

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About the 51在线
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