NSU ‘s 16th annual Celebration of Excellence, held on Feb. 1 on the Alvin Sherman Library Quad, welcomed a record number of attendees: 751 students, faculty, staff, alumni and other community members.
During the celebration, President George Hanbury announced that there will be a groundbreaking ceremony in two weeks for NSU’s Center of Collaborative Research in the University Park Plaza and that NSU plans on, once again, proposing a research hospital. Details will be disclosed in a few days.
Previous Celebrations were held on Thursday evenings and were less formal, but to commemorate the university’s 50th anniversary, this year’s attendees were asked to wear cocktail attire and were treated to a performance by Grammy-award winner Melissa Manchester.
The evening began with a reception in the Carl DeSantis Building Atrium, before a Chartwell’s sponsored dinner and awards ceremony, held in an tent specifically constructed for the celebration on the library quad.
Select members of Razor’s Edge, pre-professional student organizations and student veteran representatives were invited to attend, along with the President’s 64, an invitation-only group of students who provide Hanburyand other administrators with feedback.
Lindsey Goldstein, senior education major and President’s 64 member, was excited by the announcement of the groundbreaking and impressed by the construction of the tent. Glass doors at the entrance displayed the 50th anniversary logo and attendees sat on chairs with silver cushions, at tables with blue sequined tablecloths.
“It’s crazy that a week ago, all of this was just grass,” Goldstein said of the venue, which featured blue carpet.
Student Government Association President Daniel Brookins, senior pre-law major, said the event was “very professionally done” and was a great opportunity for students to network with members of the community.
Hanbury presented this year’s President’s Award for Excellence in Community Service, an annual award given out at each Celebration of Excellence, to Joseph and Winifred Amaturo for their philanthropic service to NSU and the South Florida community. Event attendees watched a video featuring highlights of the Amaturos’ philanthropic contributions, along with a video timeline looking back on NSU’s first 50 years.
Senior business major Kelsey DeSantis, president of the Nova Student Veterans Association and co-founder of the H.E.L.O. Foundation, was happy to celebrate the university’s milestone.
“What NSU has accomplished [in the last 50 years], compared to other universities, is tremendous,” she said.
Even Manchester, the 1983 Best Female Pop Vocal Performance Grammy Award winner for “You Should Hear How She Talks About You”, was happy to hear of NSU’s history.
“50 years is serious business and a milestone. I’m glad to be part of the celebration,” she said.
