LAKELAND, Fla. (March 7, 2006) — Dr. Marcie Pospichal, Florida Southern College director of academic support services, was named one of 15 semi-finalists for the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition’s “Outstanding First-Year Student Advocate” awards.

“Dr. Pospichal is simply tireless when it comes to working with students at Florida Southern College,” said Dr. Susan Conner, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college. “Her office oversees the common reading, freshman seminar, new student orientation, peer tutoring, and a variety of other academic services. She is always willing with new ideas and new strategies to make sure our students succeed and prosper.”

Each year, presidents of American post-secondary institutions are invited to nominate one educator who significantly improves the educational experience of their first-year students for the award. A national panel of distinguished educators reviews the nomination portfolios and selects two individuals from each category of institutional size, for a total of 10 award recipients.

Pospichal earned a bachelor’s degree in science from Florida Southern College, a doctorate degree from Vanderbilt University, and has directed academic support services at Florida Southern College since Aug., 2002. She also serves Florida Southern College as adjunct assistant professor of psychology. Pospichal will be recognized for the student advocacy award at the 25th Annual Conference on the First-Year Experience Feb. 24-28 in Atlanta, Ga.

About Florida Southern College
Founded in 1885, Florida Southern College is a private, comprehensive, United Methodist college with a liberal arts core. The college maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 38 undergraduate majors and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, and nursing. Florida Southern has a 14:1 student/faculty ratio, provides strong student/faculty mentorship programs, boasts 25 NCAA Division II national championships, and is ranked by U. S. News and World Report as one of the top ten Southern Comprehensive Colleges-Bachelors and by the Princeton Review as a “Best Southeastern College.” Located on scenic Lake Hollingsworth, Florida Southern is the home of the world’s largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture.