LAKELAND, Fla. (March 30, 2006) – Cadet Daniel Bair of Lakeland, Fla., a senior majoring in criminology, received the George C. Marshall Award from Florida Southern College. The award is presented annually to the most outstanding Cadet in the Army ROTC program at FSC. Bair was selected for his professional excellence, leadership, personal integrity and selfless service to the nation. He was previously recognized as a Distinguished Military Graduate for being ranked in the top 50 senior Cadets out of more than 4,000 across the nation.

“Dan is an exceptional student and leader on the Florida Southern College campus and within the ROTC program,” said Lieutenant Colonel Mick Haydak, chair of FSC’s department of military science and leadership. “He is extremely talented and possesses the potential to go as far as he desires as an Army officer.”

Army Gen. George C. Marshall, in whose honor the award was named, served as the chief of staff of the Army and secretary of both state and defense. He was the author of the restorative Marshall Plan and was the only career Soldier to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

A 2002 graduate of Penn Trafford High School, Bair is the son of Robert and Suzanne Bair of Jeannette, Pa. He is married to the former Kali Rimmel of Oakmont, Pa. Bair will be commissioned on April 28 and assigned to Fort Rucker, Ala. to attend the U.S. Army flight school, beginning a career as an Army Aviator.

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.