These Spring 2024 Florida State University graduates have worked hard to reach this moment, and all have unique stories about their time at FSU. From research to community involvement, their experiences have shaped who they are and prepared them for what’s next.
Conor Andrich
Sarasota native Conor Andrich completed his Master of Arts in Museum and Cultural Heritage Studies (MCHS) in the Department of Art History. During his two years at FSU, Andrich pursued his interests in vernacular art — a genre of visual art made by self-taught artists — and community-centric heritage.
“I decided to attend FSU because the MCHS program presented what I saw to be the perfect balance between the conceptual/theoretical elements of art history and the practical elements of museum work,” he said. “I have really broadened my horizons both intellectually and professionally through this program.”
While attending classes at FSU, Andrich worked with the Carrabelle History Museum, a small museum with a local focus on the panhandle town of Carrabelle, helping them catalog their collection and create oral histories with community members. He also interned at Everglades National Park in the South Florida Collections Management Center.
“I am proud of the work I have done with the Carrabelle History Museum, which tells the story of Carrabelle through objects that are sourced from the community,” Andrich said. “The Carrabelle History Museum is a labor of love and the truest reflection of its community, and I believe that is what museum work, at its heart, should be about.”
After graduation, Andrich will work at the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum in Hollywood, Florida, where he will assist in the cataloging, conservation and curation of a 200,000-object collection of Florida Indigenous art, artifacts and material culture.
“I am eager to contribute to the preservation of Indigenous history and knowledge, as well as to a greater public understanding of the fact that Indigenous cultures remain vital today, especially in Florida,” he said.
Narjes Dridi
International student Narjes Dridi earned her Ph.D. in chemistry and biochemistry from the College of Arts and Sciences this semester. Born and raised in Tunisia, the northernmost country in Africa, Dridi wanted to pursue a doctorate in the U.S. because of its reputation in scientific research.
She learned about Florida State from her chemistry professor at the Faculty of Sciences of Tunis in Tunisia, where she earned her master’s degree. His daughter had started her doctoral studies in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at FSU and touted the program’s interdisciplinary nature.
After a two-year application process and five years of research, Dridi made the dream of completing her Ph.D. a reality.
“I met so many people, including my best friend who’s a visiting scholar, got two pet cats, traveled to different states, tried new cuisines and learned about different cultures and, most of all, I feel proud of myself for finally getting my Ph.D.,” she said.
Dridi’s research focuses on the clinical application of nanomaterials. Her primary project makes polymer coatings and inorganic materials biocompatible for clinical applications like drug delivery and cancer detection.
“Using my research to detect cancer enzymes is my favorite application so far,” Dridi said. “If any cancer enzyme is detected in the sampled blood, the solution’s color would change, indicating its presence, which could allow the user to get treated in the earlier stages of the disease. It’s almost like an at-home pregnancy test: easy to read and saves time, energy and money.”
Nanomaterials are toxic and not yet safe for medicinal use, but Dridi’s goal is to become an entrepreneur and use her research to develop functional nanotechnology materials to benefit society and the environment.
Following graduation, Dridi will remain in the U.S. to continue learning about the business and technology industry as the next step in her journey of making “nanotechnology truly useful for everyone.”
Julie Kuper and Tessa Spaulding
Julie Kuper, a first-generation college student from Naples, Florida, graduated with a doctorate in criminology. What could make it more meaningful? Her sister, Tessa Spaulding, is graduating, too, with a bachelor’s in editing, writing and media.
“This is a really special moment for us,” Kuper said. “I am beyond excited to just enjoy and drink that in. Our family gets to gather here, all in one place, just to celebrate and dream up what the future might hold.”
During her time at FSU, Kuper published five first-authored manuscripts in academic journals, passed two doctoral comprehensive exams that required months of studying and 16 hours of written exam time, and drafted a 100-page dissertation.
Her research focuses on negative life events and their unequal consequences for health and well-being, with an emphasis on victimization, incarceration and exposure to violence.
“I am deeply proud of each of these accomplishments, yet I am most proud of my ability to remain true to myself throughout my academic journey,” Kuper said. “Meeting cautionary tales of conceivable failure with passion and positivity has revealed to me the kind of professor, mentor, friend and human that I want to be.”
Kuper will join the faculty in the Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology at the University of Wyoming.
“My hope was always that my own academic endeavors would inspire my siblings to chase bigger, wilder dreams than anyone has ever told us we were allowed to seek,” Kuper said.
Spaulding did just that. After graduation, she hopes to share stories from around the world and connect with people in different communities.
Spaulding is grateful for her time at FSU and the meaningful friendships she formed in Tallahassee.
“Attending Florida State has been a dream come true,” she said. “I could not be more thankful for this university for providing me with not only an education, but relationships and connections that will last a lifetime.”
She didn’t get a high school graduation because of COVID-19, so Spaulding said walking in FSU’s ceremony is special.
“I could not be prouder to share this day with my sister and share our accomplishments,” she said.
Martin Saldana, Jr.
With encouragement and support from an FSU alumnus mentor, Saldana decided to attend FSU for its strength of opportunity and world-class faculty.
Saldana is a first-generation Mexican American immigrant from Jurupa Valley, California, graduating with a Master of Science in higher education and student affairs from the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences.
He was the first person in his immediate family to complete high school and receive an undergraduate degree, and now he’s the first to earn a graduate degree. He hopes to pave the way for his community and create generational change.
He said his proudest accomplishments at FSU were assistantships with the Presidential Scholars and the Leadership and Learning Research Center.
“I learned many new skills, built connections with amazing students, and experienced unforgettable moments while offering my guidance and support to the next generation of leaders on campus,” Saldana said.
After graduation, Saldana wants to continue to serve students and communities by encouraging them to pursue higher education. He hopes to help create spaces that enhance learning environments.
Savannah Partlow
Partlow chose FSU for its international programs. When her First Year Abroad program was postponed due to COVID-19, Partlow joined the Public and Global Affairs Living Learning Community (LLC) and decided to major in public relations and minor in international affairs.
“Living in my LLC helped me learn the basic construct of cultures and the differing communication methods between societies, and I even participated in a cultural project with students from Brazil,” Partlow said. “The experience spurred my interest in the intersection between international affairs and communications.”
Partlow, who is from Orlando, explored this intersection in Tallahassee and abroad while studying at the FSU Valencia Study Center in Spain.
She is the social chair of the Florida Public Relations Association Student Capital Chapter (FPRA) and interned for FSU Office of University Communications as a news writing intern. Currently, Partlow is an intern at Salter Mitchell PR, a Tallahassee-based public relations agency.
As a Delta Zeta sorority alumna and member of the Lambda Pi Eta and Phi Eta Sigma honor societies, Partlow considers her proudest accomplishment at Florida State to be the connections she formed and the friendships she made with students from various organizations.
“I wasn’t worried about attending a bigger school, but once I got here, I realized I was just one of 44,957 students and in a completely new environment,” Partlow said. “It pushed me to get involved immediately.”
Denisha Campbell
Campbell came to FSU in 2016 to earn her master’s degree and escape from the cold weather in her hometown Chicago. Now Campbell is graduating with her doctoral degree in Communication Science and Disorders from the College of Communication and Information.
During her time as a doctoral student, Campbell received an English Teaching Assistant Award (ETA) through the U.S. Fulbright Program. This experience allowed her to travel to Salto, Uruguay, and participate in a cultural exchange. After graduation, she will begin a post-doc opportunity at the Florida Center for Reading and Research (FCRR).
“Becoming a 2023 Fulbright ETA Scholar was by far one of my greatest accomplishments,” Campbell said. “However, successfully publishing two first-authored manuscripts and earning several academic scholarships were also highlights.”
Though she will miss her time at FSU, Campbell said she is excited about the future. She plans to continue her academic pursuits focused on cultural responsivity and language and literacy practices surrounding multicultural and historically marginalized students.
“Starting a Ph.D. in the middle of a pandemic was difficult, but I have grown tremendously and am grateful for the opportunity afforded by FSU,” she said.
Lauren Bishop
Bishop, an undergraduate student graduating from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering with a degree in chemical and biomedical engineering, understood from a young age the power that engineering could have on the world.
Bishop’s parents, both engineers from Boca Raton, Florida, encouraged her to positively impact the community and take advantage of service opportunities when they arise.
“My teachers at FSU, my parents and all the organizations I’m involved with prioritize community service and giving back, which is amazing,” she said.
While at FSU, Bishop assumed multiple leadership roles, including the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Sculpture Renewal Project, where volunteers worked to restore the iconic “Steel Beam Structure” near the north side of the college’s building.
In addition to volunteer work, Bishop also served as a student representative on the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Joint Management Council, where she attended meetings between administration and officials from the state to share the student perspective.
“I’m still deciding on what my future holds after graduation, but my best advice for students is to get involved because community is so important,” Bishop said. “Many of the skills I’ve learned from a professional standpoint have been through my organizational involvement in addition to my work and research. I am so thankful to everyone who has encouraged me on this journey and am excited for the new opportunities ahead.”
Melissa, Clayton and Alyssa Harley
Alyssa Harley followed in her family’s footsteps this weekend as she crossed the stage with a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities from the College of Arts and Sciences on Friday, May 3, 2024.
“Three years in a row, three Harleys will have walked across that stage, shaken President McCullough’s hand, all while wearing the same stole,” Melissa said. “Our family of four now has four FSU graduates as my husband graduated in 1984.”
Alyssa, her mother Melissa and her brother Clayton graduated three years apart, an academic journey that began more than 28 years ago.
“While life intervened and I wasn’t able to finish my degree as planned in the ‘90s, I decided to go back and finish what I started a few years ago,” Melissa said. “Alyssa’s accomplishment closes a chapter of our lives that started almost 28 years ago when I first walked on campus.”
All three Harleys earned associates degrees at Tallahassee Community College before transferring to FSU.
Melissa graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Humanities in August 2023 Summa Cum Laude. When she shook President Richard McCullough’s hand and heard the words, “You did it.”
“While I’m certain you say that to thousands of students a year, I want you to know how meaningful it was to me as a 45-year-old mother of two FSU students to hear those words of acknowledgment,” Melissa said. “I will remember that moment for the rest of my life.”
Clayton graduated in April 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Social Science and also earned a certificate in U.S. National Intelligence Studies.