From the Beacon College Office of College Communications | FEBRUARY 2026 Lighting the Path Newsletter

Hagerty to Conclude Historic Tenure in 2027

Dr. George J. Hagerty will retire after the 2026–27 academic year, closing a 14‑year chapter of growth and innovation at Beacon College. READ MORE

Resilience Underscores Fall Commencement

From military service to self-doubt and perseverance, Beacon College graduates James Avery and Calinda Strayhorn shared powerful stories of resilience during Fall 2025 commencement — celebrating the community that helped them cross the stage.
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A Legacy of Leadership: Trustees Reflect on Beacon’s Transformation over a Decade of Growth

Two longtime Beacon College trustees, Dr. Dan Averbeck and Hugh Thompson III, look back on more than a decade of growth, leadership and student success — and the moments that made their service most meaningful. READ MORE.

Cert Saturdays! Help Beacon Students Build Skills

Beacon College’s Cert Saturdays! program is helping neurodivergent students strengthen their résumés, build confidence and earn professional certifications that employers value. Learn how the program is expanding career preparation — and opening doors to graduate school and beyond. READ MORE.

Helping Students Show What They Can Do

Beacon College’s PITCH program is the latest example of how the college equips students for today’s job market — helping them build professional ePortfolios that showcase real skills employers want to see. READ MORE.

Beacon Students Vie in 2026 FIEA Game Jam

Four Beacon College undergraduates took part in the 2026 FIEA Game Jam, a 30‑plus‑hour, 2.5‑day game design competition hosted by the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy at the University of Central Florida — one of the nation’s leading graduate programs for video game design and production. Students Joshua Klein, Benjamin Wilkinson, Harish Ahilan and Zachary Sadler competed as team Ctrl+Alt+Defeat, joining peers from more than 20 colleges and universities across Florida to develop original games under tight deadlines. The team worked through extended hours and rapid collaboration to complete their project and represent Beacon in the statewide field of emerging game developers, Beacon’s second appearance at the highly competitive event. More photos here.

Beacon Voices and Theater Club Present 'Clara’s Christmas Dreams' Holiday Extravaganza

Performers from Beacon Voices and the Beacon Theater Club brought “Clara’s Christmas Dreams” to life during a collaborative holiday production in The Palace. Led by learning specialist Lisa Mauro, the show featured original music, singing and theater inspired by The Nutcracker, with creative support from Studio Arts, Digital Media and Design, the Melon Patch Players and Tavares High School. The production was presented by special arrangement with Concord Theatricals.

Beacon Student Earns First WISE Level 1 Certification Through Partnership

Chloe Katz, a junior majoring in design and digital media, became the first Beacon student to complete the Level 1 WISE Certification program sponsored by Jonathan’s Landing, which provides training pathways into the technology repair industry.

She began the process in Beacon’s on‑campus SkillCircuit program before advancing to online coursework and earning the credential over the December break. Through the partnership, Beacon students can pursue the full WISE Level 1 Technician Certification or earn micro‑credentials in areas such as device sorting, grading and testing. The flexible structure allows students to build skills at their own pace while exploring entry points into the tech‑repair field. (Pictured L to R: Chealsie Curts, coordinator of career advisement, and Chloe Katz).

Levitt accepted to Harvard graduate program

Rina Levitt, a psychology major with a concentration in criminal justice, has been accepted to graduate school at Harvard University. During her time at Beacon, Levitt conducted two faculty‑mentored research studies — one presented at the Rocky Mountain Psychological Association conference and another accepted to five national and regional conferences. A peer leader, teaching assistant and research assistant, she also served as an Orientation Leader and a Peer Mentor in the Cohort Collective program. Levitt credits the Psychology/Human Services faculty for their mentorship and support throughout her academic journey.

Students, staff support Venetian Gardens cleanup

Fifteen students and six faculty and staff volunteers took part in a November cleanup at Venetian Gardens, collecting nearly 50 pounds of trash, about 100 cigarette butts and thousands of tiny blue confetti pieces left from a gender‑reveal celebration. The effort was organized by the Dungeons & Dragons student club and the Beacon Green Team.

Campus Groups Deliver 200 Pounds to Food Bank

The Human Services/Psychology Student Club, the Green Team, the Beacon Library and the Office of Health Promotions teamed up for a pre‑Thanksgiving food drive to support the Leesburg Food Bank, which has faced shortages tied to the government shutdown and SNAP disruptions. Thanks to generous student, staff and Sodexo employee contributions, the campus community collected nearly 200 pounds of food —enough to require two delivery trips.

Students Support United Way Holiday Drive

Twenty‑three Beacon students joined the Juan & Lisa Jones Center for Career Preparation in assisting the United Way of Lake & Sumter Counties during its Thanksgiving Food Distribution event. The group served off campus from 6:15 a.m. to 2 p.m., helping United Way provide holiday meals to more than 600 families experiencing food insecurity — about 200 more than last year. Their service reflects Beacon’s ongoing commitment to supporting the local community during the holiday season.

Four Blazers named to USCAA All‑Academic Team

Four Beacon College cross‑country athletes were named to the 2025 USCAA National All‑Academic Team. Honorees include men’s team members Jaylen Diamond and Jovan Bell, and women’s team members Katherine Soroa and Jaylen Williams. Williams also earned Women’s First Team All‑NSAC honors, won the NSAC Cross‑Country Championship, and placed 31st at the 2025 USCAA National Championship.

Kaminski Turns Travel Venture into Beacon Aid

Beacon alumnus Brian Kaminski, '15, turned his personal journey into a mission to uplift others — launching a travel agency that donates a portion of bookings to support Beacon student groups. READ MORE.

Alumnus earns WISE Level 1 certification

Alexander Blankenship, ’11, completed the Jonathan’s Landing Foundation’s Techtonic Fall 2025 pilot and passed the WISE Level 1 Certification exam through Beacon College’s partnership with Jonathan’s Landing, which provides training and industry‑aligned credentials in the technology repair field.

His achievement underscores the continued value of the certification for graduates seeking to strengthen technical skills and expand employment opportunities in device repair and related industries.

(Pictured L to R: Antonio Ramirez, Dylan Reeley, Alexander Blankenship, and Jason Eichenholz. Ramirez and Reeley Techtonic instructors. Eichenholz is the founder of Jonathan's Landing).

Alumni Updates

Submit your alumni updates, news, weddings, births, etc. for consideration in the next issue of the Lighting the Path newsletter. We look forward to hearing from you! EMAIL US

Beacon librarian earns dual microcredentials

Emily Morgan, assistant library director, recently earned a Data Literacy badge from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and a certificate in AI literacy for academic libraries from Clarivate and LitTech Insights, strengthening her expertise in emerging technologies.

Bellamy Shown in Florida AI Art Exhibition

Russell Bellamy, studio arts professor and department chair, exhibited new work in Summoning the Demon: Art + AI at the Edge of Control at Solana Fine Art in Winter Park. The November show, curated by José J. Cabrera and Tangoren Holf, showcased five Central Florida artists whose work examines the evolving relationship between human creativity and artificial intelligence. Bellamy’s piece, Isolate, Analyze, Return (2025), draws on his daughter’s stem cell treatment and explores parallels between medical precision and AI‑driven pattern recognition.

Dreimiller Selected as Rater for AI Study

Gretchen Dreimiller, director of library resources, was selected as a rater for The Pennsylvania State University’s PROMPT study, which examined how a one‑shot library instruction session influences students’ ability to craft effective generative AI prompts. Only 13% of applicants were chosen to participate.

Mauro Earns National Music Therapy Certification

Lisa Mauro, learning specialist and academic advisor, earned her Board Certification in Music Therapy after passing the national certification exam on Dec. 29. The credential is awarded by the Certification Board for Music Therapists.

Owens featured on Davos Neurodiversity Summit Leadership Wall

Darryl E. Owens, associate vice president of communications and engagement and creator of A World of Difference: Embracing Neurodiversity, was honored in January 2026 by being featured on the Davos Neurodiversity Summit’s “Leadership Wall,” presented alongside the World Economic Forum. The installation spotlighted global leaders advancing a more inclusive and human‑centered future during the summit in Davos. View the Leadership Wall here.

Strayhorn Earns Crisis Comms Credential

Calinda Strayhorn, library assistant, earned the American Library Association’s Crisis Communications for Library Leaders certification.

Faculty Share FRIENDS at UCF Conference

Learning specialists Samantha Owens and Julie Dunlap, along with occupational therapist Jennifer Castilloveitia, presented at the University of Central Florida Center for Autism and Related Disabilities Conference in January. Their session, “Introducing FRIENDS: Building Real-World Social Skills in College,” examined common social skills challenges among college students, with a focus on the Beacon College population. The presentation outlined the development of the FRIENDS workshop, key topics covered in the program and interactive activities designed to help students practice and strengthen real-world social skills.

Learning specialists Samantha Owens and Shauna Nandkissore, along with Administrative Assistant Arden Mayor, presented at the UCF CARD Conference on Saturday, Jan. 17. Their session, “Rolling for Connection: Using Dungeons & Dragons to Support Social-Emotional Growth in College Students with Autism and Related Disabilities,” showed how structured group play can spark organic learning. The team highlighted how this approach strengthens social-emotional development in inclusive college settings.

Nesbitt reviews Iron Maiden history

Dr. William Nesbitt reviewed Infinite Dreams – Iron Maiden, a complete history of the band from 1975 to 2025, for the entertainment platform The Rockpit in January.

Morgan abstract selected for publication

Emily Morgan, MLIS, assistant library director, had her abstract, “Automation to Artificial Intelligence: Smart Knowledge Environments With Disruptive Technologies in Libraries and Information Centers,” accepted for publication in the Synthesis Lectures on Information Concepts, Retrieval, and Services series (Springer Nature). The projected publication date is late 2026 or early 2027.

Beacon Salon Speaker Series

A Motion Picture Paradise (October 2025)

Florida’s overlooked but influential role in shaping American film and television takes center stage in this Beacon Salon Speaker Series talk by Dr. David Morton.

The presentation traces the state’s evolution as a “third coast” for production — from Jacksonville’s early film pioneers of the 1900s and 1910s to South Florida’s television boom in the 2000s and 2010s. Click the image to watch the recorded program.

A World of Difference: Embracing Neurodiversity

Fostering Empathy (December 2025)

Helping neurotypical children understand the experiences of their neurodivergent peers is essential to building inclusive classrooms and communities.

This episode of "A World of Difference: Embracing Neurodiversity" explores an innovative online platform designed to strengthen perspective‑taking among parents, caregivers and students, and features national experts offering practical strategies for nurturing empathy. The program also spotlights Grammy‑nominated musician Chris Redding, whose creative work helps others see the world through his autistic son’s eyes. Click the image to watch.

A World of Difference: Embracing Neurodiversity

Pathways to STEM (January 2026)

STEM fields offer growing opportunities, yet many neurodivergent students encounter learning environments that don’t match how they think and problem‑solve. This episode of "A World of Difference: Embracing Neurodiversity" examines how reimagining STEM education — from early coding lessons to college‑level engineering — can help students who learn differently build confidence and thrive. Viewers meet a Colorado college student with autism who is charting his own path in mechanical engineering, followed by a panel of national experts who share strategies for supporting STEM learning at every age, from easing math anxiety to sparking interest in coding. The episode also introduces a teen Difference Maker, Ava "STEM Princess" Simmons, whose passion for science is inspiring other young people to see themselves in STEM. Click the image to watch.

Beacon Salon Speaker Series

Art historian Dr. Keri Watson will headline the March 2026 Beacon Salon Speaker Series, offering a fast‑paced look at how President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal reshaped Florida. Her talk traces the federal programs that built the state’s parks, post offices and public murals — from West Palm Beach’s Barefoot Mailman artwork to the Florida Caverns in Marianna — and the creative forces who left a lasting mark on Florida’s landscape. Register here.