Provost Savin, Student Godinez-Samperio Named Two of '25 to Watch' by Area Business Magazine

(June 15, 2007) – Dr. Sam Savin, provost and vice president for academic affairs at New College of Florida, and New College student Jose Godinez-Samperio are two of "25 People to Watch" for 2007, according to the July issue of Biz941, Sarasota Magazine's sister publication that covers Sarasota and Manatee business.

Savin (at left) and Godinez-Samperio are pictured with 23 other area "trailbrazers," who the magazine calls "innovators and doers who are shaking up the business scene" and who share "a restless energy for change and improvement."

Savin, who joined the New College administration last July coming from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, as provost leads academic affairs and "is guiding the campus's new master plan and shaping the college's legislative, fund raising and lobbying efforts," says the magazine. [Incorrect, however, says Savin: He is not involved in lobbying efforts for the College.] The article on Savin notes that the geologist, photographed holding a pyramidal assemblage of rocks, began researching global warming more than 30 years ago and is sought out for his expertise on climate change.

Godinez-Samperio, a third-year anthropology student in the academic year just ended, is cited as "proficient in ancient Greek, Latin, Mayan hieroglyphics, Hebrew and Spanish." He plans for a law degree and a Ph.D. in anthropology before entering politics in his native Mexico, says Biz941. Active in campus politics, Godinez-Samperio's special interest is in the "plight of undocumented immigrants."

The July issue also features a question-and-answer article with state Rep. Keith Fitzgerald, the freshman Democrat from Sarasota who is on the political science faculty at New College, and state Sen. Mike Bennett, the Manatee Republican, on their working together on legislation during the Florida Legislature's 2007 session.

The business magazine's Web site is at http://www.biz941.com/Index.asp.

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New College of Florida is a national leader in the arts and sciences and is the State of Florida’s designated honors college for the liberal arts. Rated as the No. 1 public liberal arts college in America by U.S. News & World Report ("America's Best Colleges, 2007 Edition"), New College attracts highly motivated, academically talented students from throughout the United States, as well as 27 foreign countries.