Connections : Innovation + Job News

Bradenton’s Goodwill Manasota has a brand new master plan and is set to expand its corporate headquarters while adding 160 fulltime operations and retail employees over the next five years.

The 18-month expansion project includes the development of nearly 80,000 square feet on a 9.2-acre site that will accumulate employees from several administrative offices throughout Bradenton and house them under one roof. The growth plan also includes 35,866 square feet dedicated to a new retail store with a drive-through donation center as well as a 16,000-square-foot outparcel for future site development.

After serving at Goodwill for 40 years, President Bob Rosinsky made the transition to CEO in January and placed a heavy emphasis on educational programs specific to employee and organizational growth.

"We have an extensive program that helps our employees advance. We want our employees to become role model workers," says Veronica Miller, VP of Goodwill Manasota’s Foundation.

The new developments and expansion are an extension to Goodwill’s educational and workforce improvement initiative that is centered on employee growth and career advancement while strengthening the organization’s partnerships with international Goodwill operations.

The new 27,000-square-foot corporate offices and Goodwill You Learning Center will feature classrooms, meeting rooms and a computer work space, allowing the organization to expand its existing online training program, offer career development resources to employees, and host on-site training for national and international Goodwill employee groups.

"We consult with other Goodwills around the world to help them become better at donation success. We have a lot of expectations for the Goodwill You Learning Center, and we’re in a great position to help Goodwills throughout the country that may be in the red or about to close their doors," says Miller.

The developments also include a new Job Connection location, a community service initiative dedicated to preparing candidates and collaboratively aligning them with employers having career opportunities.

The expansion project will also incorporate green and energy-efficient design that capitalizes on the use of space.

"We envision a range of game-changing green and eco-friendly initiatives, as well as electric car charging stations, bike and scooter parking, and SCAT and MCAT transit stations," says Steve Boone, chair of the Goodwill Manasota board of directors.

For information on hiring opportunities and unique business partnerships, visit Goodwill Manasota’s website.

Writer: Kaye Brown
Sources: Veronica Miller and Steve Boone, Goodwill Manasota

From the grassroots,"un-conference" style of BarCamp Sarasota-Bradenton to the more traditional panel discussions at the Economic Development Summit, the entrepreneurial-minded can expect to be informed and inspired at Riverwalk 2013.

May 2 – 5 at the Riverwalk Complex in Bradenton, the community can attend one of four different events, all with the same purpose: to help entrepreneurs and the community at large navigate the changing business landscape.

The series kicks off on May 2 with a "Coding for the Non-Profit" event, bringing together designers, coders and project managers to provide technology solutions for Realize Bradenton – a local arts and culture council focused on downtown Bradenton.

The Economic Development Summit on May 3 at the Manatee Performing Arts Center features keynote speaker Jim Stikeleather, Chief Innovation Officer for Dell, who will speak on disruptive technologies and business models. The event will also feature panelists, including business leaders, funding professionals, educators and entrepreneurs, speaking on the full spectrum of entrepenueurial development, from seed through later stage funding. Panelists will discuss why they chose to create or move their businesses here, changing the perception of a "retirement community" to a place where people purposely come to live and grow their business.

May 4's event is BarCamp Sarasota-Bradenton at Manatee Technical Institute, an "unconference" with an open agenda and talks created on the fly. This participatory event allows everyone to contribute through talks, discussions, round tables and feedback.

The series concludes on May 5 with the U.S. Green Builders' Council’s green technology expo and music festival, as well as a special showing of Fiddler on the Roof at the brand new Manatee Players' Theater.

The event series was created by Spark Growth, a community-based company focused on social enterprise, as well as several non-profit community groups.

"Our goal is to create a destination event that will highlight the attributes of where we live and bring it all together," says Sara Hand, co-founder of Spark Growth. "People won’t just come to the events and get information, but they’ll be impacted and changed, with a call to action. We hope they’ll be inspired."

Some events require registration, others are open.

Writer: Megan Hendricks
Source: Sara Hand, Spark Growth

Tampa's lively, diverse, sometimes illicit past is explored this month (April) during walking tours.

The tours are part of the Tampa Downtown Partnership's Do the Local Motion Program, which hosts regular walking tours of downtown Tampa. The historical piece is led by University of South Florida graduate students as part of an Urban Public History course.

The first tour on April 6 unveiled Tampa's illicit past, taking walkers past sites where Charlie Wall, the undisputed king of Tampa’s mob world ran underground operations for three decades.

On April 12 the theme is mid-century shopping. Walkers will take a stroll down Franklin Street and explore the sites where department stores and other shops thrived in the 1950s.  

In the Line of Duty on April 19 takes a look at the historical role of military and civil service monuments in public spaces. The walk covers Morgan Street and Madison Street while discovering plaques, statues and other monuments such as the Confederate soldier in front of the Hillsborough County Courthouse.

The final tour, Frontier Tampa on April 26, begins with the founding of Fort Brooke in 1824 and traces the diverse racial, ethnic and social classes that helped grow the city. Sites include Indian mounds and early saloons, billiard halls, government buildings and an opera house.

The project gets students out of the classroom and provides hands-on skill development. Barbara Berglund, associate professor and associate chair for the USF Department of History, likens it to writing a seminar paper in a traditional history course. The tours have a story line, supporting evidence and research, but are conducted in real time and space using built environments. "It’s really helped them hone their analytical skills," says Berglund.

All tours are free and open to the public. The tours meet in Gaslight Square Park in Downtown Tampa, and take place from noon to 1 pm.

Writer: Megan Hendricks
Source: Barbara Berglund, USF Department of History

What are you most passionate about? Can you answer that question in a five-minute presentation, using 20 slides that advance every 15 seconds?

On April 25, more than 20 community-minded individuals will take the stage at the Tampa Theatre to inform, educate and engage you about their favorite ideas and projects at IGNITE Tampa Bay.

With the mantra: "Enlighten us, but make it quick!" the event brings together the Tampa Bay community to share their personal and professional passions and experiences in bite-sized presentations.

Topics run the gamut and include arts, technology, health, education and business. You’ll hear Kip Curtis from the Edible Peach Patch Project talk about how community gardens in St. Petersburg are helping at-risk kids stay in school. Michele Northrup – aka the Saucy Queen – will discuss why companies can benefit from collaborating with their competitors. Ashley Mooney will teach how to constructively embrace failure to make it work to your advantage. Kevin Thurman from Connect Tampa Bay will discuss why you are the solution to Tampa Bay’s transportation challenges.

"There are so many people here in the community who don’t get a chance to speak publicly," says Sean Davis, co-chair of IGNITE Tampa Bay. "It’s a great way to get them out there."

Now in its third year, the attendance is expected to reach over 600 this year, with the new larger venue.

The event's unique format forces presenters to get to the point quickly, which further enhances the goal -- to stimulate thought and spark a fire with the audience, igniting them to take action and follow their own passions.

"Lots of people could benefit from understanding more about what’s out there," says Davis. "It starts to get other people thinking about what they can do."

Writer: Megan Hendricks
Source: Sean Davis, IGNITE Tampa Bay

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center’s Office of Technology Management and Commercialization (OTMC) is fueling medical innovations and helping to launch biotechnical startups within Tampa Bay.

Over the past four years, OTMC has launched 13 startups centered on the technological advancement of new drugs, new diagnostics and new devices that will improve the quality of patient care.

The core focus of OTMC is to set an infrastructure to facilitate the launch of faculty startups. By partnering with faculty, staff and industry leaders, medical innovations and discoveries are placed in an environment where technology can be further developed and eventually translated into commercial products that will benefit patients.

“Startups out of Moffitt are providing a number of benefits regionally and statewide. It’s creating new jobs, drawing attention to our region from outside investors so that we can access capital, and it’s also drawing attention from pharmaceutical companies and biotechnical firms interested in partnering or expanding to the state,” says Jarrett Rieger, director of OTMC.

The annual Business of Biotech conference is designed to create an atmosphere for faculty startups to interact with investors and the medical community to help further their success. The 2013 conference, which drew more than 350 participants as well as industry representation from outside of Florida, featured an investor forum, providing startups an opportunity to pitch business ideas to investors while receiving valuable feedback on developmental and funding milestones.

The 2014 Business of Biotech conference will focus on bringing additional business development officers from large pharmaceutical and biotech companies to foster more industry collaborations with the local area.

“It’s a high priority because the funding environment is changing. Academic institutions are looking to continue to support their innovations and research, and one way is to partner with industry. It is a big effort at Moffitt and other academic institutions to forge those types of relationships,” says Rieger.

Several of Moffitt’s faculty members have launched new companies and are gaining traction towards licensing medical technologies. Many startups are raising capital and have partnered with venture capitalists and the Florida Institute for the Commercialization of Public Research to help fund critically needed medical studies.

Tampa’s growing medical market paired with technological innovations is a natural stimulant for the Tampa Bay region.

“The larger our presence in the biotech, life science and medical device area -- the more research and innovation going on here, the greater the probability that we’ll be able to attract biotech businesses to our region.”

For information on OTMC, new technologies, and startups visit their website or call 813.745.6828.

Writer: Kaye Brown
Source: Jarrett Rieger, Moffitt Cancer Center Office of Technology Management and Commercialization

As an incubator for entrepreneurship and business growth, Tampa Bay’s community leaders, partners and business owners are positioning the region as a key global market.

The 2013 International Town Hall hosted by the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation provided leaders and business owners with key insights on entering the international marketplace and attracting foreign direct investments beneficial to the region and that also open new trade markets for local companies.

"This is an exciting opportunity for area business leaders to learn more about the international initiatives taking place in Tampa Bay,'' says Jim Pyburn, co-chair of the Tampa Hillsborough EDC’s International Trade and Foreign Direct Investment task force, and director of Trade Development & Latin America for the Tampa Port Authority.

Tampa’s community partners have a strategic focus on global expansion opportunities, particularly through importing and exporting. As Tampa Bay businesses and community leaders explore and prepare for international expansion initiatives, it's essential to evaluate core strengths unique to the region.

"Look at the intersection between assets and opportunity. Trade changes your economic future, not only your pocketbook, but also in job creation,” says Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, whose city was the 2011 pilot market for the Brookings Institution Metropolitan Export Initiative.

Rybak also presented leaders with a community case study that explores key objectives significant to the development of a regional export plan. "If we do this right, it changes who we are. It makes us better able to work together and affects us competitively,'' says Rybak.

As communities make shifts toward global expansion opportunities, it is important to build bridges that focus on leveraging community and governmental partnerships and strengthening business to business relationships that result in capitalizing on the strategies and expertise that have been effective for established local businesses that have traded in other places.

By concentrating on "globalized'' versus "globally interested,'' the region can benefit from fostering relationships among local businesses that have been successful in the international marketplace, and entrepreneurs and small businesses considering global expansion opportunities.

The 2013 International Town Hall workshop sessions gave attendees an opportunity to get advice from such experts as Joe Phillips of OCO Global, an authority on foreign investment and global economic development strategies. It also allowed information share on available resources and key steps involved in the international marketplace as well as valuable insights on trends and challenges businesses face in international business development.

"These workshops are invaluable for businesses considering global expansion,'' says Andrew McIntosh, co-chair of the Tampa Hillsborough EDC’s International Trade and Foreign Direct Investment task force.

What's next as Tampa Bay grows as an international market?

Focusing on building a pathway that others follow by strategically emphasizing Tampa’s rich cultural history, capitalizing on business bridges, and growing the region from the inside-out in order to attract international investments and development projects.

For more information on Tampa Bay's international business initiatives, visit the Tampa Hillsborough EDC's website.

Writer: Kaye Brown
Sources: Andrew McIntosh, Jim Pyburn and R.T. Ryback

Tampa Bay WaVE recently accepted the first group of startups into its FirstWaVE Accelerator Program.

The companies will receive assistance in all phases of development, including workshops, bootcamp events, mentors, professional services and opportunities to meet with investors and other successful entrepreneurs. They will also have access to the coworking space at FirstWaVE’s new Venture Center in downtown Tampa.

"The program will fill in some of the missing skills sets and experience that my team doesn't have,'' says Brian Burridge, president and founder of Commendable Kids, a startup that is part of the inaugural class.

Commendable Kids is an online experience that helps parents, teachers and other caregivers motivate and encourage children toward achieving goals, reaching milestones and learning new skills.

Parents sign up online, and their children can earn badges for their accomplishments. The parents then add information to their account to illustrate what their child did to earn the badges. They can invite family and friends to become supporters and give the children virtual "high fives.''

As an early supporter of Tampa Bay WaVE, Burridge was eager to be a part of the first class in the Accelerator program.

"Tampa Bay is a lot stronger in tech than anyone realizes,'' says Burridge. "FirstWaVe is laying the foundation that will build confidence in developers and help them know there is support.''

Burridge is looking to the Accelerator program for validation that his company can be sustainable as well as help with marketing to allow him to reach even more families.

The early stage start-ups making up the inaugural FirstWaVE Accelerator class are: SHOOTRAC, Cartooga, Secondhand Living, Drawer, Commendable Kids, Confy.co, Kite Desk and  SavvyCard.

FirstWaVE is currently accepting applications for the next class. The deadline to apply is April 1.
 
Writer: Megan Hendricks
Source: Brian Burridge, Commendable Kids

The Juvenile Welfare Board Children’s Services Council of Pinellas County (JWB) is adding a senior contract manager to their team to perform project management of core program initiatives that provide resources and funding to ensure the positive well-being of children and families.

With a central mission to ensure the development of children who are maltreated, children unprepared to begin school, or children who may be unsuccessful in educational development, the JWB collaborates and contracts with agencies to ensure that that the lives of each child are dynamically improved through special service programs. JWB is also finalizing the selection process for a new executive director.

“JWB is a vital bridge to a better future for the children in Pinellas County,” says Communications Manager Benjamin Kirby, so it is important for the senior contract manager to work as an internal and external liaison to JWB. “They are really the face of JWB.”

“We are looking for someone that embraces professionalism, the valuing of every child, the willingness to embrace collaboration, pursue innovation and celebrate results.”

The position calls for inter- and intra- departmental support in addition to grassroots efforts in the field -- to evaluate and perform contract compliance with collaborating organizations as well as meeting with social workers, childcare development workers, and families and children involved. Having a significant background in program management and social work as well as being familiar with GAAP, nonprofit management, youth & child development, health & substance abuse, and family counseling is fundamental to the success of the organization.

The senior contract manager will facilitate contract negotiations on behalf of JWB, evaluate and perform contract compliance, should have a master’s degree and should exhibit knowledge of state-related regulations as applied to human service organizations.

“It is incumbent that they carry themselves with a manner of accountability to the tax dollars expended through the programs, but to also understand the difficulties organizations face when providing services that so many people need.”

Interested candidates may view the full job description online and submit resumes by March 8, 2013 to human resources via email, fax to 727.530.7416, or via regular mail to Juvenile Welfare Board Children’s Services Council, Attn: Human Resources, 14155 58^th Street North, Clearwater, FL 33760.

Writer: Kaye Brown
Source: Benjamin Kirby, Pinellas Juvenile Welfare Board

Urbanism on Tap, a new three-part event series, launches March 12, 5:30 pm at Sono Café at the Tampa Museum of Art.

The events present an opportunity for raw, interactive, community-driven conversation about current issues shaping Tampa Bay area cities. They will begin with a brief presentation on a relevant topic and then an open-mic style talk that will give attendees a chance to come together and talk about what they’re most passionate about.

The "on tap" metaphor portrays the desire to have the urbanism discussion ever flowing and always available.

"We wanted to create a place where people can come and talk about what urbanism is to them in a readily accessible environment," says Erin Chantry, executive committee member of the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) Tampa Bay, who is jointly hosting the event with Urban Charrette

The first event in the series, "It’s About Us! Our Plan," will focus on understanding Tampa’s vision for the future and how it compares to other vibrant communities. The discussion will start with a summary of the InVision Tampa Plan, followed by a lively discussion.

"We need to have the ability to take ownership and an invested interest in how our city moves forward,'' says Chantry. "We need to make a plan for how we, as the general public, can do our part to make our city reflect our values and goals."

CNU Tampa Bay and Urban Charrette plan to launch an online portal after the event in order to keep the conversation going.

The second part in the series, titled "What About Them? Rival Cities," will look at how other comparable cities are becoming more vibrant and how we compare. The third and final part, titled "What Happens Next? Actions for the Future," will focus on action steps for the community to take the vision forward.

RSVP online here.

Writer: Megan Hendricks
Source: Erin Chantry, CNU Tampa Bay

St. Petersburg's Suncoast Tiger Bay Club is all about sharing core public and political issues, and they are looking for a new executive director to manage administrative operations, membership and club programs.

Founded in 1978, the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club, Inc. is a nonprofit, non-partisan political membership organization that fosters a platform for collaboration and sharing a better understanding of public issues.

The executive director will work closely with the board of directors, the club's president and the chairman to accomplish organizational goals including networking and securing speakers that fit the interests and objectives of the organization.

“We’re looking for someone who has experience in association management, and having a flare for it is important,” says Rick Edmonds, search committee chair.

As the organization’s mission centers on public and political matters, it is also important for the executive director to "have some interest and awareness in politics because it’s what we’re all about.''

The position requires a dedicated 60 to 70 hours per month and includes leading monthly meetings and acting as a liaison to "support the members and the goals of the club.''

Interested candidates may submit a resume and cover letter by March 8, 2013 to Rick Edmonds via email. Candidates may also respond via regular mail to: Rick Edmonds, Search Committee Chair, Suncoast Tiger Bay Club, Inc., c/o Poynter Institute, 801 South Third Street, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.

Writer: Kaye Brown
Source: Rick Edmonds

The biotechnology cluster in Tampa Bay continues to grow and flourish, with the 2013 Business of Biotech Conference on February 11. Hosted by Moffitt Cancer Center, the seventh annual event is themed “Partnering for Success” because of the focus on collaboration and networking.
 
Participants can expect opportunities for business development, talent management and business to business collaboration. They will also learn about new research and innovation happening at Moffitt Cancer Center, such as progress in the area of personalized medicine – a tailored approach that caters to each person’s individual disease.
 
Keynote speaker Bob Ingram, general partner with Hatteras Venture Partners will discuss how to attract capital from venture capital firms and Big Pharma.

The Moffitt Momentum Award, which recognizes elected officials for their support of the fight against cancer, will be presented to Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn during the event.

“He has been incredibly supportive of all of our needs and concerns, as well as our growth,” says Jarrett Rieger, director of the Office of Technology Management and Commercialization at Moffitt Cancer Center and Stetson Law School alum.

Last year’s event drew over 300 attendees from biomedical companies and startups, as well as individual entrepreneurs and investors, mostly from the Tampa Bay area. 

“There are a lot of smart people and strong businesses in the community,” says Rieger. “This signature event for Tampa Bay allows the various ingredients that are necessary for the biotech cluster to come together, partner and turn the area from a strong biotech area to a great one.”  
 
Attendance is free, but registration is required. For more information, and to register, visit this link.

Writer: Megan Hendricks
Source: Jarrett Rieger, Moffitt Cancer Center

Many businesses in Tampa Bay may not be aware of state and regional funds available for training grants and tax incentives. Harak Associates, a Tampa-based consulting team, helps companies not only navigate the often complicated application process for these grants but also steps in to assist with the ongoing paperwork needed to receive reimbursement.

The company is the brainchild of Donna Harak, a Tampa native and graduate of the University of South Florida. Harak saw a need for such services based on her past work with the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce. Companies expressed a desire to take advantage of training grants, but they didn't have the resources to complete the extensive paperwork required to apply for the grants, she says.
 
"We look at what's out there that companies ought to be taking advantage of that will help them find good talent and bring money to their bottom line,'' says Harak, president of Harak Associates.

Opportunities for tax incentives include the State of Florida Sales Tax Exemption Program and Enterprise Zone Programs -- for companies moving into a designated zone. Companies expanding their workforce by at least 10 percent or meeting other qualifying criteria involving new high-wage jobs may be eligible for a minimum tax refund of $30,000 from the Qualified Targeted Industry Tax Refund. Available training grants include the Incumbent Worker Training Grant and Employed Worker Training Grant, for which companies maybe be reimbursed for 50 percent of associated costs.
 
Harak Associates helped bring in close to $1 million in training dollars to companies in the Tampa Bay area in 2011-12. Clients span across multiple industries such as maritime, healthcare, technology and manufacturing.

"It's all about job creation, job growth and retaining good talent,'' says Harak. "At the end of the day, if you're really trying to grow your company you've got to keep the skills of your employees.''

Writer: Megan Hendricks
Source, Donna Harak, Harak Associates

Do you work independently and want a way to connect with others for ideas? Are you wondering if it's possible to make a living as an artist or designer? Or maybe you're a musician or actor who wants to meet others in your field. Now there's a way for creative professionals in Tampa Bay to find camaraderie and support to help them make a living doing what they love.

Creatives' Alliance is a professional membership organization for established and aspiring creative professionals such as writers, musicians, painters, actors and actresses, dancers, film makers, tattoo artists, designers and photographers.

The group appeals to all creative disciplines, something that makes it unique in the Tampa Bay region. Strong professional circles exist for those in advertising, photography, architecture and the like. The new multidisciplinary alliance brings together everyone working in a creative field in order to form a more cohesive, collaborative community.

"I love the arts and have built my life on creative endeavors,'' says Aris MacInnes, countess of creativity for Imaginary Mind productions and founder of the Creatives’ Alliance. "I get so inspired by the culture we, as artists, create, and I am bothered by watching the struggles we face to be appreciated, supported and paid well.''

Offerings include mentoring, professional guidance, group brainstorming, coaching, training, industry benchmarks and collaborative tools.

The group's first event is a LaunchPad Workshop on January 19 from 9 am till noon at Keiser University in Tampa, which focuses on launching a freelance career, improving your focus and making contacts with like-minded people.

Writer: Megan Hendricks
Source: Aris MacInnes, Creatives' Alliance

Businesses in Tampa have an opportunity to take their innovation up a notch with the arrival of Guy Kawasaki on February 28. Kawasaki will be the keynote speaker at The Art of Innovation event at The Tampa Convention Center in downtown Tampa.

Kawaski, an entrepreneur, bestselling author and Silicon Valley venture capitalist, played a critical role in marketing Apple's Macintosh computers in the 1980s and was named an Apple Fellow in 1995. He is currently managing director of Garage Technology Ventures and co-founder of Alltop.com, an "online magazine rack'' of trending topics on the web.
 
"We're trying to help inspire small businesses to break out of their shell and be more competitive and innovative in their sector,'' says Charise Strandberg, social media marketing manager for Celestar Corporation, which is coordinating the event. "We want Tampa to jump to the next curve, to be in that thoughtful set of innovation.''
 
What does innovation really mean? What does it take to innovate? How do today's businesses innovate to remain competitive? Kawasaki will speak to these things and more, as he provides hands-on learning with specific actions that can be implemented after the event. The topics will be tailored toward the audience and will include strategic steps to creating new products and services, how to break down barriers to innovation, and how set and achieve high goals. 

Attendees will include large and small businesses from the Tampa Bay region, including Florida Blue, Bank of Tampa, Digital Hands and 352 Media.

"A lot of businesses are doing the same thing day after day,'' says Strandberg. "We want to break out of that, to make Tampa an innovation hub. We're only going to do that by bringing people like Guy to Tampa.''

For more information and to register, visit Knowledge M, a division of Celestar.

Writer: Megan Hendricks
Source: Charise Strandberg, Celestar Corporation

Friday evenings in January, the Tampa Bay community will have a chance to hear stories from local residents about their travel experiences to places like India, Macedonia, Ireland and cities and places in the United States.

Travelogues, a blend of travel and monologue, is the second event coordinated by Vessel Collective, a Tampa-based nonprofit that provides interviews and events to document the place where stories, experiences and creative processes meet.

The inspiration for the event series came from Vessel founder Gina Moccio's experience as a high school student. Moccio ran a concession stand at her school's auditorium during events where senior citizens gathered to share travel stories. Wanting to replicate that experience in Tampa, she reached out to people she knew who had interesting experiences to share.

"I really just want to gather people in a room to listen and share stories. … To have a fun experience,'' says Moccio, adding that the lectures will be inclusive and participatory, allowing the audience to share their own stories as well.

Each event will feature two or three speakers with visual and audio presentations. Handmade giveaways will be provided to the first 20 attendees, such as note cards that feature the event poster. 

"The more creativity and the more people get out there and talk to each other and work on things together, the better the community is going feel -- more comfortable, more welcoming -- and who doesn't want to live in a welcoming, place,'' says Moccio.

At the January 11 event, photographer Nicole Kibert will share her experience working in the Peace Corps in Macedonia. Ryan Cragun, assistant professor of sociology at The University of Tampa, will also talk about serving as a missionary in Costa Rica.

The events are free and open to the public. The January 11 event will take place at Cafe Hey in downtown Tampa, from 7 to 9 pm. Future events are at various locations.

Writer: Megan Hendricks
Source: Gina Moccio, Vessel Collective