Three inspiring Flagler College alumni were recognized during the 21st Annual Alumni Awards Luncheon in the areas of service and professional achievement.
Initiated in 1999, the Alumni Awards honor those who have made significant contributions to their fields, the college, or their communities.
Ellie Baggett ’07 was awarded the Community Service Award for her outstanding contributions to serving her community.
Described in her nomination form as a “force in her community,” Ellie Baggett founded an organization, ‘Ladies Heights Happy Hour,’ that encourages and supports women’s participation in their neighborhoods and provides opportunities to give back to their communities. This organization has over 2,340 members and has supported Tampa public schools, domestic violence shelters, and sexual abuse victims.
“Receiving this award is recognition not only for myself but for the community I've helped build in Tampa through my organization Ladies Heights Happy Hour. We're a group of neighborhood women who want to make new connections but also want to give back to the community. With these women, I've been able to raise thousands of dollars and mountains of donations for period products for Title 1 schools, new clothes for sexual assault survivors, and classroom supplies for teachers in need. This award means recognition for all of our hard work and sharing our victory together as a team!”
“Our motto at LHHH is ‘we stand in horseshoes, not in circles.” Ellie shared in her acceptance speech. The full quote is from Glennon Doyle: “If you are standing with other women in a circle and there is a woman standing alone in your circle’s vicinity – the thing to do is notice her, smile at her, move over a bit and say “Hi, come join us!” Even if she decides not to join your circle – even if she looks at you like you’re crazy - inviting her is still the thing to do. Widen your circles. All the time. And Horseshoes are better than circles. Leave space. Always leave space.”
Ellie has made it her mission to do just this. She shared “every member of LHHH is told when they join, it is their job to welcome others and to bring them in. I encourage you to use it in your daily lives as well."
This year, the Professional Achievement Award was presented to both Jackie Petty ’05 and Christina (Christy) Fulater ’08 for their significant accomplishments in their fields, which have achieved national and/or regional recognition.
Christy Fulater’s career has been centered around her love for ESE education. As a Special Education Teacher in Leon County, she has won several Teacher of the Year awards. In 2019 was named ESE Curriculum and Instructional Specialist for the Leon County School District. In her roles, she has advocated for teachers and students state-wide and locally to help increase the educational outcomes for all students with disabilities.
Christy shared, “I am very honored to have received an alumni award for professional achievement. Flagler helped prepare me in so many ways for my career in education. Not only by giving me a strong academic foundation but by providing me with leadership skills and the confidence to always think outside the box. The relationships I made while attending Flagler College in Tallahassee also helped lay a foundation for many professional opportunities over the years. It really is a "family" feel when you attend Flagler.”
Christy has spent the last 12 years consistently devoting her time to improving the educational outcomes for students with disabilities. First in her own classroom, and now in the classroom of other teachers she assists through her role with the district, FCEC, and as a Flagler College Tallahassee campus adjunct instructor.
Jackie Petty is the Lead of Live Production with the PGA Tour and serves as the producer-director of PGA Tour Live. Jackie is the only female producer in all of professional golf broadcasting and has directed live tournament coverage across 35 international broadcast partners, in 210 countries and territories, with a total viewership of over 945 million households worldwide. Her work has aired on NBC, CBS, GOLF Channel, PGATOUR.com, Twitter, Facebook, Amazon Prime, the NBC Sports Gold app, and Internationally through Discovery on GOLF TV.
“It was such an honor to receive the Profession Achievement Award from Flagler College. I truly love what I do and am so happy I get to put my communications in broadcasting degree to use every day. I have worked very hard to carry myself in a way that would make all the people I represent proud, and that includes my alma mater.”
Jackie credits part of her professional success to the small class size learning environment and support and encouragement from faculty and staff she experienced at Flagler.
“It was clear I was not going to be able to hide in the crowd of a 400+ student lecture hall. I was called on by name and attendance was easily noticed. That was the beginning of me always showing up and being prepared. I grew to like speaking in front of groups of people and I attribute that to the classroom participation that was a clear part of every class I took at Flagler.”
She further shared, “we had wonderful teachers that not only taught us the tools to succeed in the professional world, but they did it in a way where I knew I was seen and supported. Teamwork was encouraged and one person’s success was everyone’s to share. Just as it is in my profession today. Now as a leader in my field and a captain of a large production team, I aim to lead by example with all the support and encouragement that was shown to me by my friends and family at Flagler College.”
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up