UNF Alumni

UNF Alumni To champion a life-long relationship between the University of North Florida and its alumni. So don't miss out – please join us!

The University of North Florida Alumni Association is a non-profit organization. Its purpose is to foster, maintain and support a mutually beneficial relationship between alumni and the University. Vision Statement
The University of North Florida Alumni Association is a dynamic organization that is recognized as a valuable resource by the UNF community. A dedicated Board of Directors will partner

effectively with Alumni Services to offer programs that foster campus traditions and perpetuate a passion for a life-long involvement with the University. The Mission Statement
To champion a life-long relationship between the University of North Florida and its alumni. Guiding Principles
Build relationships and a sense of camaraderie among students and alumni

Engage alumni and students through the perpetuation of tradition and pride

Recruit alumni to actively promote of UNF and showcase the Alumni Association as an essential partner of the University

Stay Connected
Once you graduate from the University of North Florida you automatically become a member of the UNF Alumni Association. Your status as an alumnus entitles you to participate in all UNF Alumni Association programs, events and activities.

ALUMNI TAKEOVER! Summer is the perfect time to take us out to the ballgame, and we’ve got shrimply the best alumna to sh...
06/01/2026

ALUMNI TAKEOVER! Summer is the perfect time to take us out to the ballgame, and we’ve got shrimply the best alumna to show us behind the scenes! Skylar Catherwood (’25) serves as the Social Media Coordinator for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, and she’ll be taking over our story at the VyStar Ballpark for tomorrow’s matchup against the Nashville Sounds.

A Jacksonville local, Catherwood wanted to stay close to home to help her family business. Plus, she knew her hometown market had plenty of ways to get involved. As a multimedia journalism major in the UNF School of Communication, she was involved both on and off campus. She served in a number of roles for Kappa Delta at University of North Florida, including VP of Events and Programming, and her first internship consisted of writing and producing for 1010 XL Jax. She also shadowed local stars, WJXT4 Vic Micolucci & Catherine Ritter (’20), before joining the latter as a sideline reporter & content creator for the Jacksonville Sharks. Catherwood has also served as a sideline reporter for ESPN+ during North Florida Ospreys athletic events.

Catherwood started with the Jumbo Shrimp last season as a Multimedia Intern, where she put her degree to use writing recaps and press releases, in addition to creating hype videos and social media content. She could also be seen on camera conducting post-game interviews with the players and hosting the Shrimp Show with fellow alumnus Adam Glover (’24). She celebrated the off-season with a Minor League Baseball championship ring and a well-deserved promotion.

This season in her new role, she’s excited to take the Jumbo Shrimp’s social media to the next level. We’re also excited for her take our platform to the next level with tomorrow’s takeover. So tune in on Tuesday to see what a day in Skylar’s life looks like and be sure to follow the Jumbo Shrimp socials to see all the fun she’s got going on all season long!

Plenty of excitement in this week’s Good Nest from the Nest!GreenPointe Holdings, LLC announced the promotion of Gregg K...
05/29/2026

Plenty of excitement in this week’s Good Nest from the Nest!

GreenPointe Holdings, LLC announced the promotion of Gregg Kern (’12, ’20) to Regional President, North Florida. In this new role, he will lead the company’s North Florida operations, overseeing strategic growth initiatives, land acquisitions and company development efforts throughout the region.

Kern earned his master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in finance, a bachelor’s degree in building construction management and an associate degree in business from the UNF Coggin College of Business. He joined the company in 2013 as Construction Manager and was promoted to Vice President of Development for Northeast Florida communities in 2021. Since 2024, he’s served as GreenPointe’s Division Manager for the North Florida Region.

May is Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and before we wrap up the celebration, we want to congratulate Adrianna Gautam (’19) on receiving Congressional recognition for her work with the community. Raised by an Indian American family in Brevard before coming up the coast to UNF to study Psychology, she started working in behavioral therapy for students in 2021. She now serves as CEO of AAG Wellness and Behavioral Care, where she dedicates her time to empowering individuals with special needs through comprehensive, compassionate, and evidence-based behavioral services.

During this month’s AAPI festivities, Congressman Darren Soto presented Gautam with the congressional record to recognize her meaningful work serving children and families across Florida, and the importance of uplifting diverse voices and leaders in our communities.

Finally, as the newest licensed general contractor in Duval, Ronaldo Naoum (’22) just launched Jacksonville Contracting Group. Naoum brings his bachelor’s degree in construction from the UNF College of Computing, Engineering and Construction - CCEC along with experience from both sides of the industry, including three years with LandSouth Construction, LLC.

Rather than narrowing the firm’s focus too early, Naoum said he wants to use the company’s first projects to establish credibility across multiple product types. Naoum has several residential projects lined up, including single-family work, and is awaiting permits on a mixed-use project in Jacksonville Beach.

Please join us in congratulating all our Ospreys for their good news!

Before we wrap up May, we wanted to take a deeper look at our 2,288 newest members of the UNF Alumni Association!Congrat...
05/29/2026

Before we wrap up May, we wanted to take a deeper look at our 2,288 newest members of the UNF Alumni Association!

Congratulations to all our Spring '26 graduates and remember... Once an Osprey, Always an Osprey!

05/28/2026

UNF's spring commencement ceremony for graduate students marked a defining milestone for the Coggin College of Business as the inaugural Master of Science in Financial Technology cohort graduated.

Today's takes us to the , where for the EIGHT CONSECUTIVE YEAR, your North Florida Ospreys retain the Old Wooden Barr...
05/28/2026

Today's takes us to the , where for the EIGHT CONSECUTIVE YEAR, your North Florida Ospreys retain the Old Wooden Barrel! That means a student could've come to the University of North Florida to earn a bachelor's degree, then stuck around The Graduate School to complete a master's or a doctorate before joining us in the Alumni Association...and STILL never seen Jacksonville University win the rivalry!

This year was close, but with strong performances from our Baseball, Beach Volleyball, and Track & Field teams down the stretch, our streak stays alive!

05/26/2026

Just like our Ospreys, these blooms keep thriving long after graduation. 🌼🦅

Once an Osprey athlete, always an Osprey athlete.💙Last night’s Third Thursday at Island Wing Company Tamaya was all abou...
05/22/2026

Once an Osprey athlete, always an Osprey athlete.💙

Last night’s Third Thursday at Island Wing Company Tamaya was all about reconnecting, reminiscing, and showing up strong.

A special thank you to Paola N. Lorenzo and Herbie Steigelman for serving as our speakers and making the night even more memorable.

SWOOP!

As many of you know, earlier this year a few of our alumni got together to start a new network. The Osprey Advisors Alum...
05/21/2026

As many of you know, earlier this year a few of our alumni got together to start a new network. The Osprey Advisors Alumni Network (OAAN) is a community of legal and financial professionals dedicated to advancing the mission of the University of North Florida.

The OAAN is introducing a new webinar series designed to connect UNF alumni and community members with trusted insights from experienced professionals across financial, estate, tax and charitable planning disciplines. Each session features alumni and industry leaders sharing practical strategies and timely conversations focused on planning for life’s next chapter.

Topics throughout the series include retirement planning, estate planning essentials, tax-smart charitable giving, wealth transfer strategies, market insights and other financial considerations that impact individuals and families at every stage of life. The series is designed to provide approachable, real-world education that helps attendees make informed decisions with greater confidence.

Our inaugural session features Taylor McCullers (’18), financial advisor at Morgan Stanley. During this session, attendees will explore topics such as spending and saving trends, investment considerations, retirement planning strategies and preparing for upcoming financial milestones. Whether you are refining long-term goals, evaluating current strategies or simply looking for a thoughtful mid-year reset, this conversation will provide practical insights and actionable takeaways to help you move forward with intention.

Planning For Life's Next Chapter is a monthly session hosted on the first Wednesday of every month. To register, visit https://gift.unf.edu/event/planning-for-lifes-next-chapter-midyear-check-in/e800762

05/20/2026

Nearly 500 miles of Florida's coastline is at risk of being lost to erosion, and Amar Kosovac is using bacteria to fight back. His research focuses on optimizing the production of an enzyme that binds sand particles together, a nature-based approach to one of Florida's most pressing environmental challenges.

Amar presented his research at the 2026 Conference of Florida Graduate Schools, where engagement with researchers outside his field opened unexpected doors. "It was so cool to receive feedback from people who are non-microbiologists," he said. "They provide feedback that is outside the box, something we would never consider."

Amar graduated with his M.S. in Biology last month, and plans to pursue opportunities in teaching or academia, continuing to share his passion for science.

University of North Florida, UNF Alumni

Welcome to Flockville? Daytona’s 4-day hard rock and heavy metal music festival, featuring artists such as Guns N' Roses...
05/19/2026

Welcome to Flockville? Daytona’s 4-day hard rock and heavy metal music festival, featuring artists such as Guns N' Roses, My Chemical Romance and Foo Fighters, brought in over 200,000 tourists for 2026. We saw a handful of Ospreys down there at the Daytona International Speedway, but today we’e doing a backstage interview with Lourdes “Lola” Kashella (‘25), whose new role with Cox Media Group had her teaming up with local rock stations X99.5 Jacksonville's New Alternative and 96.9 The Eagle.

The natural beauty and close-knit feel of the University of North Florida campus, plus the surrounding Jacksonville community, drove her to enroll in the UNF School of Communication. During her time in college, she learned inside and outside the classrooms, taking advantage of everything UNF had to offer. She interned with The Jacksonville Humane Society helping with community events and their social media platforms, getting her a feel of what she’d be doing post-grad.

She knew she wanted to work in digital media, but wasn’t sure where to start. Cox was hiring a promotional specialist, the perfect entry-level job for her. Her coworkers were very supportive and pushed her to take on social media work for one of their local radio stations, an assignment that’s anything but typical.

“Sometimes you’ll drive an hour out to Georgia to capture live footage of a wildfire, the next day you’ll be interviewing bands at Rockville!”

When they asked her to assist the media team, she didn’t hesitate. It was not only her first music festival, but her first large-scale event. She quickly learned everything that goes on behind the scenes, how to plan, and most importantly, how to adapt.

Waking up at the crack of dawn to drive to Daytona, setting up equipment for interviews, capturing live footage, (saving the equipment from the torrential downpour…), recovering for the headliners and packing up back to Jax to do it all again.

In addition to networking with industry colleagues and getting to meet some celebrities, Kashella’s biggest takeaway was seeing all the seemingly small moving parts and the vital roles they play for big events. She’s eager to learn more and continue working in the field.

Address

1 UNF Drive, Alumni Hall
Jacksonville, FL
32224

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+19046204723

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