This past week, local business and community leaders hosted their second annual Tallahassee Welcomes U reception at the Florida Historic Capitol Museum. This event was originally created to welcome new FSU, FAMU, and TCC faculty to the Tallahassee area by providing an in-person networking opportunity with local residents.
Approximately 150 faculty from FSU, FAMU, and TCC attended the event which was spear-headed by Lester Hutt, Director of Outreach and Recruiting at Diverse Computing, Inc.
"The Tallahassee Welcomes U event was better than I expected. As a new faculty trying to navigate a new department, teaching load and moving can all be daunting,” said FSU assistant professor Dr. James Wright in the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy. Dr. Wright had attended the inaugural Tallahassee Welcomes U event in 2018. “One thing that I am grateful about is that TWU allowed me an opportunity to get to know more about what Tallahassee has to offer as well as make some life long friends."
Tallahassee Welcomes U has provided a place for newcomers to learn more about the community. As an introduction to the area, the reception was catered by all local companies including: Bradley's Country Store, Tally Mac Shack, Lucky Goat Coffee, and Proof Brewing Company.
"I am thrilled to be a part of the Tallahassee Welcomes U initiative's second annual welcome event for new faculty,” said Rep. Loranne Ausley. “I attended last year, and it was great to meet so many incredible faculty joining our institutions of higher learning -- and our community. Tallahassee is a wonderful place to call home, and we welcome our new community members with open arms."
The organizers hope to foster an ongoing network of elected officials, businesses, and community leaders with the new faculty.
“What a brilliant idea for Tallahassee’s newest residents to experience why Tallahassee is the best place to live, work, and play,” said Sue Dick. “Tallahassee Welcomes U provided a welcoming, high energy, and informative social gathering for new faculty and their partners. Talent recruitment and support is a priority for the Tallahassee Chamber and we were thrilled to be a part of this event.“
Each attendee received an exclusive gift bag of locally sourced goods, contact information, referrals, and a list of the top 50 things to do in Tallahassee, all donated by local businesses. They were also invited to participate in the Facebook community page where conversations and updates will continue well beyond the reception.
The event was built from the ground up with help from all across the Tallahassee community.
Special thanks go out to:
Jenny Dawson-Dorminy, Coordinator of Recruitment and Marketing at Flagler College
Elizabeth Emmanuel, Program Coordinator at Leadership Tallahassee
Tiffany Baker, Museum Director at Florida historic Capitol Museum
Honoka Hamano, Graphic and User Interface Designer at Diverse Computing
To get involved with TLH Welcomes U, please visit facebook.com/groups/tlhwelcomesu.