Power in servant leadership

2025 Alumni Award honorees lead by lifting others

By Molly Urnek // Advancement

They define extraordinary. The six Alumni Award recipients recognized in October included three Distinguished Alumni whose exceptional professional accomplishments have made them standard-bearers in their fields. A fourth alum and two non-alumni were honored for years of dedicated service that has made a significant impact on USF and other communities.

Despite their decades of achievement, all have led with humility and in service to others.

“We’re not sure why we’re getting this award for doing something we love,” said David Goldstein who, in the next breath, demonstrated the commitment to service for which he and his wife, Joanne Nelson, were honored with the Class of ’56 award.

He announced that the couple were pledging $30,000 to establish the Sherry Goldstein Scarcella Education Scholarship to support students planning to become K-12 teachers. The fund honors their daughter, Sherry Lynn Scarcella, Exceptional Student Education ’95, who has taught special education for over 30 years.

Upon receiving a 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award, Gayle Sheppard, Business Administration ’00, recalled learning servant leadership while walking job sites as a child with her father.

“In those early days, I learned that trust, responsibility and respect for and service to others is … the defining difference between leaders,” Sheppard said.

"This is such a wonderful tradition, entwined with so much inspiring history over the past half century at USF."

– President Rhea Law, ’77

Sierra-Shae Brandt, a USF MBA student, accepted the award for her father, Distinguished Alumnus Rick Brandt, Economics ’91.

“In his words, he’s ‘not quite sure I really deserve it,’” she said. “That humility really defines him.”

Distinguished Alumna Gigi Fernández, Psychology ’03, explained how her house flooding during Hurricane Helene prompted her to start a foundation that supports people affected by natural disasters.

“When we are able to help others, we could leave our country and the world better than we found it,” Fernández said. “Being selfless is what brings true joy in life.”

Donald A. Gifford Service Award recipient Ronald Kennedy, MD ’79, reflected on a passage often attributed to philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche: “I was in darkness, but I took three steps and found myself in paradise. The first step was a good thought, the second a good word, and the third, a good deed.

“Don’t wait to take your first steps,” Kennedy said.

This year’s awards event marked the 50th anniversary of the Distinguished Alumni Award, recognizing achievement, and the Alumni Association invited past recipients back for a special ceremony to celebrate the milestone. More than 100 USF alumni have received the honor — USF’s highest for former students — since it was first bestowed in 1976. Nearly a quarter of them returned for a private reception during which they were presented with a medallion commemorating their unique place in USF history.